Internet users can assess their future risk of having heart disease by visiting www.myHeartRisk.co.uk. It’s a new website developed by Cardiff University experts to assess the risk of developing heart disease in the future, by using information about health status and lifestyle. There is also an electronic questionnaire which asks people’s opinions about their risk. Heart disease is the biggest killer in the UK and lots of people do not know they are at risk from it, but it can be reduced by making small changes to your lifestyle, such as adopting healthier behaviours or taking medication.

Therefore, it is important to have an assessment to know if you are at risk. The aim of the research study is to examine perceptions and attitudes towards heart disease, and provide insight into what people think about their risk when it is presented to them in a certain way.
Professor Glyn Elwyn from Cardiff University’s School of Medicine said: “myHeartRisk is a quick and ‘easy- to-use’ website that provides an estimation to those who may not have thought about their risk of heart disease before.”

The study is looking for volunteers to visit the website, who are aged between 45 and 64 years of age, have not been previously diagnosed with heart disease, had a cardiac event (such as a heart attack or angina) or had a stroke.  Best thing of all? They’ll donate £1 to the British Heart Foundation for every person who takes part and completes the study. The University is hoping to raise over £1,000 so click here to take part.

When it comes to health, your diet should be about balance and nutrition, and your choices should reflect a positive and informed outlook.  Diet gets so easily separated into the good and the bad, into fad diets, quick fixes and “either/or” decisions. We can follow all the food guidelines given to us, what works for some may not work for others. Our diets are greatest when they are unique to us, for the simple reason that we all have different bodies, energy levels, metabolisms, needs, tastes and, of course, goals.

Our diet tips:

1. Make small changes to your diet by following a few essential steps
2. Listen to your body: What makes you feel good, and what doesn’t?
3. Understand the nutritional elements of food – not just the number of calories, carbohydrate content or grams of fat
4. Eat right for your body type

Seasonal Veg for March:

1. Spring green cabbage
2. Savoy cabbage
3. Cauliflower
4. Leeks
5. Kale

Green leafy vegetables are known for their rich source of minerals. They are a good natural source of iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium, as well as being full of vitamins B, C, E and K.

Curly kale is a great spring vegetable. With its rich taste and wholesome properties you can simply steam it, or dress it with lemon juice, salt, pepper and fresh chilli to give it some more kick. Add it to stews or stir fry or have as an accompanying vegetable to any fish, meat or vegetable dish.

Words: Lizzie Pyzer

Aldo Zilli’s Top Food Tips:

• Only eat when you are hungry

• Eat small, light and often

• Don’t eat late at night

• Try not to eat fruit after your evening meal

• Eat oily fish three times a week  and check that all seafood is sustainable, by looking for the Marine Stewardship Council’s blue label

• Be informed about the food you eat and the qualities it has

• Keep motivated and interested in the food you eat by maintaining a nutritional and balanced diet

• Embrace change and seasonality

Aldo Zilli’s Homemade Favourites:

- Grated raw beetroot dressed in fresh orange juice and topped with nuts for a healthy, delicious and flavoursome salad

- Japanese inspired curry made with seasonal vegetables and fresh coconut, served with quinoa and homemade mango orange chutney

To read our interview with Aldo, click here.

In the heart of London’s busy and dynamic Soho lies Zilli Green, a small and intimate vegetarian restaurant, owned by chef Aldo Zilli. Formerly the site of Zilli’s flagship restaurant, Signor Zilli, the venue has been entirely remodelled and re-branded to provide delicious vegetarian dishes in a simple, homely environment. His menu stays true to his Italian roots, whilst new ideas from world travel help create the perfect opportunity for a fusion of culinary disciplines in an exciting and dynamic take on vegetarian cuisine. We are greeted by restaurant manager Rocco and Head chef Enzo di Marino [photo: above right with Aldo Zilli] who serves us a delicious selection of food and organic wine. To start we have zucchini fritti dipped in a pepper and harissa sauce, a lovely split-pea and barley soup and our favourite; quinoa and wild mushroom Mediterranean sushi roll. To follow Enzo brings us a Japanese inspired fresh coconut curry with quinoa and a decadent and luxurious black truffle lasagne. Finally we are treated to a beautiful selection of deserts; melt in the mouth dairy free Tiramisu, warm pecan and dark chocolate brownie and delicious homemade Italian vanilla ice-cream.

Enzo has worked for Zilli as his executive chef and in vegetarian restaurants for many years, including doing a year training in the traditional Buddhist method of preparing and serving food. For him, vegetarian cookery encompasses all the elements of a healthy, nutritious and balanced diet. The main aim for Zilli Green is of course to promote healthy living, but it’s also to show how innovative and tasty vegetarian cuisine can be. There is a common misconception that vegetarian food is either bland or fussy, overcomplicated and time consuming, which is one of the reasons he thinks some chefs tend to veer away from cooking vegetarian dishes.

Aldo’s decision to open Zilli Green came from his resolution to look at his own lifestyle and approach to food after he went on Celebrity Fit Club in 2005, an experience that he describes as “life changing.” His own family history saw three close family members die from heart disease, so he knew he had to make some significant changes to his diet and routine.
‘Although I’m a chef, I wasn’t really thinking about what I was eating, the sort of food or the quantity,’ says Zilli. ‘When running a restaurant, food was always seen as necessary fuel’. His usual routine consisted of grabbing a pasta meal mid-morning with his team before the lunchtime rush.  Then throughout the day he would constantly taste food, so without noticing would be eating a lot. As he was busy all the time, exercise was not at the top of his agenda.

Whilst on the programme Aldo was forced to make some massive lifestyle changes; eating small portion sizes of fish, meat and salad, and cutting out carbohydrate and alcohol for a month. After this initial change, he was allowed carbohydrates once a week as long as he was exercising. He took the programme seriously, and within three months he had lost three stone. His change in food consumption, and his increase in exercise not only made a massive difference to his lifestyle, but also his attitude and outlook when it came to cookery and food and the changes we can make to help prolong our life span. Aldo describes himself now as a “fishetarian”. He no longer has meat in his diet, but eats fish, a great source of protein and vitamin B. He has cut down from his previously carbohydrate heavy diet and prefers to eat grains which give him a slow release of energy and much more nutritional value. Aldo promotes a holistic approach to cooking, which he also tries to emulate in his everyday life. He takes a mint oil supplement and cod liver oil to help with digestion and internal wellbeing, he exercises regularly and eats in a more informed and healthy manner.  The result: better health in body, mind and spirit, and as Aldo puts it, ‘another ten years on my life’.

• For more information on Aldo Zilli’s restaurants, visit www.zillialdo.com. Don’t forget, Aldo serves meat and fish at his other restaurant, but Zilli Green remains strictly vegetarian!

Words: Lizzie Pyzer

Words by Lizzie Pyzer

Sarah bell- via Facebook

Psst…!
Don’t forget, Healthy readers can enjoy an exclusive offer of two tickets for £20* – a saving of £15. To book, simply visit www.thevitalityshow.co.uk or call 0871 230 5569 and quote MHM to order your discounted tickets.

So, I’ve been on my challenge for almost two weeks now, and things are going well. The nutrition plan that Gwen Fitzpatrick from Maxitone created from me is pleasantly varied and filling. I’m enjoying the sweet potatoes, grilled salmon and turkey bolognese (you wouldn’t know it was turkey – just very tasty). The biggest revelation has been that I actually like cottage cheese! For years I’ve derided it as being weirdly white and watery, but chop a few chives or spring onions into it and plonk it on an oatcake and it’s great (and very low fat). As for snacks, I’m loving the Definity Crisp bars – they taste like a typical yogurt-style cereal bar but are really low fat and filling. The Definity shakes are also quite tasty – I usually have one after a workout or when I’ve been to hockey as it helps with recovery and toning. My biggest challenge with food is when I eat out or go for dinner at a friend, as it can be quite hard to resist naughty treats or sharing a bottle of wine.
I had my first session with Jacqueline Harvey, the Health Director at I.N.C Space last Saturday and she carried out some tests to find out my fitness levels. The first thing she did was get me running on the treadmill….for 45 minutes!!! I have to say, I have never run for that long in one go in my life! While I run around a lot with hockey, it’s very much a quick burst of speed when you have the ball, and then you slow down when the ball isn’t near you. When I’ve been on a treadmill in the past, I honestly thought 20 minutes running was my absolute max, but here I was running at a decent pace for 45 minutes, for over 5km. It was a real eye-opener and made me feel really positive about the Challenge as it shows I can do more if I really push myself. Having Jacqueline there to encourage me helped too! I also went on the stepper machine, which is great for the bum, and did some sit-ups and stretches. I was exhausted by the end of it.
The key now is to keep this level of activity up, and to build on it. I’m going skiing in just over a week, so I’ve been doing lunges and squats at my other gym sessions to try and strengthen my thighs and bum in preparation. Hopefully, my fitness levels will be at a good level so I can bomb down the mountain-side without getting tired…

For more information on Maxitone, visit www.maxitone.com.
For more information on I.N.C. Space, visit www.inc-space.com.
Jacqueline Harvey is founder of Crystal Clear Health. Visit www.crystalclearhealth.co.uk for more info.

To read Hannah’s previous blog post, click here.

Mix and blend:

½ teaspoon of green clay

1 teaspoon of natural yoghurt

1 teaspoon of honey

¼ cup of cranberries

¼ cup of cranberry juice

Leave on for 10-15 mins, rinse off and tone and moisturize as usual

Lizzie, London

Jasmine Lovell, Coleford