DISCOVERNUTRITION
Nutritional Therapy and Fitness

This week is National Cholesterol Week, HEART UK's annual event to raise awareness of the dangers of high cholesterol. Heart disease is the UK's biggest killer, accounting for around a quarter of all deaths. The good news is that if you have raised cholesterol alongside other markers of heart disease, it can in almost every case be reversed through dietary and lifestyle measures. Cholesterol is a fatty substance manufactured by the liver and it plays an important role in your

A new study published just last month in the journal Hypertension suggests that drinking just one glass of beetroot a day can reduce blood pressure. The study was conducted by researchers at Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. It involved eight women and seven men who had high blood pressure and who were not taking blood pressure medication. Blood pressure is normally given as two numbers, which represent ‘systolic’ and ‘dia

I often analyse clients' diets to check for intake of vitamins and minerals. One of the most common issues I tend to find is insufficient magnesium intake, especially in those who rely on packaged and processed foods in their daily diet. I was therefore particularly interested to read recent research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which has found new evidence of a link between magnesium intake and risk of stroke. The research was conducted at the Kar

Eating a diet rich in spices can reduce the body’s response to high fat meals. A new study has tested the effects of culinary spices on markers of conditions such as heart disease. The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, tested the effects of a spicy meal on levels of insulin, triglycerides and antioxidant defences. Professor Sheila West and her colleagues prepared meals on two separate days for six men between the ages of 30 and 65 who were overweight, but otherwis

A recent study published in the American Heart Association’s journal ‘Circulation’ found that protein supplements were linked with a reduction in blood pressure (1). Lead researcher, Jiang He, M.D., Ph.D., said that the study’s results indicate that high blood pressure may be prevented or treated by partly replacing refined carbohydrates with foods or drinks high in soy or milk protein. Each of the trial participants was randomly assigned to take 40 grams of soy protein, milk