Alice Wilkinson
Deputy Head of Health Features
I’ve only ever eaten Shredded Wheat reluctantly. As a child, when visiting my health-conscious grandparents, and when I’ve stayed in a hotel where there’s little else on offer. I’m not the only one who finds it cardboard-like. “When Henry Perky invented Shredded Wheat in the late 19th century, critics likened it to eating a ‘shredded doormat’. Even John Harvey Kellogg reportedly compared it to ‘chewing a whisk broom’,” writes Mary Comber.
But as two biscuits boast 6.3g gut-healthy fibre, I’m motivated to find delicious ways to eat it. From Greek yogurt with raspberries to stewed apple and walnuts, there are some surprisingly tempting options.
If these beautiful plates inspire you to eat a healthier breakfast, dietitian Dr Claire McEvoy will approve. In her piece about the simple diet changes you can make in your 60s and beyond, she speaks passionately about how what we add to our plates can have a powerful and positive impact on how well we age.
Happy reading,
Alice
In today’s edition
I’m wearing mini skirts and dating men half my age. No one knows it’s because of Mounjaro
‘My teenage son died of meningitis B. I didn’t realise he wasn’t vaccinated’
The diet to make your 60s, 70s and 80s your healthiest decades yet
The health benefits of Shredded Wheat (and how to make it taste delicious)
Fibre really is having a moment in the spotlight. There have been countless books released on the subject this year alone – and stay tuned, because there are even more to come. Unlike other health fads we’ve seen, experts are getting behind this one because only 4 per cent of Britons are reaching their recommended 30g fibre a day. Starting the day with Shredded Wheat, served in one of these delicious ways, will mean you’ve hit about a fifth of your daily quota by breakfast. Mary Comber speaks to dietitian and microbiome scientist Dr Emily Leeming about why it’s so good for us and the best toppings to enjoy it with.
Your essential reads
At 49, I’m wearing mini skirts and dating men half my age. No one knows it’s because of Mounjaro
When, earlier this year, an analysis of more than 113,000 private weight-loss jab prescriptions indicated that middle-class, middle-aged women were using them the most, we wanted to hear from one of these women about why that might be. In this open and honest piece, one anonymous 49-year-old writer reveals how losing weight transformed her dress sense and her sex life and gave her a new lease of life – but, with the jabs hidden in a toiletry bag under her bed, she still hasn’t told a soul.
‘My teenage son died of meningitis B. I didn’t realise he wasn’t vaccinated’
As meningitis is the news following the frightening outbreak in Kent, we speak to Elaine Zographou, a heartbroken mother who lost her 18-year-old son to the disease in 2017. A popular, handsome teenager with a bright future ahead of him, George had travelled to Boardmasters Festival in Cornwall with his friends as a post-exam treat, where he fell desperately ill. Five days later, he died.
The MenB vaccine was only added to the NHS vaccination schedule for babies in 2015, which meant George, along with anyone born before September 2015 who hasn’t paid for the vaccine privately, was not protected.
“Parents don’t realise that they can protect their children for a few hundred pounds,” says Elaine. “If I could go back and vaccinate George I would in a flash, but like a lot of parents, we thought he’d had all his meningitis vaccinations.
“The tragedy in Kent brings it all back. My heart goes out to these poor families who have lost loved ones and to the people that are in intensive care because their lives may not be the same again.”
The diet to make your 60s, 70s and 80s your healthiest decades yet
We are living longer than ever but many people in the UK now spend a decade or more in poor health. That’s why dietitian Dr Claire McEvoy wants us to look at the easy ways we can tweak our diet and why it’s never too late to start. Her research has found that small diet changes can support us to live longer and stay independent and mentally sharp. From adding a drizzle of olive oil to a sprinkling of seeds, her tips really are things you could very easily start doing today.
things only an expert knows
Keep a symptom diary to show your GP
Dr Nighat Arif
General Practitioner
Ask Dr Oscar
Why do I itch when I lie in bed?
Dr Oscar says: Itching is a common source of intense frustration for many patients coming through my consulting room door. Often there’s no problem in the daytime at all, with the skin apparently behaving itself until you’re tucked up tight and the maddening sensation begins. Severe cases can significantly impact on sleep, affecting not just physical but also mental wellbeing.
Top of the list of potential triggers is temperature change while in bed. Warmth from bedding causes relaxation, or vasodilation, of the skin’s blood vessels and this can result in the infuriating sensation of itching. In the winter months particularly, central heating and hot baths or showers can cause increased drying of the skin further exacerbating the problem.
Read about the other causes of night-time itching and suggested remedies in Dr Oscar’s column and submit your own medical question using the form in the article.
Get in touch
We have sent you this email because you have either asked us to or because we think it will interest you.
If you are a Telegraph subscriber and are asked to sign in when you click the links in our newsletters, please log in and click “accept cookies”. This will ensure you can access The Telegraph uninterrupted in the future.
For any other questions, please visit our help page here.
Any offers included in this email come with their own Terms and Conditions, which you can see by clicking on the offer link. We may withdraw offers without notice.
Telegraph Media Group Holdings Limited or its group companies – 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT. Registered in England under No 14551860.
