Don’t you just envy them? They simply curl-up on a chair or in a box or just about anywhere and have a refreshing little snooze at any time of the day? Sadly, it’s not so easy for us humans!

If you struggle to get to sleep or wake in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep, your roller coaster of sleep deprivation becomes a physical and emotional nightmare. You are desperate, you are exhausted, mild irritations can catapult you into adopting the persona of an axe murderer and you want a solution and you want it now!

Stress (emotional or physical or physiological or all three) is most likely the cause of disrupted sleep in many of us and stress of any kind stimulates our adrenal glands to release the stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol.

This incredible ‘double act’ ensures that when we are in a life-threatening situation (a potential car accident for example) we react swiftly and efficiently. Our heart rate goes up, we become very alert and stored fuel is converted into energy and directed to those parts of the body which enables us to take quick and evasive action (brain, eyes, nerves, muscles etc.) But this is hardly what we want when we are looking for uninterrupted sleep. Suddenly we are wide-awake and because cortisol keeps on releasing fuel for some time after believing our ‘stores’ need re-stocked, the chances of getting back to sleep are slim.

One of the biggest secrets is ensuring that we have sufficient stores of glucose to get us through the night and warn off the cortisol-devil… no, we are NOT under threat, we just want to sleep! This is where ‘what and when’ to eat to keep our blood sugar levels balanced day and night is imperative. It may not be the total answer but it certainly can help.

Turkey or Tofu & Spinach Broth

To achieve this, it is important to eat regularly throughout the day (small and often - every 3-4 hours is my recommendation), eat energy-dense foods earlier in the day (a combination of protein, fats and some, but not too much in the way of starchy carbohydrates) and major on top quality protein, fats and vegetables in the evening (but little or no starchy carbohydrates), forego stimulatory foods and drinks after mid afternoon (caffeine, alcohol, fizzy drinks, processed foods), try not to exercise too late in the day and please, please find alternatives to ‘junk’ foods and foods that release their sugars too quickly and play havoc with blood sugar. Rather many ‘takeaways’ can play real havoc and are often ‘the choice’ for many in the evening! Having said that, some of the ‘takeaways’ now on offer whilst restaurants are unable to open during the pandemic are extremely well-balanced - perhaps a little more pricey but you may wish to seek them out!

Many studies show (and personally, I am a fan) of a bedtime snack to keep stress hormone levels at bay during the night. All the following are rich in the amino acid l-tryptophan which when combined with a little carbohydrate (yes, just a little), helps to boost levels of the ‘calming chemical’ serotonin. Have your bedtime snack around 45 minutes before you get ready for bed and keep it small AND… if you wake during the night and can’t get back to sleep, get up and have another oatcake (or keep one on the bedside table!) They really are a bit of a wonder (protein, fibre, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals) and no, this is not just because I am a Scot!!

Suggested Bedtime Snacks

• 2 mini or 1 large oatcake with flaked tinned tuna or almond butter or half a banana (well mashed)

• a small bowl of my Turkey or Tofu & Spinach Broth

• a peach or nectarine with a few fresh walnuts

• a couple of dark brown Ryvita with almond butter

• a banana and soya milk smoothie

• a handful of mixed seeds with sliced apple

• 2 mini or 1 large oatcake with cottage cheese and sliced cooked turkey breast

• a small pot of natural yoghurt with a couple of dates or berries

• a cup of warmed soya milk, a teaspoon of honey and a sprinkling of cinnamon

• hot chocolate made with milk or milk alternatives and no-sugar dark chocolate grains (Green & Blacks is one of the best)

• a pot of calming herb tea (chamomile, passionflower, hops, valerian (or a ‘sleepy’ combination which you can get in most health shops).

more tryptophan-rich foods you may wish to add to your day to encourage the calming and good mood chemical, serotonin

Here in the UK, it doesn’t appear that we are nearly as ‘into’ or experimental with squashes as they are in other countries. Russia and the Ukraine, followed by China and India then the US seem to be pretty keen on them and for good reason when it comes to hoovering down a whole host of nutrients which keep us in tip-top condition (btw: pumpkins are a type of squash).

Keeping our immune system as strong as it possibly can be is extremely important right now, not only with regard to COVID-19 and its variants but also to ward off other viruses that may be lurking around during the winter months. And two of the most important vitamins for strengthening our immune system are vitamin A and vitamin C and squash is rich in a wealth of protective antioxidant carotenoids which the body then turns into vitamin A (only sweet potatoes, carrots and dark green leafy vegetables rank higher) and an extremely good source of vitamin C.

squash & sage soup

If you have time on your hands, you may wish to look at a website I recently discovered White On Rice Couple where Todd and Diane must have spend months (if not years!) researching all the various squashes and photographing them - brilliant stuff!

squash & sage pasta

I would recommend one of the very many squashes on the supermarket shelves or in your local greengrocer around two (or even better, three) times a week.

Maple & Chilli Roasted Squash with Quinoa Tabouli

My Squash & Sage Soup and my Squash & Sage Pasta never fail to get oohs and aahs and with very big thanks to Donna Hay’s recipe for Maple & Chilli Roasted Squash with Quinoa Tabouli from her Everyday Fresh: Meals in Minutes cookbook, the week is sorted!

spiced lamb salad

First we need to get our defences against infection in shape.  These involve the membranes of our ears and eyes and the linings of the nose, throat and lungs - the front lines against viral and bacterial infection.  Lean protein foods all supply vital nourishment to the cells in these membranes to help bar the entry of viruses and bacteria that flourish, particularly in centrally-heated environments and public places.  3 to 5 small portions of a selection of the following per day can really help: lean meats, chicken, eggs, fish, low-fat and ‘alternative’ milks, lentils and beans, nuts and seeds and soya-based foods.

Vitamin A

Carrots, pumpkins, apricots, mangoes, spinach and cabbage are all good sources of beta carotene which the body converts into vitamin A.  A lack of vitamin A can seriously compromise the integrity of the mucous membranes of the ears, eyes, nose, throat and lungs.  Aim for 3 portions of these orange/green protectors per day.

Vitamin C

Good levels of vitamin C help white blood cells to engulf viral and bacterial invaders.  Oranges, grapefruit, satsumas, berries and cherries, peppers and sweet potatoes are all rich sources.

Zinc

Seeds and seafood (particularly oysters) are known for their ability to fight disease and to protect the immune system.

Selenium

Although only found in minute amounts in the body selenium is an essential mineral for the prevention of many diseases and may help protect the body against viruses. Brazil nuts are the best source (3 a day) but eggs, sunflower and chia seeds, liver, tuna, herring, salmon, turkey and mushrooms offer good food sources.

Below are a few dishes that you may wish to try that include these protective vitamins and minerals. Just click on the images to access the recipes:

Spiced Lamb Salad

Fruity Oaty Breakfast Bake

Energy Salad

Mediterranean Vegetable Bake

One-Pot Chicken

Tomato & Red Pepper Soup

Aubergine Curry

Squash & Sage Pasta

Everybody is talking about the effect the C-19 virus and the restrictions have been having with regard to our mental health - depression, anxiety, huge concerns about our loved ones and how to keep them safe, the continuing fear when the situation appears to be never-ending.

In addition to all of the above, many of us are more than a little concerned/depressed/anxious that we have really ‘packed on the pounds’ and it can be mighty hard to commit to some dietary changes. Needless to say, the internet is heaving with diet after diet but I am not convinced that ‘a diet’ is what we need right now.

As many of my readers and followers are aware, I include soups in all my weight loss/weight maintenance plans but I think, whilst many of us are ‘home-based’ more than we normally are and are spending more time in the kitchen than we normally do, I believe that we should continue to make soups BUT not any old soup!

Low calorie, possibly weight loss-inducing light soups are all very well but ‘filling soups’ should become the order of the day currently. A couple of bowls can seriously ‘fill you up’ and hopefully banish the need to snack on bics, crisps, sarnies, pastries, cakes and the rest.

What we need to ‘fill us up’ is a deal of protein, a deal of good fats plus antioxidant-rich vegetables and some carbohydrates… so which of my many soup recipes ticks all (or many) of the boxes? Here is a selection… click on the images to access the recipes.

If you don’t eat meat, leave it out and experiment with the protein-rich plant-based products that you generally use: tofu, tempeh, quinoa, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, nutritional yeast, amaranth or some of the ‘meat-replacement’ products that you can find in supermarkets and/or healthfood shops but try not to fall into the trap of adding more blood sugar-disrupting, carbohydrate-heavy foods.

chicken & barley broth

lamb & bean soup

pea & ham soup

lamb tagine soup

light chicken broth

minestrone

tomato & bacon bonanza

scotch broth

thai prawn noodle soup

spicy turkey soup

chicken, chorizo & greens soup

thai curry sweet potato soup

lamb rice & spinach broth

squash & sage soup

roasted vegetable & poached egg soup

Perhaps best not to talk about the C-19 virus right now - quite enough has been said and continues to be said (for some time yet I am afraid) BUT so very many people (globally) are suffering from way more than the usual day-to-day anxiety and whilst there are a great many ‘practices’ that may help us to cope a little better, my remit has always been where diet may help. Yet again, I have to sing the praises of Omega-3s.

Researchers took data from 19 clinical trials including a total of 1,203 participants. Their findings were published in the JAMA Network Open journal. After analysis, their findings supported their initial theory. Although the studies varied significantly in the type of participants that were involved and the ways that anxiety was measured, they saw a significant reduction in anxiety in the groups treated with omega-3s compared with the placebo groups.

Most of the studies demonstrated a positive effect of omega-3 PUFAs on anxiety, even though not all effect sizes were significant. However, when the data were pooled, the combined effect was statistically significant.

There are so many suggestions in my recipe collection on this site that are rich in Omega-3s but I am particularly championing my combinations that you can put on the humble crisp bread or stuff into a half an avocado - breakfast, lunch or as a snack. I am more than a little over-zealous about including some sort of Omega-3 foods in as many of your meals and snacks as you can but if you suspect that you are not getting enough (which few people do) I encourage you to take a supplement… 2 of my favourites are Eskimo-3 Extra by Nutri and Dr Mercola’s Krill Oil .

If you are prone to bleeding or take anticoagulant drugs, consult your doctor.

Print off the toppings and fillings for crisp breads and the avocados and ensure that you keep it handy.

wow - that is a meaningful soup topping!

A swirl/splash of yoghurt or crème fraîche, a pile of seriously-crispy croutons, a sprinkling of fresh herbs, a drizzle of flavoured oil or a scattering of nuts and/or seeds are great to add an extra dimension to your soups but soup-lovers seem to be going out on a limb to make their soups really come alive with all manner of toppings! Let’s investigate!

The above pic and recipe with thanks to Coles Australia is a pumpkin soup with a topping that involves smoked ham, quinoa, rolled oats, all manner of seeds, flaked almonds, chives and honey and there is absolutely no doubt that this is a meal in a bowl!! I fancy that this style of topping could marry rather well with a vast range of silky and pureed soups.

Perhaps I haven’t been sufficiently adventurous with my souperydupery soups? Must try harder! But I am rather pleased with the red pepper topping for my Squash & Sage Soup which gives it a delightful kick!

other soup toppings worth consideration

Baked Parmesan Crisps - arrange a few piles of parmesan or other hard cheeses on a baking tray and bake in a medium oven for 5 minutes - watch them closely!

Gremolata - see my recipe for Cataplana

Pesto - homemade or ready-made

Streusel - pan-fry tart berries with chopped mixed nuts, a little sugar and a fair amount of spice - apparently it is great with pureed vegetable soups

Pickles - particularly dill pickles, very finely chopped on a beautifully-smooth tomato soup

Tempura squid, prawns or vegetables - haven’t tried this as yet but I imagine the extra ‘crunch’ atop a soup would be well-delicious!

Nut butters and tahini - these could definitely work with fairly ‘punchy’ soups like Roasted Tomato, Red Pepper and Chorizo or Lamb, Rice and Spinach

Romesco Sauce/Dip - this is so perfect with roasted vegetables so I can’t see a single reason for not dolloping a spoonful over soups! - here is the recipe

There aren’t many people in their 50s, 60s and beyond that don’t worry about the health of their bones (particularly women). And it’s easy to understand why. People are often unaware that they have fragile bones until a fracture occurs and low bone density can be a difficult condition to reverse in our later years.

A genetic predisposition and/or a poor diet plus a lack of weight-baring exercise over a number of years are usually the first things to merit blame but there’s no going back so the norm is for sufferers to be advised on a calcium-enriched diet, a gradual increase in physical activity where possible and more than likely, some sort of supplement*. In more severe cases, drugs are often prescribed but these can have a range of side-effects and studies show that up to 50% of women stop treatment within a year.  

Chicken, Chorizo & Greens Soup

Our bones certainly need calcium (and magnesium) and lots of both but what is vitally important is that the calcium and magnesium we get from our diet and/or supplements actually gets into our bones and that’s where a number of other vitamins and minerals come into play. Vitamins K, C, B6 and D and the minerals zinc, copper and manganese are vital for the regrowth of the protein mesh that both calcium and magnesium latch onto before new bone can be created so we need the lot and that’s where Popeye’s favourite comes in.

Spinach provides good to excellent levels of all of the above, other than vitamin D but it is its wealth of vitamin K which has seriously raised its status as a bone-builder. It’s not only bone that thins with age, bone marrow also becomes more ‘fatty’. Vitamin K has a huge fondness for fat and recent research on the bone marrow in elderly patients receiving hip replacements indicates that much of the vitamin K required for the bone-building process gets ‘locked’ inside the bone marrow and therefore unavailable. To add insult to injury, the richest food sources of vitamin K are ‘greens‘ and for a number of different reasons, many ‘seniors‘ are eating well below the recommended amount of not only ‘greens‘ but vegetables in general.

Around 200g of spinach provides a massive 888mcg of vitamin K so when you consider that in recent studies, a supplement of 1mg** reduced calcium loss and encouraged new bone growth it is easy to understand why spinach continues to create a deal of excitement!

I use it in a great many dishes. Here are a selection that not only provide good levels of bone-building nutrients (including vitamin D) but are also quick to prepare and delicious.

Poached Egg Special

One-Pot Chicken

Spinach & Watercress Soup

Chicken, Chorizo & Greens Soup

Lamb & Rice Soup

Fish in a Parcel

Parcel-Baked Fish

*Should you wish to consider an anti-osteoporosis supplement, ensure that it includes at least 600mg calcium, 300mg magnesium, 8mg manganese, 2mg boron and 2mg copper together with vitamins K, D and B6.

**If you are on an anti-coagulant such as Warfarin do not supplement Vitamin K as it may reduce its effectiveness.