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What is PCOS?

PCOS stands for Polycystic ovary syndrome and 12% of women of child bearing age are affected with it. That is one in every 8 women. Hence it is not a uncommon issue and should be talked about more and more. Awareness should increase regarding the lifestyle management of PCOS. It is characterized by cyst like formations containing an egg which should be released by the ovary every month but due to a hormonal balance caused by PCOS, this does not happen.

What are the symptoms of PCOS?

There are multiple symptoms of PCOS and varies for each individual. The symptoms include:

  • Weight gain
  • Acne
  • Sub fertility or infertility
  • Excess hair growth on the face and body
  • Scalp hair
  • Risk of diabetes

What causes PCOS?

The biggest underlying cause is noted to be insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone responsible for allowing the glucose from carbohydrate containing foods to be used up by the body for energy. However some people may develop a condition called insulin resistance which means that although the pancreas is secreting the insulin, the insulin is being resisted by the cells of the body which leads to further insulin release. These high levels can increase the level of testosterone in the ovaries which causes the symptoms of PCOS. The insulin resistance may develop as a result of being overweight or it may be genetic. PCOS may also develop as a result of family history.

Lifestyle management of PCOS

The benefits of having a healthy lifestyle cannot be ignored when it comes to PCOS. Some doctors may also recommend lifestyle management as the first line of treatment .If you need to loose weight, keep in mind that even a small amount of weight loss (around 5%) can improve symptoms related to mood, irritability, fertility and risk of developing diabetes.

A healthy diet for PCOS is one which primarily consists of wholegrain breads and cereals spread out across meals, similar to what would be recommended for a diabetic patient. The diet should include adequate quantities of protein, vegetables, low fat dairy and fruits. Consumption of processed snacks that are high in sugar and fat and takeaway foods should be minimized as they can lead to obesity and insulin resistance and hence PCOS.

Exercise also benefits people with PCOS especially for women who are overweight. The recommendation should be 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise which should ideally include 90 minutes of aerobic exercise as we;; as weight training exercise. A combined exercise routine is recommended as both aerobic and weight training exercises have benefits. Aerobic exercise is beneficial as it leads to fat loss, while weight training increases muscle mass and metabolic rate at rest.

Contact us for results focused on nutritional advice

This article was written by our dietitian and nutritionist Juhi Bhambhaney. If you have any questions regarding health and nutrition, make an appointment with one of our dietitians. We‘ll provide you with a simple and effective routine targeted to your concerns. Contact us today.

The post Lifestyle management for people who suffer from PCOS appeared first on ENT Wellbeing Sydney.

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Iron deficiency is very common especially among women. The symptoms are not as obvious and often get ignored. The most common symptom is lack of energy. Other symptoms include feeling tired even after having slept for a good 8 hours, irritability, feeling low and inability to concentrate. It is important to treat iron deficiency as if it is left untreated it can progress on to anaemia which is characterized by a smaller number of red blood cells.

Who is likely to be deficient?

Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding and experience heavy periods are at risk of being deficient. It can also be hard for vegetarians to meet their requirements as plant sources of iron are not as well absorbed by the body as are animal sources. Women between the ages of 19-50 years of age have a requirement of 18 mg/day and women above the age of 50 years of age have a requirement of 8 mg/day. Men on the other hand have a requirement of 8 mg/day.

Iron is essential for carrying oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, maintaining a healthy immune system and for energy production. The tests to measure iron levels include serum, serum transferring (protein responsible for transferring iron) and serum ferritin (Iron stores in the body).

What are the dietary Sources of Iron:

There are two types of iron, haem and non-haem. The haem –iron is better absorbed than the non-haem type. The haem iron sources include beef, lamb, fish, pork and chicken. The redder the meat, the better source of iron it is. The non haem iron sources include iron fortified breakfast cereals (example: Uncle Toby plus, Weet-bix), tofu, spinach, eggs and legumes.

How do we increase the iron intake?

  • Beef and lamb 3-4 times a week.
  • Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron. Hence combining a non-haem iron source with a source of vitamin C like strawberries, half an orange, medium tomato or 3 broccoli florets will increase the absorption of iron.
  • Avoid drinking tea, coffee or cola along with meals and instead have it in between meals as the caffeine decreases the absorption of iron.

Do we need supplements?

If you are iron deficient, your doctor may prescribe an iron supplement to enable the iron levels to return to normal. Once the levels have returned to normal, you may no longer require a supplement and you can meet your iron requirements from your diet.

Contact us for results focused on nutritional advice

This article was written by our dietitian and nutritionist Juhi Bhambhaney. If you have any questions regarding health and nutrition, make an appointment with one of our dietitians. We‘ll provide you with a simple and effective routine targeted to your concerns. Contact us today.

The post How to make sure your getting enough Iron appeared first on ENT Wellbeing Sydney.

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Anatomy and physiology of the GI tract:

The gut is comprised of the mouth, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, liver and large intestine. Food is broken down in the mouth; it then passes through the esophagus into the stomach where the food is churned by the stomach muscles and the acids help break it down before it moves into the small intestine where food is digested and nutrients are absorbed into the blood stream. The large intestine is where water is absorbed, undigested fiber is mixed with bacteria that help digest the fiber and nourish the cells of the large intestine. Feces is formed in the rectum and passed out through the anus.

Why is it important to maintain gut health?

The health of the gut is now being looked at closely by doctors, allied health professionals and researchers since gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, reflex, constipation and IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome) have now become increasingly common. Poor gut health is not only linked to gastrointestinal issues but also other diseases such as depression, chronic fatigue, depression and diabetes. In fact, the bacteria in the gut have a major influence on our immune health.

Steps to follow to improve a healthier gut

1. Include adequate fibre in the diet

Fibre is the indigestible part of plant food. This means it passes unchanged into the large intestine. Women require 25g of fiber and men require 30g of fibre in a day.

There are three types of fibre

Soluble fiber slows down the time it takes for the food to pass through. It can be found in oats, fruits, vegetables and legumes.

Insoluble fiber softens the stool and increases the time it takes for the food to pass through. I can be found in wheat bran (found in weet-bix), wholegrain breads and cereals, nuts and seeds.

Resistant starch goes through fermentation in the large intestine by healthy bacteria producing short chain fatty acids that that contribute positively to bowel health. It can be found in cooked and cooled pasta, firm bananas and legumes.

Research suggests a combination of the three types of fibre is most beneficial as each type of fiber has its own unique function.

2. Probiotics

Probiotics refers to the good bacteria. Our gut has at least 1000 different species of bacteria. The bacteria are a mixture of healthy and unhealthy bacteria depending on our diet and environment. The increasing proportion of healthy bacteria helps maintain a healthy gut. Sources of probiotic include probiotic yoghurt, probiotic drinks or a probiotic supplement.

3. Adequate fluids

6-10 glasses of water is recommended everyday (about 2-3 litres) to maintain a healthy gut. Also, keep in mind that fibre absorbs water during digestion. Hence when increasing fibre intake, it is equally important to increase fluid intake. Try and meet your fluid intake mainly from water and not from other drinks such as fruit juices and soft drinks.

4. A healthy diet overall

A diet high in fruits, vegetables, legumes and wholegrain bread and cereals is the best option for ensuring a healthy gut. Processed foods and high sugary drinks such as takeaway and soft drinks have a lot of fat and sugar with no fibre in them. In addition they act as a fertilizer for unhealthy bacteria.

5. Physical activity

It is important to constantly keep moving as adequate physical activity helps in avoiding constipation and even colon cancer. Exercise can also have a positive influence on the growth of healthy bacteria.

Contact us for results focused on nutritional advice

This article was written by our dietitian and nutritionist Juhi Bhambhaney. If you have any questions regarding health and nutrition, make an appointment with one of our dietitians. We‘ll provide you with a simple and effective routine targeted to your concerns. Contact us today.

The post How to maintain a healthy gut appeared first on ENT Wellbeing Sydney.

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After the age of 65, your lifestyle will play an important role in your quality of life. Your ability to live independently and perform your daily tasks is very dependent on how much muscle strength you have.

In addition to quality of life, having healthy muscles affects the heart health, mental health, immune system and bone health. Muscle loss tends to progressively decrease from the age of 45 years of age. The three main aspects to focus on when building strong muscles is eating a healthy balanced diet with adequate protein and calcium containing foods, muscle strengthening exercises and exposure to the sun which allows for Vitamin D absorption.

Protein, calcium and Vitamin D are the three main nutrients we focus on when it comes to building muscle.

Calcium

In a day you would require 3-4 serves of dairy foods to meet the recommended calcium requirement. One serve is made up of one glass of milk, one glass of non-dairy calcium fortified milk, 1 tub of yogurt and 1 slice of cheese. Other sources of calcium include sardines, tofu or bean curd, kale and almonds.

Protein

In a day we require about 2-3 servings a day. This can come from sources such as lean meat, legumes, tofu and eggs. One serving of protein is two large eggs/a palm size of meat (90-100g), small can of fish (95g) or 1 cup cooked or canned legumes.

Physical activity

Regular strengthening exercises can help muscle. It is especially important to work on your arms, legs, abdomen and back. It can be either in the gym or at home. The recommended amount of exercise time is either 30 minutes twice a week or 5-10 minute bouts on most days. There are activities which can help to build muscle such as carrying shopping bags, gardening, vacuuming or climbing stairs. Including protein rich foods enhances the benefits gained from muscle strengthening exercises. In addition to muscle building exercises, it is also important to include balance building exercises such as yoga or tai chi. While having a proper exercise routine is important, it is equally important to be physically active on a daily basis. This can involve doing household chores everyday or joining a sports club.

Contact us for results focused on nutritional advice

This article was written by our dietitian and nutritionist Juhi Bhambhaney. If you have any questions regarding health and nutrition, make an appointment with one of our dietitians. We‘ll provide you with a simple and effective routine targeted to your concerns. Contact us today.

The post Healthy living after the age of 65 appeared first on ENT Wellbeing Sydney.

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“Moderation in all things” -Aristotle

It is a simple but powerful statement which is definitely applicable to the treats that a lot of us find hard to resist and sometimes trying to avoid them all together is counterproductive as you ban yourself for a long time and then one day, you give in! You lose self-control and you find that you have eaten an entire tub of ice cream or an entire packet of chips.

Here are some tips on how you can continue to include these treats in your diet without overindulging.

There are two ways in which one can include treats in moderation, either by swapping it for a healthier alternative option or portion controlling your regular favourite snack if you do not wish to replace it.

Ice Cream

The current weather in Sydney may make us want to cool down with an ice cream or a soft drink. Here are some swaps which can help you control calories, saturated fat and sugar you are putting in your body. For the purpose of simplifying, I have used magnum classic as an example as it is one of the popular brands.

When choosing healthier snacks we should look at snacks that are less than 150 calories, less than 2g/100g of saturated fat, less than 15g/100g of sugar and 120mg/100g of sodium.

1. Swapping a Magnum ice-cream bar for a paddle pop

Magnum ice-cream Paddle pop
288 Calories 107 Calories
13g of Saturated fat 1.6g of Saturated fat
24g of Sugar 13.5g of Sugar

2. Swapping a Magnum ice-cream bar for a Mango Weis bar

Magnum ice-cream Mango Weis bar
288 Calories 112 Calories
13g of Saturated fat 2.6g of Saturated fat
24g of Sugar 17.8g of Sugar

3. Swapping a Magnum ice-cream with flavored yogurt

Magnum ice-cream Flavored yogurt
288 Calories 94 Calories
13g of Saturated fat 0.2g of Saturated fat
24g of Sugar 6.4g of Sugar

Chips

We may wish to have something savoury now and again, but there are definitely some swaps that can help you save yourself from excess calories, saturated fat and salt without depriving yourself. Swapping something like Twisties for air popped popcorn can help control the calories, saturated fat and salt consumed.

1. Swapping Twisties cheese snack pack for popcorn snack pack

Twisties (6 pack) Popcorn (6 pack)
94 cal per snack pack 62 cal per snack pack
201mg of Sodium 64mg of Sodium
2.2g of Saturated fat 0.2g of Saturated fat

Portion control

Opting for mini versions of ice creams, chips and soft drinks can help decrease the calories, saturated fat and sugar consumed

1. Swapping regular sized Magnum bar for a Mini Magnum

Magnum Magnum Mini (6 pack)
342 cal 155 cal
15g of Saturated fat 7g of Saturated fat
24g of Sugar 13g of Sugar

2. Swapping regular sized Twisties cheese bag for a Twisties 6 pack

Twisties (90g) Twisties (6 pack, 1 pack 19g)
447 cal 94 cal
10.3g of Saturated fat 2.2g of Saturated fat
954mg of Sodium 201mg of Sodium

3. Swapping regular sized Coke Cola can for a mini sized Coke Cola can

Coke Cola (1 can, 375ml) Coke Cola Mini(1 can 200ml)
161 cal 86 cal
40g of Sugar 21g of Sugar

Although there is space in your diet for treat foods, it is recommended that one try and snack more on nourishing foods such as nuts, fruit and vegetable sticks with hummus to get the required energy boost during the day.

Contact us for results focused on nutrition

This article was written by our dietitian and nutritionist Juhi Bhambhaney. If you have any questions regarding health and nutrition, make an appointment with one of our dietitians. We‘ll provide you with a simple and effective routine targeted to your concerns. Contact us today.

The post How to enjoy snacks in moderation appeared first on ENT Wellbeing Sydney.

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