Drink dodging

In my two days of bug imposed sofa time I caught up on some proper TV junk ... most of it was really not worth watching or blogging on, but bizarrely I did learn something new and nutrition related.

During one of many 'Keeping up with the Kardashians' episodes that blurred into each other I was surprised to find out that Kim Kardashian is pretty much teetotal. Surprised partly because I assumed most of the Kardashian craziness was alcohol fuelled but also because it's still not that common for young A-listers to be openly booze free, unless it's been forced on them through rehab.

When quizzed as to why she doesn't drink she gave pretty much my answer for it ... she doesn't like waking up hungover and then not enjoying or making the most of her day because of feeling jaded. Now I know some of you lucky individuals don't suffer with hangovers, but it's pretty rare for a boozy night out not to take the shine off the next day for most of us. It's just that for some people that will seem like a worthwhile trade off and for others it doesn't. That's a personal choice, and in the same way that I respect everyone's right to eat KFC I also respect everyone's right to a hangover!

Sadly, if you do decide not to drink, not everyone will respect you're decision and peer pressure to drink is still pretty prevalent. Even the lovely Kim was pressured into drinking by her friends only to embarrass herself and then feel thoroughly wretched the next day (we've all been there!).

Over the years I've used various strategies to dismiss pressure to drink and thought i'd share them incase any of you are trying to cut back, but finding it hard to say no. Even if you're not going teetotal completely, it doesn't mean you can't use it as a reason not to drink on the nights you want off - particularly if you want to avoid drinking at work functions - saying your teetotal nips the issue in the bud, whereas saying yes to just one drink usually leads to more being poured.

1. Play it polite .... when offered an alcoholic drink say no thank you politely and request a specific non-alcoholic beverage that you'd enjoy instead. If your host has manners they'll be delighted to get your drink whatever it is.

2. Play it mysterious ... if your host is still pressing drinks on you just say, 'Sorry I don't drink' and leave it at that. Some people's sense of etiquette will mean they won't question further, some may ask why and you can keep playing it mysterious by saying 'I had to give up for health reasons' ... although some people may then assume you have AA membership!

3. Play the medication card ... 'I'm on antibiotics' or be less specific and just say 'I'm taking medication that I can't drink with'. Most people won't quiz you on medications so that's an easy one. If you'd rather not say you're taking medication say you're on a detox, but give it more credibility by saying your Nutritionist or Doctor suggested it - people are less likely to ask with this. Alternatively say you're training for a marathon, triathlon or other competitive event ... most people stop drinking in order to train properly - but if you don't even own a pair of running shoes then it won't be credible!

4. Be honest ... I usually tell people I don't drink because I gave up for health reasons a few years back, and once I realised how great it was to never be hungover, and also what a difference not drinking made to my overall health I decided never to take it up again - and that's the truth. I do occasionally drink, but only when I want to, which is pretty much less than once a month. Most people accept that answer and those who don't or still try and pressure me into drinking don't get much of my time and quickly give up.

If you really feel like it would be rude not to accept a drink, either at a company event or where your host would be offended, then accept the drink graciously and take a sip. Then leave it by your plate, or even better abandon it on a coffee table, and move back to soft drinks. When the waiters come by to top up they'll see your glass is still full and leave you be.

NITC ... back from the dead

Howdy readers ... first up apologies for going AWOL ... I was laid up with a really nasty gastro bug apparently going around London nurseries right now. If you can avoid kiddy contact in the next week I'd recommend it.

This meant I was totally off food for a few days and basically kept myself conscious with a diet of water, sugary drinks and bouillon stock drink for salts. During my feverish, sugar induced delirium I at least had the sense to recognize that writing my blog would be a mistake. But I'm back .. and back on food, thank god.

So what do you think I'd fancy after three days off food ... I'd expect my usual comfort faves .. nachos, chips, chocolate. So I was surprised to find that when my appetite came back that what I really fancied was the bizarre, but healthy, combination of new potatoes with hummous, salad and avocado, plus some stewed fruit, and it was divine.

Odd yes, but actually after three days of sugar and no fruit and veg it's no surprise that my body was craving vitamin C. Not only do we need Vitamin C as an essential nutrient for our body's functions, but it is a also water soluble vitamin so not stored in the body - meaning you can get depleted pretty easily. Sugar is also an antagonist to Vitamin C ... it competes with Vitamin C for uptake into the body's cells ... so even though my Ribena has added vitamin C it's dubious how much help that was, given the amount of sugar in it.

You see your body is extremely clever and usually knows what it needs to get back into balance ... you just need to tune in and listen to it. This is why I often tell clients not to worry if they find they go a bit off track after being super healthy for a couple of months ... if you let yourself indulge, rather than constantly being restricted, you'll be surprised how quickly you tire of unhealthy junk and go back to wanting healthy foods.

Btw if you do get the horrid lurgy I'd recommend supplementing any sugary drinks with some fresh fruit juice if you can find someone kind enough to make you some.

Stew and sauna

Talk about changeable weather ... last Sunday it was too hot to wear anything other than beach wear and then this evening I was shivering in a suit and rain mac!

I'm no meteorologist so I'm afraid I've no great insight as to whether we're in autumn proper of it this random weather will continue, but as I've blogged on before extreme temperature fluctuations can be stressful on the body and seasonal changes can lead to low mood and impaired immunity.

This is when it's important to stay flexible in what you're eating and your lifestyle. If it's warm dress lightly and eat lightly - cold dishes and raw salads will keep you cool, along with plenty of water. But don't let yourself get caught out if the temperature drops - a spare jumper or cardigan is essential at the moment, along with fairly regular checking of www.metcheck.com to plan weather appropriate outfits.

As the weather cools it's important to keep the body warm - this enhances immune function, helping you fight off colds and flu, and also keeps your body relaxed and metabolism high. Layer up, and don't be caught without a coat. Eat warm protein rich foods that will keep you warm for hours - soups and healthy stews are great for this - I get my soups from EAT and stews from POD or Leon. Porridge is a great morning warmer, but if you don't fancy it have a cold breakfast with a nice hot mug of herbal tea.

Exercise is also great for keeping your temperature up - which is why regular moderate exercise makes you less likely to get ill. Another good way to boost your temperature is to have a regular steam or sauna - if your gym has one try and go in once a week over the winter months, it's wonderfully relaxing and you can justify it as a defence against winter bugs.
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To snack or not to snack

Yesterdays blog on avoiding blood sugar dips also ties in nicely with my current experiment to cut back on the snacks.

By combining slow digesting carbs, protein and fibre in every meal you're not just avoiding glazing ocer - by delaying a blood sugar low you're also delaying when you'll next feel hungry. As a result you might not find yourself reaching for a mid morning biscuit or afternoon chocolate bar.

If you get your meals properly balanced, and your pancreas is working as it should, then you should be going 4-5 hours between meals before your appetite kicks in.

So far my no snack experiment hasn't been entirely successful - I've had to snack once or twice each day, but I'm lasting longer between meals than previously and I've needed a lot less to tie me over to the next meal - just a few raw almonds.

That's not to say I'm anti-snacking - sometimes a substantial but healthy snack is just what your body needs. However if you're snacking when you're not hungry, or picking at food all day rather than eating proper meals then you need to break those habits.

Use your appetite as a guide and also be mindful that there are also occasions when you definitely should be snacking:

- under high stress. High stress disregulates your blood sugar levels so you're more likely to need something to keep you going between meals. Also stress suppresses digestion so smaller more frequent meals can be easier on the system.

- if you've got a long day. If most of us early starters ate our main meals every 5 hours dinner would be at 5pm! So a late afternoon snack is pretty much essential. It is also a good idea before a long commute home - a blood sugar low is not what you need on a packed stuffy tube.

- if you're a gym bunny or training at a serious level - eating protein and carbs after exercise is a must for recovery so have a snack if you're not about to have a meal. If you're burning off serious calories you'll also probably struggle to fit your intake into three meals and if you're trying to maximise performance/muscle gain then eating mini meals every three hours is one of the most effective strategies.

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Big crash, the sequel

Today my diet was anything but a crash diet, eating out for both lunch and dinner. This isn't something I do often but it's not uncommon if you work in a client facing/schmoozing role.

Your body certainly won't think you're starving on that kind of diet, however you run the risk of another kind of crash ... a blood sugar crash. We've all been there ... struggling to stay awake in a meeting following a heavy lunch!

But with a bit of care in your menu choices you can avoid the post-lunch slumber and have a productive afternoon.

One of the main culprits for the post-lunch snooze is too many carbs, especially wheat. Skip the pasta, pizza, bread and go for new or sweet potatoes or rice. Also make sure you exercise some portion control - even a big plate of brown rice will send you to sleep. Limit yourself to the volume of a tea cup. If you're going to have pudding skip the carbs altogether with your starter and main, you'll get more than enough in any dessert.

Next make sure you have some protein - fish is a good choice when eating out, but meat, eggs or pulses will do. As a rough guide have a portion the size of your fist. This will slow down the digestion of the carbs in your meal avoiding a post-meal blood sugar crash.

Finally make sure you have some veggies - not just to help you see in the dark - but the fibre will again slow the digestion of your meal.

If it all goes wrong and you end up in a post-curry coma drink plenty of water and have a green tea - resorting to coffee or chocolate to perk you up will just line you up for another crash later on.
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The big crash

I think most of us know that crash diets are just a quick fix, but they're still very tempting to resort to when you have a big event you want to look good for or a beach holiday looming. However crash diets should carry a serious health warning - THIS DIET MAY DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH!

But losing spare weight is usually a good thing, so why the warning?

Well crash dieting usually involves severe calorie restriction, with diets for women of usually 1300 calories or less. Whilst you might accept some tiredness, light headedness, lack of concentration and headaches as a temporary side effect of following such a diet most people probably aren't aware of the long term impact, particularly on the thyroid gland.

You see when you severely cut your calories your body thinks you're being starved and so it slows down your metabolism to help sustain you on a low calorie diet. The way it does this is by suppressing thyroid function reducing your production of thyroid hormones.

When you go back to a normal calorie intake your thyroid hormone production goes back up, but repeated dieting can overtime lead to a general suppression of the thyroid gland. This then causes weight gain, which becomes increasingly difficult to reverse, leading to people resorting to even stricter diets. This is why people often find diets that used to work for them are less effective when they try them again at a later date.

Under functioning thyroids are increasingly common with a lot of hypothyroidism undiagnosed and large numbers of individuals with borderline hypothyroidism which won't be treated with thyroxine.

Whilst it's possible to restore thyroid function with proper nutrition and lifestyle changes, it can be a fairly slow recovery - much better to skip the crash diet and not get to that point in the first place.

But I'm a realist and I know that whatever health warning I give some NITC dieters will still resort to a crash diet. In my opinion a low-carb diet is actually a much better idea than a calorie restrictive diet. True, the weight lost will be mostly water which come back on when you eat carbs again, but you don't have to restrict calorie intake and the body only detects food scarcity in the first few days whilst you move into ketosis, plus you won't be hungry. Alternatively a detox diet can be a healthy way to lose weight more rapidly whilst actually having some positive effects on health.
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True thirst

I'm always experimenting with my diet or supplements to see what works and what doesn't. Last week I was experimenting with snacking, or rather not snacking, working on making my meals as sustaining as possible to keep my blood sugar stable til the next meal.

I was relatively successful by combining fibre, protein and low glycemic carbohydrates in every meal, but more on that later.

I'm usually pro snacking, but I found a few advantages to not eating between meals, the main one being spending at lot less time eating, but also breaking the habit of boredom grazing - something I'm definitely guilty of.

Something that I hadn't anticipated was that I started drinking a lot more water, however this shouldn't be that surprising - food provides a fair amount of our water intake so if we eat more we'll need to drink less. It also means that sometimes hunger is infact dehydration in disguise, and so drinking enough water can reduce your appetite.

By making an effort not to snack between meals my genuine thirst became more apparent and I found myself drinking water more by desire than making myself do it because I know I should. The result - I felt hungry for my next meal later than normal and in addition I felt more clear-headed than usual - bonus!
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