Food Refusal & Avoidance in Children

Food Refusal & Avoidant Eating in Children

Introduction 

In 2019 I was approached by a number of parents with children who might commonly be described as “fussy eaters”. Having a child with food difficulties can be enormously stressful and upsetting. It often has a family-wide impact, making families dread meal-times and avoid social occasions. At the point of contacting me mums, dads and grandparents are often at the point of tearing their hair out. E mails land in my inbox with subjects such as ‘HELP!’ or ‘Please help my child eat properly’; the situation feels desperate and miserable.

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Liver Detox Diet

Winter Liver Detox

Introduction 

I’m not a big fan of frequent detoxing where there’s no real requirement or, indeed, proper guidance. For many, a detox is just another extreme swing of the pendulum, and I work with enough people with disordered eating to know that extremes are really easy for people when it comes to food – what they find hard is being flexible, instinctive and adaptable.  There is often a misconception that detoxing equates to a diet of juices and smoothies, which is actually incorrect, since our liver requires nutrients that exist outside of fruits and vegetables in order to detox most effectively.   We also have to consider that Spring, and specifically the Spring equinox,  is actually the most natural time of year to clear out excesses, since with this bright season comes light, warmth and energy.  Although January feels like the right time, because of the excesses of Christmas,  seasonally it is still mid-winter and a time to feed our bodies through colder temperatures and darkness.    

Having said that, I am writing this with a body that is fatigued and pleading with me to clean up. After a month of excess sugar, meat and alcohol, my skin is unhappy (I have some redness on my chin which is an indication of a clogged liver according to Chinese Medicine) and I feel lethargic, a bit low and quiet unlike myself.  So, yes, January for me is going to include a liver clean-out.  Read More


Nutrition & Mental Health

Food & Your Mental Health

Back in May I delivered a Food & Mental Health talk at Clarks Head office in Street. There’s some useful information within this 45 minute session on how ‘food’ can support positive mental health. The nutrition within food has immense power to promote happiness, and you’ll watch me talk through a supplement prescription for depression, anxiety and stress, but the positives stretch far beyond micronutrients. Food connects us with nature and has profound social, cultural and educational benefits that make us significantly more balanced and healthy animals. Have a watch if you would like a little free support from a qualified and experienced nutritionist.

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Healthy Packed Lunch

What does a child friendly packed lunch look like?

I delivered a healthy packed lunch talk at a preschool recently and thought it would be useful to share the content more widely.

The first half of the talk focused on the 4 food groups that need to be included in a healthy packed lunch, namely:

  • Carbohydrates
  • Fat (animal and plant)
  • Protein
  • Vitamins & minerals (calcium in most lunches pleases)

Please see the grid below (the exact one I presented) which details each of the food groups, why our children need them and some example foods from each group.

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Diabetes Type 2 Diet

Nutrition Prescription: Diabetes Type 2

Have you been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes? If so, you really need to address your lifestyle and diet. I have written a basic nutrition and naturopathic prescription below which will hopefully help you make a good start. The advice here is not bespoke and doesn’t consider any other conditions you may suffer from, dietary preferences (vegan, vegetarian, religious restrictions), allergies and intolerances, weight, your job and timetable, your family situation and the severity of your condition. You really need to see a nutritional therapist with this diagnosis and buy yourself a Glycaemic Index and Glycaemic Load reference book, but in the mean time have a look at the below and start making some positive changes to your health:

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