Nutrichef Lifestyle Blog

Psoriasis is a very common condition that affects about 1 in 30 people. It’s caused by a pile-up of skin cells that have replicated too rapidly (around a thousand times faster than normal), resulting in the characteristic silvery scale of the condition. Although there’s a strong genetic link, sufferers can make a number of changes to their diet that will help to alleviate the problem.

Beginning with food and drink to avoid, sufferers of psoriasis should limit their intake of sugary foods, as these can fuel the overgrowth of Candida – a yeast that is believed to play a major role in causing psoriasis. Sufferers must also cut down on their consumption of meat and alcohol – both of which can elevate the level of psoriasis-linked toxins in the blood.

As for what they should consume, people with psoriasis need a wide range of vegetables (but not fruit – which can fuel Candida growth) and they should drink plenty of water. Vegetables are a great source of fibre, which binds with toxins, while water is great at flushing toxins out of the body. One specific nutrient found to help people of psoriasis is Omega-3, which we can get from eating oily fish or flaxseed oil.

Why not try my delicious soup below, which may go some way towards alleviating psoriasis.

Barbara’s Pumpkin, Parsnip and Ginger Soup

500g Pumpkin (seeded & chopped)
3 Parsnips (chopped)
1 Onion (chopped)
2 Sticks of Celery (chopped)
1 Clove of Garlic
100g Fresh Root Ginger (chopped)
2 Yeast-free Stock Cubes
200ml Soya Cream
Fresh Ground Pepper
1 ½ Pints Water
10ml Flaxseed Oil

Boil the stock, garlic, pepper together and then add the vegetables and root ginger. Leave to simmer for 15 minutes. Add the cream and flaxseed oil and gently stir. Put in a blender and blend until smooth. (Serves 6)

The bane of any teenager’s life, acne is caused by an overproduction of sebum – a substance produced by tiny oil glands under the surface of the skin. When sebum clogs up skin pores the result is a blackhead or pustule (or ‘zit’ as they are still affectionately termed by some people!)…

Osteoporosis is an increased thinning of the bones that occurs when a person starts to lose a lot more bone cells than they replace…

IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) discomforts and frustrates around a third of us, and is one of the most common digestive disorder seen by doctors in the West…

There are a variety of different viruses that can cause the common cold. Surprisingly, most of us are exposed to them on a daily basis, yet we only suffer a cold a couple of times a year – when our immune system is not as strong as it should be. So, how do you keep [...]

Cholesterol is one of a number of different kinds of fat in the bloodstream. Unlike ‘the omegas’ (‘essential fatty acids’), however, it has a bad name, which is a bit unfair because small amounts of cholesterol are actually beneficial as they help to patch up damaged parts of your blood vessels…

The newly defined condition – sometimes referred to as ‘Yuppie flu’ – chronic fatigue syndrome is characterised by a variety of symptoms including persistent fatigue, sore throat, headaches, mild fever, and muscle and joint pain. Its cause is still a bit of a mystery although it is commonly thought to be triggered by a viral infection such as glandular fever or meningitis. In the absence of any virus it can also show as symptom of serious diseases of the heart or lungs, or even cancer.

More and more of us understand the importance of eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, but if you’d like to try an alternative way of getting your vitamins and minerals, why not try juicing? Are you aware of the wonders of juicing and the health benefits you can receive from doing so?

Now that the excesses of the festive season are over, you’re probably wondering – like millions of other people – how best to take control of your health in readiness to face the challenges of another new year. You could either call Nutrichef – the experts in producing healthy meal plans and delivering them to your door – or, if you’re feeling more adventurous, you can follow my top ten tips for a healthy diet.

If you feel you’re being bombarded from all sides with new-fangled ideas on slimming, and you don’t know which to believe, read on! Head nutritionist Barbara Cox from healthy meal delivery company Nutrichef has compiled some safe, sound, practical tips on slimming that tackle the topic from the angles of diet, supplementation and exercise.