According to professor Donal O’Shea, obesity is killing 6,000 people a year through its direct link to diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

One of the principle arguments put forward against introducing a ‘fat tax’ was the negative impact it would have on the poorer echelons of society, as they are the highest consumers of high sugar/high fat products.

Statistics show, that of the 26% of overweight nine year olds, 33% of them come from semi-skilled or unskilled backgrounds with 22% coming from professional/managerial backgrounds. Given these statistics we might be tempted to think that a ‘fat tax’ would actually be more beneficial than damaging to lower income families.

But would the introduction of a ‘fat tax’ turn us into a ‘nanny state’? This was the argument put forward by Eamon Delaney, columnist with the Sunday Independent. Nessa Childers, MEP Ireland East, however, felt it was time for the state to intervene as self-regulation was obviously not working.

Perhaps there is a case to argue here, particularly when you look at the cost to the state of managing long-term chronic illnesses such as diabetes. After all, Type 11 diabetes is an illness which is directly linked to the amount of high sugar products consumed in the diet. On a positive note, it is also a disease which is highly preventable, given correct nutritional intervention.

Prime Time’s presenter Donogh Diamond put it to Paul Kelly, director of the food and drinks industry Ireland, that fizzy drinks were toxic and should therefore be taxed. Mr Kelly disagreed that fizzy drinks were toxic in moderation but agreed that they should be kept as treats. Surely this then is a good argument in favour of taxing them – the more they cost, the more likely they are to be kept as treats.

So where do we draw the line? Are products such as butter, cheese and beef in the same category as processed or refined products such as fizzy drinks, crisps, microwave dinners, etc.. Perhaps a tax on these highly processed foods would be more appropriate, especially where our children are concerned.

So let’s call a spade a spade. It’s not the consumption of beef and butter that is causing our children to be overweight but rather the over-consumption of fizzy drinks, packets of crisps, pot noodles and other such processed foods. Just take a look at what kids are buying for their lunches in the supermarkets on any given day.

Avoid over-cooking the broccoli where possible.Try adding broccoli to other stir-fried vegetables towards the end of cooking – cut them into small pieces and they will only need 5 minutes in the pan. Broccoli is particularly tasty with wholegrain mustard.

Referenced in CAM Mag , October 2011. Vol 13. Issue 2

1) Blackout the bedroom – in order for a good night’s sleep we need to be plunged into darkness, so consider investing in some good blinds or heavy curtains.

2) Spend more time ‘in the dark’. At least 9-10 hours if possible is recommended in order to help maximise melatonin and re-establish circadian rhythms.

3) Reduce exposure to mobile phones, laptops and any electrically-lit screens – read a book instead!

4) Practise quiet wakefulness. It can be quite normal to wake at night – just don’t get into the habit of switching the light on!

5) Have a bowl of cereal. Grains such as rice, corn and oats contain plant melatonin which can help with sleep regulation.

Referenced in ‘Shedding light on a dark issue: electric lighting, circadian disruption and disease.’ Ben Brown, ND. CAM Mag. October 2011. Vol 13 . Issue 2

Confused about reading labels?

This service also includes sample menu planners and recipes based on a healthy wholefood’s diet.

No fancy or expensive supermarkets/shops. Just 1 well-spent hour at your usual shopping venue!

Cost of this service = 50.00e (includes weekly menu-planner and recipe)

At Pembroke Health + Wellbeing we now offer this convenient solution for those of you who are housebound or simply don’t have the time to come into the clinic. More information….

* Makhoul Z et al, Association of obesity with triglycerides and C-reactive protein are attenuated in adults with hig red blood cell eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids. Euro J Clin Nutr 2011, published online March 23

This power point presentation was presented by Transition Year student from Loreto Abbey Dalkey – Sophie Peyron aged 16

1. Portion Control

Research suggests that portion control is one of the single greatest predictors of successful weight loss (Logue et al. 2004). Eating only a single helping, using a smaller plate and resisting the urge toclean the plate are also factors. It is also beneficial to get into the habit of reading the nutrition labels on the back of products in order to be fully informed about their nutritional content. For example, the sugar content of a product is often overlooked in favour of the fat content. More than 5g of sugar per 100g is classed as a high sugar product: See under carbohydrates (of which sugars).

In terms of fat content, it is more important to look at saturated fat content, rather than the overall fat content, which also includes the poly and mono-unsaturated fats.

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