Linda and Katie are mother and daughter and they both wanted to increase their energy, lose weight and feel great. They signed up for the Nutritio 14-Day detox in a box package. Linda is a busy grandmother and Katie a mother of two running a small business.

Their testimonial on the 14-day detox

Linda: I have completed my second 14 day cycle of the detox plan and will now move onto the maintenance
phase. I am very pleased with the detox plan and feel it has put me on the right path to continue to eat properly . My skin is now much better. Overall I have lost 8 lbs and approximately 3 inches on each measurement. I have enjoyed the juices and smoothies and learnt a lot about how to combine different foods to produce a nutrious meal.

Katie: As you know I have been really thrilled with the results achieved by the detox.

Thanks again for helping Mum and I to do it.

If you want to know more about how the 14-day detox can help you please get in touch.

You should find that your energy levels start to return to normal and for some people they feel even more energetic than they did before pregnancy. I found that by week 19 I was feeling a lot better. Your bump should start to expand now and you may find that certain days you feel hungrier as your baby goes through a growth spurt, so just listen to your body and eat what you need within reason! For most people any nausea should now have subsided, I found that by week 19 it had gone and I could enjoy my evenings again.

Nutrition during pregnancy: The Second Trimester

The second trimester of pregnancy should be the best of all, your bump is showing, your energy is up and your appetite may have returned to normal. Despite all the growth you don’t need to eat for two at this stage and if you want to avoid excessive weight gain then really try to listen to your body and stick to 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. During this trimester there are some common side effects which can be alleviated through nutrition such as anaemia,heartburn and constipation. If your Doctor or Midwife tells you that your iron levels are low you may want to consider trying Spatone which is a natural iron supplement which has great absorption and does not cause constipation. From personal experience I found Spatone really helped increase my energy levels. If you want to check your diet try this online quiz that I produced with Nelsons Natural care.

Top tips for good nutrition during the second trimester:

1. Calcium and Magnesium are needed to form strong bones and teeth as well as nerve and muscle function so include almonds, sardines, sesame seeds, dark green vegetables and cheese in your diet.
2. Vitamin D levels have been found to be very important during pregnancy to help prevent post natal depression and improve calcium absorption. I usually recommend that my clients take a supplement during pregnancy.
3. Treat yourself to a bedtime hot cocoa, make it with skimmed organic milk and cocoa. It will fill you up, relax you and boost your calcium levels.
4. Stay hydrated, during pregnancy you need even more water than usual so keep track of how much you are drinking and aim for 2 litres a day. I find having a bottle really helps keep on top of it and I really like Bobble bottles which filter water as you drink and do not leach chemicals into the water from the plastic.
5. Continue taking your folic acid or ideally a pregnancy multi throughout the rest of your pregnancy. Folate helps with hormones, energy and development of your baby’s nervous system.
6. Snack, morning and afternoon to keep blood sugar levels balanced which will allow you to maintain more constant energy levels. Make sure each snack has a good protein source such as nuts, seeds or hummus.
7. If you get heartburn try to reduce your portion sizes, avoid drinking at meal times, avoid spicy foods and add an extra pillow at night.
8. Include whole grains such as rye, brown rice and oatcakes in your daily diet instead of white bread and white pasta. This will help you avoid energy slumps.
9. Boost energy with a super salad of sprouted seeds, pulses plus your choice of fresh brightly coloured vegetables andy a source of protein.
10. Relax and de-stress, pregnant is a time to put your needs first because this will help your baby. Do a bit less and take time each day to just breath deeply, to stretch and relax. You may want to try pre natal yoga, mediation or even a soak in a warm bath will help.

Foods to avoid: raw fish, under cooked meat, blue or rinded cheese, soft eggs, some ice-creams if made with raw eggs. 

Other suggestions that may you feel your best during pregnancy:

Exercise is generally recommended, especially if you already did it pre pregnancy. During the second trimester you should have more energy so exercise will be more appealing. By improving muscle tone in your back and legs it will make you more comfortable as you get bigger. It is best to get advice on what to do from a trainer a the gym who knows how to adapt exercises for pregnancy. I found that working with a personal trainer helped me feel more confident on exercise and made me much more aware of my posture. If you are fit then labour will be easier and your energy levels will be higher.

Sleep might have become more disturbed and laying on the left hand side can get uncomfortable. I am using a pregnancy pillow which has made me much more comfortable and it stops you rolling onto your back. If you are waking to go to the toilet this may be inevitable but you can help reduce the number of trips but not drinking too much in the hour or two before bed and ensuring that you empty your bladder before you go to sleep. My tip would be go twice before bed and tip forward as you bladder may be at a new angle to make room for the baby!

Pregnancy Nutrition packages

Nutritio offers pregnancy packages that give you one appointment per trimester allowing you to adapt your diet for your baby’s changing needs as it grows. In between appointments you can use our email service to ask any questions that come up to help ensure that you feel reassured at every stage. For more information read our pregnancy content.

The first two things I noticed were hunger and tiredness.  By week 5 I had started to feel nauseous, sometimes it lasted all day and then it started to move toward the afternoon and evening.  The one thing that seemed to help was constant eating, trying to avoid an empty stomach.  The first craving was salt and vinegar crisps, the savoury tangy taste took the nausea away.  By the end of week 6 the nausea was mainly in the evening and the only solution was to go to bed early. After trying all sorts of food solutions I did try taking a B6 supplement really helped reduce the nausea. However much I slept I was still tired and I just had to adjust accordingly and do less!  One thing to watch, cravings definitely change so don’t get into a habit of having crisps everyday! Really listen to your body each day and have whatever you fancy in moderation. You are not eating for two and really only need another 200 calories a day at this stage.

Nutrition during Pregnancy: The first Trimester

During the first trimester your baby goes through some of it’s most dramatic developments so it is important that the majority of your diet is as healthy as possible, You need a multitude of essential nutrients for your growing baby including: zinc, Vitamin C, essential fats and protein. The spinal cord and nervous system are laid down during this time so increasing your oily fish intake will be helpful. However, many people do feel nausea during this time and the healthy foods are not always the ones you fancy eating. For me I know that this was the case and despite knowing what I should eat sometimes that was just not possible. You can, however, be assured that your growing baby will take priority so any good nutrients that you do consume will go to baby first.

Top tips for good nutrition during the first trimester:

1. Warm filling food at lunch can help reduce afternoon nausea
2. A daily juice can boost essential nutrients helping protect your immune system. Try a combination of apple, carrot and ginger. The ginger may help any morning sickness
3. Ginger oat cakes make a good snack
4. Try to always eat breakfast, avoiding having an empty stomach will help with any sickness. Just have what you fancy, I found that wholemeal bagels with marmite where just what I needed!
5. Always carry water with you, especially if it is hot or you are travelling
6. Cut the coffee and alcohol, neither are good for baby and hopefully you will just go off the flavours!
7. Supplements are very important especially during this trimester. Folic acid is recommended by all healthcare professionals before conception and during the first trimester. Additionally I normally recommend the following: Pregnancy Multi, Fish oil, Vitamin C and Probiotics. You should always consult your GP or a qualified Nutritionist before you start taking any supplements.
8. If you are feeling sick try sipping some natural sparkling water with a slice of lemon, it is refreshing and I found it really helped. 

Foods to avoid: raw fish, under cooked meat, blue or rinded cheese, soft eggs, some ice-creams if made with raw eggs. 

Other suggestions that may you feel your best during pregnancy:

Exercise is generally recommended, especially if you already did it pre pregnancy. During the first trimester most exercise has some caution with it that will depend on how you are feeling as an individual. Personally I felt a bit nervous and wasn’t sure whether it was helping me or making me tireder. The advice i was given was that if you are used to doing something it is ok to continue as long as you follow some rules and listen to your body. Also always tell the instructor that you are pregnant. Being fit and strong during pregnancy and then for labour will help you. You may find that you can increase your exercise during the second trimester.

Sleep is really important so try to get as much as you can and the best position is on the left hand side because of increased blood flow and pressure on heart. I will talk more about sleep in my second and third trimester blog posts.

Pregnancy Nutrition packages

Nutritio offers pregnancy packages that give you one appointment per trimester allowing you to adapt your diet for your baby’s changing needs as it grows. In between appointments you can use our email service to ask any questions that come up to help ensure that you feel reassured at every stage. For more information read our pregnancy content.

During the festive season our good diets tend to go out the window and be replaced by over indulgence in food and alcohol leaving us feeling bloated, sluggish and slightly heavier. To avoid these symptoms but still have fun and enjoy some treats you just need to get the balance right.

Follow Nutritio’s top tips for avoiding bloating, lethargy and too much weight gain this Christmas:

1. Get the balance right on your Christmas dinner plate: Turkey is a low fat and highly nutritious option, it boosts our mood because it contains Tryptophan so it is a great choice meat. Potatoes will fill you up and increase gas so limit the number you have on your plate and choose bigger ones because they will have absorbed less fat than small ones. Pile your plate with plenty of green, purple or orange vegetables. Overall 3/4 of your meal should be made up of Turkey and vegetables and the remainder can be roast potatoes and sauces.
2. Avoid fizzy drinks, they will bloat you and make it harder to digest your meal. Try to have one glass of water for every glass of alcohol and avoid drinking too much whilst you are eating your main meal.
3. Have a good breakfast to avoid pre Christmas lunch snacking on nuts, crisps and dips! Poached egg and smoked salmon with wholemeal toast is a great option.
4. In the days before and after Christmas day include salmon and lots of green vegetables in your diet to help your body break down toxins.
5. Taking a digestive enzyme before big meals can help make digestion more comfortable.
6. If you want to snack whilst watching films and all the Christmas TV then try making some homemade popcorn, it is easy to do and a lower fat option than crisps. Experiment with different flavours, my favourite is parmesan and avocado, just stir the ingredients in to the fresh hot popcorn and enjoy! For something sweeter try cinnamon and agave syrup.
7. On the days off between big family meals and friends get togethers opt for light meals and try and avoid alcohol, this will leave you feeling lighter and less guilty about indulging on the other days!

New year detox programme

If after all this you still gain and few pounds and energy levels are low then try the Nutritio 14-day detox, it will have you feeling healthy, brighter and lighter and fitting into your favourite jeans. For all our blog readers we are offering a special 15% discount off the Nutritio premium detox box between December 30th 2011 and January 6th 2012, just add ‘New year’ to the promo box at check out.

Living stressful and busy lives can lead to good nutrition becoming a low priority and overtime this will take its toll on your health and wellbeing. Working long hours both in the office and at home can mean that taking time to choose and cook good food is a rarity. Stress causes our body to use up certain nutrients at a greater rate and if they are not replaced overtime you will start to see the effects on your body and mind. In order for our body to remove toxins and waste efficiently it requires many essential nutrients such as antioxidants, protein, B vitamins and essential fats. If your digestive system has become sluggish and inefficient then you will be holding on to toxins for longer than you should. Ideally everyone should have a daily bowel movement that is formed and solid, urine should be clear and frequent and you should sweat during exercise at least 3 times per week; this is how your body removes the toxins that it has broken down in the Liver.

What should I look for in a detox programme

There are so many different options available on the market from at home cleanses to residential stays all lasting from 1 day to 2 weeks or more. Some detox programmes can be very depleting because they restrict the diet so much that the body is unable to actually perform detox processes efficiently so the results might not be as good as you hoped for. Whilst some extreme detox plans might induce fast weight loss it is unlikely to be permanent. If you want to do an unsupervised detox at home make sure that you purchase a programme that has been professionally designed by a Nutritionist or Nutritional Therapist. Food can be a powerful medicine for the body and used in the right combination it can give you optimal health. Supplements can be a very useful additional to a food based detox plan because they can support the body by boosting essential nutrients involved in the detox process whilst also improving digestion and absorption of nutrients from the diet. Look for programmes that have the potential to deliver long term and lasting changes to your health. If something looks too good to be true then it probably is. Detox programmes are generally unsuitable for anyone who is ill, pregnant or under 18. If you are on any medication you should always check with your GP before embarking on any detox programme.

What does the Nutritio 14-day detox offer

The Nutritio 14-day plan is designed to produce quick and lasting results. During the programme you will begin to revise your approach to eating in a way that will stay with you for long after the intial two week period. It has been designed to adjust your metabolism to burn fat and balance blood sugar bringing you greater energy and a leaner body. It will improve digestive health, boost essential nutrients, support the liver and reduce cravings. The 14-day plan is manageable and effective, it means that you are not on an endless diet that deprives you of your favourite foods and makes it difficult to eat anywhere but home. Nutritionist Joanna Lyall has designed this plan with the knowledge that in order to lose weight and change shape permanently you must balance hormones and blood sugar whilst supporting and nourishing the digestive system. The Nutritio 14-day plan is not a quick fix diet, it is an educational and inspiring experience that will change your attitude to food and give you the body and energy that you desire. Find out more about the options for trying the Nutritio 14-day Detox

Nutritio works with individual clients to design bespoke nutritional programmes to address specific needs.  Each programme will vary but will be built on the same basic principles of analysing diet, personal history and lifestyle .  In your first consultation, Joanna Lyall, our therapist, will take you through a detailed health and medical history.  She will ask you questions about your goals, previous illness, digestion, hormones, immunity, sleep, stress, lifestyle and current diet.  After listening to you she will then design a plan to help address any deficiencies and to help you achieve your goals.  The plan is broken down into diet, supplements, lifestyle and then any further testing recommendations.

Building a nutrition plan

The diet plan is designed to help you achieve fast results and also long term change.  At Nutritio we don’t focus on ‘diets’ or ‘fads’, instead we look to educate all our clients on a new approach to food that leaves them empowered to make the right diet choices in the long term.  In most cases the diet plan will consist of three meals a day with two snacks.  Joanna will often recommend the principles of a low GI diet which means the body is more able to achieve balanced energy because blood sugar is more even throughout the day.  She will look to assess if your current intake of key nutrients such as protein, essential fats, antioxidants and fibre can be improved.

The supplement plan is there to help deliver results faster and achieve improvements that diet alone would struggle to meet.  Depending on the condition or state of health the length of time required to stay on the supplement programme will vary but in all cases we look to see some improvement in the first 4 weeks.  Joanna will ideally want to review your progress after a month and then at regular intervals until you meet your goals.  In our experience the results that the right supplement programme can achieve is remarkable and for most clients the speed of change is very motivating.  Joanna will always recommend professional brands that have been tried and tested, they may be more expensive than some own brands you find in high street stores but the quality and effects justify the investment.  Joanna will only recommend those supplements she sees as essential for your progress.

Lifestyle, as a naturopathic nutritionist Joanna is trained to consider the whole picture when working with her clients and will often make recommendations on changes that you make to help meet you health goals.  For example she may discuss exercise, stress management, emotional health and sleep.  Sometimes it is these factors that stop a client from making fast progress.  There is only so much diet and supplements can achieve if your lifestyle is a major factor in your state of health.  Joanna does refer some of her clients for further diagnostic testing, this could be to test many things such adrenal health, stools, nutrition status and intolerance’s.  Diagnostic testing allows Joanna to understand more about your health so that she can give you an even more bespoke recommendation that often solves your health issues faster.

Building an ongoing relationship

In between appointments Joanna will support her clients via email to address any questions or concerns that arise.  Typically she will see her clients three-four times over the course of five months.  Sometimes this is longer if she is working with pregnancy or a long term condition.  Many clients come back after a year or two for a health MOT and general check that their diet is still optimal for them.  Nutrition is a tool for life so even if you are feeling well why not have a check up to see if you can feel even better.

Sophie came to Nutritio to see how changing her diet could help improve the symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis.  Her health had deteriorated after years of Crohns and 12 months of IC.  Her immune system and energy were low.  She had tried many restrictive diets that had reduced her variety of foods so much that she wasn’t getting the essential nutrients she needed to get better.

Sophie’s testimonial on working with Nutritio

I have been diagnosed with Crohns and Interstitial Cystitis in the last 7 years and turned to Jo after a particularly difficult 12 months. My immune system was very weak and I felt poorly on a daily basis. Whilst I often turn to natural approaches for my health that run alongside my medication I have to be very careful not to take anything that can have an adverse reaction to. Jo not only put together a program that boost my immune system, made me feel 80-90% better within 3-4 months but she really worked around the sensitivities of my body & didn’t make me feel stupid for being nervous or asking a million questions. She was definitely there for me, which, I believe is very important from your practitioner. I couldn’t recommend her enough! thanks Sophie

How Nutritio built a Nutritional Therapy plan for Sophie

Nutritio designed a programme for Sophie that focused on reducing inflammation, nourishing her kidneys and bladder and balancing bacteria levels. After a series of tests we identified some key bacteria that may have been contributing to her condition and with a targeted supplement plan we were able to bring her gut bacteria towards a more optimum level. With Sophie’s history of Crohns her diet had become very limited and she was sensitive to many different foods. We introduced new foods slowly and focused on increasing protein levels to improver her energy and ability to heal. People with IC tend to have a very acidic internal environment and we have been working with green foods and Spirulina to alkalise her system. Within a few months Sophie reported increased energy, ability to exercise without pain and was able to enjoy a broader range of foods than she has for a long time.

Work stress is an enormous problem accounting for more health care claims than any other illness and can affect wellbeing and quality of life.  A simple B vitamin supplement may be part of the solution. When I work with clients coping with stress I often turn to B Vitamins to help them cope better. This is because when the body is dealing with stress it burns up b vitamins more quickly which can then leave you feeling low in energy and mood.

B vitamins have been shown to improve general mood and wellbeing and may improve performance under stress. A recent study shows that a high dose B vitamin supplement could improve mood and psychological strain associated with chronic work stress, 60 men and women took a high potency B vitamin for 12 weeks. At the end of the study assessments of personality, work demands, mood, anxiety and strain revealed that the B vitamin supplement significantly reduced personal strain, confusion and depressed or dejected mood. There were however no changes in other measures of mood and anxiety.

Reference:

Stough C, Scholey A, Lloyd J, Spong J, Myers S, Downey LA. The effect of 90 day administration of a high dose vitamin B-complex on work stress. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2011 Sep 8. doi: 10.1002/hup.1229. [Epub ahead of print]

Nutritio does sometimes recommend vitamin D3 taken as a supplement so some of our clients.

Here are some autumnal foods for your shopping list: Almonds, Apples, Butternut Squash, Carrots, Dates, Pears, Sweet Potato and Pumpkins.  Take time to look around your supermarket and see what is new each month.  Keeping a varied intake of seasonal fruit and vegetables will help you achieve optimal health.