Life, from the very first gasp to the last laboured breath we take, is finite. Once born we are set on a life trajectory which varies greatly from person to person. A multitude of factors shape our lives from our parents to our location of birth, wealth, poverty, friends, education, health care….
Living in the modern world we can; see it all, do it all and eat it all. Our lives, although finite, can be stuffed full of experiences and all for the betterment of ourselves and our families???
Sadly, the modern world has also created many avenues that do not allow us to choose the best paths, especially in relation to optimal health or taking care or the environment and the future of our off-spring. We are bombarded with so much info we find ourselves switching off and burying our heads.
Did you know the number of people in the world living on less than £1.50 a day is 736 million (worldbank.org)? There are 2,208 billionaires in the world (Forbes’ 2018 rich list) with the richest 1% owning half of the world’s wealth. The contrasts are stark.
These figures may not be of interest to you, however what is important to note is that if you are reading this then you are one of the lucky ones and because of this you have the ability to make the best of your short time on earth for yourself, family and the environment.
I have been listening to people tell me their backgrounds and health stories for over 20 years. I work with very low income to high salary earners. Interestingly the same problems keep popping up when I ask the question: How do you value your body? And what steps do you take to keep it healthy?
Amazingly many people are oblivious to what they are doing to themselves – they are completely unconnected to their body and the fact they may be making choices that has led them or is leading them down a path of ill health.
We all know the stereotypical Rab C Nesbitt types with fags and booze at hand, sitting all day on the sofa with battered Mars Bars! Crazily, you don’t have to be a smoker, a drinker or ‘lazy’ to fall into trouble with your health.
I hear people everyday tell me what they believe the “good for health” message is, and my goodness much of it is claptrap, difficult, expensive, sucks you into some scheme, or worse still makes your life miserable. The other side of the coin is the person who smugly feels that they can eat, drink and do anything they wish as the NHS will fix them if they fall ill. Sadly neither is ideal or anywhere close to reality. You need to constantly evaluate your health and invest for the future. Family and environment included.
Before I go on, I am not saying to go and start drinking, smoking, and eating processed junk! What I am saying is that just because your friend or your trainer or the people at your slimming club are recommending something amazing for them that it will automatically work for you. Chances are you have tried everything under the sun in terms of diets, exercise and stress relief already. Consider the number of apps on your phone for health related topics – is it embarrassing??!
So the message I am spreading is:
STOP and evaluate your health….
Consider that you may not be following the right advice for you…
Do any of the following common issues I see resonate with you?
- Pounding it at the gym with no improvement in weight loss or performance?
- Take a multivitamin and still feeling fatigue?
- Always hungry? Even after a meal.
- Frequently ill? Needing naps?
- Gut health issues? Bloating, wind, acid reflux.
- Skin issues?
- Temperature irregularities?
- Struggling with good quality rested sleep?
- Issues with depression and anxiety?
- Low mood?
- High cholesterol and on a statin while following a “healthy diet”?
- Excess fat around the middle?
- Difficult and prolonged recovery after exercise?
If “Yes” what can you do?
There are many areas of your day-to-day life that you can focus on over time to address your health and well-being. Although I am a Dietitian, I am also a Health and Lifestyle Coach as diet is only one aspect of fixing or optimising the whole person.
I focus on ensuring you are sleeping correctly, addressing anxiety and stress, assess and manage the correct food choices that suit your gut and overall physical and mental health, talk through the exercise options that suit you for age, sex, weight, hormones and ultimately health. This is integrated into life for ever to ensure you can manage the surprises, good and bad, that come your way.
Investing your health now will save a lifetime of potential health misery. Car insurance does not cover petrol, windscreen wipers, car wash etc so neither should your healthcare insurance.
After all your health is your wealth – without it you can do very little.
If you are unsure of how to change your eating habits, or need help optimising the foods you eat please do contact us. We would love to help you or your family and friends with any nutrition related queries big or small.
In the meantime do please check out our 121Dietitian Shop
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How can a Dietitian help
- Book a consultation via our Online Portal
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Gillian x
Kristen McBurney2023-03-21I cannot recommend Gillian enough. I got in touch after struggling to lose weight due to PCOS and suffering from IBS. Thanks to Gillian, my IBS symptoms have massively reduced, and I have been able to lose a significant amount of weight. Her warmth makes you feel instantly comfortable and at ease. Gillian’s help and expertise is second to none, and she is always on hand to answer any questions. I am throughly enjoying the plan Gillian created for me and have found it easy to integrate into my everyday life. I am so grateful for the positive impact her plan has had on me.
Hannah Crothers2023-02-10Gillian is the greatest. She is compassionate and professional, really helped me to understand my body’s function and how to best support it. Her advice has changed my life.
Jay Rafferty2023-02-09I would highly recommend Gillian. Her advice and guidance has been a game changer for me. With so much conflicting and confusing advice on healthy eating, using a professional nutritionalist is a must.
Emma Lavery2022-12-29I could not recommend Gillian enough over the last 3 months - she has turned my life around! I was referred to Gillian by my gastro consultant due to suffering from ibs, gastritis and hormonal issues for nearly 10 years. Gillian was very understanding and approachable throughout my time spent with her. Gillian discussed my health, lifestyle and eating habits thoroughly. She advised an individualised blood check for underlying issues, educated me on supplements and provided numerous information to help aid my recovery. The low foodmap programme I have been following is achievable and can be adapted to anyones lifestyle. As I am a vegetarian I thought this process may be difficult however Gillian reassured me that this would be no issue. She supplied personalised shopping lists, recipes and alternative foods to help heal my gut and overall health. Continual support from Gillian was on hand via email when required. I seen improvements in my symptoms within only weeks of starting the programme and was overwhelmed by the success due to suffering for years! I have been spreading the word about Gillian's brilliant work and will continue to do so! Thank you again for all your help!
mick lorkins2022-12-18Strongly recommended. There are not many professionals that can totally change you life for the better but this one one if you follow the advice given.
Bobby D2022-09-07For 30 years I have suffered with IBS D and have been unable to find the right specific help. I was introduced to 121 Dietician about 6 weeks ago and like all other services out there I was sceptical. First up was a consultation online which was great considering the many issues I was having going to places. Gillian listened very attentively and understood the many problems I was having. Gillian decided to introduce me to the Low FODMAP diet. Starting out she provided everything (information, shopping lists, recipes etc) to get started. Through the course of the first 6 weeks Gillian was available to answer any questions or concerns. Following the first 6 weeks I'm very happy to say that all the many problems associated with IBS have gone and I'm starting to live a normal life without any stage fright when out and about. The next 8 weeks will be the reintroduction stage but based on the knowledge from Gillian in the initial stage I'm very confident that at the end I will have full understanding of all my triggers. I can't recommend this service enough as most importantly after 30 years of severe symptoms I once again feel healthy and happy. This is a must if you suffer continually from this horrendous condition. I would be confident that this will help anyone who has IBS. For me this was the best money ever spent and I can't thank Gillian enough for the difference she has made. Roy Dornan
Jack Kennedy2022-09-04Helped solve stomach issues, had previous been to several people but this was the first dietary intervention that worked
Laura Campbell2022-04-29After over 10 years of eating quite poorly, Gillian has completely changed my approach to food. After a consultation and review of my diet, she provided me with a list of easy and quick recipes that are packed full of nutrition. She takes into consideration your lifestyle as well which I really appreciated too. I now have much more energy and actually enjoy preparing meals now, something I never did before. I honestly cannot recommend her enough. Thankyou! :-)
Chris Arnold2022-04-24The overall experience was a very positive one. Gillian certainly had the expertise and people skills to help evaluate and treat my daughters gut issues. The progress was quite instantaneous and over time has made a huge difference to her everyday life. Thanks to Gillian for her work which came at the end of many doctor consultations. In hindsight Gillian should have been the first port of call.
Amelia Tyler2022-03-30Gillian is great and her program was just perfect. All the meals were delicious and I always felt satisfied which made it very easy to follow. I would highly recommend, especially the 121 sports program.
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