Search Results for 'senior community dietitian'

A recent study by Irish doctors based in UCD and the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital has found an increasing number of babies born with neural tube defects (NTD) such as spina bifida, anencephaly, and encephalocoele. Although NTDs are very rare, folic acid intake reduces the risk by promoting the development of a healthy spinal cord. It is a worry that almost 15 per cent of new mums had never taken folic acid. The study also found that only 14 per cent of women had taken folic acid pre-conception and nearly a half of women had only started to take folic acid after conception. It seems timely to get the message back out there.

First and foremost, it must be stated – fat is an important part of a healthy diet. The trouble is that not all fats are equally healthy! ‘Trans’ fats have recently been highlighted as an unhealthy type of fat, but many people are unaware of what foods contain this type of fat, and how best to avoid it.

The Blood Pressure Association in the UK has reported that the economic downturn means not just bad news for our pockets but also bad news for our health. The survey suggests that costs attached to a healthy lifestyle such as gym membership and healthier foods may be the first things to go. It is interesting to note that the credit crunch seems to have less effect on our love of alcohol or high fat takeaways!

These days, the idea of eating foods ‘in season’ has nearly lost its meaning. Worldwide distribution has now made a variety of foods available all year round. However, buying seasonally harvested and locally grown produce from farmers’ markets and local grocers not only helps sustain regional agriculture, but also assures you’re getting the highest quality in freshness and taste.

Moo for the morning

Did you know that if an infant uses a bottle for too long it may cause many problems for their future health and development? It’s a fact that problems with talking, decayed and crooked teeth, increased risk of infection, fussy eating, anaemia, constipation, tantrums and not wanting to grow up may all be affected by long-term bottle use.

We all hear talk of Body Mass Index (BMI) and healthy weights, but what actually counts when losing weight? Do we have unrealistic expectations of how much weight we can and should lose?

Christmas dinner can be healthy. By not going too mad on the extras you can have a healthier Christmas and limit the damage to your waistline.