When you take stock of the riches in your life, where does good health appear on the list? Like many people you probably count it as your single most precious asset.
Most of us seem to take our health for granted. We have it today and naturally assume that it will carry on like this forever. What most of us fail to realise is the lifestyle choices we make today will influence our health when we get older.
While it is true that some factors influencing our health are beyond one's control — getting older, or family history of a particular disease — there are many factors that are. So how well you take care of yourself, how much water you drink, how physically active you are and what food you eat will determine how long and how healthy your life will be.
Though there is a long list of what to eat and what to avoid for a healthy life, Notes lists instances that should raise red flags in your head whenever you read a confusing or conflicting nutritional report. If so, beat a hasty retreat!
- Recommendations that promise a quick fix (think all those liquid only two-day diets!);
- Dire warnings of danger from a single product or regimen;
- Claims that sound too good to be true;
- Simplistic conclusions drawn from a single study;
- Dramatic statements that are refuted by reputable scientific organisations;
- Lists of "good" and "bad" foods;
- Recommendations made to help sell a product;
- Recommendations based on studies published without peer review;
- Recommendations from studies that ignore differences among individuals and groups (example: ethnicities, genders etc).
The writer is a freelancing food fan
We love… not dieting!
Though there are many people out there who are genetically thin with a hyper-active metabolism, the truth is that most of us have to work hard to maintain our figures. Whether it is an active social life or a regular gym routine, we love the fact that we work hard to eat well without having to kill ourselves with dieting!
We recommend: Sticky Toffee Pudding with Hazelnut Sauce
12 1/4 dates
10 1/2fl oz boiling water
3 1/2oz butter
10 1/2oz brown sugar
3 eggs
14 1/4oz self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
pouring cream, to serve
For the hazelnut sauce
21 1/4fl oz cream
8 3/4oz brown sugar
3 1/2oz butter
1 1/4oz hazelnuts
Step 1: Place the dates in a saucepan and cover with boiling water over a low heat.
Step 2: Leave to simmer for 15 minutes or until the dates are soft. Drain and transfer to a blender and blend until the dates are of a smooth consistency.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the butter and sugar, then one by one add the eggs. Mix in the date mixture. Sift together the flour and bicarbonate of soda, and fold in, mixing well.
Step 4: Grease the baking tin and line with greaseproof paper. Pour in the mixture and bake for 60 minutes at 165C/330F/Gas 2.
Step 5: While the sponge is baking, make the sauce. Pour half the cream, brown sugar and butter into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring frequently.
Step 6: When the sauce reaches a golden colour, stir in the remaining cream and half the hazelnuts.
Step 7: When the sponge is cooked, remove from the baking tin, onto a serving dish.
Step 8: Pour the hot toffee and hazelnut sauce and sprinkle the remaining hazelnuts on top. Serve with pouring cream.
Name one 'junk science' fact you heard ...
"Fruits with vitamin B2 are good for health because they improve your immune system. Also, potato is very good for the eyes."
— Bushra Shah, bachelor of dental surgery, Universal Empire Institute of Medical Sciences (UEIMS)
"Orange contains vitamin C and it is very good if you drink orange juice every morning. It helps during the summer to cool down your body."
— Fadi f., business administration, SZABIST
“One McDonalds chicken salad is equivalent to a Big Mac.''
— Ameet Piryani, medicine, UEIMS
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