I have just been looking back over my blog posts for the year, and for me, there are 4 key themes of things that I have learnt this year:
1. Grains have been in the media, for many reasons, some positive, some not so positive. Eating gluten free, or not I think often goes hand in hand with this. Regardless, there has been a huge array of mixed messages!
2. Your gut health matters. Particularly to assist with immune function. Prebiotics and probiotics play a key role in the health of your gut, and may also influence obesity and type 2 diabetes risk.
3. As we know, carrying extra weight can influence a number of other health conditions, such as psoriatic arthritis. There are many tools we can use to assist with reducing extra fat mass, such as hunger fullness scales, food diaries (and here), taking note of language, and careful planning.
4. It has been a big year of sport! World Cup Soccer, Winter Olympics, Tour de France... And then local events of marathons, city to surf and footy finals!
For me, 2014 has been a year that has shown humans are amazing beings. All I have to do is take a look at my colleagues, who have committed to crazy sporting events, or further study, or who work hard to be the best in their field. Or my clients who work so hard to make amazing changes to their health. You can do anything you set your mind to. It just takes persistence, practice, and belief.
Merry Christmas Everyone! I wish you all a happy, healthy and safe holiday season, and all the success you hope for in 2015!
Chloe McLeod is a dietitian at BJC Health.
This blog focuses on diet & nutrition generally and diet & nutrition in relation to the treatment of arthritis and arthritis-related diseases. Contact us if you’d like our help in managing diet-related health issues.
