Do you always go for the healthy options at parties and buffets, like fondues and raw vegetable (crudite) dips?

Raw vegetables and salads with dip

Think again, they may not be so healthy after all.

Shared dips and fondue type dishes are said to be swarming with other people’s germs. A research study shows that when the same crudite or dipper is used more than once, tens of thousands of bacteria are transferred from the mouth to the dip for each double-dip.

We can overdo the hygiene sometimes, and a certain exposure to external germs are said to be good for the immune system.

However, if your immune system is compromised in any way, or there’s a particularly nasty ‘flu bug around, avoid dips like the plague.

Does alcohol destroy brain cells? The answer would seem to be No.

It may be bad for you in many other ways, but it won’t get to those little grey cells and reduce you to idiocy, it’s now thought.

But be warned, excessive consumption of the comforting tincture can bring on Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which definitely reduces memory.

As for brain cells, you would need to pass out, and be close to death, before alcohol destroyed a single brain cell.

So take heart, but always be moderate.

Swings and roundabouts.

Can you protect yourself against too much alcohol consumption? Herbalists believe you can.

The milk thistle plant whose seeds are beneficial

The seeds of the milk thistle plant contain a powerful antioxidant called silymarin, which is said to protect not just the liver, but also the gall bladder and spleen against the demon drink.

Milk thistle is a member of the daisy family of plants and is rich in flavonolignans, a group of compounds which help to repair liver cells damaged by alcohol and other toxins.

Silymarin also has anti-inflammatory properties that protect new liver cells from destruction. Add the presence of phytochemicals which fight against toxic overload and, all in all, the humble milk thistle is a great little helper if you have a tendency to overdo it from time to time.

You can take milk thistle as a capsule, in tablet, tincture or liquid extract form, before or after drinking.

Sugar is a major problem in Western societies. It causes obesity, street violence (in association with alcohol), and endless ill health.

A spoonful of sugar is the problem not the medicine

Because of the power of the weight-loss industry, many believe that a diet aimed at lowing the GI (Glycemic Index) of foods consumed is all about losing weight. It isn’t — although that’s one of the effects.

For example, do you experience mood swings, mental fuzziness or memory lapses? In the absence of brain disease, you are probably suffering from high blood sugar. The condition often leads to Type 2 diabetes, which affects cells’ sensitivity to insulin.

Adopting a low GI program is the way out of this vicious cycle.

Foods like fresh (not processed) meats, chicken, fish, oils, eggs and cheese don’t appear in GI lists because they don’t immediately raise blood sugar and provoke an alarming insulin response. They do, however, contribute to total calorie intake, so should be eaten in sensible quantities.

We’ll be discussing this in more detail in future posts, so to begin with, here’s a list of low GI foods and their index in ascending value.

Low GI foods
Roasted and salted peanuts 14
Low-fat yoghurt with sweetener 14
Cherries 22
Grapefruit 25
Pearl barley 25
Red lentils 26
Whole milk 27
Dried apricots 31
Butter beans 31
Skimmed milk 32
Low-fat fruit yoghurt 33
Wholemeal spaghetti 37
Apples 38
Pears 38
Tomato soup, canned 38
Apple juice, unsweetened 40
All Bran 42
Chick peas, canned 42
Peaches 42
Porridge made with water 42
Lentil soup 44
Oranges 44
Green grapes 46
Orange juice 46
Peas 48
Baked beans in tomato sauce 48
Carrots, boiled 49
Kiwi fruit 52
Stoneground wholemeal bread 53
Special K 54
Banana 55
Raw oatbran 55
Sweetcorn 55

To balance your blood sugar naturally, feel great, and increase your energy levels, a low GI diet is the way to go.