Salt has a very bad reputation, but it has the most amazing benefits.  Our bodies are 75% water, salty water, similar to seawater.  Over- consumption of salt is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, so current guidelines recommend we keep our salt intake to less than 6g per day – about a level teaspoon full.  

We should get enough vitamins and minerals from the food we eat so long as we have a varied, fresh and healthy diet.  For example, let’s take carrots: 

• Carrots contain about 87% water, 12 of the body’s vital mineral salts in perfect balance, cooked carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, moderately useful quantities of vitamin B, C and G, and provide the body with minerals such as potassium, iron, magnesium, sodium, manganese, silicon and iodine, as well as sulphur, phosphorus and chlorine. Carrots also offer a wonderfully balanced source of calcium. 

The same is true of all the fresh fruit and vegetables.  It’s only when we mess up the balance by eating processed, refined, over-cooked, ready-made, pre-packed foods, full of preservatives, colourings, etc, that the balance is upset.  It is the insufficiency of other minerals that hold onto and keep water inside the cells that causes blood pressure problems.  If you get the balance right, salt will have the opposite effect: it will lower blood pressure. 

The benefits of salt are almost miraculous when kept in the right balance

The body needs a certain amount of salt (sodium) to function properly.  It helps to maintain the concentration of body fluids at correct levels. It also plays a central role in the transmission of electrical impulses in the nerves, and helps cells to take up nutrients.  But apart from regulating many of the body’s functions, there are two benefits which may interest you:- 

Salt & the Respiratory System 

Salt is a powerful antihistamine and anti inflammatory, which means it will relieve asthma, clear the lungs and sinuses of mucous and reduce swelling of the lining of the sinuses.  I’ve read that if you drink a couple of glasses of water and them place some salt on your tongue, the relief is more effective for asthma than an inhaler and of course, without the toxicity.  It can also stop persistent dry cough, reducing the reliance on steroid nasal sprays and clear the lungs of mucus plugs and sticky phlegm, particularly in asthma, emphysema and cystic fibrosis sufferers.  Gargling with salty water and using a neti pot to cleanse the sinuses is a great way to reduce the proliferation of infections and guard against colds and ‘flu.  I rinse my eyes with salty water if they are itchy, blood shot or puffy. 

Salt & Skin Conditions 

Salt can have an almost miraculous effect on skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis.  Years ago, someone told me how she had to be bandaged up every night as a child to stop the itching of eczema.  The only relief she had was the summer holiday when she spent a lot of her time in the sea and the condition virtually disappeared.  The Dead Sea is a sanctuary for many psoriasis sufferers who claim similar results.  Rinsing your skin in salty water can help clear up break out of acne, too.

Much is written about the negative effects of a poor diet on your health, but what about the havoc it can wreak on your mind?  Over the past decade, mums have been frantically force feeding their children fish oils as Omega 3 is related to mood and concentration.  Ironically, I’ve seen them washed down with soft drinks and snacks laden with sugars (artificial or otherwise), food colourings, preservatives and any amount of E numbers you care to mention.  What about depression two weeks into a diet?  

Avoid depression with a healthy, balanced diet

Food is our fuel: it’s what makes us function both physically and mentally.  Putting poor quality fuel in your body is like putting low grade petrol in your car.  A healthy, balanced diet leads to a healthy body and a balanced mind, but you must also avoid foods that will deplete your body of healthy nutrients.  You could take supplements but they won’t work if you then eat a load of food that will destroy them. 

Nutrients have the ability to alter the production or release of neurotransmitters which carry information to the brain, such as happiness, anxiety, pain, etc, so it stands to reason that if you include the correct nutrients in your diet, you will be happy, calm and alert. 

Mood Boosting Tips 

• Protein:  (Fish (especially oily fish), lean meat, pulses and tofu) Aids the release of an amino acid called tyrosine which produces neurotransmitters responsible for energy and alertness.
• Carbhydrates:  (Whole grain bread, rice, pasta and fruit, vegetables, cereals) Contributes to the production of serotonin, responsible for producing a sense of wellbeing and calm, reduction in pain and decrease in appetite.  So beware those of you on a popular low carb diet: not only is it linked to depression, but it may also interfere with your appetite.
• Caffeine:  Just a cup a day can help relieve depression.
• Eat regularly:  Three balanced, portion controlled meals a day is an ideal plan for stabilising the blood sugar levels, with possibly a small, healthy snack mid morning and mid afternoon, eg, a piece of fruit with a few nuts.
• B vitamins:  Essential for a healthy nervous system http://vitalflow.tv/2009/09/vitamins-an-overview/
• Folate or folic acid:  People suffering from depression often have low levels, so increase them by eating whole grain bread, dark leafy vegetables and liver.
• Chocolate:  This sounds too good to be true, but chocolate stimulates the production of serotonin and endorphins!
• Exercise:  Another way of increasing the level of endorphins in the body is through exercise.

Stay happy, alert, calm and stress-free with a healthy, balanced diet. There are no miracles: you don't need them!

Minerals are a vital part of our diet for building bones and teeth, turning food into energy and controlling body fluids inside and outside cells.  Just like vitamins, the best way to get minerals is through a healthy, balanced diet.  And again, just like vitamins, every so often a story will come along claiming that a certain mineral is the next miracle cure for something, for example, “chromium will combat your desire for chocolate” was one such claim.  But the correct balance is essential.  Here are the main minerals and trace elements:-

The correct balance is essential so eat a healthy, varied diet

Calcium

• Source:  Dairy and green leafy vegetables
• Function: Building strong bones and teeth, nerve function, blood clotting and muscle contraction.
• Deficiency: Poor teeth and brittle bones
• RDA: 800mg

Iron

• Source: Oily fish, red meat, egg yolks, green leafy vegetables, whole grains,nuts
• Function: Red and white blood cells, muscle function and healthy immune system.
• Deficiency: Fatigue, irritability, lack of concentration.
• RDA: 14mg

Magnesium

• Source: Green leafy vegetables, whole grains and nuts.
• Function: Builds strong teeth, bones and muscles, converts energy from food, repairs cells, regulates body temperature.
• Deficiency: Muscle spasms.  Has been linked with high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes and weak bones.
• RDA: 300mg

Zinc

• Source: Meat, shellfish, milk, brown rice, whole grains.
• Function: Immune system, involved in the breakdown of protein, fats and carbohydrates.
• Deficiency: Problems with skin and eyes, growth problems in children, loss of hair, taste and smell, diarrhoea, slow healing wounds.
• RDA: 15mg

Selenium

• Sources: Nuts, eggs, dairy, meat, oily fish, green vegetables, wholewheat
• Function: Supports the liver and is an anti-oxidant.
• Deficiency: Chest pains, hair loss, low resistance to disease.
• RDA:  100mcg

Potassium

• Sources: Found in most food, but destroyed by overcooking. Most fruit and vegetables.  Not present in oils, fats or sugars.
• Function: Regulates the body’s fluid levels and is important for the nervous system, heart rhythms and muscle function.
• Deficiency: Unlikely as it is plentiful in most foods.
• RDA: 3,500mg

 Sodium

• Sources: Table salt
• Function:  Same as potassium
• Deficiency: Unlikely.  The opposite is normally true and it is very important to watch our levels.
• RDA: 1,600mg

 Iodine

• Sources: Seafood, fish, kelp and seaweeds
• Function: Required for proper function of the thyroid
• Deficiency: Hypothyroidism – underactive thyroid gland
• RDA: 150mcg

What I hope to achieve with this article is an overview of the main vitamins (minerals coming soon) – what their job is, recommended daily amounts (RDA) and how to get them without resorting to supplements.  Firstly, though, just a couple of points: vitamins and minerals are an essential part of your diet in order to keep you healthy, but stick to the RDA.  It’s all about balance as usual.  Just because it’s good for you, lots aren’t necessarily better.  Without a doubt, the best way to get your vitamins and minerals is through a healthy diet. 

A healthy, varied diet will provide the RDA of vitamins

A and Beta-carotene (stored in the body)

• Source: green leafy vegetables, yellow/orange fruit and vegetables, dairy, liver
• Function: keeps hair, skin and mucous membranes healthy; bone and tooth growth; helps our eyesight
• Deficiency: dry, flaky skin; night blindness; fatigue
• RDA: 800 mcg

B1 (Thiamin)

• Source: wheat, whole grains, yeast, liver
• Function:  involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates to release energy; growth and muscle tone
• Deficiency: fatigue; nervous disorders and mental confusion, heart irregularity
• RDA: 1.4 mg

B2 (Riboflavin) 

• Source: yeast, whole grains, dairy, eggs, offal, green leafy vegetables
• Function: involved in the metabolism to help the body release energy
• Deficiency: anaemia, cracks at the corners of the mouth, skin rashes
• RDA: 1.6 mg

Niacin (once known as B3)

• Source: fish, dairy, eggs, meat, poultry, peanuts, potatoes
• Function: involved in metabolism
• Deficiency: fatigue, diarrhoea, skin problems, indigestion
• RDA: 18mg

Pantothenic Acid (once known as B5) 

• Source: meat, fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes
• Function: part of the metabolic process
• Deficiency: fatigue, cramp, infections, vomiting
• RDA: 6 mg

B6 (Pyrodoxine) 

• Source: bananas, prunes, avocado, whole grains, dried beans, fish, poultry, meat
• Function: involved in metabolism, builds body tissue
• Deficiency: anaemia, cracked skin and other skin problems, muscle weakness
• RDA: 2 mg 

Biotin (once known as B8) 

• Source: liver, legumes, yeast, whole grains and cereals
• Function: involved in metabolism
• Deficiency: hair loss, dry flaky skin, depression, nausea, vomiting
• RDA: 150 mcg

Folic Acid (once known as B9)

• Source: green leafy vegetables, offal, dried peas, beans and lentils
• Function: involved in production of red blood cells, and genetic material development
• Deficiency: anaemia, cracked lips, stomach disorders
• RDA: 200 mcg 

B12 (Cobalamin) 

• Source: seafood, meat, dairy
• Function: healthy nervous system, involved in metabolism, aids cell development
• Deficiency: anaemia, fatigue, nervousness
• RDA: 1 mcg 

C 

• Source: citrus fruits, berries and vegetables such as potatoes and peppers
• Function: maintains gums and capillaries; essential for bone, muscle, cartilage and blood vessel structure
• Deficiency: swollen, bleeding gums, slow healing wounds, depression, fatigue, bad digestion
• RDA: 60mg 

D (stored in the body) 

• Source: fish, dairy, eggs, sunlight
• Function: involved in formation of bones and teeth, maintains healthy circulatory and nervous system
• Deficiency: in children, can lead to bone deformities, such as rickets; in adults could lead to osteoporosis
• RDA: 5 mcg 

E (stored in the body)

• Source: green leafy vegetables, nuts, whole grains, vegetable oils
• Function: protects blood cells, body tissues and essential fatty acids from being destroyed
• Deficiency: anaemia, nerve damage, muscle waste, reproductive failure
• RDA: 10mg 

K (stored in the body)

• Source: green leafy vegetables, fruit, dairy, whole grains
• Function: essential for blood clotting
• Deficiency: bleeding disorders
• RDA: 1 mg

I have indicated which vitamins are stored in the body, which can be useful information in so much as a good portion of liver could provide 5 times the RDA of vitamin A, so it would be best to not have too much too frequently.  Although we don’t see that much sun in places such as northern Europe, we can probably get enough vitamin D in a good summer to last us the year.  One large orange a day will give you all the RDA of vitamin C, but as it isn’t stored in the body, you need to be eating foods containing this vitamin every day.

The bottom line is that if you eat a varied, healthy diet, you will get all the vitamins you need without having to resort to supplements.

BASIC NUTRITION

A blast from the past for some of you, the kind of thing we learned in Biology lessons at school. We can break food down into the following groups: protein, carbohydrate, fats, vitamins and minerals and water.

Protein

These are the building blocks of life and are essential for growth and repair. It can be found in animal and animal (meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products) and plant form (legumes, nuts, beans, seeds, soya, pulses, grains and cereals). A combination of the two will ensure the correct balance of amino acids and keep animal fats, which are linked to health problems such as heart disease, to a healthy level.

Carbohydrates

These are a good source of energy, preventing tiredness and balancing mood. They can be split into two types: complex and simple. The complex carbs provide a slow release energy, preventing the sudden drop in sugar levels, resulting in a slump, both physically and mentally. These are the ones we should be including in our diet for health and weight control. Because they are slow release, our appetite stays at a constant level. This group include wholewheat bread, wholegrain cereal, wholemeal pasta, brown rice, oats, bananas, beans, lentils and root vegetables.

Simple carbs are the sugary foods, which should be kept to a minimum: sugar, fizzy drinks, cakes biscuits, sweets, white bread/pasta/rice. 

Fats

Fats are an essential part of our diet. They too provide energy, protect our internal organs, keep us warm, help keep our hair and skin in good condition, transport the fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E and K) around the body and are required for hormone metabolism. There are two types: saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fats are the more solid ones – butter, fat on meat, cheese, eggs, full fat milk and yoghurts. These should be kept to a minimum due to their links to heart disease, strokes and certain cancers. On the other hand, unsaturated fats – olive oil (and other oils), those contained in avocados, nuts and seeds, the omegas found in oily fish – have been found to have a very positive effect on our health. 

Vitamins and Minerals

The body cannot survive without these. Vitamins can be found vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, meat and fish. The water-soluble vitamins (B, C and folic acid) are transported around the body in water and cannot be stored, so a daily dose is essential.

The fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) can be stored in the liver and fatty tissues. They can be found in meat, fish, dairy and vegetable oils. Minerals help the vitamins work and are necessary for strong bones and teeth.

Water

A lack of water can impair physical and mental function. From the biochemical reactions in cells to the removal of toxins and waste products, water is the essential component. We can drink water, but we also ingest it via fruit and vegetable.

A good mix of the right foods provides all the nutrients we need for a healthy body. The general rules are:-

1   A balance of animal and vegetable protein
2   Keep simple carbohydrates to a minimum
3   Make complex carbs and vegetables the main part of your meal
4   Five generous portions of fruit and vegetables a day
5   Water and more water
6   Overcooking food will destroy the benefits
7   Stick to unsaturated fats whenever possible
8   Variety: as wide and varied a diet as you can manage
9   Too much food makes you fat: remember this simple equation:

 In other words, if you eat too much and do too little you will put on weight and the reverse is true: if you need to lose some weight eat less and move around more!