So, there’s been a storm cooking up in the British press about the recent advice given out by the National Obesity Forum and Public Health England’s reaction. It seems to have really confused a lot of people and I think a lot of the original information is being misunderstood and mis-quoted.

As a result, my clients have been asking me ‘what should I do?’ and ‘how should I be eating now? So, I have put together the following information which I hope you will find useful and which I hope will help to decipher some of the conflicting advice that is currently doing the rounds. This is purely my opinion!

1.Processed foods are a ‘no go’. I 100% agree with this. We should all be attempting to eliminate processed food (which have very few nutrients in them) from our diets in order to improve health. Lack of time plays a great part in why people opt for quick, processed foods but they really aren’t doing anyone any favours.

2. Cut out refined sugar from your diet. Yes, absolutely. Refined sugars break down into your system quickly and cause a roller coaster effect on blood sugar levels, leaving you looking for more sugar before you know it.

3. Avoid trans fats at all times. They are plastic fats that your body cannot digest properly and are scientifically linked to high cholesterol, heart attacks and severe obesity.

4. Despite having been the primary energy source for most of our ancestors, saturated fats have a bad reputation for promoting disease. In reality, they actually have important positive health effects including enhancement of the immune system and protection of the liver. Having a diet which contains some saturated fat from only organic sources is important for the regulation of hormones and also to promote correct cell rigidity.

5. Fat-free foods are often loaded with sugar. Avoiding fat-free food to me is a no brainer. If given the choice, I would always opt for the full fat option but try and eat this type of food in moderation as they tend to be higher in calories – and if these calories aren’t expended, they will be stored as body fat.

6. Carbohydrates have had such a bad press recently. They are reputed to cause weight gain and yes, eaten excessively they will, but so will any food group!! Coconut butter eaten to excess will cause you to pile on the pounds much more so than if you consumed excessive piles of rice! Carbs stimulate serotonin, to help promote sleep and appetite.  Low carb diets can promote a drop in tryptophan and serotonin causing you amongst other things to have trouble sleeping.

7. Organic eggs are good for you! Eggs are high in vitamins A,D,E & K. An egg yolk contains 43% of the total egg protein and has the highest concentration of amino acids required for optimal brain function. Opt for organic eggs because the ratio of omega 3s to omega 6s is higher.

8. I always recommend eliminating dairy from your diet but it’s your preference to steer clear. When we drink milk, scientists believe that calcium is leached from our bones due to the high acidity levels in milk. Our system then has to neutralise the pH by using the calcium stored in our bones. You will consume more calcium form green leafy vegetables than you will a glass of milk.

9. Maintaining body weight is largely about the number of calories in and the number of calories out. So yes, calories per se don’t matter if you are eating healthily and taking regular exercise but you will only lose weight when your output is more than your input. Starvation diets only work short-term and leave your body crying out for vital nutrients and minerals.

10. When people hear the words ‘high cholesterol’, they automatically panic thinking they have a heart attack pending.  However, cholesterol is produced in our bodies as a response to stress and this explains why cholesterol levels go up with age! If something inside the body is inflamed, there is a need for cholesterol in order to heal it. Cholesterol is a key building block for all cells, helping to maintain cells stiffness and is an antioxidant that helps protect against free radical damage that can lead to serious disease. If you suffer from high cholesterol it would be worth considering the potential reason(s) as to what has elevated it, the number one cause being stress!

11. Dark leafy vegetables are a must in our diets as they are really important for blood purification They improve circulation, build a strong immune system and are high in vitamin K and calcium. They also contain more iron then beef per calorie so are superb in avoiding anaemia.