by Sally | Aug 17, 2017 | Blog
Thyroid problems are one of the most common health issues affecting women. If you’re feeling exhausted all day, struggle to concentrate and remember things, have low mood, constipation, or weak hair, your thyroid may be underfunctioning. The signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism are often mistaken for other conditions such as stress or menopause, so hormone testing is important.
What does the thyroid gland do?
Think of it as being like the accelerator in a car. When it’s underactive, all your body processes slow down, as if you had taken your foot off the gas. Equally, it can go overactive. An overactive thyroid can cause palpitations, restlessness, difficulty maintaining weight, diarrhoea, and anxiety. All the body processes are speeding up – the accelerator is being pressed too hard!
The symptoms of a sick thyroid can be mixed. Some people experience constipation, tiredness and anxiety, while others have no problem losing weight but feel exhausted and struggle to concentrate. Sometimes the gland can go overactive for a short while before crashing and underfunctioning.
Hashimoto’s & Graves Disease
There are different reasons why the thyroid gland becomes sick; one of these is auto-immunity. During auto-immune conditions the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks parts of the body, causing inflammation and damage. If this happens in the thyroid gland it can lead to:
– Hasimoto’s Disease: hypothyroidism (under functioning) caused by auto-immunity
– Graves Disease: hyperthyroidism (over activity) caused by auto-immunity
It’s important to know if your thyroid imbalance is an autoimmune one or not. If it is, you may need to be tested for other auto-immune conditions like Coeliac disease or rheumatoid arthritis. An autoimmune condition is primarily an imbalance with the immune system that happens to be affecting the thyroid – it’s not just a straightforward thyroid issue. A Registered Nutritional Therapist can support you with managing an autoimmune issue. Nutrition and lifestyle medicine can be hugely helpful for these conditions.
What medication is there for hypothyroidism?
The standard medical treatment is Levothyroxine. This is a synthetic version of T4, one of your thyroid hormones. However this is only prescribed if you fall below certain parameters on blood tests. Many people suffer with sub-clinical hypothyroidism where the gland is underfunctioning but not badly enough to be prescribed meds.
Simply taking Levothyroxine is only part of the picture of managing hypothyroidism. Your body converts T4 to T3, the more biologically active thyroid hormone. If this conversion doesn’t work very well, you can still have all the symptoms even though you’re taking medication.
This conversion of T4 to T3 is disrupted by stress, poor diet, and digestive problems.
Simply replacing T4 by taking Levothyroxine is just the first step in managing hypothyroidism. A personalised whole-body approach focusing on:
– Healthy digestion: making sure foods are broken down and digested properly, and bowel movements are regular and comfortable
– Foods to support thyroid function and hormone conversion: Brazil nuts, sea vegetables, dark green leafy vegetables, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, oats, sweet potatoes, avocados, eggs, slow-cooked red meats, naturally gluten-free grains – these are some of the best thyroid supporting foods
– Relaxation & movement: vital for managing stress and supporting T4/T3 conversion
is the most positive way forward for true thyroid balance. Contact a Registered Nutritional Therapist today to find out more!
by Sally | Jul 25, 2017 | Blog
Ever wondered why doctors and nutrition-people (like me!) keep talking about how important it is to ‘eat a rainbow’? (A phrase which is dangerously close to the slogan for Skittles – ‘taste a rainbow’- which will have quite the opposite effect on your health!).
It’s because brightly coloured fruits and vegetables contain an array of natural compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that are all bound up with what colour they are.
So for example, orange and yellow veggies like peppers, carrots, and butternut squash are rich in beta-carotene, an immune-bosting antioxidant compound that’s a member of the carotenoid family, whilst dark bluberries and red grapes contain cyanidin – another protective antioxidant compound.
Including at least 1 food from each colour group everyday means you will be nourishing yourself with a vast range of naturally powerful ingredients, giving your body the support it needs to cope with modern life!
Pick any one of these top 10 practical tips to start increasing the colour, variety and nutrient load of your diet;
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Green powders are helpful if you struggle to get enough greens into your day: mix spirulina, chlorella, barley grass or wheatgrass powder into pesto to boost the antioxidant and protein levels.
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To support blood sugar stability and reduce reliance on refined carbohydrates, swap to higher protein alternatives. Mung bean pasta, lentil pasta, quinoa, or wild rice are good alternatives.
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If you’re dealing with intestinal yeast overgrowth (and this is best confirmed with a stool test rather than trying to guess), think foods before supplements: natural anti-microbials such as garlic, ginger, oregano and marjoram can be added easily to salads, soups, casseroles – even herbal infusions.
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The anti-inflammatory actions of turmeric and cinnamon are well documented; these spices blend well with warmed almond milk to make a simple chai-style beverage.
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Seaweed flakes can be sprinkled into salads, soups or casseroles, and Nori sheets make a good alternative to wheat wraps, instantly increasing the iodine, zinc and magnesium content of your meal – perfect for thyroid support.
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Mixing a tablespoon of olive oil into 25g of butter creates a spreadable butter rich in oleic acid – with none of the negative effects associated with margarine or poorly processed vegetable oils.
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Encourage children to explore different coloured vegetables by using a picture colour chart and negotiating which coloured veggies to try next.
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Nourish your friendly gut bacteria with pre- and probiotic food. Add a tablespoon of sauerkraut to grilled salmon and roasted vegetables; use unfiltered apple cider vinegar in salad dressings with lemon juice and fresh herbs; or mix kefir into a morning smoothie.
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Green vegetables can be problematic for many people, especially supertasters. A basic smoothie made from baby spinach, banana and almond milk is a gentle option to begin with, and is packed with folate, vitamin K, vitamin C, and the antioxidant compound lutein. If you’re managing IBS, add fennel or caraway seeds when steaming brassica greens as this helps to soften the taste and aid digestion, reducing bloating and wind.
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To eat different foods you have to buy different foods. A vegetable or fruit box delivery scheme is a hassle-free way to have new ingredients delivered direct to your door. Many schemes offer inspiring recipe ideas too.
Remember, the idea behind #1 Small Step is to encourage steady change and growth whilst side-stepping overwhelm. So pick 1 new idea to try, and build up those changes gradually!
If you’ve enjoyed this post you might also like;
What Small Step can you take today?
Tweet me at @nutritioninyork or drop me a line via sallyduffin@nutritioninyork.co.uk
A shorter version of this post was originally produced for Nutrition I-Mag (July/August 2017 edition) downloadable HERE
by Sally | Jun 27, 2017 | Blog
Another small step you can take towards improving energy levels and overall health, is to start the day with a nourishing breakfast. Eating within 2 hours of waking means your body doesn’t have to produce extra stress hormones to support your blood sugar levels. When this happens, your energy stores are playing ‘catch up’ for the rest of the day and you are likely to find yourself reaching for sugar and caffeine fixes to keep going.
This recipe-roundup is packed with creative ideas for your first feed of the day.
Some of the recipes are super quick whilst other may take a few more minutes to prepare, and they will all keep you energised till lunch (or ‘dinner’ as we call it here in Yorkshire!)…
Categories are;
P good protein source
Ve vegan (or vegan option)
GF gluten free
DF dairy free
Save time by using leftover cooked sweet potatoes from the day before in this protein and antioxidant packed breakfast. You can swap sprouted seeds for watercress or rocket – and in case you’re wondering, pepitas are pumpkin seeds!
Fluffy Breakfast Quinoa from Food Heaven Made Easy: P GF DF Ve Again, this one involves a bit of pre-prep to save time in the morning. Cook a large serving of quinoa at the start of the week and dip into it for breakfasts and lunchtime salads.
Grab & Go Chia Yoghurt Parfait from 101 Cookbooks: P GF swap to a plant based yoghurt for DF Ve This one really is for the super-quick breakfast people!
Buckwheat Pancakes: GF with options for Ve and DF. Add ground seeds or a protein powder to boost the P content. Perfect for when you have a bit more time to enjoy breakfast; discover this and other warm breakfasts (that aren’t porridge!) over in the Recipe Section
Wild Mushrooms on sourdough toast: from My New Roots: use olive oil to make it Ve & DF, and non-gluten bread for GF 
Regular mushrooms can be used in place of wild ones, and as Sarah says in the post, keeping a packet of dried mushrooms in the store cupboard means you can add them to any mushroom dish for deeper flavours and higher nutrient value. Mushrooms are a fantastic source of fibre, immune-supporting nutrients, and vitamin D.
A warm breakfast packed with protein, fibre and antioxidant plant nutrients from the herbs & spices!
Butternut, Spinach & Sausage Egg Cups: from Real Food Whole Life P GF DF Make these in advance and you have a ready-to-go breakfast option for days and days. They freeze well too. If you prefer a meaty version there’s an option for including good 
quality sausage or bacon.
What’s your go-to breakfast option? I’d love to know! Share on Twitter (I’m @nutritioninyork) or email at sallyduffin@nutritioninyork.co.uk
If you’d like to know more about how we can work together take a look HERE
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by Sally | Jun 14, 2017 | Blog
What do indigestion, bloating, excess wind, heartburn, and weight gain all have in common?
They can all be caused by not chewing food properly!
It’s a simple thing to do, but chewing so often gets neglected in favour of eating quickly due to short lunch breaks, or multitasking with food and a laptop.
Retraining yourself to chew food thoroughly is a vital first step to digestive wellbeing and healthy weight balance.
Let’s look at why…
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The action of chewing tells your brain to send messages to your stomach alerting it to the fact that food is on its way. These nerve signals tell the stomach to start producing the gastric juices that break food down.
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Chewing mixes food with saliva and salivary amylase, an important digestive enzyme that begins the breakdown of carbohydrates. This is why food taste sweeter the longer you chew it: amylase is busy breaking down carbohydrates into simpler sugars.
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Your stomach does not have teeth! If food isn’t chewed in your mouth, it won’t get broken down properly anywhere else. So, you can be eating the perfect diet and still be nutrient deficient, simply because your body can’t access the vitamins and minerals bound up in the food.
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Chewing properly means you eat slower. Remember at school there was always one child who took ages to eat dinner? That was me! Sitting there chewing away whilst my friends were itching to get outside and play! But eating slowly is no bad thing. It allows you to tune into satiety signals, and realise exactly when you have eaten enough rather than ploughing on and finishing your plateful regardless of how you feel or how big the portions were.
Taking the time to chew food is part of the overall practice of eating mindfully. By eating in a calm relaxed manner, savouring each mouthful, you begin to appreciate each food and flavour and receive those all-important hunger and satiety signals.
Try these 5 basic steps to eating mindfully;
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As you sit down to eat, take 5 slow deep breaths. This relaxes your nervous system, preparing you to ‘rest and digest’ (parasympathetic dominance), rather than trying to eat whilst in the stressed out ‘fight or flight’ response (sympathetic dominance). When stressed, the body down regulates digestive functions producing less stomach acid and digestive enzymes – pretty much guaranteeing that you’ll end up with indigestion and bloating!
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Chew. Exactly how many times you chew each mouthful will depend on what you’re eating: yoghurt needs less chewing than steak for example. And yes, you do need to chew yoghurt and other soft foods like smoothies and mashed potato – otherwise, how will your stomach know that it’s on its way? If it helps, put your knife and fork down whilst you chew, and don’t prepare the next mouthful until you’ve swallowed what you’re chewing.
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Savour the flavours. Really appreciate how each food tastes and feels in your mouth.
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Once you’ve finished eating, sit still for 3-5mins to allow food to pass comfortably down to your stomach.
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Wait for at least 10mins before deciding whether you want dessert or not. It takes roughly 15-20mins from the start of eating for your brain to register the actions of satiety hormones like leptin. These hormones work in a complex way, registering how stretched your stomach is, and how much fat you have stored in your body overall. They tell your brain when you are full, but if this message is ignored you eventually become resistant to their signals.
Eating mindfully does involve changing habits, and this can take time. It’s not always easy to do, especially if you’re juggling your own meal with feeding a couple of cranky toddlers! It really is worth persisting though, as no amount of supplements or nutrition guidelines can replace the benefits of good chewing.
If you’d like the benefits of mindfulness to spread beyond the kitchen table, and support other areas of your life, say hello to Joanne Bull at CalmWorks. Joe offers a 
range of mindfulness training options designed to build your inner calm and resilience to ongoing stress.
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Need nutritional support for dealing with ongoing stress? See HERE for options of how we can work together.
by Sally | Apr 12, 2017 | Blog
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is one of the most common conditions clients come to see me for, seeking relief from symptoms such as constipation, pain, diarrhoea, wind, bloating and headaches.
Stress is one of the main triggers for IBS, and this was certainly a factor with the client in this case study.
Let’s call her Jenny (not her real name). Jenny originally began working with my colleague Tiziana Bertinotti at York Traditional Acupuncture, and Tiziana recommended she also see me for nutritional support.
Tiziana and I frequently work together with the same client as the combined power of nutrition + Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture (the real deal, not just dry needling techniques) brings huge transformative effects to people’s lives.
Jenny was 23 years old and had been suffering with IBS symptoms of constipation, tiredness, pain, wind and abdominal discomfort for 8 years. Her symptoms began just after her parents divorced when she was 15 – she also had a bad viral infection at this time too, so there was a combination of physical and emotional triggers.
Jenny had taken an ELISA food intolerance test in her teens and cut some foods out of her diet already which had brought temporary, but not lasting, relief.
She admitted ‘holding on’ to stress in her stomach and was not finding enough time for relaxation. Due to low energy levels she had stopped exercising as much too: this is a real catch-22 situation as exercise can improve both energy levels and IBS symptoms.
The Acupuncture Approach
Tiziana’s approach was multi-faceted and focused primarily on calming Jenny’s mind and sympathetic nervous system (the ‘fight or flight’ response) whilst improving the flow of energy through her digestive system and liver. She used combination of body and ear acupuncture, with moxa for extra warmth and stimulation.
The Nutrition Approach
My approach was based on the ‘4 R’ technique;
– Remove aggravating foods
– Replace with suitable nourishing alternatives
– Reinoculate: support the balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut, and the entire digestive process from mouth to anus
– Repair: deal with inflammation and increased permeability in the digestive tract
Jenny was keen to undertake another food intolerance test, and this revealed multiple reactions. Rather than removing all these foods, we focused on a handful of strongly reactive foods whilst working on supporting healing and repair in her digestive system. Multiple food reactions are indicative of increased gut permeability which allows partially digested food particles to stimulate the immune system. The foods are not really the problem: the poor gut integrity is, hence focusing on healing and repair.
Her diet included plenty of warming, cooked foods that are easy to digest and supply the necessary nutrients for digestive comfort and energy production;
– Magnesium from green veggies, nuts and buckwheat
– B-vitamins from suitable grains, nuts, slow-cooked meats and vegetables
– Essential fats from nuts, seeds, flaxseed oils and oily fish
– Zinc from pumpkin seeds, meats and fish
– Vitamin A from beta carotene rich vegetables and egg yolks
Supplements
Jenny had been taking several supplements and we identified some of the reactive foods as ingredients in these. I replaced them with just 2 products to begin with: a multi-strain broad spectrum probiotic formula and a blend of digestive herbs including ginger, fennel, cardamom, papaya, peppermint and clove for their anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory and carminative properties.
And the result?
At her final 3 month Follow On session Jenny happily reported having consistent improvements to all of her symptoms. She was sleeping better, exercising regularly, free from constipation, wind, and pain, and was enjoying relaxation time.
In her own words…
“After many years of discomfort I can now enjoy life to the full!”
which is what you want when you’re 23 years old!
Tiziana and I wrote up Jenny’s case for the Complementary & Alternative health Magazine (now called Integrative Healthcare and Applied Nutrition) and you can see the article here;
If you would like to be free from IBS like Jenny, take a look at the Nutrition Plan page to see how we can work together or call or email me to arrange your no-obligation 15min chat and discover how nutritional therapy may be just what you’re looking for!
Call: 07910 705272
Email: sallyduffin@nutritioninyork.co.uk
