Search Results for 'community dietitian'

Now that the Olympics are over, our nerves won’t get a chance to settle down before switching to the excitement of the Paralympic Games. Paralympics Ireland is sending a team of 49 athletes to the Games, and we hope they will emulate the success they had in Beijing when they took home three gold medals, one silver, and one bronze. Here in the Midlands we have a local interest with local hand cyclist, Mark Rohan from Ballinahown, competing.

When you go to the shop do you reach for the ‘fruit juice’ or ‘fruit drinks’ every time, because you think they are the healthiest option for your little one? Well, think and reach again, because recent studies in the UK and Ireland have found that almost half of five-year-old children have now got signs of tooth erosion. In fact, tooth erosion is now the most common chronic disease of children aged 5-17 years of age.

Easter may not be over yet, but did you know that all that chocolate could have a lasting impact? Scientists now believe that when we eat fattening foods the memory is stored in our long-term memory; the experience literally sticks in our minds. It is thought that this was an important survival mechanism for early humans so that they could remember where to find energy-rich foods.

Daffodil Day, this Friday March 23, aims to raise awareness of cancer, and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) estimated that approximately one third of all cancers are preventable by making positive changes to our lifestyles.

February 21 is Shrove Tuesday. More popularly known as Pancake Tuesday, the day was traditionally the time to use up eggs before the Lenten fast.

World Stroke Day 2011 is this Saturday October 29. Each year approximately 10,000 Irish people have a stroke, and sadly 2,000 people die as a result. It is estimated that 30,000 people are living in the community with a disability caused by a stroke. This makes stroke the third largest killer in Ireland, and the biggest cause of acquired disability.

What do food intolerances, allergies, IBS, cancer, asthma, hayfever, coeliac disease, behavioural issues, and countless other increasingly common conditions all have in common? They are all symptoms of immune system dysfunction. Not many people realise this but approximately 70 per cent of our immune system resides in the gut, which is why probiotics — ‘good’ bacteria — has become such a buzzword in recent times, and need to be replaced after taking a course of antibiotics. Many people develop food intolerances or are even diagnosed with coeliac disease after suffering from viruses or similar immune dysfunction. This is because the good flora in the gut, which is so important for healthy digestion, has often been affected by the illness or even the medication for treating it.

It seems that low levels of vitamin D are being linked to a growing range of health problems. Research from Bristol University in the UK showed that pregnant women with higher levels of vitamin D had taller, stronger-boned children. Other research has suggested that lower levels of vitamin D in childhood could be linked to a greater risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Researchers have also linked insufficient vitamin D to heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure, various forms of cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.

There is little information on the actual salt intake of Irish adult; however a typical British adult consumes on average 8.6g of salt per day. In the US, this figure is more like 10g per day. So we could assume that the average Irish person if likely to have similar levels – what it boils down to is that it is too much!

Sound eating is an essential component of improving performance in all sports. No amount of training will help you reach the top if you don’t have a healthy balanced diet to provide your body with the fuel it needs for activity.