The expert lowdown on how the proper foods can boost your health

Our nutrition expert Betty O’ Neill has a few helpful tips on how to achieve a better diet starting now!
This is the perfect time to do some spring cleaning on our own body. This is not a detox, when I hear the word detox all I can imagine is eating green lettuce. It’s actually just about eating real clean healthy foods. 
Our food has changed a lot over the last century, in terms of quality, quantity and origin.
Quantity
  • The size of our plate has increased drastically. In the 1960’s the plate size was 9inch, 1980’s it was 10 inch and now in the 2000’s were eating off plates that are a whopping 12inch. Now if you have that size plate in front of you when you’re dishing out your dinner, what’s going to happen?..... You’re going to fill it up and when your plate is in front of you, what are we being told EAT ALL OF YOUR DINNER OR ELSE !!!.
  • Even our packs of crisps are bigger; there are great big share bags. When you sit down at the weekend to have a few crisps, do all the contents suddenly disappear?
  • The size of a glass of wine has increased too. We’re drinking more alcohol nowadays at home so measurements are different, do you have one of those glasses that fits half a bottle in it? 
Origin
Where our food comes from has changed a lot also. We are importing from far away countries which means for example your green beans from South America, don't arrive on the supermarket shefl until day 5 after they are picked and may not be eaten until day 7-8. At this stage there is a large amount of nutrients gone from your green beans. Considering this how many chemicals are sprayed on theses green beans to stay fresh, mould free and vibrantly green?
Quality
Cage fed hens eggs verses free range eggs. Grass fed v grain fed beef or white bread v wholegrain homemade brown bread.    
The absence of nutrients and wrong kind of food may result in
  • Poor digestion
  • Faulty absorption
  • Abnormal gut reactions including bloating inflammation
  • Gut infections
  • Poor elimination.
This chain of events disrupts every body system from immunity, the brain, nervous system, hormonal system and our ability to detox.
There is several ways to clean your body and so many health foods on the market to get an effective clean, but the best advice is...keep it simple.
I wanted to highlight two special foods that you really need in your diet for their amazing cleansing properties.
Beetroot, this is in the same family as spinach and chard and can also be found in colours white and yellow. The most popular is the deep purple beetroot; (wear gloves when chopping as can stain hands and clothes)  It has been shown to increase the chemical function in the liver that forms the part that is known as “phase 2 detoxification “. This   is part of many processes that the liver detoxification and liver cleans. So make sure you add this into your diet.
Celery, like it or loathe it, it is one of those vegetables that people think is useless and boring. It firstly contains a very powerful compound called 3-N-Butylphalide, this is a mighty painkiller. It helps to stimulate the lymphatic system, this is main system that drains, clears waste and gunk that is released from the tissues.
The best way to get the most benefit from celery is to eat it raw or juice it. Trust me you want celery in your diet!
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Until the next time I wish you health and happiness
Bx.
Read more from Betty our nutrition expert here
  

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