This can be a tough time of year for lots of us. The weather is getting cold, people are succumbing to colds and flu and to top it all we have the busy Christmas period with an endless list of things to do and buy which tops up stress levels. Here are my top tips to boost your immunity and beat the winter blues. Vitamin D Vitamin D is a vital nutrient for immunity. The best source of vitamin D is sunlight and living in the UK it is likely that most of us are deficient, certai

As some of you will know, I set myself a challenge to cook one recipe a week using my extensive cookbook collection. Tonight I chose a recipe from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall’s Veg book. North African squash and chickpea stew is a lovely warming and filling winter dinner. With around 10 minutes prep time and just over 30 minutes cooking it is a perfect midweek meal and even leaves enough left over for lunch tomorrow-a great way of eating economically. The stew is full of chic

Just about every government in the world has a published set of healthy eating guidelines. In the UK one of the most well-known form is the ‘Eatwell Plate’. This is roughly based on a third each for fruit and veg and starchy foods such as bread and pasta with the remaining third made up of meat and fish, dairy and high fat and sugar food and drinks. While this is basic good advice there are some flaws. For example, although starchy foods are important, they should be limited

I have a confession to make, I am a recipe book addict. It’s impossible to resist a new recipe book, particularly for a food lover. The new dishes and flavours, the beautiful pictures contained inside the pages, recipe books are a feast for all the senses. ‘So what?’ you are probably thinking. Not that surprising considering I’m a Nutritional Therapist who loves food. You would be right, food and recipes are a bit part of my life and my reasons for choosing this career. The p

Stomach acid is a subject that is becoming more widely discussed recently. We have all heard of acid reflux and most people presume, somewhat logically that it is caused by excess stomach acid and while sometimes this is the case, it is often actually low stomach acid. This can be confusing as the symptoms for both are very similar; heartburn sensation, burping, bloating and feeling full even after eating a small amount. Our stomach acid declines with age and is also diminish

For most people, the food whilst on holiday presents exciting and new experiences, alternatives to home and treats that we can eat to our hearts’ content ‘because we’re on holiday’. It can also however, be a minefield of the unknown, struggling to find foods that agrees with you and becoming accustomed to a different diet. This is often the case for allergy sufferers. The classic airline and airport diet is not conducive to those wanting to keep on a relatively healthy track