Empowered Nutrition

Yesterday at my stall at Redbridge Green Fair, we ran a "Sugar Snack Challenge". It turned out to be really popular with children and adults alike, and the stallholders next to me commented how busy my stall was all the time.
The challenge was to match 7 snacks to the number of sugar cubes they contained. Total sugar, not added sugars, as whatever the source of the sugar it still impacts on blood sugar levels. The snacks were all bought from the "food to go" section of a supe...rmarket and were (in no particular order):
- a Belgian chocolate brownie slice - a 35g pack of cashew nuts - a 250ml strawberry smoothie - a 25g bar of dark chocolate, 72% cacao content - 150g passionfruit yoghurt - 25g sunflower seeds coated in dark chocolate and crystallised ginger - this 420ml bottle of Juicy Water (no added sugar)
Only 1 or 2 people in the whole day correctly identified that the Juicy Water contained the equivalent of a whopping 8 cubes of sugar. I felt the labelling was particularly misleading - only 5% of the content is water, the rest is fruit juice. Without any fibre to slow it's absorptive , drinking this would spike the blood sugar very rapidly.
My intention was to raise awareness of sugar in soft drinks. It's much better to get children into the habit if drinking water. You can flavour it by adding mint, berries, lemon etc to a jug or bottle, but try to limit the fruit juices - much better to eat a piece of fruit to get your vitamins.
Probably an easy question if you follow me, but what do you think was lowest in sugar?
I also enjoyed spreading the word about the health benefits of dark chocolate 🍫 😀
#redbridgegreenfair #sugarsnackchallenge #sugarchallenge #howmuchsugar #foodquiz #justdrinkwater #nutritioneducator #summerfestivalfun
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Redbridge Green Fair!
#redbridgegreenfair #greenfestival #nutritionaltherapist #naturalhealth #summerfun #ilford

Sensible top.tips here from the Alliance for Natural Health.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu .be&v=awXYkLitHlY

NEW weight loss class in Barking - https://mailchi.mp/7074fe9…/new-weight- loss-class-in-barking
Now starting Monday 1 July. Come and join me over a 6-week period to learn how to lose weight in a safe, healthy and sustainable way - "healthy weight loss for life"!

New group weight loss class!
I'm really excited to be offering a 6-week weight loss class in Barking. I see so many people who have tried hard to lose weight in the past, sometimes spending a lot of money in the process, but they have regained it again afterwards or have become deficient in nutrients as a result.
This class is different. It's designed to introduce you to a healthy way of eating for life - a new lifestyle rather than a diet. As a registered nutritional therap...ist, I'll be explaining how you may have been misled about weight loss in the past, and uncovering the science behind it for you so that you can make your body work for you rather than against you. And because I take a holistic view of health, we'll also be looking at those pesky other factors like stress and sleep that may be connected to your weight.
Classes will be 5-6pm on Monday evenings in the Barking Learning Centre, from Monday 24 June until Monday 29 July. It's only £60 for the full 6 weeks.
I'm deliberately keeping the group small so that it feels supportive and safe, but this means there are only a couple of places left. To sign up,contact the Bath Haus Spa @bathhaus_spa on 0208 227 2991
#loseweightforgood #beyourbestself #shapeupforsummer #nutritionforhealth #nutritionaltherapy #barking #healthylifestyle #barkinganddagenham #barkinglearningcentre #weightloss
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I know that lots of breast cancer survivors follow this page - did you know that you are at a much higher risk of heart disease after treatment than women who have not had breast cancer? The risks are such that they should be considered just as much as cancer recurrence in my opinion. There are lots of nutrition and lifestyle changes you can make to support your cardiovascular system - do get in touch if you want to learn more.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas…/20 19/…/190618174340.htm

I'm excited to announce that I'm running a brand new 6-week group weight loss class in Barking! Details below - message me if you're interested.

Let's get over our embarrassment and talk constipation. It sounds about right that 1 in 3 people in this study did not consider that their symptoms were indicative of constipation. Because we don't talk about poo, we don't know what normal is. What I disagree with this article on is that having 3 bowel movements a week is NOT normal. It may be common, but it's not normal and certainly not optimal. We live in an increasingly toxic world - how are we going to get these toxins out of our bodies if we don't have regular substantial bowel movements?
Exercise, fibre and hydration are the first factors to address but there can sometimes be more complex issues behind constipation. If you'd like this part of your life to be a little easier, come and see me. It's never embarrassing and just think how much less toxic you could feel.

Taking time out to relax is so important for health and wellbeing, and something I regularly tell my clients to do more often. I've been feeling a bit frazzled lately, which is definitely bad for my health, so I took my own advice and came to a sound bath at @hellolove.home. If your mind is active and you find meditation difficult, you might like sound baths, as the singing bowls entrain the brain into a meditative state, almost in spite of yourself. I'm feeling relaxed and so much better!
#soundbath #singingbowls #relaxation #selfcare #parasympatheticmode #meditation #calm #usetheweekendwisely

So true...

Just been privileged to give a talk on "Nutrition for a Calm Life with and after Breast Cancer" to a special group of women in this beautiful setting.

I'd always recommend choosing half an avocado rather than a bread roll with a salad. Clients often worry that they might be hungry if they cut out white carbs - be reassured that healthy fats like avocados and olive oil help keep you feeling full. (And don't get hung up on calories, despite the title of this article.)

A fun record breaking attempt with a serious message - the importance of gut health! Hands up if you make sauerkraut - it's so easy and delicious 😋

Enjoying the colours on an Easter holiday trip to @boroughmarket. Each different colour in fruit and veg signifies a different antioxidant, a different plant nutrient.
Getting variety is important to make sure you're not nutrient depleted, but also to nurture a diverse gut microbiome which we know has so many health benefits. So why not try getting out of your vegetable comfort zone and choosing less common varieties every so often?
I bought some radicchio (a bitter leaf whi...ch is great for liver health) and knobbly Jerusalem artichokes, which are a rich source of the prebiotic fibre inulin - my gut will thank me!
#marketstall #freshproduce #eattherainbow #guthealth #bitterleaves #mushrooms #foodie #lovevegetables #plantpower #antioxidants #prebiotic @ Borough Market
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Delicious homemade pizza. I was going to start off by describing it as vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free but decided that these don't matter as much as how delicious it was! 😜
The crust is made using a @hemsleyhemsley recipe, from cauliflower, egg white, buckwheat flour and ground almonds. I topped it with fresh tomato sauce, mushrooms, red onion, red pepper, basil, olive oil and some wild garlic I foraged in the local woods. Plus a sprinkle of nutritional yeast to give that cheesy taste. Who says pizza can't be good for you?
#homemadepizza #vegan #glutenfree #dairyfree #wildgarlic #foraging #eatseasonal #healthytreats

Look how beautiful the Bath Haus Spa is looking! Why not prioritise self-care and book an appointment with me or one of the lovely therapists there?

Confused 😉? Get nutrition advice that's personalised for you...

A FREE lymph cleansing drink!
Western medicine rarely discusses the lymphatic system until something goes disastrously wrong with it, yet it is a key system for removing waste products from our cells. You might know that the space between cells in the body is made up of interstitial fluid - well, it is this same fluid that travels through the lymphatic system removing waste. Unlike the blood circulation which is pumped by the heart, the lymphatic system has no pump. It relies... on excercise and deep breathing to move it, and so can easily become stagnant, or clogged up. When this happens you might experience fluid retention, tight rings on your fingers, bloating, tiredness etc.
Cleavers is a common wild plant which grows all over the place at this time of year. You probably have some in your garden unless you've weeded it out! It's spindly and tall and is covered with tiny hairs which make it stick to everything. When I was a child we used to call it sticky willy 😁!
What does this have to do with the lymphatic system? Well, cleavers is a great natural lymph cleanser. I spotted some next to a cycle path yesterday, picked it and brought it home. After washing it well I chopped it finely, put it in a muslin bag (I used a nut bag) and submerged it in a Kilner jar of filtered water. I left it in the fridge overnight to infuse, and today the cold infusion is ready to drink. Tastes green (!) but fresh, not at all unpleasant.
Simple and free! Just go out and find some cleavers (I promise you, it really is everywhere) and get infusing. After being cooped up and often more stationary in winter, the lymph often needs a good cleanse, and nature provides what we need.
#springcleanse #movethelymph #lymphaticsystem #lymphcleanse #foraging #natureprovides #hedgerowmedicine #naturalremedies #eatseasonal
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