What are super foods or super diets?

We examine the evidence behind the health claims of 10 of the most popular so-called superfoods.

So-called, because in fact there is no official definition of a superfood and the EU has banned the use of the word on packaging.

But that hasn't stopped many food brands from funding academics to research the health benefits of their product.

The superfood trend exploits the fact that healthy lifestyle choices, including diet, can reduce our risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke and cancer. 

'Superfood' or 'super diet'?

Dietitians avoid the term "superfood" and prefer to talk of "super diets", where the emphasis is on a healthy balanced diet, as illustrated by the Eatwell plate

The food industry wants to persuade us that eating some foods can slow down the ageing process, lift depression, boost our physical ability and even our intelligence.

Many of us want to believe that eating a single fruit or vegetable containing a certain antioxidant will zap a diseased cell.

The problem is that most research on superfoods tests chemicals and extracts in concentrations not found in the food in its natural state.

Garlic, for example, contains a nutrient believed to help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. But you'd have to eat up to 28 cloves a day to match the doses used in the lab – something no researcher has yet been brave enough to try.

Foods that have been elevated to superfood status in recent years include those rich in antioxidants (such as beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, E, flavanoids and selenium) and omega-3 fatty acids.

Antioxidants are chemicals thought to protect against the harmful effects of free radicals, which are chemicals naturally produced in every living cell and known to cause cell damage.

However, evidence about the health benefits of antioxidants is far from conclusive and there is evidence that antioxidant supplements may be harmful (PDF, 2.71Mb).

While the miracle food remains a fantasy, it's pretty well established that obesity and alcohol are the two most common causes of major long-term illness and an increased risk of premature death.

Importance of a balanced diet

Diet plays an important role in our health, but there is concern that too much focus on individual foods may encourage unhealthy eating.

"No food, including those labelled 'superfoods', can compensate for unhealthy eating," explains Alison Hornby, a dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association (BDA).

"If people mistakenly believe they can 'undo' the damage caused by unhealthy foods by eating a superfood, they may continue making routine choices that are unhealthy and increase their risk of long-term illness."

'No food, including those labelled 'superfoods', can compensate for unhealthy eating' 

Alison Hornby

Dietitians avoid the term superfood and prefer to talk of "super diets", where the emphasis is on a healthy balanced diet, rich in fruit and vegetables and wholegrain foods.

When it comes to a healthy balanced diet, there is very good evidence that the Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of some chronic diseases and increase life expectancy. 

This diet includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, olive oil and legumes, and less meat and dairy foods than the typical Western diet.

Hornby says: "When it comes to keeping healthy, it's best not to concentrate on any one food in the hope it will work miracles.

"All unprocessed food from the major food groups could be considered 'super'. All these foods are useful as part of a balanced diet.

"You should eat a variety of foods, as described by the Eatwell plate, to ensure you get enough of the nutrients your body needs. Focusing on getting your five portions of fruit and vegetables a day is a perfect way to start."

We've teamed up with the BDA to look at the best available research to see if the health claims of 10 popular "superfoods" add up. Click on the foods listed below to see the evidence:

• blueberries
• goji berries
• chocolate
• oily fish
• wheatgrass
• pomegranate juice
• green tea
• broccoli
• garlic
• beetroot

Byron's Health Check for all Members

NEWS

Men bury their heads over prostate health

• ABI JACKSON
• AAP
• JULY 24, 2014 10:37PM

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Health authorities are encouraging men to seek medical help if they show signs of prostate problems.

MEN are notorious for burying their heads in the sand about their health and it seems this is especially true when it comes to things going on 'down there' potentially relating to the prostate, the gland which sits underneath men's bladders, surrounds the urethra and produces semen.

A RECENT survey by herbal brand A.Vogel revealed one in five UK men would turn a blind eye to prostate problems.

In fact, 20 per cent admitted that if they experienced symptoms like needing to urinate more frequently or urgently, feeling that they're unable to fully empty their bladder, or having difficulty urinating, they would "just ignore it and hope it got better by itself".

"It can be tough for men talking about their health in general, let alone when it relates to something so sensitive," says GP Dr Roger Henderson.

"In my experience, there are three main reasons men delay coming forward: embarrassment, fear that it may be cancer, or the belief that it's just a natural part of ageing and there's nothing they can do."

Hashim Ahmed, a consultant urologist at the Bupa Cromwell Hospital, understands the complexity of cancer worries.

As well as the fear of being diagnosed, the tests involved can be daunting, as can the prospect of treatment and potential side-effects, with impotence and incontinence often big concerns.

"Men are concerned about what might happen if they did go and get a check of their prostate; things like worrying about a back passage examination and the subsequent tests that can sometimes involve biopsies.

"And then there's been a lot of press about the fact that prostate cancer treatment itself is quite controversial," he said, referring to how many experts believe that aggressive treatment for early prostate cancer actually offers very little benefit, so may lead to unnecessary distress and side-effects, and the fact that traditional testing methods have been highlighted as being potentially unreliable.

"All of these things have contributed to quite a lot of confusion in the public eye," he said.

This fear and confusion means two things: firstly, men who do have cancer may be delaying their diagnosis, and secondly, that men whose symptoms are due to benign conditions may be missing out on treatments.

Though prostate cancer is the most common cancer in UK males, it is still relatively rare, affecting around one in eight men, with most diagnosed between the ages of 70-74 and early diagnosis crucial.

Testing methods have come a long way in the last five years, which means more accurate diagnoses can be made and not all men will require the most aggressive forms of treatment. Side-effects are not always inevitable, either.

The vast majority who experience symptoms, however, will not have cancer.

These symptoms are extremely common as men get older, and are most often caused by an enlarged prostate, known medically as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which affects 50 per cent of men aged over 50.

Despite that, the A.Vogel survey also revealed that nearly 70 per cent had never heard of the condition.

Henderson, who has helped launch A.Vogel's 'Enlarged Prostate Health Hub,' said it's linked with an increase in the size of the prostate gland, due to an increase in cells.

"BPH is associated with a number of common symptoms, including a need to pass water more frequently and urgently, often at night, with occasional leaking or dribbling, hesitancy in passing water, or a weak stream of straining, and a feeling that the bladder is never fully empty."

Age is the major risk factor, he points out, though a family history can also play a role, and having high blood pressure or diabetes may also be linked with an increased risk.

Also, men with a history of BPH are not at higher risk of developing cancer.

"This is a common misconception," Henderson said.

"Although there can be similarities in the nature of the symptoms, having BPH does not increase your risk of prostate cancer in any way."

"BPH can have a significant effect on quality of life," Henderson notes, "affecting sleep, work, relationships and sex. If left untreated, it can result in complications, such as bladder infections, acute or chronic urine retention, which can affect kidneys, and hernia from straining."

The good news is though, that BPH is most often easily treatable.

Some men with mild symptoms may choose to take a "wait and watch" approach, or make some lifestyle changes, such as cutting down on caffeine and alcohol, especially late at night, as these can make you need the toilet more, and stopping smoking, as nicotine can irritate the bladder.

Natural remedies are sometimes cited as offering potential relief too.

Ahmed notes that an antioxidant-rich diet, particularly containing things like pomegranate juice, cooked tomatoes, broccoli and green tea, could help promote good prostate health.

When symptoms are more severe and are impacting a man's quality of life, tablets can be prescribed which, usually, are very effective, while sometimes, though rarely, further treatments, such as laser treatment, may be needed.

Though benign growths or enlargement are the most common cause of prostate symptoms, sometimes other conditions come into play.

"The other thing that can occur, particularly in younger men who have these symptoms whose prostates are quite small, is that the prostate can become quite tight, so the muscle cells, for some reason, tighten up all the time," Ahmed said.

"Again, that can be treated with tablets to relax the prostate and neck of the bladder, to enable urine to pass better.

"Also, you could have an infection, and that would be detected with a simple urine test and easily treated with antibiotics. And very rarely, men can have a narrowing in the wall of the urine passage from scar tissue, but that's unusual."

Byron's Afterburn work out

Combining these three training methods

1.    High intensity training

2.    Full body strength training

3.    Metabolic circuit training

This can benefit all different body types. What makes Byron’s  program so much better than anything you have ever seen or tried before.

1.    90 day program does not use isolated exercises which are time wasting and ineffective at burning fat

2.    Full body functional exercises target every inch of your body

3.    Most other programs don’t take this into account

4.    No fancy gym machines required

5.    What can your body can do for you not what can a machine can do for you.

6.    Machines and gadgets restrict body movement causes muscle imbalances

7.    All you need is a pull up bar and a dumb bell.

8.    Does not have you doing long bouts of cardio

9.    No crunches and sit ups

10. Unconventional core exercises work all 6 of your stomach muscles

11. Do not repeat the same exercises over and over again

12. The body is smart and can adapt to an exercise regime where the body hits a plateau.

13. Do not work out endlessly for an hour every day

14. All our programs are 25 mins or less.

15. Designed to crank up your Testosterone and HGH production slow the aging process and gain energy.

16. Do not repeat the same exercises as your body will adapt to the workout program.

If you are really out of shape , you can even start by performing the Dynamic Warm-Ups prior to beginning Level 1 of the 90-day program.  Do these Dynamic Warm-Ups on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the first week.  This is a great way to get your body moving functionally and used to working out again.  The next week, try doing Interval Cardio Workout AA on Tuesday and Thursday.  Ignore the “Effort Level” for this workout and instead start out with a lower intensity activity (e.g. an easy jog or fast walking). 

Byron's Wellbeing Health Club & Spa due to open January 2018

Byron's Members Floatation Room

“The ultra-deep relaxation of floating “resets” the body’s hormonal and metabolic balance, strengthening resistance to and accelerating recovery from the effects of stress, illness, injury or strenuous exercise and reduces and alieviates Stress, Anxiety and Tension.”

Book a Byron’s REST program  which   comprises 52 one hour floats once a week  over a period of 12 months. This will rejuvenate your mind , body and soul. 

A 1 hour float is the equivalent of  4-8 hours sleep depending on your metabolism it resets your circadian rhythm so your biological clock gets reset.

Members trial session for £45.00+ vat