You can’t eat that you’re a nutritionist!!

You can’t eat that you’re a nutritionist!!

I have a confession, well not really a confession but something that seems to surprise people, I eat chocolate! I love chocolate, I also eat cake, Chinese, pizza and a whole host of other things that are on the whole not particularly nourishing .

I am after all a human, I am by trade a nutritionist and I’ve spent years studying biochemistry, human biology and nutrients, so….. I also know exactly what happens when I eat these foods!

I don’t however eat them every day – anymore! I used to; during my teens and early twenties I had a somewhat distorted view and relationship with food. I read every diet book going, attended any diet group or class I could and generally felt very very confused about what to eat because every diet seemed to have different rules, you can eat fruit in abundance on one yet it was the route of all evil on the next! Oh the confusion, all I wanted was to be slim! Why was it so complicated!

Years of yo-yo dieting and a growing list of health complications (IBS, Polycystic ovarian syndrome, suspected pernicious anaemia, anaemia etc) left me realising I needed to know more about how food was affecting my health - So I did what any normal person would do I retrained as a nutritionist!

What I learnt is that it’s what we eat every day that has the biggest effect on our health not what we do once in a while. I also learnt what certain foods do to the body and was shocked to find that the diets I had been following were likely to be directly responsible for some of the health conditions I was experiencing and completely responsible for the cravings I was having!

It’s been quite some time now that I qualified and I’m please to say that my relationship with food is now one of a healthy nature, I no longer eat chocolate for breakfast (Eater Sunday was different ok?!) or starve myself, but I so still eat chocolate and processed crap from time to time.

If you have rules and restrictions on the food that you can and cannot eat for anything other than allergies or health conditions in my view you are going into dangerous territory.

Food is fuel, food is nourishment, but food is also a social activity and this doesn’t need to mean that it’s unhealthy. I truly believe that there are times when a packet of crisps is just what is needed, yes of course you could go and have crunchy carrots and hummus or unsalted nuts but please its ok to eat a little what you fancy now and again. Less judgment is needed amongst fellow humans these days, so if you see me munching on crisps of eating chocolates don’t judge come and say Hi I’m happy to share.

My view is food is the remedy not the enemy, we don’t need to fear food, whilst I believe we should pick foods that nourish our body daily its ok to eat foods that nourish your soul every now and again too!

If you are struggling with your diet, or fed up of dieting and want shape up, slim down or just stop feeling crazing around food, I can help you, I offer one to one coaching around mindset, body image and self love aswell as one to one nutrition advice!

For more information please email me on Kirsten@thefoodremedy.co.uk or call me on 07780007361,

Ditch the diet mentality and remember food is a remedy not the enemy.

The Food Remedy - Figs

  Are you a fan of figs? I love September becausee fresh figs are in season. Whilst dried figs are available throughout the year, there really is nothing like the unique taste and texture of fresh figs. There sweet intense taste makes them an ideal match for equally sharp ingredients, such as salty prosciutto or my personal favorite crumbled Greek feta!

Figs have many health benefits.

They could help lower cholesterol, as they contain Pectin a soluble fiber. When fiber moves through the digestive system, it helps clear up excess clumps of cholesterol and eliminates them from the body. Soluble fiber may also help you feel fuller for longer because it absorbs water in the digestive tract, which means food moves through the gut slowly.

Figs may help control blood pressure. This is because figs are rich in the nutrients potassium, one of the key mineral accountable for balancing fluids and minerals in our body. Potassium intake helps minimise the effects of sodium on blood pressure.

Figs are also good for your bones as they are rich in calcium, an important mineral that is essential in the development and maintenance of strong bones. They contain 35 mg of calcium per 100g which compare to other fruits is fairly high. They are also rich in phosphorus, which encourages bone formation and spurs regrowth if there is any damage or degradation to bones.

It’s worth noting that figs do not ripen after picking, so choose the ripest fruits you can and eat them within a few days as fresh figs have an extremely short shelf life. They have a thin-skinned that can bruise easily so store carefully. When time permits I try to leave figs in sunlight (usually on my kitchen windowsill) which helps enhances their delicate flavour and gives of a beautiful scent.

FED UP OF DIETING?

Eating is cheating

This is what I used to say to myself this was of course during my meal replacement faze. Convinced food was the enemy and I simply didn't need it. I convinced myself I had all the nutrients I needed in my meal replacement shakes. I was depressed but slim, surely this wasn't how my life was supposed to be. Every where I went people even commented on how well I looked, (which shocked even me) I loved the praise so food was the devil to me and I believed that to look nice I had to basically not eat. Health became second to looks, that was the message that was imprinted on my brain, what a strange world we live in. But it wasn't sustainable, my body constantly cold, and weak, my skin slightly grey my lips very often a light blue I cried most days and was driven to binged when I was too weak and miserable to stop.

Then I started another diet club I was allowed food again but this time the saying was little pickers wear big knickers. Avoid fat this particular diet was low fat high carb the rollers coaster and confusion continued.

I read ever diet book going, bought every magazine publish on diet, watched every program on health, yet I felt like a failure why couldn't I stick to a diet? where was I going wrong?

I followed so many diets you name it I tried it, I had a hunger for information but it was so confusing! I wanted to full understand the biochemistry, physiology and psychology of what drives us to do what we do and how to change...so I went back to study nutrition.

I learnt so much, the first one was mind blowing - I wasn't to blame for my cravings the diet industry had set me up to fail. I learnt food never was the enemy, food is essential for life, it's ok to be hungry and its normal to eat food - what a revolution!

I finally learnt how to eat, how to nourish my body with whole unprocessed food and I learnt to love myself,  a shift in mindset. I learnt how truly magnificent the body is and I learnt to truly appreciate the body I had. I over came IBS and poly cystic ovary syndrome.

If you are stuck in the cycle of yo-yo dieting or perhaps you are constantly comparing yourself to others, and confused about what to eat and when. I can help you!

Join me on October the 7th for a fun packed evening where I will teach you how I overcame the constant dieting, negative mindset and body loathing, how you too can eat delicious nourishing food that is easy to make a delicious. I can show you a way of eating that will kick cravings to the curb, stop the bloating and help you glow from the inside out.

Nourish your body. Empower you mind. Inspire your soul.

Starting at 6.30 with healthy nibbles on arrival. An interactive talk from 6:45-7:45 followed by a cooking demonstration and more tasters. Finishing of with a Question and answer session.

Tickets are £15 and you will each have a good bag to take home.

Spaces are limited so book your space today! By calling 07780007361 or by going to

https://www.eventbrite.com/publish?crumb=41a1bd02f5c917&eid=13234949089

Can't wait to met you all!

Lots of love Kirst xx