Eating for a healthier lifestyle

What vitamins form part of a healthy diet?

Fat soluble vitamins:  A, D, E and K

These vitamins are found in animal fats, vegetable oils, dairy foods, liver and oily fish.

• Vitamin A helps the immune system fight infection, helps vision in dim light, keeps skin healthy.
• Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body and plays a role in the development of bone and muscle health.
• Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect and repair cells, keeps skin and eyes healthy and strengthens the immune system.
• Vitamin K is important for bone health and blood clotting.

Water soluble vitamins:  C, B and folic acid

These vitamins are found in fruit and vegetables, grains, milk and dairy products. They aren’t stored in the body so need to be eaten regularly.

• Vitamin C maintains healthy connective tissue, helps with the healing of wounds and protects and keeps cells healthy.
• The B Vitamins B1 and B2 play a role in releasing energy from food and keeping the nervous system, skin and eyes healthy whilst vitamin B6 forms haemoglobin that carries oxygen in the bloodstream. B7 helps the body process fat whilst B12 helps release energy from the food we eat, processes folic acid, makes red blood cells and keeps the nervous system healthy.   Folic acid works with B12 to form healthy red blood cells.

Minerals:  calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, sulphur, silicon

These are found in meat, cereals, fish, milk and dairy foods, fruit and vegetables and nuts.

• Calcium is used for building strong bones, regulating the heartbeat and ensuring blood clots normally.
• Iron is used for the production of red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body.
• Potassium helps the body control the balance of fluids and keeps the heart functioning correctly. Bananas are a good source of potassium.

Trace elements:  Iodine, Boron, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Molybdenum, Manganese, Nickel and Selenium

Trace elements are necessary for the body but are needed in smaller amounts than vitamins or minerals

• Iodine is involved in the production of thyroid hormones that keep the cells and the body’s metabolic rate healthy. It’s found in fish, shellfish, some vegetables and grain. 
• Zinc helps the body make new cells and enzymes, process carbohydrates, fats and protein in food and with the healing of wounds. It is found in meat, shellfish and dairy products.

Before we delve into some common health conditions and the foods that may impact them, it is important to remember that your diet unfortunately offers no guarantee that you will avoid or improve these health conditions. However, some foods have been found to reduce your chances of developing certain health problems, or are known to support your body should you already have a health condition.

We recommend speaking to a dietician or specialist if you have any specific queries about the below. 

How can diet reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels - and improve heart health?

A healthy diet plays an important role in the management of blood pressure and not least because it helps achieve – and maintain – a healthy weight. 

Hypertension – or high blood pressure – does not cause symptoms itself but is a major risk factor for stroke, coronary artery disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, peripheral arterial disease, sight loss, chronic kidney disease and dementia. Hypertension is one of the major causes of premature death worldwide.

Eating high levels of fat, particularly saturated fats, can raise the amount of cholesterol in the blood.   Low-density lipoprotein – bad cholesterol – then builds up, clogging the arteries and making them less flexible (atherosclerosis). This, in turn, leads to hardening of the arteries and a reduction in blood flow. The heart, therefore, has to work harder to push the blood through the arteries.

Plaque build-up from the bad cholesterol also narrows the arteries, further restricting blood flow and reducing the oxygen flow to the heart muscle, resulting in angina (chest pain) which signals an increased risk of a heart attack. If a piece of plaque breaks off and forms a clot, blocking the artery, a heart attack results. 

You can find out more about this on the British Heart Foundation website. 

What should I eat to reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure and improve heart health?

Eating a variety of vegetables improves health and well-being.

Vegetables are nutritionally rich but with a minimum of calories. They are low in fat, nutrient-dense, high in fibre, provide complex carbohydrates for energy and contain cancer-fighting phytos. Some of the best vegetables for heart health include:

• Fresh fruit
• Vegetables, particularly:
  • Spinach, kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, swiss chard, peas, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, tomatoes, onions, cauliflower, bell peppers, alfalfa, sprouts, asparagus and red cabbage
• Whole grains – wholemeal flour, wholemeal bread, brown rice
• Fat-free or low-fat dairy products such as 0% fat Greek Yoghurt
• Fish
• Poultry
• Legumes – beans, peas and lentils
• Nuts
• Vegetable oils
• High fibre foods
• Oily fish – such as salmon, mackerel and sardines

Food and drink to avoid if you wish to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure?

• Alcohol
• Fatty meats
• Full fat dairy products – full fat cheese, milk, cream, butter
• Palm oil and coconut oil
• Processed foods – cakes, pastries, biscuits, chocolate
• Crisps
• Sweets
• Low fibre cereal – particularly sugary cereals
• Red meats

Can healthy eating reduce the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes?

There are two types of diabetes – Type 1 is a lifelong condition where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin and Type 2 where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells do not react to insulin properly.

Type 1 is not caused by diet or lifestyle choices, but the chances of developing Type 2 are greater if you are overweight or obese. Healthy eating can help reduce the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes and improve all over well-being.

Recommended foods for reducing the risk of Type 2 Diabetes

• High fibre carbohydrates – wholemeal flour, wholegrain bread, oats, brown rice
• Fruit - particularly apples, grapes and berries
• Vegetables - particularly green leafy vegetables
• Pulses – chickpeas, beans, lentils
• Unsweetened, low fat, yoghurt and milk
• Oily fish – salmon, mackerel
• Eggs
• Chicken and turkey
• Unsalted nuts

Foods to avoid if you want to reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes

• Simple carbohydrates – white bread, white rice, sugary cereals
• Red meats
• Processed foods – ready meals
• Sugary foods
• Salt

Can a healthy diet reduce the risk of osteoporosis?

A healthy diet plays a key role in maintaining bone health and can help prevent osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones, making them more fragile and prone to factor.  Osteoporosis has a number of causes and risk factors – including older age, the decline in women’s oestrogen levels after menopause and low testosterone levels in men.

Osteoporosis can also occur when one or more of the four parathyroid glands (which sit behind the thyroid) malfunction. The parathyroids control the amount of calcium in the bones and blood and if the levels become unbalanced, bones become weak and porous resulting in osteoporosis. This condition can only be rectified by an operation – but after the operation, it is essential to include plenty of vitamin D in the diet.

To reduce the risk of osteoporosis, it is essential to have adequate calcium in the diet along with Vitamin D that is necessary for the absorption of calcium. It is also important to do weight bearing exercise to lay down new bone – take a look at our blog on fitness.

Foods to prevent osteoporosis and improve bone health

• Dairy products – milk, cheese and yoghurt (but choose low fat versions)
• Fruit – avocado, tomatoes, cranberries, citrus fruits
• Green leafy vegetables – broccoli, cabbage, okra but not spinach, green beans, peas, dark green vegetables
• Soya beans, nuts and tofu
• Fish with edible bones – such as sardines and pilchards
• Oily fish – such as trout, salmon and mackerel
• Egg yolks
• Foods fortified with calcium and vitamin D.

Food and drink to avoid if you want to prevent osteoporosis

• Coffee
• Alcohol
• Salt
• Processed foods

Can a healthy diet reduce the risk of cancer?

No single food will prevent cancer but a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, whole grains and plant-based foods can lower the risk for some cancers. 

A healthy diet also means achieving a healthy weight – and obesity is a risk factor for 13 different types of cancer.

Foods to help reduce the risk of cancer

• Legumes – including beans and peas
• Fruits – particularly berries
• Vegetables – particularly carrots
• Olive oil

Food and drink to avoid to reduce the risk of some cancers

• Processed and red meat
• Alcohol
• High calorie foods (pastries, cakes, sweets)
• Sugary drinks

Can my diet help alleviate symptoms of arthritis?

According to the Arthritis Foundation, one of the most common questions asked by sufferers is ‘is there a special arthritis diet?’ 

The answer is that there are many foods that help reduce inflammation, improving joint pain and other symptoms. 

The foods that are mainly found in the Mediterranean diet can help manage the disease having anti-inflammatory properties but they also provide a healthy diet which will improve overall health and wellness.  Omega-3 fatty acids found in a number of sources including some types of fish are good at fighting inflammation and easing stiffness.  Nuts may be relatively high in fat and calories, they have high levels of protein, fibre and monounsaturated fats (good fats). 

Foods that may help manage the pain of arthritis

• Fish – salmon, tuna, sardines, herring, anchovies, scallops and other cold-water fish
• Nuts and seeds – walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios and almonds
• Fruit – red and purple fruits – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, citrus fruits
• Vegetables – beans, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, kale and cabbage
• Nightshade vegetables - aubergine, tomatoes, red bell peppers and potatoes but some think these can trigger an attack so approach with caution
• Olive oil – extra virgin is best
• Whole grains – wholewheat bread, wholewheat flour, oatmeal, bulgar wheat, brown rice, quinoa (but not for anyone with gluten intolerance)

Can a healthy diet improve my gut health?

Recent research has shown that the health of your gut impacts the health of your brown and that poor gut bacteria could be associated with the risk of depression.

Simple changes, however, can improve your gut health in a short space of time by eating a diet rich in probiotic and prebiotic foods daily.

Prebiotics are a type of fibre which are fermented in the colon to provide ‘food’ for gut-healthy probiotics, probiotics are live microorganisms that help balance the gut and other microbiomes and boost immunity.

Food and drinks to improve gut health

• Plain, 0% fat Greek Yoghurt
• Kefir – a dairy based drink (choose no added sugar)
• Kombucha – a fermented fizzy tea drink
• Sauerkraut
• Vegetables – artichokes
• Fruit – dragon fruit
• Garlic and mushrooms
• Oats
• Soybeans

Foods to avoid in order to protect your gut health

• Ultra-processed foods
• Foods with added sugar, preservatives and additives
• Fried foods
• Red meat
• Artificial sweeteners

Some foods are known for their specific benefits, which can help to ensure that your diet is well rounded. It may be worth considering how to introduce the following foods into your diet.

10 superfoods that you should include in your diet: 

• Berries
• Fish
• Dark, leafy greens
• Cruciferous vegetables
• Olive oil
• Wholegrains
• Yoghurt
• Nuts
• Legumes
• Tomatoes

Find out more about the key benefits these foods may bring you below.