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Happy new year to you all ! I thought I’d kick off 2015 with some health snippets gleaned from the press round ups so ubiquitous around the end of the year….

– Consensus on saturated fats looks finally to have been overturned:
Cambridge university researchers looked at 60,000 people in 18 countries and found no “clearly supportive evidence” for the idea that levels of total saturated fat are correlated with heart disease. Conclusion: make sure that when you do eat meat and dairy, that it’s properly sourced, organic if possible and remember that it’s advisable to buy high quality, “full fat” and nutritious options rather than “low fat” and processed ones. If you use fats to cook with, plump for more stable oils such as coconut.

– Fasting boosts immune function:
You all know my position on fasting but it was nice to read that tests on mice and human subjects done last year in the US showed a large boost to white blood cell production suggesting a possible way back for those with weak immune systems damaged by ageing or chemotherapy.

– don’t throw away your vege “waste”:
Celery leaves are rich in magnesium (chop finely and use in salads or as you ‘d use normal stalks…). Broccoli leaves are high in vitamins A and C (use as above). Onion skins contain the lions share of the blood pressure lowering and anti-inflammatory pigment called quercetin and are very high in fibre which helps regulate bowel movements and also binds and eliminates bad cholesterol (use in stocks and soups and remove before eating).

– go easy on the booze:
A 10 year study on 7000 middle aged civil servants found that above average drinkers (more than 2.5 pints/night or equivalent) had a the cognitive, verbal and mathematical abilities of below average drinkers, 10 years older than them. Look for organic wines with little or no added sulphates ( and rich in the powerful anti oxidant resveratrol!)…