Health and Nutrition Questions Answered By An Expert At Orangerie Nutrition Clinic - Serving London And Beyond
Q&A
What Is The Difference Between A Nutritionist, And A
Nutritional Therapist?
There is a subtle difference! Each hold different qualifications and are subject to different regulations. Nutritionists provide evidence-based advice about food and healthy eating, but do not advise on medical conditions.
Nutritional Therapists, like me, practise holistic and complementary medicine. We provide diet, lifestyle, and wellbeing guidance and advice. We work in the belief that the body has underlying nutritional and biochemical imbalances. This approach is called Functional Medicine and is different from conventional medicine.
Is Caffeine Bad For You?
I recommend it is consumed moderately. The FDA recommend no more than 200mg daily, which is equivalent to 2 x 5oz cups. Ideally organic and ground beans rather than instant coffee as it would contain fewer pesticides as the coffee bean is a highly sprayed crop due to its global demand. Everyone is different, and some people do not tolerate caffeine so well. Cutting it suddenly may cause symptoms such as headaches and fatigue. If pregnant or breast feeding you should exercise caution in consuming it. For more advice about cutting down your intake, feel free to get in touch.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Eating Fish?
I believe fish, particularly oily fish such as sardines, mackerel, anchovies, salmon, and herring, have a vital place in our diet. Fish is highly nutritious with many health benefits. This is due to the long-chain omega 3 fats that benefit our heart and blood vessels, and lower inflammation in the body. According to the Harvard school of public health, an analysis of 20 studies involving thousands of participants indicated that eating 2 x 3oz servings of omega 3 fish per week reduced the risk of dying of heart disease by 36%. Recent controversy surrounding contaminants found in the sea making their way into fish we consumed has been shown to be a concern. Although contaminants make their way into our diet through the soil, animal farming, and plastics, according to recent studies by the Environmental Protection Agency published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the health benefits outweigh the risks greatly. If you are Vegan feel free to contact me about the best ways to consume healthy vegan omega 3 in your diet.
How Does Gluten Intolerance Affect The Gut?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat. Many people tend to lack the enzymes to break it down sufficiently. We recommend testing for insensitivity first, something we can arrange for you. In coeliac disease the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues of the gut lining. This affects our ability to absorb nutrients. Symptoms can be bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. For more support and guidance, seeing a Nutritionist is recommended.
How Does The Body React To
Consumed Sugar?
Consuming too much sugar in your diet has been shown in multiple studies to lead to serious health issues, including type 2 diabetes, tooth decay, obesity, heart disease, high LDL cholesterol and high triglycerides levels. Too much sugar can also lead to a loosening of the lower oesophageal sphincter leading to reflux, a common problem requiring medication. Taking these medications long-term is not advisable, due to side effects and how they affect our absorption of vital nutrients. Sugar is often “hidden” in your food such as takeaways, ready-made sauces, pre-packaged food, pasta, condiments, alcohol, white bread, and juices. For an assessment of your nutritional needs and recipes for healthier snacks, please feel free to contact me.
​
Is Vitamin D Important?
Vitamin D is vital for our overall health. It helps us absorb calcium for bone growth, helps muscles to move, helps our nerves carry messages to our brain, supports the health of the cells of our respiratory lining, and supports our immune system to modulate itself and fight pathogens like bacteria and viruses. It is difficult to get enough of this vitamin in our diet, so feel free to get in touch to advise you how to assess your levels and how to increase it.
Why Is Weight Loss Harder As You Age?
As we age, our hormones change. This in turn affects our metabolic rate, making it harder to lose weight, and easier to gain it. We produce less of the hormone Leptin as we age, which is the hormone that tells us we are full. As you age you burn calories slower and break down foods differently. For instance, your body finds it harder to produce enough enzymes to break down sugar, therefore we tend to store it more as fat, which makes it easier for the body to deal with. We particularly store it around our middle, around our organs. This can lead to an inability to deal with sugar effectively which may lead to other problems. Exercise and good nutrition help our age management considerably. Contact me for details of how to improve your health as you age.
What Are Empty Calories?
These are calories we get from solid trans fats and added sugars in food and drinks. These contain little or no nutritive value. They are only added to foods to make them more appealing. Foods that contain the emptiest calories include the following: bacon, cakes, fizzy drinks, doughnuts, sausages, ice cream, cheese, ribs, pizzas, biscuits, and crisps.
​
​The Department of Agriculture advises that eating too much of these foods leads to weight gain and health risks. Nutritionists can advise on how to replace these foods with healthier, nutrient-dense variations to optimise health, providing recipe ideas.
Services Designed Around You
I offer products and services that are designed around an individuals health and wellbeing. These include:
​
​
I like to keep my customers informed regarding updates, events and recent innovations in the industry, so why not call me today for the latest updates, or to get all your health and nutrition questions answered by an expert.