Diet tips

In planning a meal plan, the important thing is to try to cut down your ingestion of fat, salt and refined carbohydrates.

Some low carbohydrate diet guidlines:
* Know what is in your food Be sceptical of sales blurb that claims 'low carb' - check the actual nutritional information on the reverse of the can or package. Many are only a little lower and in some cases still greater than a competitors standard brand. Also, beware of 'low sugar' and 'low fat' labels - 'low sugar' does not always mean 'low carb' - usually the carbs are just the same.

* Make reduced carb breadcrumbs for breaded foods. Although you may be able to buy reduced carb bread crumbs, you may also make them by simply using reduced carbohydrate bread. All you have to do is toast the reduced carbohydrate bread in a gas or electric oven on a cookie sheet. Once it is quite hard and crispy, process it in your food mill. Store in an airtight container.

Lycopene foods
(includes grapefruit, red peppers and spiny bitter gourd)

The nutrient lypcopene is a simple chemical compound and member of the same group of phytochemicals as carotene. It is the reason for the red colour of some types of food.

Usefully, unlike numerous other healthy agents, lycopene does not become less effective if subjected to heat, but is genuinely strengthened by cooking.

. Its most interesting medical value is that it acts as an antioxidant and appears to be an asset in the fight to lower the risk of developing cancer.

Lycopene is the most powerful eliminator of singlet oxygen, which is linked with aging of the skin. It is also believed to prevent the growth of diseases affecting arterial blood vessels.