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If you’re like me then the minute you see any sun the first thing on your mind is ice cream. When I first moved to Australia I think I had ice cream for every meal, I didn’t see the need for any other kind of food. That novelty started to wear off when I realised I was running on absolutely no energy – it was still fun though. Of course, ice cream isn’t the healthiest of foods and having it for every meal is not particularly feasible. The nutritionist in me understands this, with the lack of any beneficial nutrients and mass loads of sugars, sweeteners, colourings and lord only knows what else. But , the unprofessional ‘ living my best life’ side of me also wants to have some fun and if I want ice cream then, why shouldn’t I? So, we’ll meet in the middle. Homemade, delicious frozen yoghurt. Frozen yoghurt is incredibly easy to make at home, all you need is your ingredients and a nice tub to store it all in your freezer. Much like my hidden smoothie recipes, you can pack your frozen yoghurt full of fruits and veg and be none the wiser because they taste delicious. This is a great way to increase your daily intake of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and the best part is it’s guilt-free. So the nutritionist in me is happy and my stubborn side (who lives for ice cream at every meal) is equally as satisfied. Disclaimer: I don’t tend to follow measurements. I do it all with my eyes and my initiative, so please do the same with the following recipes. Depending on how much FroYo you want to whip up and store in the freezer! For the sake of having some guidelines, each of the following recipes should be enough for 4 servings and greek yoghurt can be alternated with vegan options too.

What are Omega 3 Fatty acids? Omega 3’s play an important role in many different bodily functions supporting the heart, lungs, blood vessels, joints and immune system. Most importantly, they are the key structure to every cell wall we have. Our body cannot produce omega 3’s on its own which means it is essential that we get a sufficient amount through our diets. Salmon, mackerel, anchovies, walnuts, seaweed, chia seeds, flaxseeds and algae oil are all sources of omega 3 fats. Types of Omega 3’s Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are produced by micro-algae and are found in marine sources such as oily fish. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is found in plant sources. The body can convert ALA into DHA and EPA but it is an inefficient process that only produces a small amount. So, what exactly can they do?

Nutritional therapy is a form of holistic treatment that uses food as medicine. But you don't have to be sick to see a nutritional therapist. Learning how different foods affect your health is beneficial for everyone, and unlike fad diets (Keto, Paleo, 5-2) nutritional therapy promotes a sustainable lifestyle, not one that lasts 2 weeks. Working alongside a nutritional therapist you are able to discover ways to eat more of the foods you love and use them to your benefit. There is little to no restrictions unlike certain diets (which encourage you to eliminate entire food groups, terrible idea). Why chose nutritional therapy? Weight management For some people, seeing a nutritional therapist is weight related. Weight loss and weight gain are closely related to the foods we eat. Many people try to follow fat loss diets online, weight gain programmes from influencers or sadly have been tricked into buying fat loss or appetite suppressant supplements. The reason these weight loss / weight gain diets never work in the long run is because they are not personalised to you. They also tend to be heavily restrictive meaning you are set up to fail. What works for one person doesn't work for everyone else. Our bodies and lifestyles are all so unique how could such a general diet patten (Keto, Paleo, 5-2) work for us all? Working alongside a nutritional therapist to help create a nutrition plan that works best for you sets you up not only to reach your weight loss / weight gain goals but to create a sustainable way of life that is not restrictive about the foods you love to eat. To be able to support your own health and your families There really is so little education on how food affects our everyday health. Some people chose to work alongside a nutritional therapist to gain a better understand on the science of food. In my eyes, this should be taught to everybody from an early age because once you understand the fundamentals of nutrition you will never forget them, you will be set for life. But there is so much contradictory information on the internet about nutrition, 100 fad diets (Keto, Paleo, 5-2) which all promise the grass is greener on their side, that once you follow their omnipotent rules you too can be happy. Influencers showing our children what they eat in a day, goddess green smoothies and low carb, low fat, zero calorie salads, creating the illusion that they would never eat a snickers after an incredibly stressful day at work or a handful (or 5 ) of Doritos just because. Working with a nutritional therapist and learning not to demonise foods, finding ways to eat healthier alternatives to the foods you love (and still have them taste great) and gaining a better understanding of how your foods influence you and your family, will save you 1000 sleepless nights of wondering if you're not good enough because you accidentally ate a carb or if your children are getting the right amount of the best foods. For clearer looking skin Many people are still unaware of how our diet influences our skin. The healthiness of our skin is usually a mirror image of our gut health. You can buy every miracle cream, concealer, toner, moisturiser or mask under the sun, but at the end of the day it is the equivalent of putting a plaster on a cut so deep it clearly needs stitches. Using nutritional therapy you will be able to find the root problem contributing to your acne, psoriasis, eczema, etc., and work towards healing it permanently and not just for the 2 weeks until your cream runs out. For improved mood and energy levels There is no worse feeling than restless sleep, waking up in the morning feeling groggy and miserable. Yes, screen time, stress and exercise are all contributing factors when it comes to sleeping better but nutrition might just take the lead. For many people that come to see a nutritional therapist, improved mood and better sleep come as a nice surprise. Many people do not know there is a link at all between their mood, their sleep and their diet. So when they are working towards another goal (weight loss, skin health, PCOS) they are surprised to notice just how much their mood and sleep improves without even trying. Waking up feeling worse for wear isn't normal. So don't normalise it. If you wake up feeling miserable and tired that can change! That is fixable and it is not something you need to just suck up and get on with! To get yours and your kids immune system working in tip top condition It would be a lie to say if you're healthy you will never catch a cold again, because that's impossible. But it wouldn't be a lie to say that a good diet and healthy lifestyle encourages a healthier, efficiently working immune system which can keep your symptoms at bay. A sluggish immune system means a cold can keep you feeling stuffy and gross for a couple of weeks. Fortunately, a healthy immune system can knock that down to a cold that lasts only a day or two and may even reduce your risk reoccurring infections from 5 colds a year to just the 1. Ensuring your kids immune system is functioning well is vital for your health and theirs. Schools are a breeding ground for lovely little germs and this is actually highly beneficial (in its own gross way) for your child's immune system to develop. There will be coughs and sneezes and the odd pair of underwear that is no more, it's inevitable. Working with a nutritional therapist allows you to find new ways to increase the foods which help to keep sickness at bay for both you and your children. To feel better about yourself We all need a confidence boost once in a while. We are selfish creatures, and that's fine. Working with a nutritional therapist can give you that boost you need to believe in yourself just that little bit more. You may feel that everything you try to do you fail at and that's not your fault. Working alongside a nutritional therapist you can find ways to adjust your diet that empower you. You can be in full control of your diet, you will learn to develop healthy eating habits which means you don't need to have 'cheat days' to eat the foods you love. Life is about balance, and when you find it and live in it, you will be living in complete harmony. To control the raging hormones We've all got them, hormones. When they're all in check and do their jobs well they make us feel great, they also protect us from danger, help us get to sleep and create new life. But when they decide to go out of whack, boy oh boy, SOS. PCOS, diabetes, acne, menopause, sleepless nights, dreary mornings, hair loss, painful periods and constant fatigue are all influenced by hormones decided they don't want to do their job properly. The list could go on forever FYI. Working alongside a nutritional therapist is the quickest, safest and most effective way at helping you to get your hormones back in balance. Diet plays a very important role when it comes to hormones, it can either help you to feel confident in your own skin or have you crying in the bathroom at work. Hormones can be confusing and difficult to understand and often the journey of getting them back in balance can leave you feeling helpless if you take the journey on your own. So closing to work with someone who cares and wants to see the improvements just as much as you can make the whole thing a lot less daunting and a lot more fun... with the right person that is (hint hint, nudge nudge). To heal your gut Everything eventually boils down to the gut. That ridiculously long hollow tube in your body that runs from your mouth to your butt. Whatever goes in must come out. Everything happens in the gut, all out foods get broken down and the good and bad stuff extracted from it to keep us alive (or slowly kill us, depending on your diet of course). So of course everything that passes through influences our health. If you was to drink a bottle of bleach ( PLEASE DO NOT DO THAT ), you would expect it to kill you. Why? Because of all the harmful chemicals of course. So now apply the same logic (maybe a bit better) to the rest of your diet. If you eat some almonds how will this affect you? If you eat a whole cheesecake, how will this affect you? Poor gut health can contribute to acne, psoriasis, eczema, food intolerances, poor sleep, IBS, IBD, bloating, malnutrition, weight gain, diabetes, PCOS, low mood, constipation and diarrhoea. The list is endless. Working alongside a nutritional therapist you can help to make your gut a happy gut and in turn you can be happier too. To be the best version of you, for yourself and those around you Save the best till last. Working with a nutritional therapist will help you become the best version of you that you can be. And that doesn't just benefit you. That benefits everyone around you. You can know that you will be there to support your children and see them grow up to be beautiful humans. You can be there for your parents as they grow older and rely on you just that little bit more. You can show up to work with a smile on your face and improve the mood of those around you, just by being there. You can focus more on the things you love because you will finally have the energy to do more than just sit down after a day of work. You can feel confident enough to go out on dates and meet someone lovely. You can feel alive enough and confident enough to put on a nice outfit and go out to see your friends. The world is your oyster. You can do whatever you like, and I can help you get there.

Just like your sneaky ex, alcohol has a way of catching your eye and getting you hooked even when you swore yesterday was the last time! The way the condensation on the glass slowly drips down toward the table and all you can think about is how the cool, lightness of the bubbles will feel in your mouth. The colours of the pornstar martini on the table next to you promises to make you look fun for your Instagram followers and the glass make you look elegant and desirable. And then , we wake up with anxious thoughts about the night before, wondering if we told someone something they shouldn’t know at all, or drunk text our ex to remind them we still hate them. Sigh. There are multiple, clear signs of how alcohol impacts us and let’s face it, it doesn’t make us feel great. The crippling beer fear alone is a good enough reason for people to decide to remove alcohol from their lives altogether, or at least reduce their intake (also known as drinking responsibly, something we Brits can’t seem to understand the concept of). But just how much of an effect do the 5 double vodka sodas, the 2 sambucas and the final espresso martini have on our health? Alcohol and the gut Alcohol can have a detrimental effect on our gut health. I mean, we’ve all been to the toilet after a big night out and felt very disturbed by the aftermath. The proof is in the poop. Alcohol significantly reduces the amount and the diversity of healthy gut bacteria. Alcohol is also full of sugar, which the rather naughty bacteria in our gut LOVE to feed on. When the naughty bacteria start to over-run the healthy bacteria, it can lead to the development of multiple health issues; such as IBS, constipation, diarrhoea, UTI’s, skin issues, mood disorders and poor absorption of nutrients from food.

For reasons unknown, there are days when our little angels decide to trade in the halo for some horns. Reasoning with them to eat their veggies goes out the window and demands for sweet treats get louder and louder. Sometimes, it can become overwhelming. We want to be good parents and make sure they are eating their healthy foods but also we would REALLY like to sit in peace for 5 minutes and just give them the damn cookies. Luckily for you, parents, there’s a very lush looking middle ground that can keep everyone happy! You have the ability to be sneaky, but fair. As the age old saying goes, what they don’t know won’t hurt them (and it might even buy you those 5 minutes of peace). Hiding veggies in smoothies is a form of magic as far as I’m concerned. They go completely unnoticed, no flavours, no smells and no funny textures (unless you use avocado to make things creamier). Written below are my top 5 hidden veggie smoothies, each of which taste so delicious you would never even associate them traditional bland, healthy vegetables. This is a great way to up your child’s daily intake without any of the fuss that can sometimes come with having to eat them at dinner time. These smoothie ideas aren’t only great for children but for adults too. Sometimes eating a lot of fibre rich vegetables can be a struggle because they are quite filling. Sometimes we might be feeling under the weather and may not have the time or energy to cook a whole meal, in which case shoving some vegetables in a blender is the easiest option. And for some of us we might just be trying new ways to up our daily intake because we’ve never been a fan of the small green, soggy trees we were forced to eat as children. IMPORTANT : Read the recipe notes after to see how to prepare fruit/veg and what the best milk options for each smoothie are! Banana Buzz • 1 Small banana • ¼ Courgette • 1 medium cauliflower floret • ¼ tsp cinnamon • Optional : ½ tbsp peanut butter • 230ml milk option or coconut water – Vanilla soy milk would be my go-to! Hidden Greens Smoothie • 1 palmful of blueberries • 1 palmful of raspberries • 1 medium broccoli floret • ¼ Courgette • 1 tbsp Greek yoghurt • 230ml milk option or coconut water Mango and Apricot Delight • ½ fresh mango or one palmful of frozen mango chunks • 1 fresh/tinned apricot • ½ carrot (preferably steamed as raw can leave bits and we know kids hate bits!) • 230ml milk option or coconut water (I like coconut water with this one!) Chocolate Smoothie • 1 palmful blueberries • 1 small/medium banana • 1 palmful fresh spinach • 230ml chocolate soy milk (I use this as a healthier alternative to just regular chocolate milk but use whatever you have available!) The closest thing you’ll get to ‘tropical bliss’ • Palmful of frozen pineapple or 2 rings tinned pineapple • Palmful of frozen mango or ½ fresh mango • ¼ Courgette • 1 medium cauliflower floret • 1 palmful spinach • 230ml milk option or coconut water (coconut water or coconut milk tend to go best) • Optional: ½ tbsp peanut butter (Sometimes children can be funny about drinking a green smoothie, try to hide the colour using a coloured cup so they don’t get to see!) Recipe notes: • Frozen fruit / veg makes the smoothies a lot nicer and thicker, but if you haven’t got any prepared make sure to throw a bunch of ice into the blender too! Warm smoothies would make your day a whole lot worse! • If you steam your vegetables and then freeze them to use as and when needed, you will get a much smoother texture than using raw vegetables. • Try different flavoured milks for different tastes for example - Vanilla soy milk - Chocolate soy milk - Coconut milk - Hazelnut milk • If you don’t fancy using milk, coconut water is packed full of vitamins and minerals and gives the smoothies a tropical taste and will keep your child (and you) hydrated! • If you feel like you want to make things a little bit sweeter you can try adding in some ‘sweet freedom’ syrups! • I tend to measure foods with my hands or my eyes, so use your initiative if you feel something needs more then I’d recommend whizzing up the smoothie, trying it and then adding at the end!

What is sucrose? Sucrose is the most common type of sugar. It can be found naturally in fruits, vegetables and nuts. However, it is also frequently used in its most simplest form (granulated sugar/table sugar) to sweeten tea's and coffees as well as bake beautiful cakes. Granulated sugar is mostly extracted from sugar cane or sugar beets but is usually sold without the plant source identified due to the fact that the two products (chemically speaking) are identical. Sucrose is added to food products to add flavour, aroma, texture, colour and shelf-life stability. How does sucrose effect our health? Consuming sucrose from whole food sources is not considered to have a negative impact on our overall health due to the fibre content of these foods helping to slow down absorption of sugars. These foods also contain an abundance of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients which are beneficial to human health. Over consumption of sucrose in the form of added sugars however has been shown to have a negative impact on human health. Studies have shown how too much sucrose in its simplest form can lead to the development of insulin resistance, increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, raised blood triglyceride levels and increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). When consumed in foods that are classed as having ‘empty calories‘ (meaning they lack fibre and other essential nutrients but have a high caloric load), sucrose stimulates a spike in blood glucose levels. In the long term, these spikes in blood glucose can lead insulin resistance and can even result in the rupturing of blood vessels if not properly managed. When glucose and fructose are present together (like they are in sucrose), the amount of fructose absorbed significantly increases which leads to an increased release of insulin. The liver metabolises fructose, which means when consumed in excess it may begin to be stored as fat within the liver – this is how non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) develops. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common liver disease since its prevalence is estimated to be 20-30% in general population of Western countries. One 15 year study concluded that those who consumed 17% to 21% of their calories from added sugars had a 38% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to those who consumed less than 10% of their calories from added sugars. By consuming too much added sugar the risk of developing metabolic dysfunction is greatly increased and therefore puts a greater strain on cardiovascular health. High blood sugar (as a result of insulin resistance) leads to damage of the linings in both big and small arteries. The arteries then become thickened by a plaque like substance which prevents oxygen rich blood from getting around the body to vital organs. This is known as atherosclerosis. Foods that contain sucrose Examples of whole foods that contain naturally occurring sucrose: • bananas • mangoes • sweet peas • pistachios • brazil nuts • oranges • peaches • pineapples • watermelon • carrots Examples of foods which contain sucrose in its simplest form (added sugars) • Cakes • Bread • Cereals • Breakfast bars • Chocolate • Candy • Sweetened beverages • Adding sugar to tea / coffee • Condiments (ketchup/bbq sauce) Conclusion Overall, dietary sucrose from whole foods are safe for consumption and can be beneficial to our health. When over consumed as an added sugar commonly found in highly processed foods, it begins to have a negative impact on our health. Of course life is about balance, you should still eat the birthday cake and enjoy it but becoming more mindful of the food we snack on everyday can make a big difference in the long run.

Why does gut health matter? The human gut microbiome is a complex eco system made up of around 100 trillion microbes – bacteria, yeast, fungi and viruses - exciting stuff. Together, these trillions of minuscule creatures are known as our microbiome and many people are still unaware of just how big an influence they are on our health, wellbeing and vitality. When we use the term ‘healthy gut’ we are referring to a balanced microbiome, where bacteria live symbiotically. An ‘unhealthy gut’ is the term used when our microbiome is out of balance, this can be due to a lack of certain bacteria or an overgrowth of others. Around 70% of our immune system is located in our gut, so when it's out of balance you can imagine the negative impact this has on our overall health. A healthy gut works as a defence mechanism against ingested pathogens, toxins and other potentially harmful substances we consume. Over the years, studies have continuously demonstrated how poor gut health may be the root cause to a myriad of other imbalances that negatively impact our health. These include respiratory diseases like asthma, skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis and even mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression, What are probiotics? Probiotics are live bacteria that are found naturally occurring in our gut. They can also be found in specific foods or supplements. There is though to be over 500 different species of probiotics - each of them having their own unique impact on our health. Probiotics are strain specific with each strain providing a different benefit. This is why it is important to research individual strains for your desired outcome when taking supplements. For example, Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 has been shown to encourage regular bowel movements whereas Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-14 has been used to successfully support bacterial vaginosis with no impact shown on bowel movements. When probiotics reach our gut, they compete for the same food sources that harmful bacteria also depend on to survive. If we consume enough probiotic foods (or take supplements), our good bacteria will be able to outnumber the 'bad' bacteria in our gut. Making it a desirable environment for good bacteria to make lots more good bacteria babies and a less desirable environment for bad bacteria to try and populate. Examples of probiotic foods include; • Pickles • Kombucha • Sauerkraut • Pickled red cabbage • Kimchi • Kefir • Miso soup • Yoghurt • Soft cheeses • Tempeh What are prebiotics? Prebiotics are sourced from insoluble fibre. Insoluble fibre can be found in certain foods and cannot be digested by humans. The bacteria which live in our gut are able to break down this fibre and use it for their own benefit - basically, insoluble fibre is their food. Prebiotic foods encourage reproduction of healthy, beneficial gut bacteria, further protecting us from overpopulation of 'bad' bacterias which can negatively impact our health. Many prebiotic foods contain the compound sulphur which our gut bacteria love to feed on (foods like garlic and onions). Not only do many of these foods contain sulphur, but as they are whole foods they contain a wide variety of essential vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients which further promote a happy gut. These whole foods also have antioxidant, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory rich properties which keep us feeling our best. Examples of prebiotic foods include; • Asparagus • Onions • Leeks • Garlic • Apples • Artichoke • Chicory root • Bananas • Flaxseeds and hemp seeds • Seaweed • Sweet potatoes • Berries • Beans and legumes Both prebiotic and probiotic foods are gut friendly foods which encourage reproduction of friendly bacteria to colonise our guts. A healthy gut has shown to benefit us in more ways than one so including these in your diet on a regular basis may have a more positive impact on your health than you might think. If you would like to learn more about the wonders of nutrition and gut health, click here to book in for a free 15 minute phone consultation.

Usually, if we were talking about dates I’d have some pretty entertaining stories I could share with you. But we’ll save those stories for a different day and talk about my favourite kind of date. One that’s never let me down, Is always sweet and can actually satisfy me. The medjool date. Naturally sticky and sweet these dates are so versatile, you want a healthy base for your dessert pie? Try date and almond. You want to make a healthy protein/fat dense snack, blitz those dates and mould them into balls with some nuts. You want a sweet snack that isn’t full of processed sugars but is actually enjoyable. DATE. Dates can be super handy when you’re trying to increase your calorie load, one medjool date has around 66 calories. Eating a couple of these is by far easier than cramming in some extra eggs/beans/grains when you’re bulking or just trying to put on a little bit of weight. Its important that we meet our energy requirements daily, but sometimes we can fall short because of lack of time/appetite - this is where dates work their sweet sweet magic. They’re also jam packed with vitamins and minerals that many people struggle to get enough of, particularly potassium one of the most important minerals in our body. For this reason, it is recommended that people with kidney disease should first discuss eating dates with their doctor - what a lovely conversation that would be. People with IBS and chronic diarrhoea should also avoid eating these sweet treats. If you’re constipated on the other hand - go get yourself a date.

1 in 3 proud owners of a vagina will experience bacterial vaginosis (BV) at some point in their lives and at leat 60% of them will mistake it for thrush. Although symptoms are fairly similar, over the counter thrush medications will not work on BV. Frustration station, no one likes an itch that cannot be scratched (without looking like a complete loon). As far as vaginal health goes it’s not discussed enough so here we are again wondering ‘ what the HECK is wrong with my vagina this time?’ BV is caused by an imbalance in vaginal PH levels which allows ‘bad’ bacteria to over grow. This bacteria isn’t necessarily bad its just bad when there’s too much of it. So we need a good balance between good bacteria and bad bacteria to make sure we’re not walking round scratching and smelling like a fish monger on a Monday morning. It happens, it’s natural and if you don’t laugh you cry. So embrace it. By eating lots of fibre rich foods, probiotic rich foods and prebiotic rich foods we are feeding the good bacteria in our guts which promote growth of even more good bacteria in both our guts and our vagina meaning both good and bad bacteria live together in harmony and we live happily ever after. Stress is a killer, literally and if its not going to kill you in the here and now then it will certainly find some other way to ruin your day. Stress has a direct impact on the balance of your microbiome so finding ways to keepcalmandcarryon is highly beneficial for maintaining vaginal health. Finally, multiple studies have demonstrated how frequent consumption of alcohol, cigarettes and refined sugars directly impact vaginal PH levels and may lead to the reoccurring development of BV. Less than ideal if you fancy a cider and a cig for breakfast everyday but we’re into self care now okay?