By Dra Maria Alice [email protected]
Dr Maria Alice is a consultant in General and Family Medicine and is director of Luzdoc International Medical Service in Praia da Luz, Lagos.
In these days of fast food, junk food, frozen food, pre-prepared food, cook-it-quickly food, boxed sandwiches, ready-to-eat salads with all sorts of extraordinary dressings… anything goes if it is quick and if people have to do nothing with it, except swallow it.
For me, swallowing these things would be the most difficult part of the job.
Within this lot of easy-to-use food, and many other similar ones that I have not mentioned, there are better things and worse things and there are certainly some days when you really do not have the time to spend in the kitchen or the patience to cook.
I also know that, for some people, coming home after work and spending time cooking is relaxing but, for others, it is a heavy burden.
Many simple things are easy to prepare and take almost no time from your busy schedule or from your scarce relaxation time. The benefit for your quality of life will be very rewarding.
For those who really enjoy the art of mixing the never ending ingredient options in order to cook up a new flavour or a new dish, there is also the danger of not eating well by eating unhealthy combinations and types of foods or … by over-eating.
The important thing with food is balance, correct equilibrium of the nutrients and the guarantee that what you are ingesting is adequate to your own characteristics and health status.
Like with everything else in life… equilibrium and balance.
Very important to consider, in these times of financial difficulties, is that eating well does not have to cost more. On the contrary, heavy, rich food usually turns out more expensive. If you think for a moment, you will certainly agree.
This is why we have decided to create a nutrition service, with the help of an expert who moved from the UK to live in the Algarve and accepted the challenge.
The Pure Nutrition Service is now available at Luzdoc and it is delivered by one of the UK’s leading Nutritionists, Elizabeth Hartland.
Elizabeth Hartland has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nutrition, together with a diploma from the Institute of Nutritional Therapy where she gained a licence to practice as a Nutrition Consultant. During her career, she has worked alongside a London Harley Street Doctor and within several GP NHS practices as well as running her own private practice.
She has also headed a team of seven nutritionists at a UK based health and supplement company and worked within a charity based organisation to help those suffering from arthritis.
Elizabeth is a full believer in the saying ‘You are what you eat’, for the way you eat can affect every aspect of your life.
When you eat foods that are right for you, your hair begins to shine and your skin glows. Eating foods that your body is not able to digest easily may lead to skin eruptions, headaches, mood swings and poor energy levels.
But on a good diet, you may begin to sleep like a top and feel good all day. Even the way you cope with disappointment may be related to the kind of food you eat; your memory too, and the ability to think things through clearly.
Too many people see good health as the absence of disease rather than a feeling of peak performance and wellness. But a state of niggling illness is not health and day to day problems can eventually lead to chronic long-term health conditions.
The Pure Nutrition Service aims to help those suffering from a range of health conditions, including:
• Digestive health – bloating, wind, constipation, discomfort
• Immunity and allergies – hay fever, low immunity, food allergies
• Fertility and hormones – thyroid disorder, infertility, PMT, endometriosis, menopause
• Heart and circulatory health – high cholesterol, high blood pressure, varicose veins
• Diabetes – type 2
• Mental health and happiness – depression, anxiety, stress, poor sleep
• Skin health – eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis
• Respiratory health – asthma, bronchitis
• Nervous system – headaches, ADHD
• Joint, bone and muscle health – osteo-arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, muscle pain,fibromyalgia
• Energy – chronic fatigue, ME, low energy
• Eating disorders – anorexia, bulimia
Nutrition is important for all these ailments, but weight management is also a service that can be offered as excess weight is a serious problem that aggravates any health problems and makes much more difficult the management of disease.
Best healthy wishes,
Dr. Maria Alice Consultant in General and Family Medicine General Manager/Medical Director – Luzdoc International Medical Service
Medical Director – Grupo Hospital Particular do Algarve Consultations with Elizabeth Hartland are now available at Luzdoc. Contact 282 780 700 for further information.
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