I love Bank Holiday weekends! A time to reconnect with family and friends, but it's also a signal that we're coming to the end of the summer. Whatever your plans are this weekend, check out my top tips for navigating it wisely.
Sleep matters big time. Without enough sleep, you create an uphill battle in so many different ways. Sleep – how much you have and the quality of it – matters even more than you probably realise, and not getting enough is sabotaging your health and any health goals you might have. Today I’d like to share exactly why it matters so much and what to do about it.
As the temperatures rise and the days get longer, it's the perfect time to revitalise your health and wellbeing. In this blog, I’ll explore simple yet effective strategies to keep you feeling your best during the sunny season. From hydration tips to sleep solutions, I've got you covered, so let's dive in and make this summer your healthiest yet.
Sleep and exercise to help improve your mood
The link between physical health and what you eat is well understood, but did you know that what you eat has a huge impact on your mood and how you feel? I wonder how we forgot about this connection, because it was common knowledge in times gone by. Way back when (think medieval times), people would eat quince, dates and elderflowers if they were feeling a little blue and use lettuce and chicory as nature’s tranquilisers.
I’m sure you’re already aware that getting more sleep is a great idea, but here’s something I see a lot in my nutrition clinic: knowing something doesn’t mean doing it. Sometimes I feel it’s because people aren’t completely sure why sleep is so important for their health and, without that vital piece of information in place, it’s hard to persuade yourself it’s something you should be doing when there are so many other things calling for your attention and your valuable time.
In the pursuit of better health, we often focus on the physical aspects – diet, exercise, and sleep – while neglecting a vital component: our emotional wellbeing. You might already appreciate this conceptually but here’s an important question to ponder: how do you treat yourself when you make a mistake, or you don’t reach your goals? Do you treat yourself with kindness and understanding like you would a friend or do you beat yourself up for your so-called failings? If, like most people, your tendency is to berate yourself, it’s time to bring a little more self-compassion into your life. It’s good to be kind to yourselves and it can be your greatest ally in reaching your health goals.
When you have a specific health goal and feel you are putting in the work, it’s tough when you don’t see the changes you feel you deserve. It’s tempting to give up, but here’s what to do instead.
As you gear up for another start to a New Year, you might find yourself in the familiar territory of making resolutions in the hope that they somehow stick. You know the drill – enthusiastic promises to hit the gym regularly, eat more greens, lose that extra weight, get more organised, or maybe cut back on alcohol. How often have those January aspirations fizzled out by the time February rolls around? It's a tale as old as time – the grand intentions, the initial burst of motivation, and then... well, life happens.
Christmas Nutrition Lifestyle FOMO
If you're looking to ramp up your immune health over winter, you might be wondering, "How do I gear up my body to tackle those pesky illnesses?" Well, boosting your immunity isn't a walk in the park, but a few tweaks in your lifestyle and diet can give your body's defence system a serious upgrade against those sneaky pathogens.
Palpitations, a dry mouth, sweating, insomnia are just some of the unmistakable signs of anxiety. Everyone has experienced these symptoms at some point in their life. Who hasn't felt stage fright before a presentation, hyperventilated before an exam or spent a sleepless night before their dental appointment?
People frequently think about ‘being healthy’, without paying much detail to the specific actions that they are taking (or not) to take care of themselves. Would you describe yourself as a healthy person? You might say ‘I go to the gym’ but how many times have you been in the last month? You might think you get enough fruit and veg into your diet each day, but how many portions a day did you average over the last few weeks? Did you ever think about the extent to which you are tired, whether your hormones are balance, the amount of water you drink, and so on?
Here are my top tips for getting a better night’s sleep. See what you can put into action.
Sleep really is a gamechanger for your health and for your emotional wellbeing but even so, scientists are only just starting to begin to understand the biological role. I know that you know that everything looks better when you are well rested. It’s an essential function for everyone and lack of it can wreak havoc with all kinds of functions in the body, from your lived experience every day, to weight gain, lowered immunity, and increased risk for metabolic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.
Feeling grateful is more than a nice feeling. The more you feel grateful, the luckier you feel and the happier you are. You’re less stressed and your outlook, more positive. And healthier, too. Who would not want that? Let me explain how gratitude works and how you can tap into it.
The exam season is just around the corner and, whether it’s SATs, GCSEs, A Levels, or university finals, as parents we want to know we are doing everything we possibly can to help support our children through what could be a stressful period with lots of anxiety.
Having aspirations is a wonderful thing. We should all strive to better ourselves and realise our dreams. However, you need to keep your feet on the ground. If you set yourself the goal to learn how to play the saxophone with the aim of joining a jazz band, touring New York clubs and by next year, you may be overstretching yourself a bit – and that can be the exact opposite of empowering.
It’s meant to be ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ but the pressure of the holidays can often mean a stress overload. Here’s what to do about it.
A little holiday gift for you!! I'm giving away my Ultimate Holiday Eating Strategy - a guide to helping you to have your best holiday and stay on track with your health goals.
How often do you look in the mirror and criticise the image reflecting back at you? Or look at a recent photo and inwardly cringe at your arms / legs / bum / tummy? It Doesn't have to be that way.
Food is for nourishment. If you use it for any other purpose, remember the relationship you have with food developed over time and many things will impact it. But when you want to make practical changes, it can be useful to explore your formative years.
Achieving long-term health and energy is a balancing act. Quite simply, what you put into your mind may have as much of an impact as the food and supplements you feed your body.
How can diet help with dealing with chronic stress? Whilst it may be tempting to go for quick, comfort eats and throw out healthy habits, stressful times are when good nutrition can be at its most effective.
Please get in touch and find out more - I offer a free 30-minute exploratory call.
Make a Booking