450g leeks (about 2 medium)
25g soya margarine
2 small cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
100g potato, peeled and diced
600ml light coloured vegetable stock
5–7 tbsp ginger wine, according to taste
6 tbsp soya cream
Salt and pepper to taste, paprika to garnish

Method:
Remove any tough outer leaves from the leeks and top and tail. Leave as much dark green as possible.  Cut horizontally into thin slices, rinse well.
Melt the margarine and gently sauté the leeks for 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and sauté for a further 30 seconds. Add the potato and stock. Bring to the boil then simmer for about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add 4 tbsp ginger wine and the soya cream. Liquidize until smooth, adding more ginger wine and seasoning if needed at the end.
Return to the saucepan and gently heat without boiling, stirring all the time. Serve garnished with a sprinkling of paprika.

Leek Facts
Leeks or Allium ampeoprasum porrum to give them their full name are close relations to onions and garlic. Leeks were prized by the ancient Greeks and Romans for their beneficial effects upon the throat. It was the Romans who are thought to have introduced the Welsh to leeks. There are stories of welsh soldiers keeping leeks beneath their hats to differentiate themselves from the Anglo-Saxons in battle as far back as 620 AD.

Leeks have a subtle flavour which can give depth to stews and soups. If you cook a leek for long enough it will just disappear, thickening and adding flavour. The white stalk is where the flavours are, but try and use as best of the green as possible.

Leek Nutrition Low down
Leeks are a good source of folic acid, vitamin C and B6. They are also a good source of dietary fibre and the minerals manganese and iron.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means you don’t need it every day because any of the vitamin your body doesn’t need immediately is stored for future use.

You should be able to get all the vitamin A you need from your daily diet. This is:

0.7 mg a day for men
0.6 mg a day for women

Good Food Sources
Milk, cheese, eggs, liver, oily fish, taramasalata, beta carotene(and other caroteniods) green, yellow & orange fruits & vegetables and fruit, especially carrots, tomatoes, mangoes, apricots sweet potato, spinach, apricots, peach, parsley, spinach pumpkin, tomato puree, cantaloupe melons and broccoli, kale,brussels sprouts, butternut squash.

Potential deficiency signs & symptoms

Dryness, itching, tiredness & redness of the eyes; Poor night vision, gradual loss of sight; Dry, rough, itchy skin with rash, acne, boils; Dry, brittle hair and nails, scaly scalp; Loss of sense of smell, taste and appetite; Defective teeth and gums; Poor growth; Fatigue; Headaches; Anaemia; Increased vulnerability to infections, skin infections; Impaired reproduction and fertility.

What might happen if you take too much?

Some research suggests that having more than an average of 1.5mg per day of vitamin A over many years may affect your bones and make them more likely to fracture when you’re older.

What are the symptoms?

When you experience feelings of stress, the body releases chemicals that help you deal with the situation. These chemicals are a natural way that allows your body to either “fight or flight”. If these chemicals are not used up because the stressful situation was due to a late train or traffic jam then feelings of anxiety, irritability and symptoms of high blood pressure, and sweating can occur.

Other symptoms of stress include:
·    Food cravings
·    Tiredness
·    Insomnia
·    Depression
·    Anger
·    Poor concentration
·    Dizziness
·    Cramps
·    Chest pains
·    Restlessness
·    Nail biting

What are the causes?

There are different triggers that cause stress and everyone has different stress thresholds. It can sometimes be many small things that mount up or simply the thought of something that triggers a stress response. The most common causes are relationship issues, financial worries, moving house, bereavement and job loss.

Improving diet to help the body deal with stress more effectively and changing lifestyle such as increasing exercise, taking up meditation, seeing a councillor or cognitive behavioural therapist and learning stress management techniques are all ways to help cope with stress.

There are various symptoms related to hormone imbalance but the most common are as follows:
·      allergy symptoms
·      anxiety
·      decreased sex drive
·      depression
·      dizziness
·      endometriosis
·      facial hair growth
·      fatigue
·      foggy thinking
·      hair loss
·      headaches
·      low sex drive
·      premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
·      urinary incontinence
·      urinary tract infections (UTIs)
·      weight gain
·      water retention
·      wrinkly skin

Hormone imbalances are often the underlying cause of other conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary Syndrome (PCOS), PMS, Menopause, Infertility and so on.

Causes
Causes of hormone imbalance can be stress related, caused by insulin imbalance, pituitary/hypothalamus disorders or gland imbalances such as thyroid or adrenal problems.
Diet can have a significant impact on hormone health and can help to rebalance hormones by addressing underlying problems.

Common symptoms include: bloating and wind, constipation, diarrhoea, a strong urge to have a bowel movement and abdominal pain and cramping that may be relieved after having a bowel movement.

Stress may trigger symptoms in IBS sufferers. It’s estimated IBS affects one in five people at some time and incidences are highest among people aged between 25 and 45. Women are often more affected than men.

The exact cause of IBS is unknown, but a number of factors including stress, food intolerance, a diet low in fibre and high in refined sugars have all been implicated. Some sufferers notice IBS developing after a bout of food poisoning or gastroenteritis.

Classical migraine is where the headache includes symptoms of aura or “warning signs” such as difficulty speaking, stiffness, lack of coordination, visual problems. Aura can occur 15 minutes to an hour before the headaches actually begin.

Common migraine symptoms include increased sensitivity to light or smells and nausea which can come on the same time as a headache.
Other symptoms that are associated with either type of migraine include urinary urgency, abdominal pain, sweating or feeling very hot or cold.
The symptoms can last from a few hours up to 4 or 5 days and leaves you feeling very tired.

What are the causes?
There are various factors that can bring on a migraine including a change in air pressure usually occurring during the change in seasons, bright light, intense smells such as paint or perfume, stress, poor posture and certain foods or drink. Hormonal changes can also play a part in the onset of migraine, this is why migraine attacks can occur during a women’s period.It is also believed that serotonin, the “feel good” neurotransmitter, is involved in migraine. Recent research suggests the platelets (blood cells involved in blood clotting) of migraine sufferers are very different from normal platelets during and between headaches where they tend to clump together during or at the onset of migraine. This is significant in terms of our diet as chemicals in certain food can induce the clumping together of platelets whilst other foods help to thin the blood.

The most common food and drink triggers of migraine include citrus fruit, chocolate, cheese, food additives (MSG, Nitrates), coffee, tea and alcohol so it would be worth keeping a food diary to see if your migraines are linked to any of these foods or alternatively carry out an intolerance test to foods or allergens which involves a simple finger prick blood sample.

Which foods should I eat?
Foods that may help alleviate headaches are those rich in magnesium such as whole grains, almonds, cashew nuts, buckwheat and beans. Magnesium is a mineral involved in relaxing blood vessels in the body allowing blood to flow easily. Foods such as oily fish, garlic, ginger and onion help to reduce clumping of platelets and have blood thinning properties. 

PMS normally starts around 1-2 weeks before menstruation begins. Although there is no exact cause of PMS, experts believe it’s to do with a fluctuation in hormone levels that occur throughout the menstrual cycle.

PMS can be worse during times of stress, after childbirth and during your 30s and 40s.

This medical condition affects 1 in 3 women although some sources say that it affects a much higher rate - approximately nine out of 10 women.

What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms are hot flashes and intense waves of heat and sweating. Some women find that their sleep is disrupted during menopause, and others report mood changes. Other symptoms include irregular periods, vaginal or urinary tract infections and inflammation of the vagina. Some women may have discomfort or pain during sexual intercourse.

Although pre-eclampsia is usually mild, it should always be taken seriously because, in a few cases, it can cause complications, such as growth problems in the baby and can in some instances result in the death of the mother or child.

Furthermore, a recent study in the British Medical Journal found those who had experienced raised blood pressure in pregnancy had a long-term risk of hypertension (high blood pressure), an increased risk of stroke and a slightly increased risk of heart disease.

Subclinical nutritional deficiencies
Studies have shown that there is a link between low levels of antioxidants (such as vitamins A, C, and E) and a higher risk of pre-eclampsia.  Antioxidants are the nutrients that fight free radicals.  While some free radicals are necessary for good health, too many have been linked to health problems including pre-eclampsia and hypertension.

Other studies have shown that women with a low level of omega-3 fats, are more likely to have pre-eclampsia.

Calcium and zinc status has also been linked to the risk of developing pre-eclampsia.

With the urpregnancy nutritional and lifestyle programme we will look at your nutritional requirements and provide you with advice that can help lower high blood pressure and increase your chances of having a healthy baby and better health for the mother.

However, without addressing the underlying reasons for gestational diabetes, it can increase your chances of developing type II diabetes later in life.

Subclinical nutritional deficiencies
A number of nutrients can help prevent and alleviate gestational diabetes as they are important in blood sugar regulation. They include:  Magnesium, Chromium, Vanadium, Vitamin E, Vitamin C Zinc, Selenium and other anti-oxidants.

With the urpregnancy nutritional and lifestyle programme we will look at your nutritional requirements and provide you with advice that can help prevent or control gestational diabetes and increase your chances of having a healthy baby and better health for the mother.

Morning sickness may be helped by improving your blood sugar.  Fluctuations in blood sugar happen when food is digested too quickly.  This normally happens when refined foods are eaten (such as white bread or rice).  Fluctuations also occur when stimulants such as tea, coffee, alcohol or chocolate are consumed, which is another reason why these substances should be avoided during your pregnancy.

Subclinical nutritional deficiencies
Research has shown that vitamin B6 may be helpful in alleviating nausea and vomiting.  A number of nutrients may help regulate blood sugar levels and they include:  Magnesium, Chromium, Vanadium, Vitamin E, Vitamin C Zinc, Selenium and other anti-oxidants.

Ginger is commonly known to help with nausea and this can be taken in the form of a supplement or by grating the fresh root (or chopping it up very finely) and adding hot water with a little honey.  Many women think ginger nut biscuits may help them with morning sickness, but this is a fallacy, as there isn’t sufficient ginger (or its therapeutic compounds) in these biscuits and biscuits are normally full of sugar contributing to blood sugar imbalances, rather than helping with them.

With the UrPregnancy nutritional and lifestyle programme we will look at your nutritional requirements and provide you with advice that can help prevent or control morning sickness.