Health

To combat hot flushes and depression women should eat more, not less, scientist Dr Federica Amati tells Anna Maxted Anna Maxted Tuesday October 31 2023, 12.01am, The Times T he clinical nutritionist and research scientist Federica Amati is a busy woman — working with the health science company Zoe, teaching nutrition to medical students at Imperial College and seeing clients at a London clinic. Yet, fortunately, she has found time to write  Recipes for a Better Menopause . Amati explains the science of the transition, and how to prepare for it. She also includes a guest chapter on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) from the menopause specialist Dr Sam Brown. Amati devised the cookbook section with the chef Jane Baxter, formerly of the River Café, who runs the Wild Artichokes restaurant in Devon. Baxter, guided by evidence on what ingredients ease menopause symptoms, says: “I tried to add nuts and seeds, without it feeling like  you’re at a hippy festival.” She created dishes t...

  ManFood  by Ian Marber Why men put on weight in midlife — and why it matters We all start to lose muscle mass as we age, with inactive men over the age of 30 losing between 2 and 5 per cent each decade. More active men may delay this process, but even they will generally start to lose some muscle mass by their late forties. In turn, there tends to be a corresponding increase in the amount of fat in our bodies. This matters because muscle is far more efficient than fat in terms of using the energy that is generated from the food you eat. Another factor in age-related weight gain is the gradual decline in testosterone levels. These peak during puberty and young adulthood, plateau for a few years, then start to decrease by about 1 per cent a year from the age of 30. Testosterone plays an important role in protein synthesis and also encourages the production of growth hormones — two factors that are related to maintaining and building muscle mass. In addition, as levels fall, fa...

Many diabetics in the UK are uncertain about what they should eat to manage their condition and do not know what diets can put Type 2 Diabetes into remission. A comprehensive set of guidelines based on latest research is now available. The new dietary recommendations for diabetes management were published in April 2023 by the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group (DNSG) of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). They  replace the previous recommendations from 2004, and  reflect the current evidence-base.    This article lists the key recommendations. The full report complete with links to reference articles can be downloaded here: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00125-023-05894-8 They are designed for health professionals, including those with and without dietetic training, who treat and advise people with diabetes.  The DNSG believe people who follow these dietary guidelines will improve their health. People with diabetes who are wonderi...