Nuts make a great snack to keep you going between meals and Brazil nuts in particular are especially good for you. They’re an excellent source of the mineral selenium, a powerful antioxidant which can slow down the ageing process, stimulate the immune system and help protect women from developing beast cancer. Eating seven or eight nuts just three times a week can also reduce the risk of heart disease. Like all nuts, Brazils are packed with protein, fibre, zinc and magnesium. Eating them can also help keep the Amazon rainforests alive – Brazil nuts trees, which grow wild are  now legally protected from loggers and help communities make a living from the forest without destroying it. Sprinkle chopped Brazil nuts on to yogurt, or just munch a handful for a healthy, nutritious snack.

Not only does singing in the shower help you wake up it can actually improve your health. This is because singing increases oxygenation in your blood and exercises your upper body muscles. What’s more singing also reduces stress and promotes a feeling of well being. So, warm up your vocal cords, and your body, in the shower.

Average adults including pregnant women need 200 IU of vitamin D daily while adults over 50 need 400 IU daily. The recommendation for vitamin D intake further increases to 600 IU for people over 70 years of age.

Vitamin D deficiency is most common in women over the age of 50. This is the age when most of us will be going through the menopause and when it’s absolutely vital to keep our bones and heart healthy due to the increased risk of osteoporosis and heart disease that menopause brings.  

 

Natural food sources of vitamin D are few.  It is found in oily fish.  A 100g of grilled salmon contains 7.1mcg (284ius) of vitamin D and a 100g of tinned pilchards contains 14 mcg (560ius) of vitamin D.

Diet alone, however, does not provide enough vitamin D and another great source of readily available vitamin D is from sunlight so aim to get at least 20 minutes of natural daylight.  Sunscreen will interfere with the production of vitamin D so go without any but in hot weather, avoid the hottest part of the day.  Australia, which has successfully campaigned against sun exposure for years, is now recording vitamin D deficiencies in 1 out of 4 people. Also check your cosmetics as many moisturisers will have in-built sun protection factors (SPF) and they will be blocking the vitamin D manufacture through your skin.