Weight Loss Guru

Very interesting stuff but it's a shame to think that the good foods of today are lacking in vitamins and minerals in relation to how they used to be 50 years ago (even when cooked correctly or eaten fresh). It seems that trying to achieve this overall balance is actually getting harder to do. Life is more stressful, a good diet is harder to find (even if you think you are on a balanced diet, it might not actually be that good unless you are eating organic foods) and emotional problems are far more commonplace.
One of the problems is that there is so much bad advice out there and so many people trying to exploit others who are genuinely trying to do something about their life. There's thousands of self help books all claiming to have the answer and even more supplements and distributors of supplements - who can you trust? Can Holland and Barrett be trusted? Chinese herbalist? The Finchey Clinic?

2 litres of water a day is good advice, breathing and relaxing has to be good, moving more (exercise), changing your mindset - taking responsibility for yourself rather than looking elsewhere. Probiotics sound like they could have a place in today's world - again I would ask are they all good or are some better than others, some trustworthy and other not? Something called Threelac seems to get great reviews?

Thank you for another interesting podcast Pete....

I would just like to say regarding supplementation... we really cannot underestimate the diet, i.e. foods in their natural state, for supplying the foundation, and the majority of nutrients our bodies need. First and foremost, we will always absorb nutrients from foods far more efficiently from supplements. The money I find that people spend of supplements could be so much better spent on more nutrient-rich foods, that are easy and quick too.

Foods ARE nutritious today, and whilst the soil that a lot of produce is grown in is lower in certain minerals, it doesn't mean to say we have to take supplements in order to be healthy! We simply need to be more vigilant, & ensure a great variety of foods so that we get a variety of nutrients. Organic food (and food from some smaller farms) has been found to be more nutrient-rich, but even frozen foods can be just as nutritious! For example, we all know berries are super-healthy, and provide some of the highest levels of antioxidants that our bodies literally thrive on! So... buy a bag of frozen summer berries once a week! Frozen garden peas are great sources of vitamin C and some B vits too, and "cheap" fruits such as bananas are really mineral-rich, and again provide the much needed B vitamins for energy metabolism! A bag of rolled oats (v. cheap) would last a week too, so immediately you have a great breakfast of oats, with sliced banana and a spoon of de-frosted frozen berries! Remember too that the darker green the veg, generally the more nutrient/mineral rich! Broc'i, cabbage etc. - great choices, as are dark green "salad leaves" such as watercress. A really good way of boosting nutrient content and also getting some "medicinal" substances and vital antioxidants is to use many more fresh herbs and also spices such as coriander, basil, cinnamon, ground cumin, garlic and ginger. Not only do they add natural flavour and excitment to meals, they really do boost the nutrient content of meals! Of course - "grow your own" is the answer!

I just wanted to offer to some easy practical "food" tips for your listeners who might be somewhat concerned that if they don't take supplements - they are doomed!

If people do want a general supplement - I would go for a food-form such as dried "superfood" powder - there are many on the market. The reason I say this is that the "availability" and absorption capacity is better from "food" based supplements than from synthetic tablets, esp. the cheap ones! If people want advise I would be happy to answer any questions re: supplements. People can e-mail be at lucy@simply-nutrition.co.uk.

BTW, The issue of probiotics is not a simple one! Our gut "flora" or the "eco-garden" of the colon, are rather like our own individual genes, or DNA - i.e. we have an individual "make-up". Again "not one probiotic fits all". Each specific strain has an individual action. There are many many products that are "dead" - i.e. the bacterias have "died" in transit or via poor storage. If people are shopping in the High Street, at least look for those that are refrigerated or shelf-stable. However, the BEST place to start is a) eat more vegetables, as the fibre provides food (per-biotics) for the good bacteria, and encourages them to "flourish" and grow! Also just a plain natural, "bio" yogurt is a good place to begin. Improving the "environment" in which the bacteria live is the best place to start and certainly before taking a probiotic supplement. So... reduce alcohol (the main substance that "kills" bacteria), work on reducing stress (which also impacts on gut bacterial balance), reduce excess processed foods, sugars and coffee - all the usual stuff!!

Hope all that helps some people,
Best wishes,
Lucy-Ann

Thanks for your comments Lucy-Ann, I fully agree with all of them. I certainly find the same, patients that take supplements but use them to replenish a poor diet do not get anywhere near the results of changing to a good food plan from the outset and I go through this with them at the consultation.

The podcast was not meant to imply that people should always use supplements although I think that there is certainly a case for many people to take some sort of multi. I also use "food form" supplements in the clinic. However as I'm sure you see in your clinic, if someone is ill in some way they may need a boost via great diet and bioavailable supplements to get them back on track where the goods foods can then maintain them in optimal health. A typical example is after repetitive use of antibiotics that is so common now, and the majority of the time does require some probiotic repletion, however for everyday use I do not recommend probiotics.

In my clinic I use an EAV instrument (Electro-acupuncture according to Voll) to make sure that I am advising the correct the vitamins, minerals, herbs, probiotics and other vibrational remedies for the patient. By using this technique I find I can get to the root cause of many problems, such as hormonal imbalances, that was the topic of the podcast. I also use osteopathy and cranial osteopathy to support the dietary changes I have advised.

Thanks for adding in your comments about foods, this was not the main focus of the podcast as Pete and myself were investigating other angles to weight loss when perhaps the pounds were not coming off easily as hoped. Thanks for reminding listeners of this point again.

In response to Stu's comment I haven't personally used Threelac before but have read about it, mainly in tackling candida. Candida is actually another good area to look into when investigating weight loss as it can affect digestion, the immune system and create food intolerances. But as mentioned in the podcast it is the persons "terrain" or overall health that must be corrected rather than just attacking the candida with probiotics or other herbal remedies. If you use this attack approach the candida will just return as the persons immune system, digestion, detoxification etc etc are not working and therefore cannot fight off the candida for itself.

Thanks to everyone who has listened I hoped you gained something from the podcast, I will read the comments as often as I can and hopefully respond to a few. Thanks you to Pete for the interview and Josy's kind words.

Thanks both for a very interesting podcast - several points I've made a note of - being 50 and post menopausal I can now see why I have ballooned in the front and am see the importance of reducing stress and moving more. Also see the sense of buying the best quality, must admit I thought they were all relatively the same! So next shopping will be with that in mind! Am going to listen again now and make some notes to take it all in. Take care and thanks again.