Eat yourself well

IT'S a simple enough message, one that experts have been banging on about for years. Eating healthily is good for you; stuffing yourself on fatty, salty junk food isn't. Simple - and yet it seems to fall on deaf ears. Despite all the efforts to promote a healthy diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, four out of ten British women still have an unhealthy diet, says Jane Gilbert - Dr Jane from YTV's You Are What You Eat. "And about the same number of men. But I think men are better at lying in surveys!"

She gives a megawatt smile and glances across at her You Are What You Eat co-presenter, Stillington-based nutrition expert Annie Stirk.

Through their programme, the pair are dedicated to changing British attitudes to food. Their combination of no-nonsense health advice and delicious, healthy recipes aims to show that a healthy diet needn't be dull, or difficult. Oily fish, such as mackerel or trout, is one of the easiest things possible to cook, points out Annie. "It can be cooked in three to four minutes each side."

And it's good for you, being rich in the fish oils that help prevent heart disease.

The pair could be forgiven for feeling frustrated at our apparent dedication to a poor diet. Instead, they simply keep on making the point, with calm good sense.

"There is no doubt," says Jane, "that the food that we eat has a massive impact on our health. By eating a healthy, balanced diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, you are able to help prevent diseases such as cancer and heart disease, as well as making yourself more resistant to everyday things such as coughs and colds."

"And it creates a sense of well-being," chips in Annie.

Part of the message the pair try to get across is that while eating a healthy, balanced diet is generally good for you, certain foods and certain diets can benefit those suffering from specific conditions, whether it be irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, arthritis or heart disease.

Heart disease and arthritis are among the commonest conditions to affect quality of life. So this is what Jane and Annie will concentrate on when they bring their double act to York a week on Saturday for a You Are What You Eat demonstration to be held at St Sampson's Square as part of the York Festival of Food and Drink.

For those with or at risk of heart disease, certain foods are 'good' and certain foods are 'bad'. The good news is that you don't have to eliminate all your favourites - just replace some of them with healthier varieties.

'Good' heart foods include olive oil, which is rich in monounsaturated fats, nuts and seeds, which are rich in vitamin E, olives, and oily fish such as mackerel, herring, salmon and tuna.

High fibre foods, such as fresh fruit and veg, oats, lentils and kidney beans, are important. And the odd glass of red wine can also help - in moderation.

"No more than two units a day for a woman, three units a day for a man," says Jane. "In fact, research shows that any form of alcohol has a beneficial effect, in moderation. But red wine does contain chemicals which are particularly effective anti-oxidants."

"It's the grape skins in red wine which are supposed to be the key to it," adds Annie.

Another beneficial food is garlic. You don't need to eat it raw, stresses Annie - simply chop up a clove or two along with the chopped onions when you're making a pasta sauce, for example. Or else sprinkle crushed garlic over the surface of Mediterranean vegetables before roasting them in the oven, suggests Jane.

"You can even roast a garlic whole," Annie interjects. "Take a whole bulb, douse it in olive oil, then roast it. When it comes out, break off the cloves, squeeze them and you get a gorgeous garlic puree which you can spread on a hunk of bread. It's delicious, and the roasting has taken the pungency away."

This is why a Mediterranean diet really is healthy - because it is rich in many of the 'good' heart foods. In contrast, the traditional English diet tends to contain a lot of the 'bad' heart foods. These include dairy products such as butter and cream, all animal fats, and hard cheeses, pastries, pies, cakes and biscuits.

"You also need to try and avoid an excess amount of salt and salty foods, such as crisps, bacon, breakfast cereal and canned foods that contain hidden salt," says Annie.

When it comes to eating for arthritis, a number of foods can help. It depends, Jane says, on whether you have 'wear and tear' arthritis caused by advancing age, or inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, caused by your immune system attacking your own body.

For wear and tear arthritis, the best thing is to try and ensure you're not overweight, because being the right weight will reduce the strain on your joints. There is also evidence that oily fish and cod liver oil can help.

If you suffer from inflammatory arthritis, pineapple may help. "It contains an enzyme that's thought to help control the condition," says Annie. Greenlipped mussels are also reputed to be good, although that is unproven.

Some sufferers also seem to have obtained benefits from eliminating tomatoes and citrus fruits from their diets. "There is no proof that eliminating these works, but it does seem to for some," Annie says.

The best thing, Jane says, if you really want to try to find out if there are any foods that cause your condition to flare up, is to keep a diary of what you eat.

"Write down what foods you eat, if there has been a flare-up, and try eliminating foods one at a time and observing the results." It is important, however, not to eliminate too many foods from your diet in one go.

"The most important thing is a balanced diet," Jane says.

The pair's free 45-minute demo for the York Festival of Food and Drink will take place in the Festival Food Theatre in St Sampson's Square from 1-1.45pm on Saturday, September 20. It will follow the same tried-and-tested recipe as their TV show.

"We'll get two members of the audience - two sufferers! - to come up on stage with us, and Jane will talk to them," Annie explains.

"I'll ask them what their diet is, how their illness affects them, and whether they have tried to use diet to improve their health," Jane adds. "Then Annie will take them through some key ingredients, the 'super foods' which are good for certain conditions, and talk them through perhaps two recipes each."

There will also be plenty of chances to ask questions - so whatever the health problem you suffer from, you should be able to get some sound advice.

For those who can't make it, Jane and Annie have come up with two healthy, easy-to-prepare recipes - one, the tuna with herb dressing, specifically designed for those with arthritis, the other, the chicken Nicoise, for those with heart problems.

"Although you won't go far wrong if you rustle that up for supper for anyone," says Annie.

If you have a medical condition and want advice on a healthy diet, consult your GP. Dietary advice also available from British Nutrition Foundation, at www.nutrition.org.uk, and Food Standards Agency, at www.foodstandards.gov.uk

Updated: 08:53 Monday, September 08, 2003