The Peri

I’m not great with life transitions. As women, we have to deal with more physical and mental transitions than men in our lifetimes.

Turning 40 was one thing, motherhood at 42 was another but nothing prepared me for perimenopause with a toddler. I thought I was losing my mind. I think I did lose my mind at one stage. I wasn’t really sure if the exhaustion, brain fog and mood swings were a result of the childcare/working/running a household or there was actually something deeper going on.

After my 3rd car accident due to complete lack of spatial awareness (they were fortunately minor and no one was hurt), 3rd year in a row when I had previously never had an accident in over 16 years of driving, I finally realised there was something wrong. Embarrassingly, it was my homeopath that suggested I may possibly be going through the very first stages of perimenopause. I was 46, a practising pharmacist, nutritional therapist and mother yet I had no idea I was entering into a different part of my life cycle. It was a total shock and I didn’t really know how I felt about it.

My first thought was that this can’t be right - I’m not that old yet! My second thought was how on earth did I not realise this? It was like it had crept up on me like a vague dream and I felt completely unprepared. I felt sad I had come to the end of my childbearing years.

I tried herbal supplements first as there are less related side effects and I got lucky. Within a few weeks, the herbals I opted for managed my symptoms well and I fortunately did not need to go down the HRT route. I speak to so many women who don’t really want to start HRT but feel they have no other choice. There is absolutely another way! Things that worked for me were:

• Siberean Ginseng - fatigue and energy levels

• Red Clover - brain fog and mood swings

• Vitex/Chasteberry - hot flushes

• Magnesium glycinate - sleep and anxiety

• following a low refined carbohydrate diet

• following my Healthy Hormone Tips

The hormones involved in the menopausal shift are linked to many systems in the body and have far reaching effects on many areas in us. One of them is the gut microbiome and for me, this had a major impact on my digestive system and I suffered a relapse in my previously managed symptoms. It’s funny how easy it is to slip back into old habits when you stop listening to your body, even if you know your triggers well. As any parent knows, you just want to do the best for your family, your own health takes a back seat and you just keep going. The flare up forced me to take a step back from the life I was living, reassess my needs against the backdrop of what my family needs from me. This journey is ongoing still and I can begin to see myself again.

If you would like 1-1 support with your hormone balance, get in touch and we can work towards feeling yourself again.

My Pregnancy Journey - Part 2

After 6 years, I was pregnant on my 41st birthday. 2 weeks into the pregnancy I knew I was pregnant even before I did the test. I felt it in my body and my mind. I suddenly wanted to be around children and babies and I noticed a heightened feeling of protection around children in general. I still remember being in complete shock staring at the 2 pink lines. This may sound strange but even after all those years of trying when I found out I was pregnant, I was momentarily unsure as to whether this was what I really wanted.

Sadly I miscarried at 7 weeks, just 4 weeks after I did the test. It sent my head into a complete spin. Because it was such a short space of time, I hadn’t even had a chance to unravel how I felt about being pregnant before I lost it again. At this point I found that the therapy I previously had really helped me to slowly understand my thoughts and feelings, I think I would have struggled otherwise. I felt myself let go and came away from the event thinking that perhaps it was just not the right time and also feeling slightly in awe that I could actually get pregnant after being told by so many practitioners that it was ‘highly unlikely’. I felt if it was meant to be then it would happen again and 6 months later I was pregnant again. This time I had a dream that I was pregnant and my closest friend had also just found out she was pregnant as well. Again I felt it in my body and knew before I did the test. I wasn’t in shock when I saw the 2 pink lines, I felt overwhelming joy and I knew this was the right time.

Pregnancy has been the most beautiful journey I have ever experienced and everyday I am grateful that I was given the chance to discover it. Like most women I never really knew what it involved until I was there. People talk a lot about the physical changes (mostly in a negative light), the sickness, the cramps, the swollen feet, the heat, the tiredness, the weight gain, the labour but people rarely talk about the mental and emotional changes that take place in a woman as she transitions and prepares for motherhood. It can be a bit of a roller coaster and as with all other significant life events (such as births, deaths, marriage, divorce, milestone birthdays) it has a tendency to trigger reflective thoughts, doubts and questions. These are all perfectly normal but can be challenging if there are unconscious issues that haven’t been recognised. Here are a few things I did that helped with my own personal transition from woman to mother:

• Do a Hypnobirthing course. I found it invaluable, providing me with several tools and techniques to prepare for birth. Coming from a mainly medical background, I liked the balance it gave me of looking at birth in a more natural but down to earth way. It also made me aware of the non-standard options available, helping me make a more informed decision on the type of birth I wanted. If this isn’t something in your budget you can still use the tips below as many are included in the Hypnobirthing courses.

• Read the Positive Birth Book. Down to earth and packed full of useful information this book is a must read.

• Take time out to reflect on any doubts or fears. It can be helpful to write these down to ‘release’ them from your mind reducing anxiety and worries. For me, it was the loss of my independence, the girl I previously was and the change in responsibility that I felt the need to say goodbye to. I used meditation to help acknowledge and clear these thoughts allowing me to then embrace the change ahead.

• Bond with your birth partner. For me this was my husband and he was my anchor through the whole pregnancy but it could be anyone from your mum to your best friend or even a Doula. Pregnancy can be such a deep experience it helps to share it with someone who will be there with you at the birth.

• Daily deep breathing or relaxation exercises. Having previously experienced low grade anxiety I was aware when these thoughts and feelings started to creep in, add in poor sleep due to a growing bump and the fact that your whole life is about to change it’s not surprising that even the most calm and relaxed mother can feel a little anxious as pregnancy progresses. Taking time daily to reset and restore your nervous system - even if it’s just for 10 minutes can make a huge difference. There are several birthing affirmations and hypnobirthing playlists available on Spotify and Itunes you can listen to that can help calm your mind. I also used acupuncture in my last 5 weeks of pregnancy to relieve tension and prepare my energy for labour.

• Do pregnancy yoga. Yoga is great to strengthen the body keeping it supple ready for labour and calm the mind. Many classes also provide useful information regarding labour positions, helpful postures and exercises to ease discomfort as pregnancy progresses. It’s also a great way of meeting new mums to be and sharing baby stuff! I’ve bought several things off mums in pregnancy yoga groups that have saved me money. I went to Joey’s pregnancy yoga and each class is always packed full of useful advice and tips, as well as having guest speakers that sometimes come in to share their experiences so well worth the money.

• Stay active. If yoga is not your thing and you were previously quite sporty then you can try a pregnancy fitness class as long as you feel up to it and you haven’t been told otherwise by your doctor. Exercise helps you prepare for childbirth and support your body through labour. I found it also helped me retain some of my old routine, so many things change when you find out you’re pregnant it can be disconcerting. Keeping hold of some of them as I adapted to my new body helped to ground my mind. I went to Vicky Hill’s pregnancy fitness classes in my second trimester which I thoroughly enjoyed also with lots of well informed helpful pregnancy advice.

• Talk to other mums to be! Whether in antenatal classes, yoga classes or friends and family it really helps to talk about anything that might be bothering you. It makes you feel less alone and that you’re not the only one going through it all. I was lucky to have a close friend 5 weeks ahead of me in her pregnancy journey and it definitely helped to stop me from feeling like I was going mad sometimes!

My Pregnancy Journey - Part 1

I have avoided talking too much about my personal pregnancy journey as I wasn’t sure why anyone would be particularly interested in my own journey! But after speaking to a few close friends, teachers and people that have attended my workshops, I have been encouraged to share my journey in the hope it may help others going through similar experiences.

I started my pregnancy journey at 36, the year I got married. After a few years of trying without success we opted for IVF. This was a particularly stressful time for us with several things going on, my health wasn’t great and there was a family bereavement at the time so I wasn’t surprised when it didn’t work. I was advised not to bother trying IVF again by my consultant as I responded poorly to the hormone treatment (I had a very low egg reserve) and to use donor eggs if I was considering it again. I declined. I felt there was more to my health that needed looking into and there were answers that they couldn’t give me. I began to research and investigate. For anyone who has been in this situation you will know how this feels, I looked at everything from scientific studies to some expensive lube recommended on amazon and everything in between. What I didn’t realise at the time was that both my physical and mental health were not in a good place, I was tired a lot, stressy, irritable, bit of a control freak, had bad eczema and low energy. I decided to enrol in a 3 year Nutritional Medicine diploma at CNM Bristol to learn more about what I could do to support my health and well-being. This was the single most important turning point in my life and sometimes I look back at this crossroad and wonder what made me choose this path.

Over the course of 3 years I healed my body with the help of several practitioners and lecturers teaching at the college. Through the use of functional testing and their guidance I found I had a gut candida infection, lead toxicity, liver detoxification issues, hormone and immune system imbalances. Working to restore each body system gradually, I used many different diets and supplement protocols to find the right one for my optimal health. At the end of my diploma I felt healthier and younger than ever before and all my previous symptoms had disappeared. I felt great but I still wasn’t pregnant and I was 40.

I think I gave up at this point. Although social pressures of having children before you hit 40 have lessened over the years, the ever present feeling of that ticking ‘biological clock’ coupled with google’s ‘high risk pregnancy’ scare stories can still make a lot of women feel like they HAVE to make a decision. I didn’t know how to make that decision, I didn’t know how I felt about not having children and although I had physically given up trying, I discovered that mentally accepting it was not the same thing. I started questioning everything in my life, my job, relationships with my family and even my husband, who I was and what I wanted. Looking back, this was another turning point in my life. I had healed myself physically but mentally I was struggling to deal with the possible loss of all my unconscious hopes and dreams I had been building since I was child. I had the 4 bedroom house, the car, the husband, the good job, I was financially secure. On paper I was ready for a family but emotionally I was not. I now believe I was holding onto a lot of baggage and child hood trauma that was blocking my energy and life force from being able to give life.

I have to say that I didn’t actually feel depressed. I wasn’t bursting into tears every time I saw a pregnant woman or baby, I felt OK and didn’t feel the need to talk about it. I just put it away in a little box and carried on. I think sometimes this can be the worst thing to do. Suppressing thoughts and feelings doesn’t really work in the long term although quite often we do it unconsciously, either by self-medication (alcohol or drugs) or simply by not expressing them externally. Unfortunately, I find they have an annoying way of seeping out in unexpected and random situations, manifesting in misdirected anger or tearful outbursts. After one particular such incident I decided enough was enough and looked into getting some support. I came across the counselling directory and found a therapist specialising in inner child therapy. I had 2 courses of therapy 6 months apart and it was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. It really helped me to understand how I felt and why, for me it changed the way I saw pain or grief. Instead of seeing it as something negative, I embraced it and could allow myself to feel it without fear. I found by doing this, it was more transient and made me feel much calmer. I also noticed I was more relaxed in general and many of the worries and anxieties I had always had as far back as I could remember (but didn’t realise were there) gradually began to fade. My relationship with my husband improved dramatically and I learned to accept with understanding what I couldn’t change in the past with my family.

In short I gained a sense of emotional liberation and my energy felt freer than ever before. I found that I was happy in my life, I was spending more time with my husband enjoying each other’s company, going on holiday, spending more time on self-care and realised I didn’t need to have children to be happy. I set up my nutritional healthcare company HigherHealth and started running workshops, talks and providing personalised holistic health packages to clients with great results. I had also started yoga and although I had always been practising meditation on and off I started to embark on a more spiritual meditative practice with the support and guidance of many different teachers and practitioners, joining several yoga retreats.

It was around this time I really felt myself let go and embrace my life as it was. I started to see some of the benefits of not having children - less financial worries, less stress, more independence, doing what I wanted when I wanted. I was healthy and happy and had found my life passion working as a nutritional therapist to help others gain good health and well-being. It was at this exact point I became pregnant.

How to stay Healthy over Flu Season

Stuffy head? Sore throat? Cough? Runny or blocked nose? Yes flu season is here again. As the weather starts to turn and our bodies adapt to the change in seasons, our resilience is a good indicator of how well we’ve looked after our bodies (and minds) this summer. A healthy immune system provides a ‘buffer’ in times of need enabling us to withstand increased exposure to infections.

This week I’ve seen an increase in antibiotic prescriptions, selling and advising on over the counter cough and cold remedies and everyone is coming in for their flu jabs. As I write this, I have a slightly stuffy head and scratchy throat so am sharing my top tips on how to optimise your health and wellbeing over flu season to avoid those annoying coughs, colds and flu symptoms.

• Manage your stress levels. This is always at the top of my list! Stress has a huge impact on your immune system and increased stress levels can lower overall resistance to fighting off infections. Take steps to reduce stress levels and be aware of patterns in your lifestyle that might be contributing to stress. Seek help if you feel it would be of benefit

• Increase foods that support your body’s natural defences. Foods rich in vitamins A, C, D, E, B and minerals such as Zinc, Selenium and Iron all help to enhance functioning of the immune system. Vitamin A in particular works with Zinc to support a healthy gut and lung lining. The majority of infections over flu season are air-borne or gastro in nature, foods rich in Vitamin A help to protect the body’s natural barrier. See my Functional Foods page for more info on food sources

• How’s your gut health? The digestive system is intrinsically linked to your immune system so a healthy gut is really important for a healthy immune system. Book into my next Gut Health workshop for more in depth advice on how to improve your gut health.

• Bone Broth. Sorry veggies and vegans but this is something I swear by! I haven’t found anything else as effective as bone broth for when you are starting to feel a bit under the weather. Just one hot bowl of this nutrient rich broth provides optimal nourishment fast and makes me feel instantly better.

• Avoid smoking. Smoking increases free radicals and depletes vitamin C

• Avoid refined sugars. Consuming large amounts of refined sugars can affect vitamin C uptake by the body and lowers immunity

• Add ginger, garlic and turmeric to your food. These have anti-microbial properties and help to protect from infections. Ginger lemon and raw honey tea and adding garlic and turmeric to soups, stews or curries is an easy way to get them in!

• Get enough sleep. Sometimes this can be really difficult but prioritising sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your immune health

• Reduce alcohol intake. Alcohol depletes B vitamins and zinc which are 2 of the main nutrients your body needs for an active immune system

• Put time aside for real rest. This is probably one of the hardest things to remember. When we have a spare half an hour it’s tempting to have a go at the to do list, watch a bit of TV or catch up with housework but being able to rest the mind is very nourishing to the body and helps to improve general wellbeing. Try deep breathing exercises, yoga, a short meditation or even a nice Epsom salt bath with lavender oils to rebalance your mind and body.

Need Help with Hayfever?

It’s that time of year again. Hay Fever sufferers know too well how the symptoms can leave them at their wits end. Swollen, red itchy eyes, sneezing, runny and blocked noses are incredibly uncomfortable. With the pollen count so high at the moment, there are many people reaching for the antihistamines.

Hay fever (also known as allergic rhinitis) is an allergic inflammatory condition that can be a symptom of an overactive immune system and high inflammatory load in the body.  It can be eased by increasing anti-inflammatory foods, reducing pro-inflammatory ones and re-balancing the immune system thereby reducing the allergic threshold.

Did you know that certain foods have a pro-inflammatory effect? Foods such as refined sugar, refined carbs, vegetable and sunflower oils and trans-fats found in processed foods should be avoided.

The good news is that there are foods which can have an anti-inflammatory effect. Foods that are high in anti-oxidants and phytonutrients from fruit and vegetables should be eaten in abundance.

Try these foods to ease hay fever suffering:

• Apples are high in the flavonol quercetin which has anti-allergic properties

• Onions, garlic, watercress and broccoli, berries and grapes also contain quercetin.

• Oily fish such as mackerel and salmon. Oily fish is high in Omega 3 fatty acids which has potent anti-inflammatory properties.

• Vitamin D rich foods such as salmon, sardines, eggs.  Best source is the sun!  Vegans and vegetarians may need to supplement especially in the winter months, speak to your doctor for a vitamin D blood test.  Vitamin D helps to regulate immune response to allergens and it is also an antioxidant.

• Vitamin C has natural anti-histamine properties and also acts as an antioxidant. Excellent sources include fresh berries, broccoli, peppers and kiwi

Although these things can be helpful in the long run, they do not provide instant relief like anti-histamines, working with your Nutritional Therapist to remove allergens and regulate the immune response would be beneficial for longer term management of symptoms.

How to minimise Jet Lag as a frequent traveller

Travelling for business is always difficult, as you tend to find yourself working in different time zones. Eating well and staying healthy can be challenging and jet lag is not ideal when you have meetings to attend. Symptoms of jet lag include fatigue, difficulty concentrating, mood changes and stomach problems. Although there is no cure for jet lag, there are certain things you can do to help make your life easier as a frequent traveller.

• Get plenty of sleep before catching a flight, you can even gradually change your sleep routine by an hour or two, which will push your body clock closer to the time of your destination, meaning your body will be in less shock.

• Avoid alcohol and caffeine when travelling and if adjusting to jet lag.  Both disturb sleep and cause dehydration, if you need caffeine for a boost in the morning avoid drinking it past midday.

• Keep hydrated.  Dehydration contributes to fatigue symptoms which can make you feel worse

• Avoid sugary snacks and refined carbohydrates such as large amounts of white bread, white pasta, noodles and white rice.  Although these might give you a temporary energy boost, it's usually followed by a sugar crash shortly after which can leave you feeling irritable and sluggish.  Go for slow release carbohydrates such as protein pots, nuts and seeds, veggie boxes and porridge.   Be aware that instant food pots can contain a lot of sugar.

• Invest in a light therapy box if you are a frequent flyer.  Bright sunlight in the mornings and avoiding light in the evenings has been shown to decrease jet lag symptoms if travelling east (and the opposite if travelling west).  This helps to reset your body's natural circadian rhythm.  Or get outside first thing in the morning for some direct sunlight.

• Exercise helps the body adjust to jet lag, go for a morning jog, quick swim or even some stretching!

• Eat nuts, seeds, dark green leafy veg and (a small amount of) good quality dark cacao chocolate!  These foods contain magnesium which help promote sleep and relaxation.  Go for pumpkin seeds, cashew and walnuts.  

• Some supplements have been shown to help with jet lag.  Melatonin helps to regulate your sleep wake cycle so taking a small dose just before bed can be beneficial.  However, it can interact with some medications so speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking.  Or try a handful of pistachios before bed which are a good source of melatonin.  Other supplements such as passionflower extract and magnesium can also be helpful.  Check with your doctor, pharmacist or nutritionist if you are on any other medications and to ensure correct dosages.

Gut Recovery - What to do after Digestive Infection

Returning from retreat in Morocco yesterday, I had managed to contract a Gastro bug during my time in Africa. Feeling a bit spaced out and drained as I write this, I’m slowly and gently replenishing my body of all it has lost over the last week.

As a nutritionist, I couldn’t help but feel slightly dismayed when I realised I had fallen victim to the stomach bug (along with the rest of the group), but it served as a reminder that we are only human and definitely not above all illnesses!

To rebuild my gut health, I’ve used an adapted and shortened version of Dr. J. Bland’s 4R protocol for recovery after acute infection. Longer term chronic conditions would need more extensive support under the guidance of a registered nutritional therapist.

• Remove
  To ensure any lingering pathogens are removed I’m using anti-microbial support for 1 week. Nutri Advanced Candibactin or Bionutri Garlic Complex both contain good quality, high dose anti-microbial herbal extracts. Oregano oil has been shown in some studies to be effective against some strains of norovirus; garlic, rosemary and thyme oil has been shown to be active against Salmonella, E.Coli and Listeria.

• Replace
  Replacing body salts (electrolytes) after prolonged periods of vomiting or diarrhoea is very important to prevent dehydration and symptoms of muscle weakness, fatigue, loss of concentration, dizziness or headaches. Drinking water by itself is not enough as the body cannot absorb water effectively without salts and sugars present. Add sea salt to your food, eat fruit or make your own hypotonic hydration drink: 250ml fruit juice, 750ml water, 1/4 tsp sea salt. Check with your G.P. or pharmacist if you are on any heart or blood pressure medication

• Reinoculate
  After completing anti-microbial support, supplement with a good quality probiotic for at least 1 month to reinoculate the gut with beneficial bacteria. I use UDO’s Super 8 or Dr. Mercola complete probiotics. Eat plenty of soluble fibre to support gut flora e.g. oats, all veg

• Repair
  Support gut lining repair by increasing Essential Fatty Acid intake from oily fish or flaxseeds, antioxidants from fruits/veg/eggs, zinc from nuts/seeds/wholegrains and glutamine from juicing raw cabbage.

For symptoms that last for longer than 48 hours after exposure, see your G.P. or if you are on any other medications check with your G.P. or pharmacist before supplementing.

References
Swamy, M.K., Akhtar, M.S. and Sinniah, U.R., 2016. Antimicrobial properties of plant essential oils against human pathogens and their mode of action: an updated review. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016.

Gilling, D.H., Kitajima, M., Torrey, J.R. and Bright, K.R., 2014. Antiviral efficacy and mechanisms of action of oregano essential oil and its primary component carvacrol against murine norovirus. Journal of applied microbiology, 116(5), pp.1149-1163.

Helal, I.M., El-Bessoumy, A., Al-Bataineh, E., Joseph, M.R., Rajagopalan, P., Chandramoorthy, H.C. and Ben Hadj Ahmed, S., 2019. Antimicrobial Efficiency of Essential Oils from Traditional Medicinal Plants of Asir Region, Saudi Arabia, over Drug Resistant Isolates. BioMed Research International, 2019.

de Medeiros Barbosa, I., da Costa Medeiros, J.A., de Oliveira, K.Á.R., Gomes-Neto, N.J., Tavares, J.F., Magnani, M. and de Souza, E.L., 2016. Efficacy of the combined application of oregano and rosemary essential oils for the control of Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Enteritidis in leafy vegetables. Food control, 59, pp.468-477.

Bland, J. 2014. The Disease Delusion. HarperCollins : New York

Raisin & Coconut flatbread

This gluten free vegan flatbread is soft and fluffy, perfect when you need that bread fix! The addition of psyllium husks helps support gut health, remove toxins and reduce constipation

Ingredients

60g coconut flour
2 tbsp psyllium husks
2 tbsp coconut oil
300ml hot water
1 tbsp cinammon
1 tsp vanilla extract
large handful of raisins

Method

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C

• Mix all the ingredients together except for the water

• Add the boiled hot water and mix with a spoon until coconut oil has melted. It will turn into a gelatinous ball

• Using your hands, split the mixture into 4 and roll each portion into a ball pushing any loose raisins into the dough

• Press the 4 balls down flat about 2cm thick onto a baking tray to make your flatbreads

• Bake for 20 mins until golden brown

• When cooled, remove from baking tray

These can be kept in the fridge and toasted with some nut butter on or you can freeze them in portions and toast for soups!

Do Diets Work??

So January is usually when we hear the dreaded D word. After the (well deserved) excesses and celebrations of the year end, many of us decide that we need to start the year on some sort of a restrictive diet. But here’s the thing - they don’t work in the long term. There’s 2 definitions of a diet: the kinds of food a person habitually eats and a special course of food to which a person restricts themselves. So how can you restrict yourself from your habitual foods?? You can’t of course in the long term and that’s why diets fail, as soon as the diet ends we go back to our habitual foods. What would be more useful is to find a healthy balanced ‘diet’ that you can realistically maintain for most of the time.

Restricting yourself from things that you enjoy eating simply makes you want it more! And restricting calories/fats isn’t always a good thing. Our bodies need fats for lots of reasons; brain function especially memory and concentration, energy production, hormone production particularly in stress and fertility. The type of fat is important, the omega-3 and 6 fatty acids found in oily fish, nuts, seeds and olive oil are preferable (in moderate amounts) to processed trans fats found in fried or processed foods such as margarine, crisps, chips, pot noodles, pizza..…so basically anything from a packet that’s ready made!

So what to do? My recommendation is to follow a mainly plant-based whole food diet, something similar to the Mediterranean diet which is one of the healthiest diets in the world. High in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, whole grains, fish and unsaturated fats such as olive oil and low in meat and dairy foods. At this time of year weight loss is a popular trend with gyms and classes packed and memberships enrolled, but just by following this diet and swapping all your refined carbs with complex ones this will help you lose weight (if that’s what you want) without you even trying. It’s not easy at the beginning as it requires a lot more home cooking and planning but it gets easier and believe me it definitely works!!

As a nutritionist I don’t endorse any particular diet for anyone, but in certain circumstances I may recommend elimination diets for a limited period of time to help find the root cause of a symptom and re-balance the gut. So get in contact with me if you would like me to support you in finding the best foods for your needs.

Here are a couple of easy recipes to try instead of making that pasta or buying those breakfast bars all the time!

Berry & Coconut Porridge

Breakfast is sometimes a rushed affair for many of us in the mornings but it really is the most important meal of the day for me. This creamy overnight oat porridge is warming and filling, a good source of protein and a complex carb helping to keep your energy levels stable throughout the morning making you less likely to snack! Soaking the oats overnight make them easier to digest.

Ingredients (serves 1)

Half a cup of porridge oats
Your choice of milk (I use cashew milk)
Handful of mixed frozen berries
2 tbsp full fat coconut milk
Your choice of toppings (nuts, seeds, honey, cinnamon)

Method

• Soak your oats in a bowl overnight with the milk and berries. Leave in the fridge

• Next morning warm in a pan and stir in the coconut milk

• Transfer back into your bowl, sprinkle with toppings and enjoy!

Vegetable Tomato Masala with Rice and Beans

Like many home made curries, the spices in this dish contain potent anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties helping to promote a healthy digestive system. I like to add beans to my rice for a bit of variety and extra protein. It’s also super easy, tasty and good for a batch cook with leftovers for lunch next day!

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 tbsp coconut oil
Half tsp cumin seeds
Half tsp black onion seeds (also called nigella seeds)
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp grated ginger
2-3 chopped green chillis
4 chopped garlic cloves
1 sliced onion
2 chopped tomatoes
2 large diced potatoes
5 large handfuls of green veg (kale, green beans, spinach, cabbage)
260g brown rice
700ml water
1 tin black beans, drained
1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Method

• Put the rice and beans in a pan with the water and cinnamon stick, bring to boil and then simmer on low heat for 30 mins

• Heat all the seeds in a large pan with the oil gently until they start to pop

• Add salt and onion and fry until soft

• Add turmeric, garlic and chillis and stir for 30 secs

• Add all the tomatoes, ginger and potatoes and simmer for 25 mins, stirring occasionally or it will stick

• About 5 mins before it’s ready, add your greens and stir. Add a splash of water or veg stock if too thick. If using spinach, add at the end after turning off the heat and stir in. Check on the rice, nearly all the water should have been absorbed now if not keep it on the heat until done.

• Enjoy!

The Link between Gut and Mind

For me, these two things are always intrinsically linked mentally and physically. So when one is out of balance so is the other!

How do we restore balance to the gut and mind? Well there is actually something called the Gut-Brain Axis and there is evidence that both these areas communicate with each other continuously so the health of our gut influences the state of our mind. This means that what we put (or don’t put) in our bellies can affect how we feel! It can affect our focus, moods, concentration, clarity of thought and a whole host of other things. This was the single biggest realisation I had when changing my diet 3 years ago, just by reducing alcohol, cutting out refined carbohydrates and replacing them with whole foods I noticed a huge change in my mental clarity. I was less irritable, had better focus, better energy and most of all my brain fog was gone. I didn’t even know I had it until it was gone!

OK so what next? Let’s say you do have the perfect diet (no one has the perfect diet all the time - including me) but you still have a gut issues, then what? For me, there was a certain point I couldn’t get past. I had found the right diet for me but any emotional upheaval sent my guts into turmoil - spams, frequent trips to the toilet etc etc. So I began to explore my emotional well-being and realised there was another level to gut health.

I now know that there is a psychological aspect to many chronic conditions and that by unconsciously suppressing thoughts and feelings (sometimes for very good reasons) long term, it can contribute to a whole host of physical symptoms manifesting such as bad skin, gut problems, poor resilience, anxiety, depression to name a few. By exploring this deeper level, it helped to improve my energy levels and stress resilience and stabilise my gut health further.

Self care is the key to nourish the mind and body. The more I allow my mind to rest, the more my gut relaxes. That makes sense doesn’t it? Returning from retreat last month, I realised how valuable rest is and how little quality rest our minds receive on a day to day basis.

If you are interested in learning more about the gut and how it affects moods, book onto one of my Gut Health Workshops in Bristol where I will be going into more depth and detail on how to support your gut health. Or you can check out my Functional Foods page for more information. In the meantime, here are a few recipes I’d like to share that helps to make happy bellies!!

Mung Bean & Chicken Dahl

Dry beans should be soaked prior to cooking to make them easier to digest and increase nutrient availability. If eating beans gives you wind, this a good way to reduce it! I like to soak batches overnight in 4 times their volume in water with half a teaspoon of sea salt then next morning, rinse and freeze them. They are then ready to use in soups and stews and cook much quicker.

Bone broth is very healing to the gut lining and also contains high levels of minerals in a highly absorbable form. Always having a batch ready in my freezer is one of my most important basic staples.

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

250g soaked mung beans
2 chicken breasts diced 1 cm cubes
1 bunch of greens sliced (kale, spring greens) or 1 bag spinach
1 litre bone broth
8 crushed cardamom pods
2 onions thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
4 slices peeled ginger chopped
1 celery stick chopped
1-2 fresh chillis chopped (to taste)
pepper to taste
large handful fresh coriander chopped
lemon

Method

• In a large pan, lightly fry the onions and celery in the oil for few minutes until soft

• Add the chicken and brown stirring to prevent sticking, then add all the spices, bay leaf, cardamom, ginger, garlic and chilli and fry for 30 secs until fragrant

• Add bone broth and bring to the boil

• Add mung beans and reduce to simmer. Cook for 15 mins until tender stirring occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom

• Add salt, pepper and veg. Cook for few minutes until veg tender.

• Serve with the chopped coriander and squeeze of lemon juice

Soba Vegetable Ramen

I love ramen! However when I started out on a no refined carbohydrate diet I quickly found ramen was not on my list of dishes I could easily eat out so I made my own which tasted just as good! Most instant noodles are made from egg, white flour or white rice which are highly refined and deep fried. But you can get black rice or soba noodles which are made from buckwheat flour or even wholewheat noodles which are better for your gut. Good quality miso paste is a fermented food which helps promote a healthy gut flora.

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 portions soba noodles
500 ml bone broth or veg stock
1 tsp miso
1 tbsp organic dried ground seaweed
sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
salt & pepper
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 handfuls of any chopped veg from the fridge (here I’ve used courgette, beetroot, runner beans)
handful of chopped coriander
lime

Method

• In a pan, boil the noodles until cooked following packet instructions.

• In the meantime, in a separate pan heat the broth or stock until boiling then add the seaweed and heat for 5 minutes

• When noodles are done, drain and divide into 2 serving bowls

• In a dry pan, toast the sesame seeds until they start to pop or turn slightly brown then remove from the heat. Careful not to burn!

• Add the vegetables and soy/tamari into the broth pan and cook until tender. In the meantime, mix the miso paste with a little bit of warm water until dissolved.

• When vegetables are done, add the miso mixture, mix and turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper

• Ladle out the broth into the 2 bowls over the noodles. Drizzle each bowl with sesame oil, sprinkle with sesame seeds and coriander. Serve with a squeeze of lime juice.
  
  I also like to add some cold roast chicken, smoked mackerel or a boiled egg for protein

Healthy Skin from Within

I love my skin. The way my skin feels changes the way I feel.  When my skin feels good I feel amazing! 

But It hasn't always been this way.  Having suffered with severe eczema most of my life since birth, it was something I struggled with for a very long time. It would fluctuate from bleeding through my clothes at school and being in skin hospital to having clear skin through university, being bed ridden and bandaged for 3 months to feeling like I had burned skin every time I moved. Constant medicated creams and bath oils that smelt of paraffin (they are actually all made of paraffin), greasy clothes, greasy skin, greasy sheets. My hair fell out, my eyebrows fell out and…. well hair everywhere fell out.  And the TIREDNESS, constantly so tired, no energy to do anything or go anywhere. 

I know now what that tiredness and heat was, inflammation and toxin overload in my body.  Being unable to clear my excess load, my body was in effect pushing toxins out through my skin.

It took me 3 years (and a nutritional medicine course) to completely heal my skin.  My first step was to reduce overall inflammation and toxin load, I had to change the way I ate, my lifestyle and reduce my stress levels.  Progress was slow at first with little change in my symptoms.  I had underlying liver and gut imbalance which I wasn’t aware of and it wasn’t until I had functional testing done and re-balanced these systems that there was a noticeable improvement in my overall health and skin.  I tried different diets to find the one that suited me best, different supplements to support my personal nutrient profile.  The hardest part was the maintenance.  When my skin improved I would start drinking beer and eating things I shouldn’t.  When I was stressed I would eat pizza and drink beer.  When I was out with friends I would drink beer.  I basically just wanted to drink beer all the time, and when you have a sensitivity to yeast it’s not the best idea…

So now, even though I have some scars to remind me of my past pains, I am so grateful my skin is now healthy happy and functioning properly.

Everyone’s health journey is different, and if you are on your own you can check out my Functional Foods page for foods to eat for skin health.  Below are a couple of recipes that help to reduce inflammation and encourage toxin removal from the body. Happy Eating!

Beetroot and Turmeric Soup 
(serves 4)

Beetroots contain a powerful phytonutrient called betanin which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity as well as supporting detoxification.  Turmeric is part of the ginger family and contains curcumin which has been widely used for thousands of years in the management of inflammatory conditions.

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion chopped
handful of greens (e.g.chopped cabbage or spinach)
2 medium peeled chopped beetroot
1 small peeled turmeric root or 1 tsp turmeric powder
sea salt & pepper
half a lemon
1 small sweet potato peeled and cubed
600ml bone broth/veg stock

• In a soup pan, saute the onion and cabbage in coconut oil until soft. If using turmeric powder add now and mix for 1 minute.

• Add the stock, bring to the boil and add sweet potato and beetroot. If using turmeric root add now. Simmer for 10 mins until veg is soft

• Take off the heat, blitz with hand blender until smooth. If too thick you can add some water now to your desired consistency. Season to taste, mix and reheat if necessary.

• Turn off the heat and serve with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Grilled mackerel with Chimichurri sauce and Cauliflower Rice
(serves 4)

This is one of my favourite dishes! Ready in 15 - 20 minutes and so tasty you want to eat it every week!  Mackerel is a good source of omega 3 oils which provides anti-inflammatory support.  Paired with the folic acid rich parsley in the chimichurri sauce and cauliflower which is a cruciferous vegetable, this meal delivers nutrients needed for both liver detox and inflammation reduction.

4 mackerel fillets
1 large cauliflower
1 tbsp coconut oil

For the chimichurri sauce:
3 handfuls parsley
2 tsp dried oregano
4 garlic cloves
2 spring onions
1 fresh chilli
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
6 tbsp olive oil
sea salt & pepper

• Preheat grill to medium/high heat

• First make the chimichurri sauce by blitzing all the ingredients for the sauce in food processor until you get a coarse paste. Set aside, Rinse out food processor to use for next step.

• Remove outer leaves from cauliflower, wash and cut into chunks to fit into food processor. Process until you have coarse rice sized pieces.

• At this point, place your mackerel fillets skin down on a tray, season and place under the grill for 4 minutes until cooked through.

• Steam the cauliflower rice in a pan with coconut oil, medium heat with lid on for 5 minutes until soft. If it sticks you can add 1 tbsp water. Careful not to over steam or you'll get a soggy mush!

• Take off the heat when done, season and mix.

• Serve with the grilled mackerel topped with chimichurri sauce and mixed salad or steamed greens.