0 15 health buzzwords you need to know

15 health buzzwords you need to know

Fitness by Vicky Hadley April 26, 2016

Macros, activating, sprouting…ever wonder what health bloggers and Instagrammers are on about? Healthista’s Vicky Hadley breaks down 15 health buzzwords and shows you how to sound like you know what they mean

The wellbeing revolution is taking the UK by storm with new healthy restaurants opening every other day and more of us working fitness into our busy lives. So it’s no surprise that the vocabulary to describe the components of a healthy lifestyle has expanded too. If you already know your probiotics from your prebiotics and your kombucha from your sauerkraut then skip this bit (but how about activating? That was even new to us). For everyone else, here’s how to pronounce them, use them in a sentence and work them into your life.

1. MACROS

Short for? Macro-nutrients

Pronounced? ‘Mac-row-new-tree-ants’

What are they? Macro-nutrients are nutrients required to give us energy to keep our bodies functioning. The three macro-nutrients are fats, carbohydrates and proteins and by consuming the correct amount of macro-nutrients for your desired results, whether that is muscle gain, fat loss or toning up, you are more likely to achieve your bodily goals.

Macro-counting is a fairly simple method to allow you to calculate how to balance your diet. This is worked out via a ratio format, the basic ratio is 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent fat and 30 percent protein. However, when we work out our individual percentage to fit our bodily goals the ratios will change as we have to take our height, weight and desired goal into perspective.

How to use it? ‘I’ve eaten all of my macros today’

MORE: Are macro-nutrients the new calories?

2. PROBIOTIC

Pronounced? ‘PRO-BY-OT-ICK’

What are they? Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. Our bodies are full of bacteria which is both good and bad. However, probiotics are often called “good” or “helpful” bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy. Probiotics are already present in our bodies but by adding them in via a supplement or certain probiotic rich foods you can help ensure your body and gut stays healthy. Good bacteria in the gut have been linked with weight, mood, skin and digestion.

How to use it in a sentence? ‘I’ve started taking probiotics as I haven’t felt well lately’.

3. PREBIOTIC

Pronounced? ‘PREE-BY-OT-ICK’

What are they? Prebiotics are indigestible dietary fibres that we get from certain foods that when consumed help probiotics and good bacteria in the body grow. What happens when we eat prebiotics then? The prebiotics make their way towards our digestive tract, helping us break down foods more productively which improves our digestion. Prebiotics help aid the good bacteria present in the body, and when they are taken with probiotics they can ensure the gut remains completely healthy. Foods rich in prebiotics include onions, leeks, whole grains and bananas.

How to use it in a sentence? ‘I’m switching to whole grains as they have prebiotics within them’.

MORE: 6 hot health trends for 2016

4. FERMENTED

Pronounced? ‘FUR-MEN-TED’

What is it? Fermentation is a process that normally turns sugar to alcohol using yeast. However, fermented foods such as sauerkraut contain healthy bacterias naturally. The benefits of eating fermented foods include getting essential nutrients such as vitamin K2 and probiotics into the body and they’re much more potent sources of good bacteria than taking a pill. The probiotic aspect of fermented foods not only helps heal the gut and improve the digestive system but plays an important role at keeping our immune system healthy. Fermented foods include sauerkraut, pickles, miso soup and kimchi (you’ll find them later in our buzzwords list).

How to use it in a sentence? ‘I’m adding fermented foods to my diet because of the probiotic benefits’.

MORE: Can fermented foods change your life?

5. SAUERKRAUT

Pronounced: ‘SOUR-KRAT’

What is it? Sauerkraut is the result of a fermented cabbage that has been preserved in a sealed jar without oxygen over a set amount of time usually around four to six weeks. The cabbage is shredded and salt is added which works at pulling the water out of the cabbage to enable the fermenting process. Sauerkraut not only contains all of the benefits including cancer fighting properties that normal cabbage contains, but it also has live bacteria that helps the good bacteria in the gut flourish whilst simultaneously aiding digestion. It’s delicious added to salads or even soups.

How to use it in a sentence? ‘Why not add some sauerkraut to your meal to help the good bacteria in your gut?’

6. KIMCHI

Pronounced? ‘KIM-CHEE’

What is it? Kimchi is a Korean raw vegetable pickle that like sauerkraut has become naturally fermented in a puree of fruits, garlic, ginger and spices like chilli powder. It is also considered to be a ‘living’ food because of the probiotic benefits and live bacteria that help the gut. Kimchi is also considered to be a superfood that will provide our body with nutrients to aid our immune system, digestive system and health. By the way, although the taste is super-strong, it’s utterly delicious.

How to use it in a sentence? ‘I’m adding kimchi to my dinner to help me digest my dinner’.

MORE: Is fermenting the new juicing?

7.  LIVE CULTURES

Pronounced: ‘LIE-V CULT-TURE-S’

What are they? Live cultures are sometimes used instead of the word ‘probiotic’. They are microorganisms found in foods such as yoghurt and probiotics. The main difference between live cultures and probiotics is that probiotics are live cultures, but live cultures are not always probiotic as although most live cultures do, not all live cultures contain good bacteria. An example of live cultures with good bacteria include Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus.

How to use it in a sentence? ‘Go for the natural yoghurt as it has live cultures within it.’

8. GI

Short for? Glycemic Index

Pronounced? ‘GLY-CEE-MICK IN-DEX’

What is it? Glycemic Index (GI) is a scale that analyses how much a particular carbohydrate containing food will be digested into our bodies and how much it will effect our blood sugar levels. We ideally want to keep our GI low so by eating carbohydrates that are low on the glycemic index scale you can keep your blood sugar levels stable, and less likely to cause blood sugar spikes. Foods high on the glycemic index can lead to issues such as breakouts, low energy slumps, fatigue and low moods. Check the GI of any food here glycemicindex.com

How to use it in a sentence? ‘I’m going for quinoa instead of rice as it has a lower GI’.

9. GL

Short for? Glycemic load

Pronounced? ‘GLY-CEE-MICK LOW-DUH’

What is it? Glycemic load, similar to glycemic index is the measurement that allows us to tell how quickly the sugar in the carbohydrates we consume raise blood glucose levels. Foods with a glycemic load (GL) under ten are seen to be low-GL foods and have a small impact on raising your blood sugar levels. Whilst foods with a glycemic load of 20 or above are considered to be high-GL foods that tend to cause blood sugar spikes. The main difference between the glycemic load and the glycemic index is that the GI does not take into account the amount of carbohydrates in the particular food. So glycemic load is actually a better indicator on how the carbohydrate food will affect blood sugar. Find out the GL of common foods here.

How to use it in a sentence? ‘‘Don’t eat that cake, it has a really high on GL.”

10. HIIT

Short for? High Intensity Interval Training

Pronounced? ‘HIT’

What is it? HIIT is a type of training that involves changing up the tempo of your workout. High Intensity Interval Training is an excellent workout to help burn fat, improve endurance and toning. It isnormally practiced in between five and 30 minute long workouts, in which you train intensly for a period of time normally around 15 seconds then rest for 40 before repeating over the set amount of time.

How to use it in a sentence? ‘I’m going to do a HIIT workout at the gym today’.

MORE: Best gyms in London

MORE: HIIT workout with celebrity trainer Kathryn Freehand

11. TRX

Short for? Total Body Resistance Exercise

Pronounced? ‘TEE-ARE-EX’

What is it?  TRX is a type of exercise workout that utilises your body weight and gravity. It was invented by Navy SEAL, Aaron Baldwin and is an excellent way of helping to develop balance, upper body and core strength as well as giving you an intense workout. Uses TRX suspension ropes we can perform numerous exercises with them including pull ups, press ups and more.

How to use it in a sentence? ‘I’m adding some TRX exercises into my fitness regime to boost my workout’.

12. KETTLE BELLS

Pronounced: ‘KETTLE-BELLS’

What are they? Kettle bells are iron balls with a handle attached to the top of them. It is a type of exercise equipment that can help you to build muscle and tone up whilst aiding fat loss. Many gyms have kettle bell classes which exercise plenty of the main muscle groups especially within the arms, legs and core. They’re easier to use for whole body exercise than dumbbells as they can be used singley or together.

How to use it in a sentence? ‘I’m joining the Kettle Bell class today’

13. QUINOA

Pronounced: ‘KEEN-OH-WAH’

What is it? Quinoa is a grain that looks very similar to couscous, however, is gluten free and filled with protein. Quinoa is a very highly rated carbohydrate in the health world because of the break down of its nutrition. Just one cup of quinoa contains eight grams of protein, five grams of fiber and many essential omega 3 fatty acids that balance hormones and boost the immune system. Quinoa is known as a complete protein, which means it provides all nine essential amino acids needed for good health. Our bodies are unable to produce these nutrients itself so we must get them through our diets. Amino acids work at building muscle, keeping our immune systems strong and overall our body healthy. Most grains such as wheat or rice are missing one or more of the essential amino acids which is why quinoa is such a great alternative.

How to use in a sentence? ‘If you avoid meat why not try quinoa because it is a complete protein’.

MORE: 10 surprising foods that contain gluten

MORE: The 5 new grains your diet needs now

14. SPROUTING

Pronounced: ‘SPROUT-ING’

What is it? Sprouting is the process of enabling seeds to grow. Sprouting similar to cooking, reduces anti-nutritional compounds in raw legumes meaning that we get the full nutritional benefits of the legumes. The most popular sprouted foods at the moment amongst the health world are sprouted grains such as quinoa, chia seeds and almonds. To sprout your grains, you simply leave them in water over a period of time which causes their outer layers to split open allowing a young shoot to blossom. When this happens, the newly emerging sprout takes some of the grain’s starches which changed the nutritional content of the food. Because there’s less starch in each sprouted grain, the protein and fibre measurements in the grains will become higher. Less starch means less carbohydrates so this means the sprouted grains will have a lower glycemic index too. Sprouting has many other benefits as well including boosting the foods level of vitamins and minerals.

How to use it in a sentence? ‘Try soaking the seeds in water as sprouting foods can help digestion’.

15. ACTIVATING

Pronounced: ‘ACTIVE-ATE-ING’

What is it? Activated almonds seem to be everywhere at the moment. Similar to sprouting, it works by putting nuts or seeds through a process of soaking and drying before eating them. The nutrients in the nuts and seeds are enhanced and easier for the body to absorb when they go through this process whilst still tasting exactly the same. The process of activating much like sporuting allows the body to digest the foods easier and helps us reap the full nutrients from the foods as it causes the essential minerals such as iron and zinc to become more avoailable for our bodies. In normal unactivated nuts, seeds and other plant based foods like quinoa a compound called phytic acid is present which binds to minerals such as zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium and chromium and can make it hard for our bodies to absorb these minerals and digest them properly. By soaking and activating the foods you can reduce the phytic acid in the foods aiding their digestion.

How to use it in a sentence? ‘Have you tried activating your almonds yet? They are so much better for you’.

MORE: 10 foods that give you energy

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0 Do carbs make you fat? 3 experts answer the question

Do carbs make you fat? 3 experts answer the question

To lose weight should we shun carbs, limit them or choose only the brown varieties? We asked three leading weight loss experts for their opinions and got three very different answers

CHARLOTTE WATTS, nutritionist, yoga teacher, Healthista blogger and author The De-Stress Effect: Rebalance Your Body’s Systems for Vibrant Health and Happiness

 (out in March)

Firstly, I want to be clear about terminology â€" when people talk about ‘carbs’, they are referring to the starchy variety found in grains, beans and roots we need to cook to eat, like potatoes and parsnips. But all foods from the plant kingdom are mainly carbohydrates, so cutting out or reducing the starches still leaves us with an abundant source from vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruit.

Human physiology is not as simplistic as calories in/calories burned. Starches may be calorifically low, but they affect metabolism and fat storage in much more sophisticated ways as our body is designed for continual change and adaptation, they can:

·       Upset the balance of ‘good bacteria’ in the gut, of which low levels are associated with higher weight increasing (and bloating) stress, inflammation and poor appetite regulation.

·       Increase the production of insulin, the hormone that takes sugar from the bloodstream into cells and signals to the body to store fat.

Human digestive tracts are short to direct energy to our big brains and animals who digest such foods easily have long digestive tracts and can chew all day. Early farmers who started eating these foods (only in any quantity 10,000 years ago) cooked them over long periods or processed by fermenting (like sourdough) or soaking in an acidifier (like Bircher muesli) to break down these fibres. At least choosing traditional over modern or raw grains and beans can help.

Starches may be calorifically low, but they affect metabolism and fat storage

Cultivated versions of grains, beans and root vegetables are bred to be much starchier than their wild counterparts; early farmers worked extremely hard, more easily metabolising these high sugar sources. It is well documented that modern man/woman has not only higher weight averages, but also a less healthy, higher stored fat to lean muscle mass ratio.

With weight loss clients, I always suggest cutting out entirely and replacing with as many vegetables as possible. This also helps to temper any insulin rises that can be feeding into other sugar source cravings, so helps people to get on top of sugar urges, addictions and late night bingeing that can come from related serotonin (mood neurotransmitter) irregularities. These can themselves cause a biochemical ‘need’ for quick-fix sugar consumption and the cycle continues.

Human physiology is not as simplistic as calories in/calories burned.

From there, we have a baseline from which to intercept the craving cycles that are such a key factor of weight gain. Quality protein with meals creates a foundation for good blood sugar balance and with carb energy from plenty of vegetables, nuts, seeds and some fruit.

For some cutting out starchy carbs entirely can see a reduction in energy, so best choices to add in are; sweet potatoes, rye bread (especially sourdough), brown Basmati rice, buckwheat, barley, quinoa and some well-prepared beans (see below). I work with clients â€" as outlined in my book The De-Stress Effect: Rebalance Your Body’s Systems for Vibrant Health and Happiness

 (out in March) â€" to explore, tweak and find the right inclusions and timings for them that regulate energy well, without causing the digestive and inflammatory responses that we now know are such a key factor in weight gain. At least having more veg than starches and keeping them out of dinner is a good weight loss plan.

A typical day’s healthy eating for weight loss in Charlotte’s view: 

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon with tomato and/or spinach and avocado, with optional rye toast or crackers

Lunch: Big, hearty stew with optional slow-cooked beans, greens and free-range meat of your choice if applicable. Include plenty of big green leaves for healthiest carbs, like kale and cavolo nero, plenty of potassium-rich celery and warming spices like cumin, coriander, cinnamon and chilli. This is an easy and filling meal to match in batches, freeze and use as a fantastic meal for weight loss.

Note: if using beans (lentils, black beans etc) ensure they are cooked with plenty of garlic and onions that break down the anti-nutrients like phytic acid in these starches. This is a traditional way of cooking that early farmers across the world adopted, as they understood that these foods are difficult to digest.

Dinner: Easy stir-fry with broccoli, asparagus, carrots, leeks, onions and any other veg you fancy â€" flavour with garlic, ginger, tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) and Chinese five spice with protein from chicken, prawns, tofu or cashews.

Connect with Charlotte here

AISLING PIGOTT, registered dietician and spokesperson at the British Dietetic Association 

Carbohydrates are often demonised by those wanting to lose weight. In truth, starchy carbohydrates (potato, rice, pasta, cereal, bread, and chapatti, for example) are actually a low calorie, vitamin rich food group. Starchy carbohydrates are often high in fibre and low in fat. Carbohydrate is converted into glucose to be transported around our body. This glucose is stored as glycogen alongside water in our muscles and liver. In most incidences, the dramatic weight loss seen in the initial stages of low carbohydrate diets is simply water loss and not reflective of any real change to body composition.

The benefits of including starchy carbohydrates in a healthy diet are unmistakable.

1. Starchy carbohydrates are an important source of energy. The energy created from carbohydrates is used to fuel basic muscle and body function, especially brain function.

2. Our brain cannot function without glucose (the breakdown of carbohydrate). Very low carbohydrate diets force our body to create glucose from protein and fat in a process that leaves us feeling sick, tired and with smelly breath.

Our brain cannot function without glucose (the breakdown of carbohydrate)

3. Starchy carbohydrates play a really important role in appetite regulation. In truth many cases of binge eating/over-eating are secondary to carbohydrate restriction followed by a period of overeating. Many people struggle to control their eating in the evenings because they have restricted carbohydrates during the day.

Many people struggle to control their eating in the evenings because they have restricted carbohydrates during the day.

Despite all the benefits of carbohydrates, they will make you fat if eaten in large quantities. Carbohydrates provide us with energy, which is great. However, too much energy taken in (and too little energy out) will lead to weight gain. All food will lead to weight gain if eaten in larger quantities than the body needs.

Use your hand as a way to measure your carb portion size

They will also make you fat if you smother every slice of bread with butter, cheese and bacon. Carbohydrate portion sizes are 2-3 times bigger than our grandparent’s generation, yet our activity levels are much less. It is important to include carbohydrates at each meal, but choose appropriate portion sizes to prevent weight gain.

The ‘hand rule’ is a useful measure, that is, one handful of cooked pasta/rice OR one handful of mashed potato. A handful is a good guide as peoples shapes and sizes vary. A more accurate example for the average adult would be 30g porridge oats, 1-2 slices of thin wholemeal bread, 30-50g cooked pasta/rice. These figures will change according to size, energy needs and activity levels. See Healthista TV’s film about hand guided portion control

The ‘hand rule’ is a useful measure i.e. one handful of cooked pasta/rice OR one handful of mashed potato.

I always encourage people to have high fibre carbohydrate choices to promote gut and heart health alongside a slower energy release. This helps further support appetite and blood glucose regulation.

In summary, carbohydrates themselves are an important part of a healthy balanced diet however it is important to avoid large portions and eat alongside healthy choices.

A typical day’s healthy eating for weight loss in Aisling’s view:

Breakfast option: 30g porridge oats, 100ml semi-skimmed milk, 1 chopped apple or banana.

Mid morning snack: Small Yoghurt and piece of fruit. for example. orange.

Lunch: 2 slices of thin, wholemeal bread with 1-2 slices of chicken/ham, tomato and lettuce. Small yoghurt or piece of fruit or 50g cooked wholemeal pasta, 1/4 tin chopped tomato, sliced chicken, 1/2 chopped pepper and 30g/cheese.

Mid afternoon or evening snack: Small handful of carrot sticks and 30g/humous.

Evening meal: 2-3 egg size boiled potatoes, small grilled salmon fillet and 50-80g mixed steamed vegetables or salad.

A healthy diet should include small portions of starchy carbohydrate at breakfast, lunch and dinner, 2-3 portions of dairy products each day (more for pregnant and lactating women), 2 portions of red meat each week and oily fish 1-2 per week.

Find a dietitian here

Rob Hobson

ROBERT HOBSON registered nutritionist, Healthista blogger and co-author of  The Detox Kitchen Bible

 (out in May)

This question pops up time again and I always sit in the pro-carb camp.  Whilst low carb, high protein diets are an effective way to lose weight, most people find them unsustainable in the long term and quickly put the weight back on.

Carbs are one of the three macronutrients (including fat and protein) that provide energy and an excess of calories from any of these will lead to weight gain. Most foods contain a mix of one or more of these macronutrients as well as vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals that contribute to a balanced diet.

Whilst low carb, high protein diets are an effective way to lose weight, most people find them unsustainable in the long term and quickly put the weight back on.

Firstly, to say all carbs make you fat is oversimplifying the issue. Carb-rich foods exist in two forms; complex and simple. Both provide four calories per gram, the same as protein and half the calories of fat.

Complex carbs such as oats, wholegrains, squash, sweet potato and pulses are high in fibre making them a useful addition to weight loss diets as they take longer to digest and help keep you ‘fuller for longer’.

Simple carbs include white rice, white bread, pasta and sugar which are broken down more rapidly causing blood sugar spikes and troughs that can lead to hunger pangs which can encourage you to eat more.  However, these foods shouldn’t be viewed as unhealthy and combining white carbs with protein, fat or veggies can slow their breakdown and lessen their effect on blood sugar levels. On a positive note, these foods are a useful dietary component for people with very active lifestyles, especially those who embark on heavy sports training that need to replenish reserves of glucose.

Sugar has become a big health topic and especially when consumed in isolation, such as in soft drinks, offers little to the diet other than calories and is thought to be a big factor in overweight and obesity.

However, other than sugar-laden soft drinks, carbs don’t exist alone and therefore are not solely responsible for weight gain. Sugary foods, such as sweet snacks, often contain fat that increases their calorie load which can contribute to weight gain. What you serve your carb foods with can also increase their calorie load. If you’re trying to lose weight, whether you choose brown or white carbs becomes irrelevant if they’re accompanying high calorie dishes such as creamy sauces or cheese. In the UK, pizza is one of the main sources of carbohydrate in the diet, but is it the bread base or cheese and meat toppings that make this a high calorie meal option?

What makes pizza a calorie bomb, the bread or the cheese?

I don’t believe in cutting out carbs as these foods (especially complex varieties) provide key nutrients such as B vitamins and fibre (which we don’t get enough of in our diets). In my experience, planning your diet around sensibly portion sized meals that include a mix of complex carbs, lean proteins and healthy fats (whilst limiting processed foods and sugar) is the best food equation to lose or maintain a healthy weight.

A typical day’s healthy eating for weight loss in Robert’s view:

Breakfast options:

Porridge with dried fruit
Avocado on rye bread
Boiled eggs with wholegrain bread soldiers or asparagus
Smoked salmon on rye bread

Snacks:

Fruit/veg smoothie
Miso soup
Edamame beans
Crudités and dips
Nuts and seeds
Fruit bread

Main meals:

Avocado and quinoa salad
Turkey mince and black bean chilli
Tomato-based prawn curry with brown rice
Butternut squash and goats cheese frittata
Aduki bean and shredded chicken stew
Thai curry (tofu) with quinoa

 Connect with Rob here

0 Want to relieve stress? Meet the hormone that can make you feel calmer and look younger

Want to relieve stress? Meet the hormone that can make you feel calmer and look younger

You’ve probably heard about the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Well, DHEA is a hormone in the body that has a calming and anti-ageing effect, helping relieve stress. Calmista blogger Charlotte Watts reports on how to get more of it

There’s a lot of talk about the hormones that we release when we jump up into the stress response. It’s great that there’s much more awareness of rising adrenaline and cortisol and their effects, but what about coming down from the heightened response these provoke? Every reaction in our bodies needs an opposite reaction or we would simply keep going in the same direction until the gas ran out. Bringing the body back to a resting state after a stress response is a priority for our recover, as the stress state uses up so much fuel and nutrients and can cause so much damage via inflammation and oxidation. Being able to come back to baseline from a period of stress is a crucial part of not feeling on ‘constant alert’ or continually overwhelmed.

Coming down from up, up, up

Feeling tired, achy and weak could mean low DHEA levels

The hormone that opposes the major stress hormone cortisol (and so brings us back down off the stressed out ceiling) has the punchy name of didehydroepiandrosterone â€" so let’s continue by referring to it with its easier acronym, DHEA. This is the steroid hormone (made from fat, yes we need plenty in our diets!) that runs around our bodies most abundantly and is made in our adrenal glands, reproductive organs and the brain. It has far-reaching consequences in allowing us to recover from stress.

As DHEA comes into play when our minds and bodies perceive the ‘danger’ has passed, it is associated with how well we cope with challenges â€" how adaptable and resilient we are. Lower levels of DHEA have been observed in women with adrenal insufficiency and burnout and shown as symptoms of feeling tired, achy and weak. I regularly test clients for DHEA alongside cortisol and those with low DHEA report feeling chronic stress long-term and that they’ve ‘lost the joy in life’.

those with low DHEA report feeling chronic stress long-term and that they’ve ‘lost the joy in life’

Natural protection

Long term stress and low DHEA levels can mean
real health consequences

Medically DHEA is a major marker for age and health. Healthier levels are seen in those whose biological age is similar to their real age and low DHEA can mean feeling older than you look.

DHEA has many protective actions, including anti-diabetic support, as cortisol raises blood sugar and high stress creates higher insulin production. It also protects against both immune and autoimmune diseases; it enhances immune function and so may protect against cancer. It has significant anti-obesity effects, perhaps also related to its down-regulation of the stress response.

Prolonged stress, which may raise insulin, blood sugar and cortisol, eventually leads to low DHEA blood levels.

The intelligent way to raise DHEA

The right foods and good cholesterol help lead to higher DHEA leavels and good vibes

Although you will see DHEA supplements on the market, I would not recommend dabbling with taking hormones directly. It is confusing to the body to suddenly receive hormones it did not produce itself as a response to signals from the brain and without knowing your levels, you may feel agitation and other symptoms from making levels too high.

It is a much smarter approach to address the root cause of the stresses that are causing its depletion and then support your body’s natural production. A nutritional therapist or naturopath can test your saliva for DHEA levels and guide what you need individually, but there are some key nutritional and lifestyle measures you can implement yourself.

Although you will see DHEA supplements on the market, I would not recommend dabbling with taking these hormones directly.

• Include plenty of healthy fats in your diet to create cholesterol from which we make both cortisol and DHEA. Yup, cholesterol is not just bad, we need it to make steroid hormones, mood enhancing vitamin D and new cell membranes. Nuts, seeds, oily fish, avocados, free-range (preferably grass-fed) meat, organic eggs, butter and Greek yoghurt, coconut and olive oil all add up to a healthy range of the building blocks for good stress coping mechanisms and brain chemistry.

• Keep sugar down to the minimum to both temper the stress-inducing effects it has on the body and to help regulate cholesterol, so we are supporting its balance and therefore how we utilise it to best effect.

• Have protein for breakfast to start your day from a stable mood and nervous system. The fat sources above are also great providers of protein and B vitamins for adrenal support and blood sugar balance; base meals around them with twice as much alkalising and mineral-rich vegetables.

Lifestyle Considerations 

So much support for healthy DHEA levels relies on how we live our lives. DHEA is associated with joy, laughter and the ability to ‘bounce back’. It is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, the calming tone, whilst the fight-or-flight stress response is the opposite (sympathetic nervous system) response. Calming, kindness, gentleness, belonging and feeling supported help you feel the safety you need to come to a relaxed state where DHEA can be most easily produced.

Walking an hour a day can help raise DHEA levels

The following lifestyle considerations help your body mechanisms raise DHEA and your life more enjoyable:

• Connect with people who make you feel safe and happy, in real life if possible, although quality social media communications have shown to relieve feelings of loneliness. If you can combine with a hug and physical comfort and connection (even a few light touches from a friend) then you can feel your nervous system more able to self-soothe.

• Allow yourself to accept nurturing and affection â€" if you didn’t do this as a child, you may need to get practice. Concentrate on activities and people that are fun and make you laugh; this stimulates healthy immune function.

Laughing, being outdoors, and seeing people you love
every day will keep you younger and healthier

• Be happy and laugh five minutes three times daily. Find something that makes you laugh; a person, comedy programme on TV or radio and really let go â€" this is crucial stuff!

• Exercise â€" ten minutes of limbering exercises or stretching and forty-five to fifty minutes of walking daily.

• Enjoy sex â€" even fun, sexual fantasies are good.

• Be outside one hour a day, especially if you work inside all day and/or are exposed to a lot of electronic equipment â€" computers, printers, cars, planes etc.

• Get enough sleep â€" be in bed by 10pm as often as possible, 11pm latest. Sleep on the earlier side of midnight is much more restorative for the adrenal glands, even if you sleep late in the morning to get your full quota.

The Eastern approach

People with low DHEA levels have been observed by those practising Eastern medicines as having ’empty heart chakras’, in other words, they tend to give too much of themselves away and could benefit from concentrating on their own needs as much as others. Try the Loving-Kindness meditation on week 4 of my How to Meditate series to replenish energy you need for your own healing.

More Calmista blogs from Charlotte Watts

CHARLOTTE WATTS’ is a nutritionist and yoga teacher whose work has focussed on how nutrition and yoga can meet to help people cope with the type of demands we face in the 21^st century. Her practice and teaching of mindfulness weaves these together and has culminated in her new book The De-Stress Effect: Rebalance Your Body’s Systems for Vibrant Health and Happiness

. She has also authored The De-Stress Diet (with Anna Magee), 100 Top Recipes for Happy Kids, 100 Best Foods for Pregnancy and 100 Foods to Stay Young.