Cooking for Optimum Nutrition

We may believe we eat a healthy diet that gives us the vitamins and minerals we need. However we could be destroying nutrients in our food simply because of the way we cook them. This article will examine methods of cooking, and look at ways of keeping the essential goodness in our foods.

Boiling versus Steaming
One of the most popular ways of cooking vegetables is to boil them, however this method of cooking can destroy up to 70% of their vitamin C content and around 40% of their B vitamins. If you really want to boil your food, you can minimise nutrient loss by using as little water as possible, not cutting the food too small, and by boiling for the minimum amount of time. However to ensure you get maximum goodness from your food, it would be better to switch to a different method of cooking such as steaming.

One of the best ways of cooking and preserving food’s nutrient content is to steam. Steaming foods not only cooks them quickly, but also they maintain their firmness, colour and flavour. Water-soluble vitamins such as the B vitamins and vitamin C do not disappear into the water, as with boiling.

A good old stew
Making soups and stews is a good way to maintain nutrient content. The liquid is served with the food allowing us to still benefit from the vitamins and minerals that have been transferred into the water. Stews and soups are also generally cooked at a low temperature which minimises the nutrient loss.

To fry or not to fry?
Frying foods is another popular method of cooking, yet even though it cooks foods quickly, the extreme temperature can deplete essential nutrients. In addition to this, oils used have a burning point, which when reached can create free radicals. Free radicals attack our cells, and have been linked to the development of cancer. Also frying inevitably increases the fat content of our diets, which can contribute towards health problems such as; high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.

Fried foods however are tasty making it a popular cooking method. One way to minimise the risks could be to stir-fry which uses a minimal amount of oil. Using a wok and constantly moving the food around ensures an even distribution of heat. A spoonful of water can also be added, which stops the oil burning and produces steam to help with the cooking. Stir-frying however will still drain foods of their nutrients, and it may be better to steam foods for a while and finish them off in the wok, to get that fried flavour.

Cooking for the family
The traditional Sunday roast has been traced back to the industrial revolution, when meat was left in the oven to cook before church and was ready to eat upon the families return. It still remains an important meal of the week for many families.

One of the common mistakes people make with roasting is to turn the oven temperature up too high. This can allow oils to reach their burning point and increase their carcinogenic potential. The longer food is cooked the greater the vitamin loss, and roasts are often cooked for longer than needed. By cooking at a lower temperature and not for longer than necessary, nutrient loss can be reduced. Boiled vegetables are often an accompaniment to the meat; however the water the vegetables are cooked in often contains more vitamins than the vegetables themselves. Using the water to make your gravy ensures you still get these vitamins.

Another meal which can bring family and friends together is the barbecue. Food cooked on barbecues is subjected to extreme heat, which not only destroys essential nutrients, but also when foods appear cooked they can be raw on the inside. For this reason barbecue food is often overcooked and slightly burnt on the outside, which can produce more damaging free radicals. To ensure food is properly cooked it is a good idea to part cook them before putting them on the barbecue.

What about microwaves?
Research suggests that microwaving foods can help retain a fairly high level of vitamins and minerals. Microwaves work by agitating the water molecules contained within the food, and this movement heats the food. Potentially dangerous micro-organisms thrive in temperatures between 5°C and 60°C, and another advantage of microwaving is that the food spends less time in this temperature zone, as it can be thawed, cooked and served quickly.

A major drawback of microwaving is that the food doesn’t heat evenly, which means there can be cold spots where bacteria can thrive. To prevent cold spots food should be stirred at least once during microwaving, or if they are unable to be stirred they should be left to stand so the heat can distribute more evenly.

It should be noted however that while microwaving may be a useful cooking method for keeping the nutritional value of fresh foods, they are often used for heating up ready made meals which can have an unhealthily high salt, sugar, and fat content.

Raw foods
Eating raw foods is the ultimate way to ensure you get all the nutrients from food. One of the biggest advantages of eating raw foods is that they are full of enzymes, which help break down proteins and are important for every function of the body. If any food is heated above hand hot temperature it loses these essential enzymes. By only eating cooked food we put extra pressure on our bodies to produce these enzymes.

However by complimenting our diets with raw foods we can help our bodies function more effectively. Supporters of eating raw foods often call them living foods, as cooking destroys the foods life-force. They believe there can be many benefits to not cooking, including increased energy, better skin, better digestion, weight loss and a reduced risk of heart disease.

The good news is that there is an abundance of raw foods we can choose to include in our daily diet, from fresh fruit and vegetables, to nuts seeds and grains. Eating raw foods doesn’t need to be a chore; a few simple changes can benefit our health greatly. We can eat a salad with main meals, choose fruit for breakfast, eat nuts and seeds as a snack in between meals, or make our own juices.


To cook or not too cook?
By cooking food essential vitamins, minerals and enzymes, will be destroyed. In addition some cooking methods increase the possibility of producing potentially harmful free radicals. However we can minimise the depletion of nutrients by changing the way we cook. The main rules to making the most of foods natural goodness are:

• Cook for the minimum amount of time.
  
• Cook at lower temperatures.
  
• Steam or microwave instead of boiling foods.
  
• Stir-fry instead of fry.
  
• Add raw foods to the daily diet.
  

“Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”
Hippocrates

The Stigma of Mental health



Mental illness can affect people of all ages, from all walks of life. The effects of mental illness are all consuming, often affecting the sufferer’s life completely. Every year around 250,000 people are hospitalised due to mental illness, and over 4,000 people take their own lives. While the awareness of mental ill health issues has increased, it has done nothing to lessen discrimination. This essay will argue that discriminating attitudes and the stigma attached to being mentally ill, has worsened.

You may think with all the awareness raising going on, that discrimination towards the mentally ill would have reduced. Organisations such as Rethink, Mind, and the Mental Health Foundation are actively involved in challenging discrimination. One of the most well known of these organisations is Mind, who campaign to improve policy and attitudes towards people in mental distress. They produce straightforward information leaflets for people with mental health problems, and their carer’s and employers. All these organisations regularly write comments published in many newspapers, and are well respected as authorities on mental health.

The problem lies in the fact, that we need these organisations. A report by Mind into social exclusion and mental health problems, found that discrimination is rife (1999). They found that once people were diagnosed with a mental health condition, they would be labelled as different, and became known as mad people. Ivan Massow, who was the chair of this inquiry, was surprised about the number of ways society excludes people with mental ill health. Another study; ‘Pull yourself together’, done by the Mental Health Foundation found that 70% of those questioned, had experienced discrimination due to their mental health. 56% reported discrimination from family, 51% from friends, and 44% from their doctors (2000). For many, at a time when they are feeling most vulnerable, and need support from family and friends they are not getting it.

This discrimination may to some seem justified, as people in mental distress, are often not seen to be helping themselves get better. Many people experiment with self medication using drugs and alcohol, which while providing short term relief has a detrimental effect in the long term. In today’s meritocratic society (where people are judged on their merits), a common view is that people should take responsibility for themselves, and that society cannot carry the vulnerable. Cognitive behavioural therapy illustrates that a lot can be done by challenging negative thoughts. It could be put forward that people should be able change their own thought patterns, and pull themselves together.

This attitude however is not helpful. While having to deal with their illness and the overwhelming feelings of not being able to cope, people close to them are telling them to snap out of it. Within daily living, people with mental ill health can come across lots of obstacles, which can exacerbate their illness. Obstacles such as being refused insurance or finance because of their mental ill health are commonplace. Insurance companies often charge more because of a client’s medical history. The justice system can also fail people with mental illness, as they are often thought of as unreliable witnesses. It seems that people with mental health problems, are considered unable to make their own decisions, and not taken seriously a lot of the time. According to Hywell Davies, who was a respondent in the Mind inquiry:

“It is easier to live in society with a prison record, than a psychiatric record.”

The media have a big role in contributing to the public’s understanding of mental health. Television programmes, such as Stephen Fry’s account of his experiences of manic depression, have done a lot to inform people about the realities of mental health. Also positive role models, such as Robbie Williams, and Monty Don being open about their experiences can help with demystifying the area of mental health. There have also been many soap opera’s, which have dealt with mental health issues sensitively. Channel four’s Hollyoaks sensitively handled the portrayal of Bombhead’s schizophrenia by illustrating the illness from Bombhead’s perspective. Films such as ‘A beautiful mind’, and television drama’s such as ‘The Illustrated mum’, (based on Jacqueline Wilson’s book) have done a lot to inform people, and raise awareness about mental health issues.

Despite these steps forward, the media is also guilty of portraying mental health negatively. According to a study into people’s attitudes to mental health, by the Department of Health (2000), people are actually becoming more fearful and intolerant of people with mental illness. This study was a result of respondents filling in questionnaires ever year for five years. The media have continually made links between the rise of violence and the rise of care in the community which has greatly contributed to this perception. These connections are unjustified, as although homicides have increased over the last 40 years, the number of homicides committed by people with mental health problems over this period has remained steady. People with mental health problems don’t pose a threat to the general public, and are actually more vulnerable to being victims of crime. Within journalism, especially in the tabloids, there are little or no challenges to the use of words such as psycho, nutter, and loon, which are used regularly. These words may grab the reader’s attention, but they also contribute towards the public’s fear of people with mental ill health.

Moves have been made in other areas to deal with discrimination. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), covers people with long term mental illness. The DDA makes it unlawful to discriminate against people with disabilities within employment, as well as the provision of goods services and facilities. It has been most effective in the area of employment, as it’s attempted to redress the discrimination within the workplace. An employer is not able to turn anyone down for employment, or indeed terminate employment due to their mental health. They are expected to make reasonable adjustments, to ensure the person can work there. Many employers’s, especially larger organisations, are taking this on board and have policies in place to support workers with mental health problems.

Unfortunately due to the nature of the illness it is very difficult to prove discrimination due to mental health. There is no real definition of the ‘reasonable adjustment’s’ employer’s have to make. Also the information on what you need to do if you’ve experienced discrimination of this kind is not easily available. For someone at a mental low, the process is likely to appear to be impossible. In relation to employment, the DDA only applies if people are looking for, or are in work. Compared to other disabilities, mental health is the area with the most unemployment.
The Mind inquiry found that 12% of people with mental health problems were in employment, while 4% are looking for work. 84% were not seeking employment, often because of worries about the assumptions that colleagues and employers may have about mental health. Participants in the Mind inquiry mentioned the changing attitudes of colleagues, as soon as they were diagnosed with a problem. Many people do not disclose their illness for fear of being unfairly treated and this fear may well be justified, as 47% of respondents in the ‘Pull yourself together’ survey, reported to have experienced discrimination in the workplace (2000).

Legislation is an area that also affects people with mental health problems. As awareness has risen the Government recognised that mental health legislation needed to be updated. The last time the Mental health act was amended was in 1983, and it was based on the act before in 1959 so Mental health law had stayed fairly the same since the early 19th century. A Government Bill to amend the 1983 Mental Health Act is currently going through Parliament. The proposed bill is mainly about compulsory detention, and addresses the changes in society such as the growth of Community support groups. It aims to improve services and treatment for mentally ill people. One of the main changes to the 1983 act is the introduction of supervised treatment in the community. The Government believe that this will prevent the social exclusion, which comes with long periods of being detained in hospital. To support this they want to broaden the range of professionals who have the right skills and training to support people in the community. Another change is that if someone is detained under this act, they are able to choose their ‘nearest relative’, which can be anyone they choose. Over the eight years the Government have been researching this bill, they have regularly consulted with leading mental health organisations.

Mind, however says the bill is a bill of compulsion and not compassion, and that they have rejected advice from mental health organisations. The bill actually increases the numbers of people, who may be subjected to compulsory mental health treatment. It aims to give more professionals the power to make decisions for people with mental health problems. The bill places lots of importance on protecting the public from so-called dangerous people. One major criticism of the bill is that it addresses the public’s misconception of the link between violence and mental ill health. Mind believes fear of being detained may prevent some people seeking help when they are struggling. This bill may actually make it more difficult for people with mental health problems, to be taken seriously. With the Government appearing to back up myths presented by the media, the myths are reinforced. This bill is not likely to help with the discrimination and stigma that people with mental health problems face.

Looking at the studies done by organisations aiming to reduce discrimination, it seems that the stigma attached to being mentally ill has increased. Within employment the mentally ill are frequently discriminated against, and they often don’t have the strength to challenge the discrimination through the DDA. Many people who are mentally ill are not even trying to get work, as they believe they will be treated unfairly. There are many ways people are discriminated against in society, and this essay has mentioned only a few. The media has an influential role in contributing to beliefs and attitudes about mental illness. Unfortunately while they are raising awareness through some television programmes, they are also adding to the stigma, by constantly linking mental ill health and violence, and by using derogatory words such as ‘nutter’. Although there may now be more awareness about mental health, discriminating attitudes and the stigma attached to being mentally ill has worsened.

References:
Dunn. S (1999) Creating accepting Communities, Report of the Mind inquiry into social exclusion and mental health problems. Mind publications.
Attitudes to mental illness. (2000) Study prepared by Department of Health. Taylor Nelson Sofres plc.
Mental Health Foundation (2000) Pull yourself together.

CUT 4 CLOTH
An innovative family business

Situated on the banks of the Helford river in Cornwall, Cut4Cloth is an innovative family business, with a strong commitment to reducing damage to the environment. The idea for Cut4Cloth came about when founders Lucy and Kurt Jewson had their first baby Tom. Aware that disposable nappies did not bio-degrade they opted for cloth nappies. Not long after starting using them, they discovered Tom’s cloth nappies were too big for his baby clothes, even by using a size up, they found they were not cut to fit over cloth nappies.

Lucy trawled the internet and couldn’t find any companies who made clothes to fit over cloth nappies. An idea was born. Cut4Cloth now provide a wide range of clothes for babies and toddlers, which are stretchy and comfortable allowing greater freedom of movement.

They wanted to follow the environmental principles that led them to use cloth nappies in the first place. Their range of clothing is made from 100 percent organic cotton. With a baby’s sensitive skin, there are many benefits to dressing them in gentle organic cotton. Organic cotton feels softer, allows the skin to breathe, and due to the absence of chemicals organic cotton is also less likely to trigger skin allergies.

The cotton is handpicked, and the clothes are ethically manufactured in rural India. They are able to produce brightly coloured clothes, using environmentally friendly dyes that are free from harmful additives such as formaldehyde. The factory itself also supports the local tribal school, by providing food, books, and equipment.

The business has gone from strength to strength, since starting up three years ago. From starting out as a two person team, Cut4Cloth now employ five people. They started off only doing clothes for 0-2 years, and as their customer’s little one’s grew; they were asked to do larger clothes, so they have increased their range up to 4 years. They now sell to 20 countries worldwide and 180 shops across the country. Lucy said;

“We are growing as quickly as we can manage. We haven’t had to go out to market at all really. People just keep finding us, and we try and struggle to keep up, but it’s a great way to be.”

Despite Cut4Cloth having a strong ethos, Lucy felt they could be more proactive in trying to remedy environmental damage.

She said “We really wanted to put our money where are mouth is, so we’ve joined the 1% for the planet scheme.”

They give 1% of their turnover which equates to 10% of their profits to benefit environmental causes. One of the projects they chose to support is the Cornwall Wildlife trust’s ‘Beep’ (Bycatch Evidence Evaluation Project). Beep is a research project looking at possible explanations why marine mammals get stranded on our Cornish beaches. Teams of volunteers inspect and collate all the markings, and injuries on stranded mammals. The findings are then investigated by the National History Museum and the British Zoological Institution, in an effort to find explanations as to why dolphins, seals porpoises and occasionally whales wash up on the Cornish coast.

With more people thinking about what they put in their bodies, it seems a natural step to think about what we put on them. Cut4Cloth’s range show there is no need to use chemicals that can have a detrimental effect on the environment, as well our health. Their high quality clothes are made with room for movement and growth, and when your little ones do eventually grow out of them, they can be passed on. Kurt and Lucy’s new baby is wearing Cut4Cloth clothes which have been handed through five different children and they still look great.

Whether you’re looking for a gift or clothes for your own little ones, June is a great time to check out Cut4cloth’s range as they are having their first half price sale to make way for an exciting new range of winter clothes.

For more information look at www.cut4cloth.co.uk
or phone 01326 221930 for a catalogue.

Writing about what you care about.

Janey Lee Grace

Radio presenter, turned author, Janey Lee Grace has been offering tips on natural living, to listeners of Steve Wright in the afternoon on Radio two for many years. She’s become well known for her knowledge of natural alternatives to just about anything; from what you put on your skin, to products used for cleaning the house. She has now written two books; ‘Imperfectly Natural Woman’ and ‘Imperfectly Natural Baby and Toddler’ which came out in April this year.

With a rising number of people thinking about their carbon footprints, and being concerned about what they put on and in their bodies, Janey found she was personally answering so many calls and emails resulting from her radio presenting, that when she was approached by Crown House publishers, she decided to put all her ideas down in a book.

Janey felt writing these books was the next step on from the work she was doing already to promote green living. She says;

“I want to make people aware of how much choice there is now, in totally natural, fair trade, eco alternatives that won’t cost you any more money but will help save your health, and will save the planet a little bit, its the small change big difference sort of principle.”

It’s clear she’s passionate about her subject area. Kurt Vonnegut the author of Slaughterhouse-five and Cat’s cradle who also taught on a Graduate Creative writing course, said that if you write about a subject you care about and feel other people should also care about, it will be evident in your writing and compel people to read on.

Janey wanted her book, to be a useful resource for anyone interested in a green lifestyle. By combining her personal experiences, including how she’s come to adopt all things natural, with information on products ‘Imperfectly Natural Woman’ is an interesting read which is so much more than a directory.

She came up with the title ‘Imperfectly Natural Woman’ as she says she’s by no means perfect. She recognises that while many people may want do everything they can for the planet, and to be as natural as they can, there’s only so much time, and everyone has their limits. She embraces the 80:20 principle, which is to do pretty much what she can 80% of the time. She hopes readers will do what they can, but not beat themselves up for not being ‘perfect.’

The whole process of writing the book, fitted in around her radio appearances and bringing up her four young children, took just over a year. Initially she produced a synopsis and the first chapter for the publishers, which was accepted, and she was left to get on with it apart from a few meetings with them. Towards the end she met with them another couple of times to decide on photographs and the design of the book.

Taking about 6 months after she had finished writing it the book came out in November 2005. Crown house however are a small publishing company and the book had little publicity. Janey says;

“This was my precious baby that I had put a lot of effort into, and I really wanted it to be successful, and I managed to get one interview on Johnny Walker’s show on radio two.”

The Johnny Walker interview was extremely successful, and the show had never had so many calls and emails on any other feature. After the interview her book shot to no 1 on Amazon. Janey said;

“It made me realise this wasn’t just me, and my funny little barking mad ideas, but this actually was becoming very mainstream and that’s great news.”

Although it’s generally the writer of the book who needs to study the market trends and decide if their book is likely to sell, in this case it was Crown House publisher’s who recognised Janey’s area of expertise was becoming very popular. Realising how mainstream green living has become, Janey felt there was also a market for a book about natural parenting, and ‘Imperfectly Natural Baby and Toddler’ came out on April 19th this year.

This book is a fast track to all the best natural products for children. It gives information on everything from what alternatives there are to sweets filled with E numbers, to buying cloth nappies and washing them without using harsh synthetic chemicals.

‘Imperfectly Natural Baby and Toddler’ was published by Orion books, which is a major publishing company. They’ve published books by Maeve Binchy, Ian Rankin and Terry Pratchett among others. This time around, again fitted around her busy life, Janey wrote the book in four months, delivering it in September last year.

Being with Orion meant the book would be available in all the major bookshops, as well as Amazon. Janey still found she needed to promote her book herself, if it was to be successful. She has her own press agent who organises interviews, and two weeks after the book has come out, she was still working hard on publicity with an interview with the Guardian newspaper and appearance on the Wright stuff on Channel five.

Janey has really enjoyed writing, saying it’s nice to be able to share information. She’s already working on the third book in the series ‘Imperfectly Natural home’ which will be out in 2008, and has an idea for another book about her take on child psychology. When asked if she could make a living out of writing, she answered;

“In my case I can’t make a living out of writing. I think I would have to supplement my income by writing articles maybe.”

Janey however seems to have a winning formula at the moment. Not only is she writing about a subject that she’s passionate and knowledgeable about, green living is also very mainstream at the moment. With more and more people becoming concerned about their carbon footprints, it’s likely this topic area will go from strength to strength.