Welcome to the nzgirl Healtheries Q&A page where nutritionist and naturopath Vicki Martin answers your questions. Got something you want to ask? Hit the button below to submit it.
Avoiding back pain I want to exercise but it gives me terrible back pain. I try to stretch after I exercise but it just gets worse. What should I do?
See your doctor and have all the check-ups, blood tests, and x-rays or scans to make sure nothing is amiss. Also consider getting some checkups with an osteopath or physiotherapist. You may just need a bit of massage or manipulation to straighten things out again. Magnesium (such as Healtheries Chelated Magnesium) is a wonderful mineral to relax muscles and tendons when they are tense, tight, and painful however it works best when you cut out tea, coffee, cola, and energy drinks. These drinks prevent the absorption of essential minerals and make muscles, tendons, and ligaments stressed and painful.
Food for recovery I play basketball and we have a seven day tournament coming up. What food should I eat for recovery?
After each game have a protein smoothie with ‘Aussie Bodies Perfect Protein’ or ‘WPL’ mixed with pure fruit juice and water. ‘Perfect Protein’ or ‘WPL’ are made from pure whey powder (no added glucose) which gives your muscles the extra protein needed to recover. It also helps get your blood sugar levels back to normal quickly so you don’t feel exhausted and tired. It will give you the sustained energy needed for your next game. To help as well, I recommend Healtheries Spirulina Tablets to keep your nutrient levels up to scratch. Generally make sure you eat plenty of low fat meats, fish, chicken, eggs, or cottage cheese along with wholegrain bread, pasta, and brown rice. These foods will sustain your energy and build your fitness.
Sugar addict I feel like I’m addicted to sugary foods. I come home and have to eat a chocolate biscuit or something sweet even though it’s an hour till dinner and I’m not hungry. After dinner I HAVE to have something sweet or I feel unfulfilled. I have no idea how to stop, I have had a healthy figure all my life but if I keep this up I will gradually gain weight, I am seeing it already.
Take a close look at what you eat for breakfast and lunch. Your blood sugar levels are too low in the first half of the day and they are sending you to the sugar bowl in the afternoon and evening. For breakfast have Healtheries Bircher Muesli with fruit and yoghurt and then wholegrain toast. At lunch make sure you have plenty of protein (meat, fish, chicken, eggs, or cheese) with salad, wholegrain bread and fruit. I also suggest you take two to three Healtheries Spirulina Tablets at lunch and then again at 3 to 4pm. Cut the tea, coffee, cola, and energy drinks back as well and this should nip the problem in the bud nicely.
Afternoon energy slump I was just wondering what I can do to prevent that energy slump in the afternoon. I eat a full breakfast and lunch and limit myself to one cup of coffee a day. I also get at least eight hours sleep. Help!
The type of food you eat may be the problem. Maybe the cause is too many carbohydrates and not enough protein. Alternatively you may be better to have a good breakfast but a snack such as, crackers and cottage cheese or tuna at morning tea, and then have a smaller high protein lunch. This may help balance your blood sugar levels. If this doesn’t work then you may be having a reaction to wheat. Try a couple of weeks of lunches with no wheat in them. This means you will have to get wheat free bread or pasta to substitute at lunchtime (look at Healtheries Simple range of foods).
How do I build muscle? I am trying to be very health conscious and eat well, (which I mostly do anyway) but I am also training four times a week. I just wanted an idea on what kind of food I should be eating. I want to build muscle but also lose about 5-7 kgs. I am trying to eat more protein and have been snacking on plain peanuts between meals. Is that a “no no”? So many people tell me different things about nuts that I don’t know whose advice to take. I love all types of nuts, are they fattening? Should I be snacking on them? Can you please help me out?
Nuts are great but you can have too much of a good thing. The best nuts, recommended by the Heart Foundation, are almonds and walnuts. These seem to have all sorts of health benefits. However I recommend only a tablespoon per day. You might want to mix them with an equal amount of sunflower or pumpkin seeds and some dried fruit to spin them out. Nuts are not a complete protein so are not to be relied upon as a key protein source. They are a great snack – but only in the quantity suggested otherwise they will help to put on weight. I recommend that you try ‘Aussie Bodies Perfect Protein’ or ‘WPL’ protein powders used in a smoothie drink with pure fruit juice and water. Have this drink before you do your training to feed your muscles with protein (it is pure whey powder) and to prevent blood sugar level dips after you have finished your workout. If your blood sugar levels dip then you will be off to the pantry looking for the wrong food which won’t help your goal of losing weight.
