Antioxidant Foods: Our Top 5

The media are always throwing about new diet fads and raving about the latest celebrity super food. At the heart of all the fuss are the so famed miracle chemicals: antioxidants. They are the chemicals known to help prevent diseases like heart disease and cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, as well as having anti-aging and cleansing properties. Basically they are exceptionally good for you and your health.

What most people don’t realise is that antioxidants are everywhere; present in a wide variety of foods. And, there are many different kinds of antioxidants with different properties. Polyphenols for example have been shown to play a role in the prevention of degenerative diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Even familiar sounding chemicals like Vitamin C and E are considered to have antioxidant properties. So, the good news is antioxidants are very accessible and if you eat healthily you probably already eat a wide variety of them without even realising.

There are however some foods which are extremely high in antioxidants. A good tip for spotting these foods is to look for natural foods with a strong colour – things like berries, red kidney beans and broccoli.

Here is a list of five foods which contain a very high percentage of antioxidants, that will give you a boost in your antioxidant intake.
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Link Between Obese Girls and Poor Academic Results: How Can You Help Your Child Lose Weight

A recent study has revealed a link between obese girls and lower academic grades compared to those girls of a healthier weight.

The study was conducted on 6000 girls and focused on girls aged 11, 13 and 16.  The average grade for girls of this age is C but for girls in the obese category the average fell to D. Researchers published their findings in the International Journal of Obesity.

Obesity is an increasing problem in the UK and a concern for more and more parents.
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The benefits of Skype meetings between Healthcare Professionals and the Public

Only yesterday, news channels broke the story that doctors across the country are going to trial Skype appointments (a tool enabling online video conferencing) with your doctor.

The idea is to make better use of modern day technology and improve access to GPs – who are getting harder and harder to get hold of.

The idea of using technology to improve patient experience is not a novel idea.

We spoke to Bhavin Morjaria of Talking Therapy, an internet therapy company which allows you to talk to a therapist face to face from the comfort of your own home or office, bringing “the therapist to you”, is already locked on to this new way of getting excellent treatment in an efficient way.

What are your thoughts on using technology to treat patients?

“I think it is a fantastic idea and definitely the way forward. It allows patients to remain in the comfort of their own home, thus saving them time and money. Many people who require this sort of therapy often don’t have the means to get to face to face meetings or are post trauma patients who have physical inhibitions meaning that they cannot get to necessary sessions.

For the therapist, they too benefit – not only can they see more people in a day, they can be more flexible with their work timings. It’s a fantastic innovation for everyone involved.

With Talking Therapy, we have currently developed a secure environment where people can discuss issues with fully qualified therapists without worrying about privacy and confidentiality. We are hoping to roll this out into all areas of healthcare where there is a requirement to save money and time – Doctor/Patient, Occupational Therapist/Patient, Nurse/Care Home Patient, the options are limitless.”
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