Q: What is the baby food diet? I’ve heard it’s nutritious and additive free. So would you recommend it?

A: The baby food crash diet means that you trade a regular sized meal for a jar of baby food. Similar to portion controlled diets, the baby food diet uses jars of baby food as a ‘healthy’ alternative to snacks and sometimes a meal because baby foods have fewer preservatives and additives than regular processed foods. The baby food is eaten right out of the jar at room temperature. The jars consist of liquidised or pureed versions of the food that we enjoy chewing daily.

 

The baby food diet is a diet I would never recommend to my patients for a number of reasons.

 

On the baby food diet, you’d be eating between 2 and 3 jars of baby food a day which is a significant drop in calories. Not only will this slow down your metabolism making long term weight loss harder, it will leave you feeling weak and tired and will not satisfy your hunger.

 

If you want to diet and nutrition is important to you, the baby food diet is lacking in nutrients that are essential for your health and well being. It also won’t do what it says on its label; help you lose weight. You may lose a few pounds when you start but this is just water and muscle weight and in the long run you’ll end up putting it all back on again as fat and more besides because your metabolism (fat burning) has slowed down. Not to mention the fact that eating bland and unsatisfying pureed baby food instead of a healthy meal you can chew and savour isn’t doing your digestive system any favours.

 

I’ve said it before but it’s so important I’ll say it over and over again. Crash diets and fad diets like the baby food diet never work when it comes to weight loss. Crash diets remain popular despite the unhealthy effects that crash diets can produce. In 2007 the world’s largest study of weight loss at the University of California showed that dieting is damaging because of the tendency to regain weight which is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and diabetes.. The only way to lose weight healthily and successfully and keep it off in the long term is to lose it gradually at a rate of no more than 1 to 2 pounds a week through eating a healthy diet rich in metabolism and health boosting whole grains, fruits, vegetables, oily fish, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Q: I’m going through the menopause and after being a sound sleeper all my life am now tossing and turning for hours. Any tips?

A: Sleeping problems are common during the menopausal years. They can be caused by feelings of volcanic heat, arctic chills, and powerful surges of emotion. Some women sleep restlessly, wake early, go for a walk, and need a nap later. Others feel so tense when they lie down they can’t seem to drift off, and wake achey and irritated.

 

Women who have normal levels of oestrogen fall asleep easier than women who don’t and spend time in the deep dream stage of sleep and they also wake more refreshed when they wake up. Dreaming is important for feelings of rest and renewal. You can still sleep without oestrogen but you tend to wake up feeling less refreshed. Before rushing to your doctor for a pack of sleeping pills try the following tried and tested self help remedies:

 

To increase your chances of a good night’s sleep you need to programme your body clock. Create a bedtime routine, going to bed at the same time every night. Read, listen to taped music, and then go to sleep. Keep a note pad by your bed if you do find it hard to nod off as creativity can often surface in the midnight hours.

 

Big dinners will make you feel sleepy but they also prolong digestion, which interferes with a good night’s sleep. It’s best to eat your biggest meal before mid afternoon and have a light evening meal.

 

Dishes seasoned with garlic, chillies, cayenne, or other hot spices can cause nagging heartburn or indigestion and cause problems sleeping. Avoid spicy foods at dinner. Gas-forming foods and hurried eating also cause abdominal discomfort, which in turn interferes with sound sleep. Limit your intake of gas-forming foods to the morning hours, and thoroughly chew food to avoid gulping air.

 

An amino acid called tryptophan, found in soya and peanuts, helps the brain produce serotonin, a chemical that helps you relax. Try drinking some soy milk or eat a slice of whole meal toast with peanut butter before bedtime. Plus, the warmth may temporarily increase your body temperature and the subsequent drop may hasten sleep.

 

Avoid caffeine. Even small amounts of caffeine can affect your sleep. Try eliminating all caffeine-containing beverages. If you feel and sleep better after two weeks of being caffeine-free, then avoid caffeine permanently. You can try adding back one or two cups after the two-week trial, but cut back if sleep problems reappear. (A warm herbal tea such as chamomile can soothe and relax you and makes you feel full, which might help facilitate sleep.)

 

As for alcohol it might make you sleepy at first, but in the end you’ll sleep less soundly and wake up feeling exhausted. Alcohol suppresses a phase of sleeping called REM (rapid eye movement) during which most of your dreaming occurs. Less REM is associated with more night awakenings and restless sleep.

 

A warm beverage at bedtime can often help and try also to avoid large meals in the evening and eat your evening meal early, before 7 pm if possible. Avoid alcohol and caffeine and vigorous exercise in the evening; although gentle stretching or a relaxing walk can improve your chances of a good night’s sleep.

 

Lavender essential oil and blossoms are classics for aiding sleep. Try using a little lavender sleep pillow. Put a tiny one in your pocket during the day. Or put a few drops of the essential oil on a cotton ball or handkerchief and tuck it into your pillow. You may find a lavender bath before bedtime relaxing. Add a handful of dried flowers, or a few drops of essential oil with an emulsifier. A couple of drops rubbed between the palms, then cupped over the nose for several minutes provide an excellent inhalation. Breathe deeply.

 

Oat straw has been found in research studies to relieve fatigue and weakness, particularly when there is an emotional component. By soothing the nervous system, it can help make sleep more restful. It’s considered a cooling and nourishing herb that eases night sweats, anxiety, and headaches. One cup of infusion before bedtime, or sleeping on an oat-hull pillow may lead to restorative sleep.

 

Nettle tea nourishes the adrenals and may result in fewer sleep disruptions. Try using one cup or more four times a week. St. John’s Wort, one dropperful in a cup of fresh hops or lemon balm tea, is also a gentle helper for sleep. Passionflower is an old remedy for nervous insomnia and hysteria, restlessness and headaches. Use 15-60 drops of the fresh flowering plant tincture before bed to relieve ongoing sleeplessness.

Valerian root has been used for centuries to induce sleep and it can be helpful. Other herbs that have a sedative effect include passion flower, catnip and chamomile. Experiment until you find what works best for you.

Q: How bad, nutritionally, are pre-packed kid’s lunch meals with mini pizzas, tacos, etc? And is apple juice the healthiest drink to give them?

A: It’s no surprise that many of the pre-packed lunches are relatively high in fat and sodium but as teens and children need a lot of energy the biggest problem may not be the pre-packed lunch but what goes with the lunch. Rounding out a meal with extra sweets and sugar-laden drinks containing little or no juice leaves a meal nutritionally lacking, whether it’s pre-packaged or one you’ve packed yourself. If you prefer pre-packaged meals, look for those with very little of the less nutritious fillers and supplement them with your own nutrient rich fresh fruits, raw vegetables, or both. On the other hand, packing a healthy lunch with wholegrain sandwiches, salad and boiled eggs takes only a few minutes (and less money) if you add the ingredients to your weekly shopping list. You might question whether it’s worth paying more for a nutritionally incomplete, pre-packed meal.

 

Apple juice is a nutritious drink that can supply some of the health-promoting phytochemicals found in apples. But there’s no reason to use it as the main beverage every lunch or snack time the way many parents do. The idea that apple juice is somehow easier than citrus juice on children’s stomachs is quite untrue.  Regardless of what juice is used, child nutrition experts warn that doling out multiple glasses of juice between meals can leave a toddler too full to get adequate nutrition at meals. Water is the often forgotten drink and would be good to get our children used to drinking just plain water.  Some snack-time or lunchtime juice is fine, but getting children in the habit of drinking water, or perhaps diluted fruit juice, to satisfy thirst between meals will bring them many short- and long-term benefits.