Eat iodine-rich foods for brain health & Bad foods to avoid in the office

Written by Solaade Ayo-Aderele - Nigeria

The need to eat nourishing foods in order to enjoy unbroken cycle of good health cannot be overemphasised. While some people make do with all sorts of supplements, experts advise that we get the larger percentage of our nutritional needs from the food we eat.

Apart from vitamins and minerals, important nourishment we must derive from our foods is iodine, a trace element that is naturally present in many foods. It could also be added to foods, while it is also available as dietary supplement.

When a woman is pregnant, the foetus requires iodine for proper development of the skeleton and the central nervous system. And even after the baby is born, as an infant, s/he still needs this all-important mineral for the development of the brain; otherwise, the growing baby might develop cretinism – a thyroid-hormone deficiency resulting in stunted physical and mental growth.

Consultant Nutritionist, Dr. Florence Okwusi, says iodine deficiency is one of the leading causes of preventable mental handicaps, and it is needed for normal metabolism of cells.

She says, "Humans need iodine for normal thyroid function and for the production of thyroid hormones. Without enough iodine, the thyroid cells and the thyroid gland become enlarged, and that is why we encourage people to take diets that are rich in iodine."

She adds that iodine deficiency happens more often in women than in men, and is more common in pregnant women and older women.

Indeed, scientists at Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, USA, contend that globally, iodine deficiency is now accepted as the most common cause of preventable brain damage!

As humans, our bodies need sufficient quantity of iodine for our thyroid gland to function optimally. The thyroid gland controls how quickly the body uses energy, makes proteins, and controls how sensitive the body is to other hormones.

Iodine plays a huge role in regulating our immunity; and for women, it can help in staving off certain breast conditions which, though are not necessarily dangerous, can be painful and inconvenient.

According to experts at Washington University School of Medicine, one of such breast issues is fibrocystic breast disease – a non-cancerous condition in which a woman has painful lumps in her breasts. They warn that although fibrocystic breasts are not dangerous, the condition can make the detection of breast cancer more difficult.

The other one is mammary dysplasia, a common condition marked by benign changes in breast tissue. These changes may include irregular lumps or cysts, breast discomfort, sensitive nipples, and itching.

As important as iodine is to human existence, it is even present in the soil; and where the soil is iodine-deficient, people who eat foods harvested from such soils will develop diseases that result from iodine deficiency, such as fatigue, high cholesterol, lethargy, depression, and swelling of the thyroid gland (goitre).

That is why many countries – including Nigeria – have embarked on salt iodisation programmes in a bid to reduce the possibility of iodine deficiency.

But then, we've also been warned to minimise our salt consumption in order to reduce incidence of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Yet, when you don't have enough iodine in your body, it affects the way your thyroid gland (found in the neck) functions. It can lead to quite a lot of diseases, such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and thyroid cancer.

Experts at Harvard School of Public Health warn that symptoms of thyroid disease include weight loss or gain, hot flashes, fatigue, constipation, dry skin, etc. Therefore, you need just the right quantity of iodine to keep healthy; and when you derive it from natural sources (as in your foods), you are certain that you can't overdose on it. Some iodine-rich foods include the following:

Baked potatoes

Nutritionists advise that if you want to enjoy the iodine content of this root crop, you should bake your potatoes instead of frying it. This is because all the dietary staples such as fibre, vitamins and potassium are contained in the skin. When you bake therefore, you are able to retain the essential nutrients.

Milk

Apart from the calcium and Vitamin D present in milk, it is also a good source of iodine. Take it with tea, oats, or as a plain beverage – warm or cold. Yoghurt and cheese are other dairy products that also give iodine.

Cod fish

Apart from being a rich source of protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and Vitamin E, cod fish also features an abundance of iodine. Salmon and tuna are other iodine-rich fish.

Shrimp and lobster

Generally, the seafood is a great source of iodine, but the shrimp and lobster are the richest of them all if you must get this mineral in reasonable quantity. They are available all the year round, whether fresh or dried. However, eat them in moderation because of their high calories.

Baked turkey breast

Again, sensible cooking is what will enable you to get your required iodine content. Bake -instead of frying – your turkey meat.

Boiled eggs

For an adult, depending on body weight, one or two large hard boiled eggs will do – except if you already have high cholesterol level. For children one year and over, just one egg will do at any time. It makes an excellent combination with oatmeal.

Bananas

A medium-sized banana is all you need to get your daily requirement of iodine. That doesn't mean you can't eat more if it so pleases you, though.

Go green

Green, leafy vegetables are healthy sources of nutrients and vitamins that are essential for you to maintain good health. Also, try seaweed, as it's the best source of iodine.

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Bad foods to avoid in the office

Source: care2.com

Bad foods to avoid in the office

What you eat at your office is often not the healthiest for you. Here's a short list of foods to avoid from 9 to 5 – and actually beyond office hours, too.

Donuts & pastries: 

A single doughnut can easily contain anywhere from 250 to 550 calories. Add to that, a whopping 20 to 50 grams of sugar and it's easy to see that these tasty morning morsels are among the worst foods you can eat. The sugar shoots your body with insulin, which eventually leads to a big sugar crash later. Too much sugar intake has been linked to type 2 diabetes. Worse yet, many donuts contain trans fats, which will raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) levels. Eating trans fats also increases your risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

Potato chips: 

Chips are typically high in fat and calories, which can raise the risk of weight gain and obesity. Then there's all that salt. Potato chips generally have between 120 and 180mg of sodium per ounce. Most chips are deep-fried, a process that creates trans fats, the most dangerous type of fat. In addition, the oils used for frying chips are often saturated fats, which also contribute to high cholesterol levels.

Bagels & cheese: 

Most bagels load you up with 300-500 calories of starch. A high carb diet may lead to increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Regular cream cheese has a fair amount of artery-clogging fat, even with a fairly moderate serving.

Energy drinks: 

Energy drinks typically contain sugar, caffeine and other stimulants with caffeine-like effects. These stimulants increase nervous activity, and elevate heart rate and blood pressure. The caffeine content of energy drinks can range from 80mg to over 350mg in the no-calorie energy drink. In some individuals, long-term overuse of caffeine can lead to anxiety, nervousness and dehydration. The American Diabetes Association notes that drinking sugary drinks is linked to type 2 diabetes.