Are you feeling out of sorts, drained of energy, stuck in a rut, suffering with headaches or digestive grumbles and don’t know how to feel better? Are you also feeling confused and overwhelmed about all the different options?

Believe me, I get it. I can relate to this both through personal experience of fatigue and IBS, and also through my years of experience as a kinesiologist and nutritionist. Clients come to me all the time trying out the latest thing or with bags full of nutritional supplements but not sure what’s actually working.

THINGS CAN BE BETTER! Imagine waking up every day with your energy tank restored, knowing your body is being fuelled correctly with the correct balance of vitamins and minerals to help you cope with your busy life.

I want to help you feel better LONG TERM. I am not offering you a quick fix but a simple, easy plan to start following with an initial 30 days. You will see the results both mental and physical.

We are looking at educating you, building healthier daily eating habits, understanding your body and what it’s trying to tell you.

 

This simple reset in 30 days can improve so many areas of your health:

  • Increased energy and vitality
  • A happier gut and a digestive system working better
  • Radiant skin
  • Improved quality sleep
  • A better understanding of using food as healthy fuel
  • Many people also experience weight loss

 

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

I have completed this programme twice now, once because I was feeling out of sorts and a bit sluggish and overweight, and the second time because my body and hormones had been messed around by IVF drugs. Many of my clients have also enjoyed this programme, Sandra shared this with me:

“It was so simple to follow and I can’t belive how much more energised I felt. I also lost some of the weight which had been bothering me!”

 

The 30 day programme (full name “30 Days To Healthy Living”) is an amazing programme to help you kick start your health journey. You will received daily recipes, knowledge and inspiration to keep you on track alongside meal plans and digestion boosting products.

Our 30 day kit supports balanced nutrition with:

  • Plant based protein for smoothies
  • Fibre boost
  • Herbal tea
  • Energy fizzy sticks (caffeine free energy boosts with B vitamins, ginseng and guarana)
  • Digestion enzymes for healthy gut (enzymes & probiotics)
  • Body cleanse (detox support for the liver)
  • Plus you have access to me all the time (well except when I’m sleeping!) to ask advice.

 

The next group starts on Mon 3rd Feb and new groups start every other Monday (although you can join at any time).

This week is prep-week so you will be guided to order you customised 30DTHL pack this week and start checking in with me about how to prepare and stock your fridge.

There is an online Facebook page packed full of info which I’m happy for you to have a look around before joining, just ask me and I’ll add you so you can check it out.

 

SAVE MONEY

RRP £384 but Preferred Client rate £230. This PC rate is available via an annual registration fee (usually £25 but reduced to just £10 in January) so 100% worth joining in January to save an additional £150!

 

Want to know more or have any questions? Just email me and we can chat further.

 

 

IBS & FODMAP….aka embarrassing toilet and tummy situations!

IBS digestive symptoms can vary widely, including stomach pain, bloating, reflux, flatulence and bowel urgency. Having suffered with this on and off for decades I can really relate to the pain and embarrassment this causes. I have been working hard to get this under control and wanted to share some of my top insights below.

Annie W asked a question on my Facebook page this week: “I’m conscious that many of the top high fibre foods are not allowed on the fodmap diet. Are you aware of which ones allowed on the low fodmap diet can help with digestion?”  I’ll answer this below but first a quick overview…

Why is digestion so important?

Digestion is one of the most important aspect of our bodily functions, without it we do not have the fuel we require to properly function. Absorption is the key and without the correct stomach and small intestine environment the body will struggle to break our foods down adequately enough to absorb the nutrition.

The health of the entire body depends on absorbing vital nutrients, producing digestive enzymes and having the correct balance of beneficial gut bacteria.

Whatever affects the digestive system will also affect the immune system, the nervous system and the hormonal balance throughout the entire body.

 

What does FODMAP mean?

The FODMAP diet is something people often turn to with IBS to help avoid commonly known trigger foods.

The premise from Australian nutritionists is related to avoiding fermentable foods, essentially those that produce excess gas and wind.

FODMAPs are types of carbohydrates found in certain foods, including wheat and beans. Studies have shown strong links between FODMAPs and digestive symptoms like gas, bloating, stomach pain, diarrhoea and constipation. Low-FODMAP diets can provide remarkable benefits for many people with common digestive disorders

The main dietary sources of the four groups of FODMAPs include:

  • Oligosaccharides: Wheat, rye, legumes and various fruits and vegetables, such as garlic and onions.
  • Disaccharides: Milk, yogurt and soft cheese. Lactose is the main carb.
  • Monosaccharides: Various fruit including figs and mangoes, and sweeteners such as honey and agave nectar. Fructose is the main carb.
  • Polyols: Certain fruits and vegetables including blackberries and lychee, as well as some low-calorie sweeteners like those in sugar-free gum.

How can I still eat fibre without getting IBS symptoms?

Fibre can be tricky for IBS as although a healthy digestion aid, for some it can slow the digestive process down and lead to constipation. Check your source of fibre and ensure you are adequately hydrated.

 

What foods can help or hinder?

Increase rotation of menu selection and avoid repetition. Many people eat the same breakfast every day which can create a ‘backed up’ effect in the body and impair digestion and absorption. I like to think I allow any potential inflammatory levels to reduce by giving my body

Not sure how to do this? Pick your favourite 3 breakfasts and rotate these throughout the week. My favourites include overnight chia oats, almond pancakes, home made granola and poached eggs on Biona bread.

 

ANNIE’S QUESTION: What foods on the FODMAP diet can aid digestion?

Firstly we need to understand the main triggers (NB this is an overview, everyone’s gut is different).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wish I had know that…:

  • Quinoa, buckwheat & millet flakes – either separately or together make the most delicious porridge packed full of antioxidants.
  • A sweet potato with skin on is more quickly broken down than a white potato
  • Beans and lentils are a tricky category. Chickpeas are hard to digest with IBS but try to find alternatives within the pulses. Puy lentils for example can often be tolerated.
  • Chewing gum is a big no no – as it triggers enzyme reactions to raises stomach acid which is then left with nothing to do except produce more gas and acid reflux.
  • Keeping hydrated is essential to helping your food move through the bowels and out the other end!
  • Eating little and often gives your digestion more chance to work efficiently and absorb your food
  • Flaxseed and psyllium husk are often hailed as saviours as they quite rightly bind your food together and help process through the gut, HOWEVER you MUST STAY WELL HYDRATED to enable it to pass smoothly.

 

BEST SUPPLEMENTS TO HELP?

Key focus: Calming the system, removing trigger foods, soothing and aiding digestion

Save Money Bonus: you can also get 20% off all Arbonne products for a whole year just by registering as a ‘Preferred Client’ which is just £10 fee in January so totally worth it even for just 1 purchase. Just go to SarahAttwood.Arbonne.Com

 

 

 

 

Anything else?

  • Please avoid Imodium as ‘bunging yourself up’ chemically is only going to prolong the destabilisation of your gut flora. Hydrate, get your digestion plus going to help ease the situation and increase your fibre.
  • Monitor stress Eating in a stressful environment can cause tension and make your digestion slow down so try to take a few deep breaths before eating, take 10 mins away from your desk to eat in a calmer environment and try not to argue over dinner!

Any questions, please just ask.

I offer holistic wellness coaching, food intolerance testing, vitamin & mineral levels testing, food plans and recipe suggestions & emotional barriers support.

I would love to help you, please just get in touch either via messenger or email: [email protected]

 

GUT HEALTH – why is it so important?

The health of the entire body depends on absorbing vital nutrients, producing digestive enzymes and having the correct balance of beneficial gut bacteria. Whatever affects the digestive system will also affect the immune system, the nervous system and the hormonal balance throughout the entire body.
 
Throughout my years running my wellness clinic as well as through personal experience, I have found the biggest triggers for gut health (which is often referred to as IBS) to be emotional stress and poor food/lifestyle choices. Don’t panic though, help is at hand! Together I can show you how to calm your digestion, remove triggers and rebalance the gut.
 
Believe me I have been there: breathtaking stomach cramps, regular bloating and being offered a seat on the tube as people thought I was pregnant (pretending to laugh it off but crying my eyes out once home), frustration about not knowing what food or drink would trigger me and set me off.
 
I remember in my old life being in a presentation to Nestle in Switzerland (so a rather important meeting!) and having to run out of the room 3 times to be “sick”…because there was no way I could explain it was explosive diarrhoea caused by bad choices over breakfast and the stress of getting the presentation right.
Yep I have just admitted to diarrhoea – we all have this sometimes but it doesn’t seem polite to discuss it. Whatever! I love talking about gut health and regularly get the Bristol Stool Chart out for my clients!
 
So…trust me when I say both my personal experiences and my kinesiology and nutrition knowledge mean I can help you.
Over the next week I will share with you some top tips for gut health to aid digestion, discuss foods and drinks to ease IBS symptoms, share an overview of the FODMAP diet with you and explain the benefits of some tried and tested nutritional supplements.
Sound good so far? Do pop any questions below about gut health and I will try to answer as best I can.
 
 

CHOCOLATE RECIPE: A NOT SO NAUGHTY CHOCOLATE BAR

This is so delicious and perfect for when you want a sweet treat with a healthier twist.

Ingredients:

  • 6 tbsp nut butter (almond or cashew ideally)
  • 3 tbsp coconut butter
  • 2 tbsp cacao powder
  • ½ cup of mixed, crushed nuts (I use cashew and hazelnut and bash them with a rolling pin)
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of sea salt

If extra sweetness required:

  • 1 tsbp honey or Zylosweet (from Higher Nature)

Recipe:

  1. Mix all the ingredients bar the nuts and stir until smooth (or whizz in a food processor)
  2. Add the nuts and pulse to keep some larger pieces
  3. Spread into a dish
  4. Score with a knife to separate into bitesize chunks
  5. Pop in fridge for a few hours or overnight

Top tips:

You will need to keep storing this in the fridge otherwise it will melt!

You can get Coconut Butter and Zylosweet (and lots of other healthy stuff) from Higher Nature.  www.highernature.co.uk Tel: 0808 457 4747 (you may need to give my reference which is P566941)

Coconut butter is a totally healthy fat that boosts the immune system, is anti-fungal and anti-viral and also boosts the metabolism and supports the thyroid gland and is exceptionally good for the brain.  It is very safe to cook with as it is never damaged by heat.

Hope you enjoy this chocolate recipe. Let me know how you get on!

PS This is a stock image, I’m not that good at photography!

NUTRITION TOP TIPS

 

January is DIGESTION & NUTRITION MONTH. It’s one of the most common areas of issues people come to seek advice over. Whether they think they’re struggling with multiple food intolerances or are experiencing horrible IBS symptoms, digestion is a key part of our wellbeing. After all the gut is known as the second brain.

Many clients ask me for my nutrition top tips to help support their digestion (the breakdown and absorption of their foods). Thought putting it all together like this might be helpful.

Are any of these ideas new to you? I often find that explaining about drinking away from mealtimes is a surprise for a lot of people.