Do you drink enough water?
We’ve all heard them, the body and health myths that creep up time and time again, but we’re here to bust those myths and put you straight.
With the help of Nature’s Best nutrition experts we expose the body and health myths that have left us confused over the years.
True or False: You should drink 8 glasses of water a day
51% think this is true
Keri Filtness says: FALSE “Fluid intake will be dependent on a number of factors and eight glasses of water a day is not going to be a level which is suitable for everyone. If a person is very physically active, either because they play sports or have a demanding job, they will need to drink more. Equally it is harder to stay well hydrated in the summer, when fluid loss from sweating amy be increased and this will mean that you need to drink more. Conversely if someone is eating lots of watery fruits and vegetables then they may need to drink less to remain well hydrated.”
Tip: If water doesn’t take your fancy, try drinking squash, juice or even tea and coffee. The best way to assess your hydration levels is to check the colour of your urine. A good sign would be that it is pale yellow in colour.
True or False: A tan can be healthy for your skin
68% think this is true
Keri Filtness says: FALSE “A tan is a visible indication of sun damage therefore there is NO such thing as a healthy tan. Healthy exposure should be limited to less than the time it takes to tan or burn. Burning evening just once accelerated the risk of developing skin cancers and can also accelerate the ageing process, damaging the skin and causing fine lines and wrinkles.”
Tip: Try taking Colladeen Visage which provides a natural SPF of 10 after 12 weeks of continuous use and will offer a degree of protection all day long, even on cloudy days when you’re not thinking about sun cream.
True or False: A glass of warm milk helps you fall asleep
34% think this is true
Keri says: FALSE “The amino acid, tryptophan aids the body during the initial ‘dropping off’ stage, however one warm glass of milk does not have enough of this amino acid to exert this effect. A warm cup of milk forms part of a relaxing bedtime routine and it is though that this bedtime regime aids sleep as opposed to the amino acids in the milk.”
Tip: If you’re having trouble sleeping, assess your night-time pattern and make sure you are not actively stimulated before you go to bed. In other words turn you Ipad off. To aid sleep naturally try Nature’s Best Valerian, a well-known herbal supplement that provides deeper and more restful sleep too.
True or False: Adding fibre to your diet helps with 
constipation
45% think this is false
Keri says: TRUE “A high fibre diet is often recommended, especially for those with constipation. Furthermore a diet rich in healthy fibre is linked to developing an improvement in digestive health. However, for many adding bran and bran-based cereals to your diet may make constipation worse, whilst foods high in insoluble fibre may reduce the absorption of certain minerals, such as iron if eaten at the same time of day. Ideally, it is preferable to take soluble fibre found in fruits and vegetables, particularly dried fruits as this forms a gel and softens the stools.”
Tip: Taking a soluble fibre supplement such as Flourishe, which is derived from chicory, not only makes the stools softer and therefore easier to pass but also encourages the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut.
True or False: Eating at night makes you store fat
66% think this is true
Keri says: FALSE “If you are eating a meal or snack which is rich in carbohydrate and fats in the evening then this is likely to cause some fat storage as your insulin levels will peak in response to the glucose produced. However this fact is largely dependent on what has been eater throughout the entire day and also what level of exercise has been undertaken. To avoid any type of fat storage choose a meal with a good balance of protein, fibre and a small amount of good fat.
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