WELCOME TO THE WEBSITE OF FIONA MEALING, NUTRITIONAL THERAPIST Since I last updated the website I am really pleased to say I have completed voluntary regulation which means from a professional point of view that I am recognised by the Nutritional Therapy Council who are happy that I am competent in my practice and conduct. The mission of the Council is to establish, uphold and advance the standards of qualifications, competence, and conduct of those who practice nutritional therapy as a profession. On our website you will find information about Nutritional Therapy, State of the Art Biochemical Testing including Food Intolerance, handouts and useful links to health related and other websites and also information about talks/courses and events which I hope will be of interst to you - again they may well not be health related but just simply fun! Please do scroll down so as not to miss information! RED YEAST RICE MAY BE USEFUL FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T TAKE STATINS For thos people who can't take statin's due to side effects may be interested in trying Red Yeast Rice Therapy. Red Yeast Rice is rich in monacolins a type of fatty acid and phytosterols (the same natural chemical as that found in foods such as Benecol). A new restrospective study from the University of Connecticut has analysed the lipid data from 25 patients who had been taking the red rice therapy for 4 weeks or more. The study found a 15% reduction in total cholesterol and a 21% reduction in LDL (bad) cholesterol. Overall 92% of patients tolerate the treatment and 56% achieved their LDL cholesterol goal. Venero, CV et al (2010) Lipid Loweing efficacy of red yeast rice in a population intolerant to statins. The American Journal of Cardiology 1L105(5):664-6. RECIPES
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GET OUT IN THE SUNSHINE AND IF YOU CAN'T, THEN GET YOUR VITAMIN D CHECKED! Yes you’ve read the title of this article correctly.
Vitamin D has two pathways, one within the hormonal system (endocrine) and the other is within the cell and possibly around the cell. This increased understanding on vitamin D means that it has is much more than just a “bone nutrient”. Vitamin D is synthesised in the skin after exposure to sunlight and then travels in the blood to the liver where it is converted to 25 hydroxyvitamin D and then continues its journey to the kidney where it’s final transformation occurs and it is converted to Calcitriol. Vitamin D can also be taken into the cells and there can be converted to Calcitriol so that it can then influence function and physiology in a wide range of bodily processes and disease states. If you feel miserable in winter, suffer with Seasonal Affective Disorder, have any of the conditions mentioned in the beginning of this article or simply don’t see much daylight then you may want to consider whether you could be deficient in Vitamin D. I am writing this article not only because I am a Nutritional Therapist but also because I recently found I was vitamin D deficient. All winter I had felt incredibly cold, everything felt an effort and I had just lost my enthusiasm for life and thus kept trying to do the minimum I could. I carried out a simple blood test with Cambridge Nutritional Sciences to test my active form of vitamin D and discovered I was deficient with a reading of 20 (the reference range for optimal levels was 75 – 250 nmol/l). Since taking vitamin D I would now say that I was back to my “normal” and enjoying most things although like everyone I have my moments! I had been thinking maybe I had an underactive thyroid or could it that I was pre-menopausal and it was neither of these things! I also have two colleagues who have had similar problems and feel much perkier now on Vitamin D so this is not something that just one or two people suffer from. In fact estimates suggested that as many as 1 in 10 people may be deficient. Factors that Influence Vitamin D Production in Your Skin
The first bullet point is really important, the darker the skin, the longer it takes for your body to synthesise an optimal amount of Vitamin D. If you have fair skin you are likely to obtain enough vitamin D in 15 to 20 minutes, if you have a darker skin this could take 2 to 6 times longer. Using sun screens inhibits the absorption of vitamin D so whilst it’s important to be sensible about not getting too much sun or going out in the midday sun it’s also important to allow your skin (ideally full body exposure) short amounts of time of sun exposure before 12pm or after 3pm without any protection and remember that once you have had your 15 or 20 minutes, you won’t make more vitamin D you are only likely to get burned as your body will only make as much as you need! In this country summers can be very variable and we may not even get enough sunny weather some years to top up our vitamin D levels to optimal levels and many of us also work indoors compounding the problem. Finding out if you have a deficiency! If you would like to know whether you might have a Vitamin D Deficiency, you can now carry out a private finger-prick blood test with Cambridge Nutritional Sciences – www.camnutri.com or call 01353 863279. If your GP feels your symptoms could be related to a Vitamin D deficiency then he may recommend a test on the NHS. HANDOUTS
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OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST WOODBRIDGE VINTAGE MARKET A RANGE OF DAYS AND DATES MARKET HILL, WOODBRIDGE A bustling market selling a range of beautiful and interesting things to buy - great atmosphere. www.debenevents.com SHEERAN-LOCK ART TALKS Everyone I know who attends these talks raves about them. http://www.sheeranlock.com/news.asp or call Imogen Lock on 01728 621126 5 WEEK PLANTING DESIGN COURSES WITH GARDEN DESIGNER YVONNE INNESS - HELPING YOU TO MAKE BETTER USE OF YOUR TIME AND MONEY! Each week has a different focus and you will look at what makes successful planting, the use of colour and textures, how to draw up plans, look at planting plans, plant spacing plant identification for deciduous shrubs, tall. medium and short perennials and grasses and much more..... Call Yvonne on 01728 603233 www.yvonneinnesdesigns.com
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