Food For Thought

For years we’ve been told fat is bad and that we all need to reduce the amount we consume, especially when it comes to saturated and trans fats. However, recent campaigns have switched from demonising fat to making sugar the culprit of weight gain. With so many people weighing in on the topic and an excess of information available, finding out the truth about fat can be a significant challenge. It can be difficult to understand exactly what the causes are for becoming overweight and what the best ways to achieve weight loss are. This week’s Food For Thought is with Wendy Hall who is a Registered Nutritionist and the Nutrition Society’s Theme Leader in Whole Body Metabolism to help us find out if fat really does make us fat. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anxiety is that feeling of unease, worry or fear, and I think most people have experienced how terrifying both the physical and mental symptoms can be. Issues like debilitating headaches, shortness of breath can make even the simplest daily tasks feel like impossible undertakings. Even acute instances of anxiety ― think job or financial stress ― can lead to the same symptoms and feelings. Thankfully, there are ways to treat and manage the issue. This week’s Food For Thought with psychotherapist Anna Mathur explores how we can reframe our anxieties and change the nature of your mental health to be positive. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There remains such huge stigma surrounding women who do certain types of fitness. The belief that the likes of strength training will quickly transform you into an incredibly masculine version of yourself holds back so many from achieving their personal bests. And, in this age of Instagram, where workouts are released every day, it can be all too easy to get side-tracked with ideas that may not actually be right for you. This week’s Food For Thought sees myself and personal trainer, Lucy Mountain who is calling out the deceptions in the fitness and food industry break through some of the biggest stigmas. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you ever feel uncomfortable amongst your peers or colleagues, simply because some topics are left unspoken about and seen unmentionable? Well you’re not alone, there are many other women who feel exactly the same as you do and want to open up the conversation. Stigma and taboos around women’s health remain unescapable. Their effects can have serious consequences - taboos can lead to women not having access to hygiene products, education, feelings of embarrassment as well as possible health risks. This week’s Food For Thought sees, Dr Brooke Vandermolen, whose currently training as a Registrar in Obstetrics and Gynaecology breakdown the many myths in women’s health with me. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s no secret that childbirth is tough, but the reality of what follows is rarely discussed. While no two birth stories are the same, I want to use my story, which is far from what I could have ever imagined to share exactly what happens, empower others with the truth and to encourage opening up around this conversation. In the absence of any education about the process and knowledge, all too many women just aren’t capable of making informed decisions, or even trusting their own bodies, especially when so many things can change and are out of your control. This week’s Food For Thought is a highly personal one, where I explore my own birth story with midwife and author Marie Louise, also know as The Modern Midwife. Please note, this episode contains some graphic childbirth references. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Here are some additional resources that you may also find helpful; NHS, Tommy's and The Modern Midwife.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you happen to be confused about whether calorie counting is effective or not, then you’re definitely not alone. Calories were once the foundation of many diet programmes and even official nutrition advice. Now though calorie counting has fallen by the wayside in the health world, but many individuals are still doing this in the hope they will lose weight. So, should or shouldn't you be counting calories and if you do does it actually contribute towards any weight loss? Whether you’re an avid calorie counter or need further proof of why it’s time to step away from the number crunching, this week’s Food For Thought sees Registered Nutritionist Dr Glenys Jones and I breakdown the truth about calories. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Children need nutritious food every day to grow healthy and strong. Yet feeding them and especially a newborn can be a round-the-clock commitment! While this can be challenging time, it is also a wonderful opportunity to begin forming a close bond with the newest member of the family. Nowadays, nearly everyone has their own opinions on how best to feed their baby and at what time this should be done throughout the day. What can add to even more confusion is the fully stocked supermarket shelves with different formulas and foods, making it hard to know exactly where to begin. This week’s Food For Thought sees Registered Nutritionist, Charlotte Stirling-Reed share exactly what, when and how to feed your baby! For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Changing your diet to eating more plant-based foods, or simply adding in more fruit and veg can be healthy lifestyle choices. But if your dietary choices begin to add to your worries and bring about fear of eating out or certain foods, it can actually be quite dangerous. Being too healthy can actually be unhealthy. Often dieting plans and restrictive eating can be short-lived, which may then lead to emotional eating and unhealthy food choices. Others find their way back to the middle of the road. But for many, this so-called 'healthy' way of eating can become an undesired obsession and, at its most extreme, an eating disorder. This week’s Food For Thought guest sees Dr Nikki Stamp; surgeon and author explore when healthy actually becomes unhealthy. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many of us are familiar with the most common barrier to a regular physical activity routine and the lack of time we set aside for exercising. Work, family obligations and other realities of daily life often get in the way of our best intentions to be more active. Now faced with lockdown, we are restricted more than ever, but this still allows us to exercise once a day outside and nothing is stopping us from doing movement at home. Research suggests that those who successfully maintain an exercise routine learn to shift their focus from distant, external outcomes like losing weight to positive, internal experiences such as mental health. This week’s Food For Thought guest sees presenter and personal trainer, Mathew Lewis-Carter and I explore how you can really learn to fall in love with exercise and enjoy the countless benefits that come along with it! For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As hard as anyone might try, being fully prepared for becoming a mother is a huge task. Combining the demands of running a business with the responsibility of bringing up children is something that I along with many other women face. Increasingly we are seeing women setting themselves higher expectations than ever before to take on everything, with plans to give birth, look after their baby and then immediately go straight back to work. Can this really be possible and what sacrifices are associated with taking on all of these responsibilities. This week’s Food For Thought sees my good friend, Ella Mills, author and founder of Deliciously Ella to discuss the realities of being a modern day working mum! For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.