An increasing number of studies are finding a link between respiratory health and vitamin D, including Covid-19 as described in todays article in the Times newspaper. Government advice is to supplement during the autumn and winter so have you started topping up your vitamin D levels yet? When looking for a supplement there are a number of considerations to make: · Government advice is to supplement 10 mcg (400iu) daily, but this may not be adequate for everybody, so consider

This bright green nettle tea is a natural remedy you may like to try for the relief of hay fever symptoms. I add camomile @teapigs renowned for its soothing and calming qualities and a squeezed lemon to the infusion too. The lemon provides extra vitamin C to help lower histamine levels in the body and dramatically enhances the taste. In fact, nettle and lemon team up surprisingly well as a flavour combination. Ingredients 5 big handfuls of nettles (hard to measure when they s

A quick and simple sushi recipe for making maki rolls with children

This colourful salad makes use of quinoa, one of my top store cupboard ingredients. Quinoa is a pseudo grain which means it’s actually a seed. If your children like cous cous like mine do, then they’ll probably love quinoa. On its own it has a bland slightly nutty taste, but you can easily pimp it up with some colourful additions. Quinoa is a good source of protein containing twice the amount rice does, which means it will keep you fuller for longer and help with blood sugar

Mushrooms with mashed avocado on rye toast

A sunshine inspired simple lunch today of home made hummus, pitta bread and the last of the olives. Humus is a great source of protein, calcium, magnesium, fibre and vitamin C. It’s really quick to make, there’s no cooking involved and it tastes really good - a great lunchtime choice. Recipe 380g tinned chickpeas 1 large clove garlic 1 lemon squeezed 3 tbsp tahini 3 tbsp virgin olive oil 1 tbsp water 1 tsp honey Salt and pepper to taste Method Blend all ingredients together a

I’m not going to fib, these oaty bars don’t give you the same sugary hit as a standard flapjack, but they are great for filling you up, packing in a load of fibre, B vitamins and protein. If you run out of cereal you could even start your day with a couple of these and some fruit or have them as a snack mid afternoon to boost your energy levels. This is an easy recipe for the children to follow too. Recipe Ingredients 2 mashed bananas 15 dates stoned and chopped 2 dessert spo

If you haven’t already discovered green tea, consider swapping one of your caffeine hits for a cup today. Green tea being less processed than black tea contains more antioxidants and has the advantage over black tea in terms of health benefits. Amongst the claims, there is strong research to support the following brain and mental health perks: 🍵 Improved memory and attention thanks to the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) 🍵 A calming affect on anxiety and a reduct

My new favourite drink is lemon balm from the garden and sparkling water. The lemony flavour is refreshing and perks me up and at the same time the calming effects of lemon balm are working in the background. Good job really as I’m just about to pull the boys off the Xbox for dinner which never goes down well... #lemonbalm #herbs #water #drink #anxiety #nutrition

Wondering what’s in the carafe?…well it’s not Diet Coke😉. I prepared water kefir, an amazing probiotic drink, a couple of days ago and left it to ferment until this afternoon when I finally got to taste it and I wasn’t disappointed. 🙌 As well as being filled to the brim with beneficial bacteria (more than 30 strains) it’s also deliciously delicate, fizzy and very cheap to make and will save you spending money on buying supermarket kefir or probiotics. It tastes similar to

Article from Colchester's Elite Magazine In the winter it’s common to feel low on energy, the sun rarely shines and you are often stuck indoors for much of the day. Good job that spring is on the way. Low energy is one of the most common problems that nutritional therapists are asked for help with, from chronic fatigue at one extreme to managing the notorious mid-morning and afternoon energy slumps. The good news is that you don’t have to wait for the sun to come out to get t

Preparing nourishing food can be as simple as boiling an egg. Complicated recipes aren’t a prerequisite nor are expensive ingredients. In fact the humble egg is nature’s version of a multivitamin and mineral. Don’t be put off by scare stories about high cholesterol, instead consider what you are serving eggs with. For example a traditional fry up is high in saturated fat. See eggs as an easy nutritious win packed with an amazing array of nutrients including: ⭐️ All the esse

Feasting on mezze is a deliciously easy way of getting in your 5 a day (and more). It’s also a classic example of eating the rainbow in one easy go. Tonight’s rustic menu included: Red: tomato paste in kebab marinade Green: cucumber in Greek salad Yellow: roasted pepper Purple: aubergine in baba gahnoush Dishes included: Baked feta cheese Oregano and paprika turkey Greek salad Tzaziki Baba ghanoush Potato and caper salad Rye sourdough and pita bread Here’s a recipe for homema

Find solutions through nutrition. Night shifts throw your body out of balance and disrupt sleep, appetite and cause weight gain. It only took a few simple changes to help Laura to feel so much better on her busy nursing night shift. #nurselife #nurse #nursepractitioner #nurses #nutrition #nutritionist #colchester #essex #nightshift #nightshiftnurse #nightshiftproblems

I love this gluten free mediterranean socca flatbread, it’s both delicious and quick to make, so a real winner. I’m enjoying mine with manchego cheese, sauerkraut and salad for lunch today.  You can make it advance. Just keep it in the fridge and pop it in the toaster for a quick lunch or snack.  I like a kick of chili to mine, but you can remove the spices if they aren't to your liking.  Ingredients 1 cup of gram flour  1 cup of water 2 tsp virgin olive oil 1/2 tsp nigella

I don’t know about you, but on a rainy day like today, I’m in the mood for comfort food and polenta seemed like the perfect choice to base dinner around this evening.  Polenta is a delicious and cheap ingredient that only takes 10 minutes to prepare.  It’s made of cornmeal and as a complex carbohydrate will help to keep blood sugars stable.  It a source of fibre and protein and also boosts the diversity of plant foods I’ve eaten today to help my good gut bacteria. Although

Those of you living in Colchester can look our for my monthly article in the Elite Magazine. This time I'm writing about the benefits of fruit and vegetables. Here it is: Why should you eat more fruit and vegetables? The NHS advise we eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, but did you know this number was chosen on the basis that it would be achievable for most of us? The British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) actually recommend we work towar

Home made chicken soup Nourishing, warming, smoothing.... these are just a few of the adjectives used to describe chicken soup. This staple dish is also a great source of collagen to support: ⭐️strong nails ⭐️healthy hair ⭐️skin elasticity ⭐️ligaments and tendons ⭐️gut health I’ve used leftover organic chicken from our roast dinner yesterday to produce this power packed soup for lunch today. The extra stock will be frozen and added to family meals such as paella and noodl

My challenge this evening was to produce a healthy version of ice cream. Here it is and it took all of 5 minutes to make and less than that to eat Blueberry, Mango and Banana Ice Recipe 1 large frozen banana 1/2 lime squeezed 1 large handful frozen blueberries 1 large handful frozen mango 1 tub mango alpro yoghurt Method Place all ingredients in a blender Blend it Eat it! #blueberries #frozenfruit #feedingchildren #feedingteenagers #colchester #nutrition #munchies #healthandw

Graduation Day Yesterday with my CNM friends. A proud day for all of us after three years of clinics, exams and all the rest..... Balanced you nutrition has been up and running since the autumn and it’s been a great experience . I love my role and all it involves from listening and getting to know my clients, the detective work and research that follows, to the sharing of knowledge to help and empower my lovely clients to feel better and achieve their goals. #nutritionalthera