The FastDay Forum

HI everyone, having not really considered it before I have decided that this is the year that I take control and start planning a healthy old age!

Have lost nearly a stone on a mix of 5:2 and 4:3 depending on my plans for the week. REALLY enjoying it, makes me feel really good!

I have started researching nutrition and the amount of guidance is totally overwhelming Here is my info to start:

I am 44, female and in good general health. I have a big family history of breast cancer-mum and sister both pre menopause, not good and the idea of alzheimers scares me more than anything.

Want to do whatever I can nutrionally to keep these 2 nasties at bay and all the other nasties that may lurk-dad had a couple of heart attacks before dying from cancer.

After all my "research" I have started the following:

-Eating bread full of different seeds each day
-using coconut oil to cook with and in coffee (from these boards!)
-eating 5 prunes a day-read this is a great antioxidant-along with the other obvious benefits
-taking omega 3, evening primrose and multibionta (with a prebiotic) each day

My general diet is mixed I try to eat healthily, get my 5 a day, eat lots of berries and green leaves. I have never smoked and drink very little, couple of glasses of wine a month. Have cut red meat to once a week and eat salmon a couple of times a week.I do however have a sweet tooth and probably eat too many salty snacks-hence the weight gain. I am never going to be vegetarian or eat all organically, it is too strict for me.

What else would you add or change? What has worked for you?

Thank you

Make sure there is enough calcium in your diet or you will have to add osteoporosis to your fears

Try reading the Patrick Holford book The 10 secrets of Healthy ageing Available on Amazon

Thanks, So I have about 200ml of milk a day and about 4 yogurts a week, is that enough for calcium or would you take a supplement?

[carorees]

Low carbohydrate is a key element of the t two day diet, which is a form of 5:2 developed with the aim of reducing beast cancer risk in people with a family history. Keeping protein intake down to about 60g a day is also thought to reduce cancer risk.

There is a thread or two about the 2 day diet here on the forum. and the book is available via this site's "shop and support this site" link. It is more complex than straight 5:2 but worth trying to adopt some elements maybe.

Thanks, So I have about 200ml of milk a day and about 4 yogurts a week, is that enough for calcium or would you take a supplement?

Personally, I wouldn't take a supplement if I could get it from food, as you'll absorb it better from food than from a pill. Calcium is found in loads of fruit and veggies as well as dairy products, so if you factor those into your diet you'll be well on the way. Eat broccoli, spinach, apples, peppers, asparagus, kale, parsley and celery. It's also in sesame seeds and canned fish (with bones - which I know isn't everyone's cup of char, certainly not mine)

OOh thank you I had NO idea those things had calcium in them-told you I was still learning!Already eat most of those things- not fish with bones however-yuck! How much calcium do I need a day/week??

About a gram a day of calcium, national recommendations vary.

On the breast cancer front you may want to limit your protein intake to reduce IGF-1 levels (which are associated with breast cancer) and I would read up about dairy products too in that context.

Vitamin D is essential for Calcium absorption and most of us are defficient in, but get your level checked before starting with any supplements. It s not easy to get adequate amount from food and our body becomes less efficient in forming the vitamin, with aging. Also requires exposure to sun which is unhealthy for the skin.

Calcium usually isn't the issue, most females are low on magnesium - just up your greens, take a good multi vitamin (- I take a raw one - the less processing the better), make broth from bones -Oriental people don't have osteoporosis in general, eat sea vegetables, look up Body ecology site for fermenting veggies and they have some wonderful supplements, you might want to take 2000-5000 mg Vit D per day, 2000- 5000 mg fish oil, and a good multi should be sufficient if you eat healthy in my opinion.

you might want to take 2000-5000 mg Vit D per day

How much ? 3000 IU is 75 micrograms so your units are wrong - 2 to 5 grams of Vit D is way OTT.