I am not here to add to that fear or to fuel speculation, this is NOT an article of panic. Instead, I am here to arm you with a bit of simple practical advice from my humble view as a Nutritional Therapist, a UK Citizen and Isabella’s mummy.

I wish you an ocean of health, a mountain of peace and a sky full of calm and gentle moments. Without further ado I will jump into my personal plan to help you stay as healthy as possible during the Coronavirus pandemic.

What should you be eating to help support your immune system?

What you eat can help strengthen your resilience and overall health. This is the perfect time to pay some attention to your daily diet and to ensure that you are stockpiling your nutrients! Remember my BitCoin analogy? A few of my favourite nutrients for supporting the immune system are listed below. Please remember as always its about consistency, eating to fill the body’s economy. On that note, one piece of broccoli isn’t going to cut it, we need to look at each meal and make it super nutrient-dense. The beauty is that we can start with the very next thing we eat, but please remember that these nutrients won’t stop you from getting the virus, following the NHS and government guidelines can help with that, these nutrients support overall health.

I have had a lot of questions about supplements. We just don’t know enough relating to COVID-19 and its interactions with supplements at this stage. Please speak to your primary medical team.

Lets dive in……

Vitamin C has been shown to contribute to immune defence and can help to prevent infections by supporting various cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune systems. Vitamin C can be found in peppers, broccoli, oranges, watercress, cabbage, kiwi, spinach, kale, cauliflower, tomatoes and berries.

Vitamin D is one of the most powerful nutrients for supporting the immune system- sunlight is our main source but it’s available in small amounts in oily fish, egg yolks, liver, dairy products and mushrooms. On a side note, it can be hard to get enough vitamin D from diet alone, my advice is to get your vitamin D tested with your doctor as you may need to take a Vitamin D3 supplement for overall health.

Zinc plays a significant role in immune function- it can be found in meat, shellfish, whole grains, egg yolks, green leafy vegetables, mushrooms, potatoes, and some nuts.

Vitamin A can be helpful in supporting the body’s immune system and ability to fight infections- it can be found in liver, eggs, oily fish, yellow and orange vegetables.

Selenium is a key nutrient for immune function – found in Brazil nuts, seafood, meat and eggs.

Prebiotics are a key player in optimum gut health and in turn gut health is essential for our immunity – they provide “food” meant to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. In my book, The Balance Plan, I call them my eco-warriors. You can find these in a wide range of foods including dandelion greens, Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, onions, oats, flax, slightly green bananas and leeks.

Probiotics as above are also key for gut and immune function, the research on this is emerging and it’s really exciting! Probiotic foods are fermented and contribute to the healthy bacteria in our guts. They include sauerkraut, kefir, tempeh, kimchi, miso, natto, kombucha and fermented vegetables.

As always avoid sugar – avoid eating sugary foods like sweets, pastries, cookies and drinking sugary, fizzy drinks. I know I know, I always go on about avoiding sugar. But sugar may reduce the effectiveness of your immune system as well as spike your blood sugar or insulin. Eating to much sugar may also lead to oxidative stress. Free radicals are a byproduct of cellular metabolism, your body’s antioxidant defences can handle normal amounts of free radicals, but under certain conditions, your defence system becomes overwhelmed.

As always, looking after your overall health involves getting in as much of a variety of nutrient-dense foods as possible! Experiment with new recipes, adding in these foods and above all else – enjoy each meal!

Other ways to optimise your health during the Coronavirus outbreak

Follow government and NHS guidelines – This is the most important and essential point to help you avoid catching or spreading the virus. As you will have noticed, the guidelines are now a lot more stringent than just washing our hands regularly and for the length of singing happy birthday twice, (although this is still included and vital!). Follow this link for the NHS guidelines on what to do if you are experiencing symptoms as well as staying healthy and trying to stop the spread of the virus. Public Health Engalnd has also published the following set of guidelines: ‘COVID-19: guidance on social distancing and for vulnerable people’. Please also feel free to share the infographic below on the current government guidelines at this time. The guidelines are set out for a very good reason and will only take effect if we all do our bit to stick by them!

Destress – whatever it takes – I cannot overstate the importance of relaxing and destressing. Stress impacts your health, your immune, your wellbeing, petty much everything! Do whatever works for you personally to destress, especially at such worrying times, whether that’s a meditation session, a home workout, the 4/7 breathing technique, watching a funny movie or taking a long bath.

Stay connected and have a laugh – Don’t cut yourself off, catch up with friends on the phone, have a long conversation with someone you love. Laugh! Laughing is good for you, it curbs the levels of stress hormones in your body. Being close to loved ones physically or metaphysically has been shown to give people stronger immunity than those who feel alone…

Get into nature and out of your head – nature is a wonderful tonic for your mental and physical health and wellbeing. Take a walk somewhere with good air if possible! Notice your surroundings and focus on the beauty of nature. At the moment the current government guidelines state that we can still go outside for exercise and dog walking as long as we keep a safe distance (2m) from others.

Get a sufficient amount of sleep and rest – are you sleeping? If not try and look at your sleep hygiene and see if there’s anything you can do to improve your sleep. No bluescreens before bedtime, make your bedroom a sanctuary from the rest of your life and wear a sleep mask if it helps. Spritz your pillow with a calming lavender spray and stay away from caffeine after 12 pm, or ideally all the time if it negatively impacts you.

Surround yourself with health and wellness experts you trust – in times like this, it’s important to listen to the advice you trust. There are so many opinions on social media and it can be completely overwhelming. A few I personally like listening to are Dr Ben Lynch @drbenlynch, Dr Rangan Chatterjee @drchatterjee, Dr Gemma Newman @plantpowerdoctor, Dr Punam Krishan @drpunamkrishan and Dr Jenna Macciochi @drjennamacciochi for health and immunity advice. @besophrolondon and @chloebrotheridge keep me calm too!

Breathe and remember, this too will pass – remember to breathe and to use your breath to help you ground yourself. I am an advocate of the 4/7 breathing technique where you breathe in for the count of 4 and out for a count of 7. Pay attention to your belly and ensure to breathe deeply into it.

*The above image can be shared across all platforms but may not be edited in any way.

Nourishing well wishes,

Angelique

Consult your doctor or health care practitioner for any health problems, before embarking on any new health regimes, using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications or food programmes.

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First thing’s first, the menopause is not a medical condition, even though at times it feels like it, its a natural part of life. As we reach the menopausal years, our hormones ebb and flow even more, and this can leave us with those dreaded symptoms – hot flushes, weight gain, irritability, tearfulness, vaginal dryness, insomnia, night sweats, loss of bone mass, to name a few.

Our bodies need to adapt to the changes, to the new  ebb and flow, and in that we need to find and restore hormonal balance. During the menopause, our sex hormones reduce, and we lose that ability to keep the perfect trio of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone in balance – this can massively affect our wellbeing and cause the symptoms many women have to deal with.

Our hormones need a steady flow of nutrients to be kept in check, western diet can unfortunately let us down especially with all the refined sugary  ‘food like’ products on the market today. Whats the ideal diet? Though there is no one size fits all, we need to keep blood sugars balanced and stable, embrace rainbows of fruit and vegetables, drink plenty of filtered water and have a balance of complex carbs,  lean proteins, and good fats, such as avocado and oily fish, nut, seeds and olive oil. It’s these good fats that help to synthesise hormones, and they can reduce inflammation, too. Take a look at some recipes from my book The Balance Plan for some inspiration. 

On top of this, it’s important to look after you – rest, relaxation, meditation are all key in keeping our hormones in tip-top condition, and in preventing spike of cortisol (the stress hormone), which can lead to extra weight gain and further imbalance hormones.

It’s important to remember that although there are foods that are really beneficial and can help to alleviate symptoms, there is no ‘one food wonder’ that can do it all. Creating a lifestyle that incorporates these foods (and self-care techniques) consistently is how you will benefit and notice the changes in your symptoms the most.

Here are four tips you can start implementing today:

It is important to eliminate certain, inflammatory foods from the diet. After all, we are what we eat! Foods which spike our blood sugars and in turn increase insulin can exacerbate symptoms and lead to weight gain especially around the middle. Excess belly fat in turn leads to excess androgens and oestrogen which can further exacerbate symptoms ; these include pastries, cakes, white bread and white pasta. In fact, I advise steering clear of refined sugar wherever you can.

Certain plants contain phytoestrogens, these are not the same as the oestrogens found in the body but they have beneficial effects and can help to support our bodies during this tricky period. They bind to oestrogen receptors in the body and exert a balancing effect.  There are over 250 plants that have these phytoestrogens in so we are spoilt for choice, these foods include flax and sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, oats and soy (non-gmo organic). Top tip, try adding ground flaxseeds to smoothie, oats, salads and vegetables. Can help alleviate constipation too.

Good fats like omega 3 fatty acid is essential for all health and hormonal balance. Plus it works to reduce inflammation in the body.  Ensure you are getting in enough of this good fat in the form of oily fish, nut & seeds, flaxseeds, olive oil, egg yolk, algae and avocado. Top tip; have a breakfast of eggs, salmon, avocado and spinach with a tablespoon of ground flax sprinkled on top.

Eat your  greens, in this case our broccoli. If you have read of my book The Balance Plan, you will see that broccoli features in my hormone balancing meal plan and recipes – in fact its one of my ‘detox warriors’; foods I have identified as having a positive effect on liver health and hormone balancing and which I recommend you try and eat on a daily bases. Broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse, not only high in vitamin C, K, calcium and folate which are essential for immune, stress, healthy bones & teeth and fertility. But it also high in fibre to help you keep you regular  and Indole-3-carbinol which helps convert excess oestrogen into a safer form to be excreted. In addition it contains glucoraphanin and an enzyme called myrosinase & when you chew they mix together to form sulforaphane which helps with oestrogen detoxification. Top tip, try some broccoli sprouts, they are great in salads and smoothies.

If you are affected particularly badly by the menopause, come and see me in clinic, or you are welcome to join the waiting list for my Hormone Balance School.

Consult your doctor or health care practitioner for any health problems, before embarking on any new health regimes, using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications or food programmes.

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Boy were you wrong! And, when the alarm goes off the next morning, it feels as if someone is hitting you on the head with a hammer, you are unexpectedly nauseous and feeling as though you have just run a marathon- in flip-flops. This is most probably when you vow to never touch another drink…’til the next time, that is!

Unsurprisingly, the dreaded hangover is not a new phenomenon and has been around for many many moons. In fact, tales of its stinging nature can be traced as far back as in the writings of ancient Egypt and Greece.

But, back to modern times, and the festive season sees us enjoying more tipples than usual as social calendars fill up with parties and glittering events. Although I do not advocate excessive drinking, if you are thinking of skipping these glitzy parties just to avoid the dreaded hangover, then we need to talk! Instead of sitting at home twiddling your thumbs as you watch old TV re-runs, there are more natural ways to deal with this self-inflicted pain, which is caused by an increased toxic load on the liver, dehydration, blood sugar imbalance, immune system activation and inflammation and electrolyte imbalance in the body (I know, killjoy!).

I am still not sure if a hangover is caused by alcohol’s direct effects on the body or its aftereffects. Perhaps, it’s more likely a combination of both. However, I will tell you one thing I do know: we are all biochemically individual, and genetics can play a huge role in how ‘poisoned’ you feel the next day.

It’s also worth remembering that the metabolism (breakdown) of alcohol is even more toxic than the alcohol itself. Here, a substance called acetaldehyde is created, which is linked to why you start to vow to never touch another drop again! Although the jury is still out on the exact cause of hangovers, if you feel like someone is hitting you over the head repeatedly after a few glasses of red wine, research points towards an increase in histamines (and plasma serotonin) where red wine is concerned.

And, ladies, it gets worse – there is research that shows a link between alcohol and increased PMS, as well as affecting oestrogen metabolism. Basically, it plays havoc with our hormones.

Now, of course, the easiest way to avoid hangovers is to drink in moderation, to never get drunk, or avoid it altogether. But in case this fails, let’s look at my PDP (pre, during and post) tips to get us through the holidays or any hangover situation.

If you are off to a party, have something to eat before you go. Having something in your belly can slow down the body’s absorption of alcohol, while it also helps to protect against irritation and vomiting. Whatever you do, do not drink on an empty stomach!

This one is your prevention and your ‘cure’! Alternating alcoholic drinks with a glass of pure water is the best way to slow down your drinking and fend off dehydration which can lead to headaches, soreness, and nausea. If you did not manage this golden tip, have a good drink of water afterwards (and first thing the next morning) to avoid a pounding headache. The faster you replenish your fluid loss, the faster you will begin recovering – you are welcome.

If someone asks you to dance, accept and bust out your best moves. If nothing else, at least you will have put your drink down for a few minutes and make some great social media content.

Variety is not the spice of life in terms of hangover woes. To avoid a hangover cocktail of assorted additives, flavouring, sugar and other elements, stick with one type of alcohol, and keep away from shots – no matter how discounted they get.

Avoid carbonated and sugary drinks, which can speed up the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream. Drink clear liquors such as vodka, gin or white rum. Darker alcohols like bourbon, brandy, whiskey or red wine contain higher concentrates of congeners (a substance produced during fermentation), which contributes to hangovers.

The liver is an amazing chemical factory and its job is to process the alcohol as quickly as possible. After a night of drinking, help your liver by having cleansing foods and what I call my ‘detox warriors’ such as beetroot, carrot, leeks, garlic, onions, eggs, broccoli, watercress, ginger and (breath freshening) parsley. Try my superfood green smoothie.

Avoid the classic, greasy post-alcohol meal. Eating heavy foods can irritate your stomach further, and creates more work for your poor liver which is already overloaded. A hot porridge breakfast will fill you up, and the oats or quinoa will help keep your energy up while being rich in B vitamins to nourish your nervous system.
Boil, scramble, poach or fry some eggs which are high in protein (there’s that blood sugar balancing again) and an amino acid called cysteine, which helps breakdown acetaldehyde in the liver to be excreted more effectively. Energy Eggs from my book The Balance Plan would go down a treat here.

Eating fruit such as pineapples, which contain bromelin, cleansing apples which are high in fibre and pectin, or potassium and vitamin C-rich bananas, can help increase energy and replace lost vitamins and nutrients.

In many, drinking alcohol can lower blood sugar which can lead to irritability, fatigue, light headedness and have you reaching for the nearest chocolate bar. Let’s avoid this by following my blood sugar balancing tips here.

Noticed that you need the loo much more while you are on a night out? OK, you are drinking more, but alcohol acts as a diuretic, causing you to lose more fluid than normal. On top of this, hangovers can trigger sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea (not the best morning after look), causing further fluid and electrolyte loss. Drink enough water and get munching on some potassium and magnesium-rich foods like banana, spinach, coconut, avocado, beans, lentils, leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes, nuts and seeds. Kefir, bone broth and coconut water can be helpful, too (not mixed together though) and may even help the dreaded headache.

Feeling ‘unexpectedly’ nauseous? Steep some fresh ginger in freshly-boiled water and drink as a tea. Ginger has antiemetic (anti-nausea) properties so can help calm that sick feeling. Try my Immune Booster Tonic as natural remedy. Fennel and dandelion tea can also help to soothe the stomach and assist your liver, too.

Ensure you get some omega-3 fatty acids in from the likes of nuts, seeds and wild-caught fish, which has anti-inflammatory properties and may even help with that banging headache.

Get some movement! I know, I know the couch is looking mighty comfy right now, but a bit of movement will do you good. Nothing too strenuous – think a long walk in fresh air, or a little yoga. If you are feeling faint, you have a free pass on this one.

Once you are sober again and only suffering the effects of the aftermath, consider a visit to the sauna. Sweating can help the body expel toxins quicker and it will get you breathing a little deeper, too. Again, if you are feeling faint or still drunk, this one is not for you.

So there you have it, my PDP to add to your anti-hangover arsenal along with long-standing member, drink in moderation. Have a look at my website for more recipes to help you nurse the hangover. If you have any tips and tricks of your own, then please do share!

Above all else, remember to drink responsibly. If you suspect someone has alcohol poisoning, then please call emergency services as a matter of urgency! Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include; passing out/ unconsciousness and can’t be awakened, irregular heart rate, slow or irregular breathing, pale skin or a blue-tinged skin, confusion, vomiting, seizures, low body temperature. These are not to be taken lightly and you must get help.

An on that note, have a fun, happy, healthy, and safe festive season.

Angelique

Consult your doctor or health care practitioner for any health problems, before embarking on any new health regimes, using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications or food programmes.

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If I had to say what the thing I am most proud of in my life is, it would definitely be giving birth to my daughter, Isabella. I am honoured to be her mum. You see, three years ago I started thinking it was never going to be possible. Why you ask? Well, I am a girl that knows a thing or two about hormonal upheaval! Not one to do things by half measures, I have PCOS, hypothyroidism, adenomyosis (aka uterine endometriosis) and have unfortunately experienced two miscarriages.

I was able to deal with all the hormonal ‘crazy’ but it was after my first miscarriage in 2014 that I really started to despair. My worst fear became a reality, I had been told that I may never be able to have children in the past and suddenly I thought (extremely rude word) they may be right as the promise of my baby had been ripped away. I am not alone, see this in my clinic as well, hundreds of women who feel that due to having PCOS their dream of birthing a child may never happen and they are destined to ride this hormonal storm day after day. Well, I am here to tell you it doesn’t have to be like this! Trust me I have been there- I know what it’s like to only menstruate a few times a year but have what feels like permanent PMS, I know what it’s like to not be able to shift that tummy fat or struggle to fall  pregnant and unfortunately I know what it’s like to miscarry twice but I also know what it feels like to start correcting these things, that hormonal evolution where your hormones start to balance, yes this is possible. So as this month is PCOS Awareness Month I want to reach out to any PCOS ladies in our health tribe (and please share this with all the PCOS ladies that you know) and say I am here to help, please do not to lose hope. Yes PCOS comes with a host of symptoms and issues but it can be beaten – my beautiful daughter Isabella is a testament to that!

When I was first diagnosed with PCOS I thought I was alone, I was lost and all the information available at the time was all doom and gloom (thanks, Dr. Google!) But I wasn’t alone- it is thought that 10-20% of women have PCOS but many still remain undiagnosed. I list some of the recurring symptoms of PCOS in my book The Balance Plan but think along the lines of missing periods, facial hair, belly fat and subfertility; it is important that if you recognise any of these to go and see your GP for further investigation and work with a registered nutritional therapist to correct the underlying imbalance. You may still need medication (and I don’t mean just taking the Pill to mask your symptoms) but I cannot stress how much of a big difference you can make with the right nourishment and lifestyle choices. In short, in order to start correcting the imbalances but you have to make the change to see the change. What’s my biggest tip when dealing with PCOS? Start balancing those blood sugar levels, have a look at my blog on  Finding blood sugar balance to get started today!

I know that at times the symptoms are all consuming and there feels like there is no way out, but you can get your hormones back into balance. In my PCOS program the aim is to naturally address the imbalances which are known to be associated with PCOS. You can find out more about my PCOS program here.

Therefore symptoms may be alleviated because the underlying cause has been addressed. As a sufferer myself it was of utmost importance to share what worked for me with as many ladies as possible so life becomes one of the possibilities, not restrictions!  It’s such a big subject and this was more about my journey with PCOS as opposed to the science – but I will say one thing, although the label is PCOS we are all biochemically individual and will have different symptoms. If anything my wish is that this has given you some hope, a new thought on how to deal with PCOS and for you to realise you are not alone. Let me know if you have any questions by popping them in the comment box, or using #askangelique on social media, join the tribe and let’s show PCOS who is the boss.

Think of me as your hormone’s best friend – those of you who are familiar with my personal story will know that I walked this path for many years. Want to do more about balancing your hormones? Follow my 28 day plan in my latest book The Balance Plan.

Nourishing well wishes,

Angelique

Consult your doctor or health care practitioner for any health problems, and before embarking on any new health regimes, using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications or food programmes.

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• Grumpy
• Scratchy
• Bitchy
• Bloaty
• Sleepy
• Hungry
• Spotty

Have you ever thought it might be down to your hormones?

Hormonal imbalances are not just for teenagers and menopausal women. Hormones can affect any of us at any stage of life and unfortunately most of the time we are only aware of our hormones when they bring with them a host of not-so-desirable symptoms like PMS, headaches, mood swings, weight gain, spots, bloating, insomnia and sadly the list goes on…
Luckily there is a lot you can do nutritionally to help keep your hormones balanced!

Hormones need a steady stream of nutrients for them to work efficiently, nutrients we need to get from the food we eat. This complex hormonal dance works in synergy and is dependent on internal factors such as the status of other hormones and external factors such as diet and lifestyle.

So let’s start by taking a look at diet. Below are six food tips to start implementing into your diet. Remember, there is no one food (or six) that will balance your hormones and take all your symptoms away! Anyone that tell you that is talking BS, but when we consistently eat a varied diet rich in the nutrients our body needs we start to feel the benefits and we start on the path to hormonal freedom.

There are so many reasons I recommend a variety of green vegetables to my clients, especially cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, turnips and watercress. These powerhouses contain the phytochemical called Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) which has been shown to increase oestrogen metabolism and can help reduce with the dreaded PMS.

Each day, we need to eat an array of fibrous foods to stay regular and keep our blood sugar levels in check. You guessed it, that means eating your vegetables. I keep talking about vegetables because unfortunately, they are totally underrated and missing in most people’s daily diet! Follow the rainbow and aim to get in 5 – 8 portions of veggies a day, if you are not having any at the moment start small and build yourself up.

Seeds like pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds are high in healthy fats as well as magnesium. This superhero Magnesium, often referred to as ‘mother nature’s relaxant’, is vital for calm in this often stressful world and to help keep cortisol in check! In addition having optimal levels of magnesium can help with fatigue, insomnia, constipation and cramps to name a few. Sprinkle them on porridge, salads or add to your smoothies.

Another seed to throw into the mix! Flaxseeds are a rich source of phytoestrogens which can help to regulate levels of oestrogen in the body. They can be extremely helpful in reducing menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes as well as PMS.

The good kind of fat! Eating a variety of foods high in short, medium and long-chain fatty acids is key to keeping your hormones and lucky for us delicious avocados contain the good kind of fat plus the added bonus of fibre and nutrients such as potassium and vitamin E. Include more of these in the diet, versatile and easy.

I thought this one would grab your attention! I have left the best till last but it’s not the milky type of chocolate, only 70% and up or raw chocolate is even better! The cacao bean is full of antioxidants and many hormone friendly minerals like magnesium. But watch the sugar content as some are sky high and that will wreak havoc with your hormones, the darker options often have less sugar.

So there you have it, the first 6 foods to start including. What should you do with these? It’s simple, try including more of these foods into your diet to help bring everything back into balance. Think of me as your hormone’s best friend – those of you who are familiar with my personal story will know that I walked this path for many years. Want to do more about balancing your hormones? Follow my 28 day plan in my latest book The Balance Plan.

Nourishing well wishes,

Angelique

Consult your doctor or health care practitioner for any health problems, and before embarking on any new health regimes, using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications or food programmes.

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However, not to risk sounding like the Grinch, but the festive season can be stressful, especially if you are trying to stay healthy. From family gatherings to catching up with friends and attending Christmas parties, it’s highly likely that you will also be facing the never-ending temptation of countless mince pies, cakes and chocolates, not to mention plenty of festive drinks.

This is where I come in – your festive fairy godmother – to help you with my 12 top tips on staying healthy and enjoying the festive season. You really can do both!

Think of each tip as a gift of self-love that you give to yourself in the run up to Christmas. They’re simple and easy to follow, and almost like a 12-day advent calendar without all the sugar and nasties.

Wondering how this works?

Over the 12 days, I will present you with a simple daily task on our blog post. Give each one a go and if it works for you, keep doing it. I promise they are hassle-free; there’s no diet plan or ‘regime’!

These are just simple, tiny, baby steps which will help get you through the festive season feeling your absolute best! These tips are so wonderfully simple and effective that they even have the potential to become a part of your everyday life – try them and see!

Make it even more fun?

Seeing as it’s the season for giving, why not share the gift of self-love and get your friends and family involved?

Join the rest of our tribe and take part in the festivities on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, remembering to use and watch out for the hashtag, #12DaysOfChristmas!

I’m sure you will love the 12 tips and see just how simple it is to weave these action points into your daily life. Let me know how you get on – you can check in via social or leave a comment below at any stage!

Here’s to a happy and healthy festive season! Now please do share and grab your buddies!

Take a minute. Breathe, meditate, centre your thoughts at the beginning of the day and every time you feel things heading off the rails. The festive season can be a busy and overwhelming time, proceed with a clearer mind and you’re bound to make better decisions.

Sweat it out. Get your blood pumping and set aside some me time. Gift yourself with an hour or even just 30 mins of wonderful physical activity as often as you can. Be it walking, running, swimming, cycling, yoga, pilates or whatever it is you enjoy just be present and focus, a workout truly is a wonderful way of escaping the hustle and bustle and releasing some of those feel good endorphins – and working off that mince pie!

Protein for breakfast. The festive season is the time to indulge, unfortunately, many of us tend to tip the scales and over-indulge. Breakfast sets the tone for the day ahead when it comes to eating. Having a protein rich breakfast will not only get you off to a good start but it will also keep those blood sugar levels stable and keep you feeling fuller for longer – and hopefully save some sugary festive snacks from your ravenous attack.

Keep it 80/20. My 80/20 rule should still be your mantra this holiday season and you can apply it to more than just eating. The festive season is a busy and often demanding time, get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of shopping, organising, wrapping and preparing but remember to set aside 20% of your time to step back and relax. Enjoy it. Let someone else stuff the Turkey.

Hydrate. With full social calendars and drinks flowing freely it is more important than ever to stay hydrated. Enjoy a festive tipple but remember to show your liver some love and alternate each drink with a glass of water, this will also likely reduce the amount you drink over the course of the night which means you might not have to borrow Santa’s suit after all.

Practice the attitude of gratitude. This time of year really has a beautiful way of reminding me of all the wonderful things I have to be grateful for. Take time to be mindful and give thanks for all things in life, better yet write down what you are grateful for and this time next year look back at all of the wonderful blessings that came to you in 2017.

Do a good deed. It is after all the season for good will. Why not buy a loved one some flowers, make a colleague a cuppa or do some charitable giving? Not only is doing a good deed good for the soul but it might just help earn you some brownie points for Santa’s good list!

Bring a dish. Turn up to social events and gatherings armed with a delicious-as-it-is-nutritious sharing treat, such as sweet potato wedges or raw chocolate brownies, and you’ll fool even the most indulgent of taste buds. This way even if everything else on offer is unhealthy you have something yummy to fall back on!

Be mindful. This is the perfect time to practise mindfulness and to be present – after all, it is the most wonderful time of the year, why wouldn’t we want to be present for every precious moment spent with friends and family. Leave the stresses behind and allow yourself to enjoy this time. Eat mindfully, enjoy all the festive season has to offer without going off the rails.

Don’t arrive hungry. It’s so easy to make decisions you will later regret if you arrive to the party with a ravenously hungry beast growling in your tummy. The mince pie you could have indulged in mindfully and really enjoyed turns into ten mince pies scoffed down in one fowl swoop, washed down with some egg nog for good measure. Make sure to eat well throughout the day, have protein with every meal or snack, and if you do feel hungry before a party or festive even t grab a healthy snack to have before you get there.

The good stuff goes on first. Be sure to pile your plates high with lots of veggies and lean, protein-packed Turkey, especially on Christmas day. Indulge in your festive favourites like the odd Yorkshire pudding or some pigs in blankets but remember not to leave too much room on your plate for them and always start with the healthy stuff first.

Enjoy yourself! This is probably the most important tip of all. Relax, laugh, love and enjoy this wonderful time spent with friends and family. Now that you’re armed with my top tips for a healthy festive season, enjoy it to the max and don’t fret about the small stuff – from the AP family to yours, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Nourishing well wishes,

Angelique

Consult your doctor or health care practitioner for any health problems, and before embarking on any new health regimes, using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications or food programmes.

The post The 12 Days Of Christmas appeared first on London Nutritionist - Angelique Panagos, DipION FdSc mBANT CNHC.

Sadly, over the years, carbs have become an almost dirty word to those looking to shape up or lose weight. Due to the popularity of low-carb diets, some carb-heavy foods have been unfairly blacklisted and we’re bombarded with so much misleading advice. Some suggest they’ll cause weight gain others say are only OK to eat if we’ve worked out, is it any wonder that we’re starting to fear our carbs?

The whole “carbs are bad” ethos has left many of us feeling confused, and unsure about whether or not we should be eating them. Are carbs really all that bad for us, and should we be ditching them? Well, I am here to set the record straight.

I am about to tell you something that might come as a shock to you. We need carbohydrates; they are an important part of our daily diet!

When we think about carbs we typically think of sweets doughnuts, bread, bagels, and pasta. Right? Well, actually that is not totally correct. You see, “carbohydrates” incorporates a huge variety of foods. A pizza, a bowl of pasta, sweet potato and broccoli all fall into the “carbs” category, but they are completely different foods.

In actual fact, almost all plant foods fall into the “carbs” category. They are really super foods that are packed full of nutrients, fibre, and the all-important phytochemicals. They are what I refer to as ‘the right carbs’, they are low-glycemic and they don’t spike your blood sugar or insulin. Do have a read of ‘Finding blood sugar balance’ as a reminder of why we want to keep everything in balance.

Before I get back on my soapbox (you all know how I love my soapbox!), I would like to try and arm you all with a little bit of knowledge and good old know-how. So let’s start with this: what exactly are carbs, and why do we need them?

What are carbs?

Stripping it right down to basics, carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrients we’ll find in food – the other two are protein and fat. All three are nutrients our body needs and uses to thrive.

To put them into categories there are refined or simple carbs, often called “bad carbs”, and then you’ve got your complex carbs, the ones many know as “good carbs”. Fortunately, it’s easy to separate the good from the bad so let’s explore these further.

Think of anything white, sweet and fluffy! Simple carbs contain just one or two sugars, and are broken down quickly by the body to be used as energy and can cause a major blood sugar spike, the excess energy is stored as glycogen and anything left over will be converted to fat for later use (queue the dreaded muffin top).

These are heavily refined foods, such a white bread, white rice, white pasta, pizza, croissants cakes and pastries, to name a few, which have been stripped of their nutrients and fibre. The problem is because simple carbs are easy to digest, eating too many can lead to huge spikes in our blood sugar, which isn’t so great for our waistlines or our health.

Luckily we can minimise the health risk of bad carbs by eating fewer refined and processed carbohydrates and I would strongly recommend that you that you do just that.

These are brown and fibrous and are what we call a slow release carbohydrate.

These include delicious foods like brown rice, rye, quinoa, beans and lentils. Added bonus, our beloved veggies are an excellent example of a complex carb! And as you know I am always going on about eating that rainbow.

These precious complex carbs are energy-boosting and they contain three or more sugars (polysaccharides) and take longer for our bodies to break down, so they give us that slow-release energy – the perfect fuel for our modern-day lives!

Whole grains and other complex carbs are also higher in fibre, which keeps our digestive system healthy, gets you pooping and our tummies feel fuller for longer and in turn it helps with hormone balance.

The added bonus? Since they’ve not been refined, they also keep all of their nutrients, so our bodies reap the rewards of all those natural antioxidants, B vitamins and other nutrients.

In fact, complex carbs can actually help us to maintain a healthy body weight, reduce “LDL” (the so-called “bad” cholesterol) and also cut our risk of type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, too.

‘Carbs are bad’ is one myth that I’m keen to debunk because the key to a healthy, happy body is eating a balanced diet (and that means no ditching of entire food groups) and getting moving!

You see, apart from simply tasting delicious, the great thing about complex carbs is how our body uses them. In fact, it doesn’t just use them, it needs them. From giving us the energy to laugh, run, swim, walk and dance around the room, carbs are an essential fuel for life.

The right carbs come from plant foods and provide us with unique benefits like those we mentioned before (high levels of vitamins and minerals, fibre, and plant compounds with called phytochemicals). Phytochemicals are therapeutic molecules such as glucosinolates in broccoli, anthocyanidins in berries, cherries and aubergine and curcumin in turmeric.

Having enough of the right carbs which are high in fibre helps reduce the effect of their sugar content by reducing the blood sugar spike and consequent blood sugar crash which leaves you searching for a chocolate or other quick sugar fixes. That’s the difference between eating a punnet of blueberries and putting 4 teaspoons of sugar in your tea.

The fibre, in turn, feeds the friendly flora in your gut (microbiome) supporting a healthy digestive tract. When you focus on these low-glycaemic plant foods, your weight starts to stabilise, you feel better without the sugar crashes and you reduce your risk for numerous diseases.

This is not a license to eat copious amounts of brown rice and pasta, this is an opportunity to feed our body with the right nutrients it needs to achieve optimal energy.

Eat freely from the right carbs and fill your plate with broccoli, asparagus, spinach, chard, kale, cabbage, bok choy, and more. These are truly an unlimited food!

Eat a wide variety of fibre and phytonutrient-rich legumes and pulses like lentils, broad beans, chickpeas, split peas, edamame , adzuki, and other beans.

Only eat whole grains like brown rice, oats, quinoa and brown pasta but still have these along with your more starchy vegetables in moderation and I like to have mine at breakfast and lunch.

Enjoy one to two pieces of low-glycaemic fruit a day.

Avoid highly processed, factory-manufactured refined simple carbohydrates.

If you want to find out more or get an idea of when you should be eating your carbs (clue: it varies from person to person and depends on your lifestyle), then come and see me of a nutrition consultation, I am always happy to help.
Now, let’s go load our plates…

Nourishing well wishes,

Angelique

Consult your doctor or health care practitioner for any health problems, and before embarking on any new health regimes, using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications or food programmes.

The post The right carb guide appeared first on London Nutritionist - Angelique Panagos, DipION FdSc mBANT CNHC.

I’m thrilled to return to ‘ASK Angelique’, the series that sees your wellness questions answered! We’ve already explored the rules on sugar in baby foods; now we’ll turn our attention to one popular table staple – tomato ketchup.

Here’s our question:

“Could you please give me a recipe for sugar-free ketchup or even a reduced sugar? I have made several home versions now from various websites and sources – my children have not liked these, and I tend to agree with them. I am desperate to move away from the Heinz types of sauces.” – Ashley

I’m delighted you asked, Ashley! Despite the popularity of ketchup and our #sugarfreeevolution, it seems even the organic options contain some form of added sugar. In my research I’ve found raw cane sugar, wheat syrup, glucose syrup, rice syrup…so many different sweetening options.

I’ll save my sweetener by sweetener analysis for another day, yet for now, I’ll say this: every form of sweetener primes our taste buds to demand more sugar. The more that’s in the bottle, the more we’re primed!

And it’s not just the sugar that causes me concern. All too often we find a high salt content and, at the cheapest end of the market, added processed ingredients. Why eat partially reconstituted tomato when you can eat the real thing?

Put simply, I’m with you Ashley! I don’t want to find these ingredients in my ketchup and I’d far rather make my own whenever possible.

You’ll find my favourite sugar-free tomato ketchup here.

I truly hope this recipe pleases your family. I’d love to hear what you think and if there’s anything I can do to give it a tweak for you.

Thanks again for your question, Ashley. Everyone, please feel welcome to add your thoughts and product discoveries in the comments. You can also submit your own ASK Angelique questions below, or send these by Email, Twitter, Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #AskAngelique.

Stay up to date with all the conversation by joining my Health Tribe newsletter list.

Nourishing well wishes,

Angelique

Consult your doctor or health care practitioner for any health problems, and before embarking on any new health regimes, using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications or food programmes.

Dairy free Gluten-Free no added sugar Sugar Free

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Following the popularity of my ‘5 steps to beating the bloat‘, I thought it time to delve a little deeper into the subject; why our GUTs may be unhappy and what we can do about it.

What is the GUT?

We often talking about ‘gut issues’, but do you know where to find yours? Quite simply, it’s the gastrointestinal tract – one long tube that runs from your mouth to your anus.

Modern science shows full body health (and disease!) starts in our guts, and it’s here we naturally experience an array of digestive complaints, including bloating.

What is bloating?

Well, I think anyone who’s ever experienced it knows at least some of the answer to this one! It’s the balloon-like inflation of the abdomen, which may also present with a distention across the abdominal girth – widening anything and everything from your chest to your hips.

As well as coming in many different sizes and shapes, your bloating may appear at different times. Some experience bloating as soon as they wake, while others feel the swell each time they eat, or when they eat particular foods, and for others bloating only comes in the evening.

Not only can bloating be incredibly uncomfortable (talking from first-hand experience here!), many sufferers find it embarrassing; some distressingly so.

Doesn’t bloating just mean we all eat too much?

Well, it’s time we understand the difference between bloating and over-eating! The stomach is an expanding organ, which increases in size on the presence of food and to facilitate digestion.

If we’re over-eating, we’re naturally going to see more expansion, which may prove uncomfortable and may indeed result in a swollen stomach. This is the commonly discussed ‘food baby’!

However, a condition of chronic bloating is far more complex than this!

So, what causes bloating then?

You can likely guess from the array of presenting symptoms, that there are multiple possible causes of bloating. In addition we are all biochemically individual, so there is not a one size fits all answer here (or with anything to do with health!)

Sometimes it seems that every symptom from the mouth to the bum is simply labelled as ‘IBS’ (Irritable bowel syndrome – a condition characterised by pain, bloating and digestive distress, including diarrhoea and/or constipation), however, despite IBS’s prevalence, there are many other triggers which are often overlooked.

Causes of bloating may include:

• Personal stress and anxiety
• Hormonal imbalance
• Changes in gut microbiota (the good guys – our body’s health-promoting, disease-fighting army!)
• Low stomach acid
• Constipation
• Bacterial imbalance (AKA ‘dysbiosis’) or overgrowth
• Food intolerance
• Nutrient malabsorption
• A buildup of intestinal gas
• Fluid retention
• Obesity
• Intestinal obstruction
• Other underlying medical conditions*

This list is by no means exclusive and you can certainly have multiple contributing causes. To this end, to beat your bloat once and for all, it’s vital we identify your personal causes and/or triggers.

How to do this:

Due to the range of possibilities, I’d strongly recommend seeing your doctor as our first port of call and then seeking the support of a registered nutritional therapist *.

One of my most popular clinic services is my 12-week Beat The Bloat Programme. This gets right to the root of your symptoms – identifying your underlying causes and returning your confidence, energy, vitality and reducing that bloat!

Of course, you can also achieve wonders through a regular one-to-one nutritional therapy approach, which often begins with a focus on healing and sealing the gut.

Want some quick tips to get you started?

As we’ve said, we need to identify your triggers. Without doing so, you can test every tip under the sun and you’ll still see that belly swell! However, to get thing started, I’ve got a number of tricks up my nutritionist sleeves…

1. Firstly, here’s another link to my top ‘5 tips to beating the bloat‘.
2. It’s in my 5 tips – but it’s so important I’ll say it again!- you need to avoid refined carbohydrates and sugars. You should also look to avoid caffeine and alcohol, to see if either causes you distress.
3. The tips mention peppermint tea, but you can also experiment with chamomile (great for calming upset tummies) and lemon and ginger (also wonderful for nausea). Either stock up on teabags or make these yourself using fresh mint leaves, loose leaf chamomile flowers and/or chunks of fresh lemon with slices of peeled ginger. Delicious and soothing!
4. If you’re not eating your fill of vegetables (we’re looking for at least 5 portions a day, plus 1 to 2 portions of fruit!), your bloating may be caused by a lack of fibre. As I always say, a poop a day keeps the doctor away! Time to get more vegetables onto that plate. You’ll find many a tantalising veggie-filled dish on my recipe page, and I can’t recommend this fibrous Superfood Detox Green Smoothie enough! On the flip side, some get bloated from too much veggies, if this is you please see your doctor and you can also try and only eat well cooked vegetables to see if that helps.
5. Many of my clients respond especially well to my Bone Broth recipe. The natural gelatin content has been found to support our gut’s mucosal lining, in turn reducing reactivity and boosting our digestion.

*PLEASE NOTE: bloating can be indicative of a more serious underlying medical disorder and you are advised to consult a qualified medical practitioner before making any dietary changes. This is essential advice if you are experiencing any red flag digestive symptoms. The NHS lists these as: “a sudden, persistent change in the pattern of how your bowels work; bleeding from the back passage; increasing heartburn, indigestion or other stomach pain; losing weight unexpectedly, and difficulty swallowing.” Please heed this advice regardless of how many of these symptoms you are experiencing.

Don’t forget, I’m here if you need me! Drop me an email to find out more about my consultations, clinic tests and the 12-week beat the bloat programme. Got a general gut health or bloating question? I’d love to hear this in the comments.

You’re also welcome to get in touch via social media. You can find me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and you can receive extra health and recipe advice via my free fortnightly Health Tribe mailings.

Nourishing well wishes,

Angelique

Consult your doctor or health care practitioner for any health problems, and before embarking on any new health regimes, using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications or food programmes.

The post Beat your bloat once and for all! appeared first on London Nutritionist - Angelique Panagos, DipION FdSc mBANT CNHC.

Welcome to the first of our new series, ASK Angelique! Here’s your chance to ask your most pressing nutrition and wellness questions. I’ll do my best to answer as many as I can here on the blog.

Here’s today’s question, from new Nana, Kelly…

“…my daughter has just started weaning my 6-month-old granddaughter. She is still breastfeeding, wants the best for her daughter, so has been strictly following the advice on which food is suitable. No salt, sugar, no honey (until 12 months old) etc. She has been making her own food but has also bought jars of food for when she is out and to keep at home for convenience. I was surprised when she told me that she was struggling to find baby food in the supermarket, even the organic ones, that didn’t have sugar in them. Even a banana pudding had added sugar. How can that be?! Is this not training the next generation to expect sweet foods right from the off! I remember when my children were small (and I used to study labels for artificial food colourings etc.) I discovered that monosodium glutamate was banned from foods ‘specifically intended for children’ but because crisps weren’t a food ‘specifically intended for children’ they are allowed to put it in. As baby food is aimed at babies how can they be allowed to add sugar? I would have thought that it is against all guidelines to put added sugar in foods that would naturally be sweet.” – Kelly L

Hello Kelly, thank you for your wonderful question and a huge congratulations on becoming a Nana! It brings me real joy to hear you and your daughter are conscious of finding the most nutritious baby and weaning foods.

You’re so right to be concerned. As we know, babies are learning machines and their taste preferences begin to develop in the womb. It’s true that (just as with adults!) adding sugar to foods only primes young tastebuds to expect and crave more; not to mention the damage it can do to milk teeth.

As the NHS says, no baby needs these sugars. It’s true, all parents are advised to avoid sugar and honey alongside a number of other ingredients while weaning. But this is where things get complicated…

The legal bit:

While the use of artificial sweeteners is banned from infant foods, the European Commission’s guidelines allow certain sugars, such as lactose, sucrose, fructose, glucose, glucose syrups and honey, to be added to baby foods – dependent on the product’s composition and purpose and within stated maximum quantities.

If you’re interested in reading the full details, they are publicly available through the Official Journal of the European Union. I warn you, there’s a lot to read! As with all legislation, such directives and regulations are periodically reviewed; 20th July 2016 will see the current ‘PARNUTs’ regulations replaced by the new ‘Foods for Specific Groups’ which has been in transition since 2013.

Let us just hope future amendments will see more of a focus on sugar.

The good news!

In January, MEPs actually vetoed plans to allow Europe’s baby foods to contain even more sugar. Let’s get specific: the plans would have allowed up to 30% of a baby’s daily energy to be derived from sugar, which is up to three times as much sugar as the World Health Organization advises. Plus these products would have been advertised as suitable for babies from 4 months of age!

Thank goodness for the 393 who voted in favour of rejecting these plans (versus the 305 against). The UK’s Green MEP, Keith Taylor, put it so well, “Obesity is the largest health problem that we face in the 21st century, so who would want to give babies a sweet tooth?”.

The vote resulted in an invitation for new regulations and suggested that the ‘maximum sugar level should be substantially lowered in line with WHO recommendations.’

We’ll eagerly await the next instalment! But now let’s cut away from the legal stuff and get to some brand suggestions.

Five sugar-free baby foods!

We all know life is exceptionally busy and tough for new parents, and not everyone is going to have the chance to prepare everything from scratch. Thankfully, there are some great ‘no added sugar’ baby brands on the market. Each of the following can be ordered online:

1. Kiddie Cubes: created by a fellow nutritional therapist, this frozen cube range is inspired by home cooking. You’ll find plenty of organic vegetables and fruits within.
2. Clearspring Organic: the single flavour Organic Fruit Purees from Clearspring are suitable for weaning. Not a hint of added sugar in sight! Remember, it’s the single flavour varieties we’re looking for here.
3. Piccolo Organic: Planet Organic stock this range based on mediterranean ingredients. The Squash, Red Pepper & Chickpea with a hint of rosemary sounds impressive, as does their Spring Green with a hint of mint! There are also fruit-based options. Please be aware, the Cherry & Yoghurt contains whole milk, in case of lactose/dairy intolerance.
4. Holle sell a weaning porridge supplemented with vitamin B1 and suitable for use with milk, dairy-free milk and infant formula.
5. Ulula has a great range of Organic Vegetable and Meat Jars, plus Organic Food Pouches. Their Organic Fruit Jars contain some fruits from concentrate, so I’d read the ingredients and stick to the fruity Food Pouches where possible.

It’s great that your daughter is still making her own baby food alongside. I do encourage new parents to invest in a good blender and some ice cube trays (fantastic baby shower gifts!) as this may prove more nutritious and cost-effective. I also encourage new mums to take all offers of help and welcome dads, friends and family members’ assistance with baby food preparations.

I hope this goes some way to answer your question, Kelly! Everyone, please feel welcome to add to the discussion in the comments. You can also leave your own ASK Angelique question below, or submit this by Email, Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

Keep up with all the latest conversation by joining my Health Tribe newsletter list.

Nourishing well wishes,

Angelique

Consult your doctor or health care practitioner for any health problems, and before embarking on any new health regimes, using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications or food programmes.

The post ASK Angelique: the rules on sugar in baby foods. appeared first on London Nutritionist - Angelique Panagos, DipION FdSc mBANT CNHC.