BlueSkies Newsletter - June 2009
Welcome to June's BlueSkies newsletter!
In this month's edition, you can read our articles on:
Safety In The Sun - stop the sun damaging your health
Your 5-A-Day Budget - fruit & veg intake on a budget
Precious Protein - our top tips to achieving your protein intake
Also, find out about the benefits of resistance training and the nutritional benefits of kiwi fruits.
Safety In The Sun
We've had a taste of summer recently and many people will have been outside soaking up the sun just in case it's the last we see this year!
However, if you were out enjoying the sunshine, did you ensure that you took all possible steps to protect yourself and your skin from the damage that can be caused by the sun?
Why worry?
Most skin cancers are caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation such as that which comes from the sun or sunbeds. Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK and the number of cases is increasing rapidly. There are two main types of skin cancer - malignant melanoma (the most serious type) and non-melanoma skin cancer (the more easily treated type).
Malignant Melanomas are normally noticed following a change in the normal look or feel of a mole. Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer (NMSC) is more common, more easily treated and tends to affect the areas of the body most frequently exposed to the sun e.g. face and hands.
Spotting the signs
In essence, you are looking for any changes to your skin and if you notice anything, you should visit your doctor without delay to get it investigated.
NMSC can take two forms:
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Basal Cell Cancer - grows quite slowly and usually starts as a small round or flattened lump. The lump may be red, pale or pearly in colour. It can also appear as a scaly or eczema-like patch on the skin.
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Squamous Cell Cancer - this appears as a persistent, red, scaly spot, lump, sore or ulcer which may bleed easily.
When checking for changes to your moles remember that you may have some moles which will remain harmless throughout your life. However, any moles or patches of skin that change in size, shape or colour over weeks or months should be checked by your GP. Look out for changes in the ABCD of your moles:
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Asymetry - the two halves of your mole are not the same or become different
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Border - the edges of your mole are, or become, irregular, blurred or jagged
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Colour - the colour of your mole is, or becomes, uneven or it has more than one shade of colour
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Diameter - your mole is, or becomes, wider than 6mm in diameter
Other potential signs of skin cancer include:
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a new growth/sore that won't heal
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a spot/mole/sore that itches or hurts
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a mole/growth that bleeds, crusts or scabs
For more information on the signs and symptoms of skin cancer, click here.
Protect yourself - be SunSmart
Cancer Research UK run the SunSmart campaign which is the UK's national skin cancer prevention campaign. The SunSmart campaign advises that, when you're in the sun, you use shade, clothing and sunscreen to protect yourself.
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Shade - spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm when the sun's UV rays are strongest. Shade can take the form of trees, umberellas, canopies or indoors. The highest risk months in the UK are May to September.
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Clothing - cover up with a t-shirt, hat and sunglasses when there's no shade around. The best way to protect your skin from the sun is with loose clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and good quality sunglasses that have a 'CE mark', are British Standard (BS EN 1836:1997), have a UV 400 label and offer 100% UV protection.
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Sunscreen - when you're in the sun, protect your skin from the UV rays with sunscreen. SunSmart recommends that you use a 'broad spectrum' sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 and with a star rating of at least 4 stars.
For more information on the SunSmart campaign, click here.
Can the sun be good for you?
It's not all bad news as far as the sun is concerned as sunlight enables our bodies to produce Vitamin D which is vital for bone health as it aids the absorption of calcium. In fact, sunlight is the main source of this vitamin. By enjoying the great outdoors and the sun sensibly, we can ensure that we make enough Vitamin D whilst not increasing our risk of skin cancer. The amount of sun exposure that we need to produce adequate Vitamin D is far less than it would take to cause skin damage.
Food Of The Month - Kiwi Fruit
The kiwi fruit is a common fruit in the UK but it is often overlooked in favour of oranges, apples and bananas. However, nutrition-wise, a kiwi fruit contains as much potassium as a banana and more Vitamin C than an orange. What's more, it is rich in Vitamins A & E which, alongside Vitamin C, are known as the antioxidant vitamins and these help to protect us against cellular damage. Studies have shown that kiwi fruits can be useful in improving the condition of child asthmatics and in decreasing the probability of colon cancer due to their fibre content.
Budget For Your 5-A-Day
Recently, many of us have had to tighten our belts as a result of the credit crunch but this doesn't have to mean that our diets suffer.
Very often fruit and vegetables are perceived as expensive but this isn't necessarily true and it is possible to eat your 5-a-day for less than a pound.
Benefits of fruit and veg
We're frequently told of the health benefits associated with fruit and vegetables and the Government recommends that we aim to eat at least 5 portions per day.
People who eat plenty of fruit and veg are less likely to suffer from conditions such as certain cancers, stroke, heart disease and constipation. In addition, adequate fruit and veg intake can help to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as aiding in the management of diabetes.
We should aim to eat fruit and veg that are a variety of colours as each colour represents different health benefits. Every day we should aim to eat fruit and/or veg that is:
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Red - contain lycopenes which are known to reduce cancer risk e.g. tomatoes, strawberries, radishes, cherries & raspberries
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Orange/yellow - contain vitamin C and carotenoids which may promote eye health and prevent heart disease e.g. oranges, carrots, apricots, sweet potato & mango
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Green - contain iron, folic acid and lutein which may help fight eye disease e.g. spinach, kiwi, lime, avocado & broccoli
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Blue/purple - contain anthocyanins which may help promote healthy aging, protect your memory e.g blueberries, aubergine, plums & purple cabbage
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White - contain allicin which is known to lower bad cholesterol and high blood pressure e.g. garlic, onion, mushrooms, bananas, pears & turnips
5-a-day for under £1
When we buy fruit and veg, we often end up spending more than necessary because we fall for marketing gimmicks or have been 'brain-washed' into believing that some fruit and veg are better than others. There is absolutely nothing wrong with buying seasonal, 'normal' fruits & vegetables.
We need to remember that:
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organic doesn't necessarily mean better
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fresh isn't always better than frozen/canned
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'superfood' is often a label that is attached to a food for a few months before the marketing claims are disproven
It is possible to get your 5 daily portions of fruit and vegetables for under £1. For example:
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banana with breakfast (15p), apple for mid-morning snack (20p), 7 cherry tomatoes with lunch (30p), frozen carrots (10p) & frozen sweetcorn (8p) with evening meal = 83 PENCE
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40g raisins sprinkled on breakfast cereal (15p), 1/2 can tomato soup for lunch (22p), frozen peas (10p) & cauliflower/broccoli (11p) with evening meal, frozen blackforest fruit (21p) with natural yoghurt = 79 PENCE
Top tips
Here are our top tips to sticking to your budget when purchasing your fruit and veg:
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Choose seasonal, local produce. Produce which has travelled thousands of miles tends to cost more and be less nutritious.
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Remember that frozen/canned fruit and vegetables tend to be cheaper than their fresh counterparts. Plus, they are just as, if not more, nutritious.
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Stock up on frozen/canned products when they are on offer as they will not go out of date before you use them.
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Buying frozen foods tends to save money as you are less likely to throw food away. You simply defrost as much as you need, when you need it.
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If you have fresh produce which is nearing its use-by date, chop it up or cook it and freeze it then just defrost it when you need it.
Activity Of The Month - Resistance Training
Resistance training is no longer the preserve of muscle-bound men - performed correctly, it offers benefits to everyone. Also, known as strength or weight training, resistance training involves the performance of movements against a resistance and it is designed to increase muscular strength, power and/or endurance. The resistance can come from free weights such as dumbbells, machine weights, resistance bands or simply your own body weight. By pitting your muscles against resistance, you force them to adapt to the extra workload and these adaptations create stronger, 'fitter' muscles.
As already mentioned, resistance training can benefit everyone - young or old, male or female, novice or advanced - as long as it is performed properly. Unfortunately, this type of training can lead to short and long term problems and injuries. Therefore, ensure that you adhere to the advice given to you and, if you are ever unsure about anything, make sure you consult a fitness professional. Some of the most common faults include not warming up, trying to lift weights that are too heavy and poor technique - combined, these can spell disaster.
Research shows that well-performed resistance training has many benefits:
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Increased bone density and prevention of osteoporosis
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Enhanced metabolic rate - muscle burns calories at rest, unlike fat
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Decreased risk of coronary disease
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Improved balanced and agility
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Enhanced performance of everyday tasks
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Reduced risk of diabetes and better management of it
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Better management of arthritis
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Reduced risk of injury
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Enhanced sports performance
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Improved self esteem and confidence
If you are interested in a resistance training programme, whatever your goals, why not contact BlueSkies? Our vast experience in devising training programmes means that we will be able to provide you with a personalised programme that will met your needs. Please click here to e-mail us.
Precious Protein
Protein is used in the human body to build, repair and renew tissues such as muscle tissue. Therefore, we need adequate protein to ensure that we are able to build and maintain our muscle mass. Most Western diets provide plenty of protein so there is no real need to rely on supplements for your protein intake. However, we can all look at our protein intake to ensure that we are making the most of it!
Is your protein complete?
Not all proteins are created equal! Proteins are known as either complete or incomplete depending on how many amino acids (the building blocks of protein) they contain. There are 20 amino acids, 8 of which are 'essential' meaning that they cannot be synthesised in the body and have to be consumed through the diet. The other 12 amino acids are 'non-essential' as they can be produced by the body.
A complete protein contains adequate proportions of all 8 of the essential amino acids whereas an incomplete protein may be missing one or more of the essential amino acids. Complete proteins tend to be animal products such as meat, fish, milk, eggs and yoghurt. Incomplete proteins include beans, lentils, seeds, nuts and grains. Although most vegetarian sources of protein are incomplete, Quorn™ and soy products are both complete.
It used to be believed that non-meat eaters needed to combine different protein containing foods at each meal in order to consume all 8 essential amino acids. However, we now know that, as long as varying protein sources are eaten throughout the day, there is no need to combine proteins at each meal.
Top tips
If you are interested in how to improve the quality and health of your protein intake, here are BlueSkies top tips:
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Try replacing red meat i.e. beef, pork and lamb with chicken, turkey or fish. This will lower the saturated fat content of your diet.
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Choose lower-fat versions of dairy products such as yoghurt, milk, cheese. Again, this will lower the saturated fat content of your diet.
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Try to eat a source of protein with each of your meals e.g. yoghurt at breakfast, jacket potato with baked beans for lunch and fish for dinner.
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Choose wholegrain carbohydrates such as bread, rice and pasta as these are higher in protein that their white alternatives.
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To increase your protein intake, try sprinkling a handful of mixed seeds and nuts on your breakfast cereal. However, beware of their calorie content!
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Adding pine nuts to your salad will boost your protein intake.
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Replace butter and jam on toast with peanut butter.
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Try replacing meat in casseroles and other dishes with Quorn™ or soy pieces - these are still complete proteins but have a much lower saturated fat content.
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Snack on protein containing foods such as yoghurt, seeds or nuts if you need to increase your protein intake.
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Remember, a healthy diet is more to do with 'how' rather than 'how much'. Consuming more protein than you need will not result in bigger muscles - it will just make your kidneys work harder!
For more information on how to improve the health of your diet, why not contact BlueSkies? We offer a range of diet and nutrition services which include dietary analysis and the provision of diet plans. Having written plans for clients ranging from elite athletes to weight loss clients, we have the knowledge and skill to help you meet your goals, whatever they are. Please click here to e-mail us.
Thanks For Reading!
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