Healthy Snacks For Kids and Teens going back to school…
The kids are back to school. Now the headaches is what to feed them each day. Having 3 kids I know how challenging feeding them Healthy Snacks can be! ?Your child is going to need nutrients for brain power and the additional exercise they may not have been availing of for the last few months. ? Don’t fall for the high-fat, nutrient-poor snacks that are lining our supermarket shelves. Here is a list of a few healthy snacks with a twist: Healthy Snacks for all the family ? Peel a banana and dip it in yogurt. Roll in crushed pecans and freeze? Spread celery sticks with peanut butter or cream cheese. Top with raisins. Stuff a whole-grain pita pocket with cream cheese and apple slices. Add a dash of cinnamon. Take 2 oat cakes top with Greek yoghurt add some raspberries and enjoy. Put cubes of cheddar cheese and grapes on pretzel sticks. Spread peanut or almond butter on apple slices.? Take semi skimmed milk, frozen strawberries or raspberries or blueberries add some oats and seeds blend for thirty seconds for a delicious smoothie. Use wholemeal thins to make tasty sandwiches fill with colourful salad and home cooked meats like gammon, chicken or prawns, egg, houmous…??? Sprinkle grated cheese over a wholemeal tortilla; fold in half and microwave for twenty seconds. Top with homemade avocado guacamole, cucumber, peppers, tomato salsa.?️ Heat homemade soup: mushroom, tomato or chicken, bean and vegetable soup and enjoy with oat cakes and pate. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese and smoked paprika on hot popcorn. Banana pancakes – mash 1 ripe banana, add 1 egg and some wholemeal flour and mix – cook on pan in a little butter. No need to add anything as sweet enough. Spread mayo on a wholemeal tortilla. Top with a slice of turkey or ham, cheese, tomato and lettuce. Flavour with herbs and spices. Then roll it up ? Mini Pizza: Toast the bottom of an English muffin, add some passata on the top and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and vegetables and grill. Fruit kebabs. Make fruit exciting by threading melon, grapes and pineapple chunks on a wooden skewer. Dark chocolate- 2 squares place in a cup add boiling water and top with milk.☕ Snacks to say “no” to: Chocolate type biscuit bars are not filling and high in sugar and saturated fat. Soft drinks. Eight to 10 teaspoons of sugar are found in the average can of soft drink. All sugar and no nutrients is not healthy and can lead to health problems like diabetes and weight gain. Read more about Sugar in our recent blog here. Sweets. Even when disguised with the word “fruit” included- avoid. A healthy snack provides good quality nutrients and protein —- something that sweets do not provide. Snack pots eg: ham, cheese, and biscuits – these are all highly processed in plastic packaging. Make your own with home made ingredients – much fresher and again less waste using a Tupperware box. Crisps are high in salt and saturated fat. Keep to a minimum. Top Healthy Snack tips: ✔️Buy some Tupperware boxes to reuse in small and large sizes tocarry food to school (reduces single use plastic waste). ✔️Use refillable water bottles for water. Try the glass ones that don’t break. ✔️Having the food at home means you are eating out lesswhich will save you money too! These are just a few of our random Healthy Snack suggestions to get you thinking. If you have any Healthy Snacks please let us know. 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 If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed]
Hashimotos and me -the best ever! Part 4…
I was reflecting on my Hashimotos hypothyroidism this morning and realized wow, what a year 2019 has been. My best health year for the past 10! Clinical work has grown and has become immensely intense with more and more patients attending with multiple and complex issues. With my good health these challenges are no longer draining and so I continue to train in new services and collaborate with excellent health professionals and institutions to offer my expertise. My niche is certainly assisting people who have nutritional issues that may also affect their health negatively in ways they did not realise: Eating disorders, mental health and well-being, resistant weight, metabolic syndrome, gut health, fatigue, auto-immune conditions, hormonal issues, fertility, allergies, nutrigenomics, optimization of the workplace….. I personally continue to follow my health programme to ensure that I remain optimised to keeps me tip-top. In addition I run with a running club and have completed several cross-country races and love Park run when I can ever get to it. (kids activities seem to dictate!) Chronic Illness Chronic illness is, I believe, like a jigsaw puzzle. Illness is complex and often can’t be completed/fixed in one go. In relation to chronic ill health, it can take several years for some people to manage this jigsaw – often following unscientific or expensive paths in desperation. The illness is often still there but the medications assists in just getting through the day. This way of living masks the underlying problems. Fixing the cause is King, and working with the body through its ups and downs is the only way out. At 121 Dietitian, availing of a full assessment allows a a complete evaluation of you diet, lifestyle, sleep, inflammation, blood results. A bespoke detailed written programme is then provided – and a follow up to check how all is progressing. Positive results can be achieved in a few weeks. Fantastic for the client and the reason I love to go to work. I look forward to every day and hope that I can help you too feel the same. 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 If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed]
Menopause Diet: The Top Nutrients You Need To Know About
Learn all about the top nutrients to help minimise the symptoms of menopause, assist with it and also maintain healthy bones. Key nutrient are important to consider if you are going through the menopause. Whichever menopausal symptoms you experience, the change in the balance of your hormones is the cause. A well-balanced menopause diet is essential because it helps the body adjust to the hormone changes. Symptoms of the menopause can include any of the following; Tiredness Depression Low libido Vaginal dryness Hot flushes Bladder weakness Dehydrated skin Hair loss Insomnia Weight gain There are a plethora of nutrients that help minimise the symptoms and even assist the passage of menopause and also help you maintain healthy bones. Menopause diet – nutrients that you can consider: B Vitamins B Vitamins are known as the “stress vitamins”. This is because symptoms of B-vitamin deficiency include tension, irritability, poor concentration and anxiety. Fatigue – a common symptom of menopause – makes women feel deeply exhausted even though they haven’t done much physical activity throughout the day. B Vitamins help reduce the amount of stress on the adrenal glands, which are required to produce oestrogen during the menopause. They can be useful if you are suffering from reduced energy levels. It is important to take a complex and a formulation that you can absorb with no nasty fillers. Vitamin C Vitamin C is essential to the manufacture of collagen. Collagen provides skin its elasticity. It helps prevent and treat vaginal dryness, a painful condition which develops when the vagina loses some of its ‘stretch’. Vitamin C can be easy to miss out on if you are watching your weight and possibly on a keto or restricted diet. Vitamin D This vitamin plays a very important role in the prevention of breast cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis. We don’t get it naturally from food in sufficient amounts so the sun or a supplement is required. Again, you really need to ensure you take a balanced amount along with other key nutrients and select the active form, Vitamin D3. Vitamin E Vitamin E is also helpful for vaginal dryness and has been proven to help reduce hot flushes. It can dampen the immune system which can be beneficial for some ladies as a short term assistant for hormonal balance. Iron Iron is required to help your red blood cells transport oxygen to the rest of the body. Men store more iron compared to women and the loss of blood each month during menstruation means that women require more iron than men. A deficiency of iron will result in anaemia, which makes you feel sluggish and tired all the time. It is really important to have a blood test to check your iron and ferritin levels as you do not want to take a supplement and potential cause iron toxicity. Omega 3 Fatty Acids Symptoms of a deficiency in Omega 3 fatty acids can include dry skin, lifeless hair, cracked nails, fatigue, depression, dry eyes, aching joints, and breast pain. Omega 3 supplements have been shown to reduce the frequency of hot flushes and improve depressive symptoms in menopausal women. Magnesium Magnesium plays a vital role in 300 different enzymatic functions. It is essential in maintaining optimum bone health, which is increasingly important during the menopause. Known as “nature’s tranquiliser”, magnesium supplementation assists mood and anxiety. Picking the correct formulation for your symptoms is critical for success. Calcium Calcium is needed by the body to maintain bones, teeth, nails and hair. It is also required for healthy heart rhythm and blood pressure. To minimise the symptoms of menopause and maintain healthy bone mass, make sure to supply your body with these nutrients throughout the day. Dairy foods have become increasingly common to be eliminated from the diet of women for various reasons which can unfortunately leave ladies in deficit. Kale, spinach and tofu, are some examples of calcium rich non-dairy foods. These nuggets are just a few simple suggestions for a menopause diet. Dietary and lifestyle changes are integral in the stages of menopause. If you wish to explore this further Gillian Killiner is a dietary expert and lifestyle coach. She has helped thousands of women over her 22 years as a Dietitian. She would be delighted to help you… For more medical information on the menopause 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 If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed] Revised 27th December 2022
Seven Top Tips for Gaining Weight
Here, Gillian Killiner, Director And Principal Dietitian At 121 Dietitian discusses common reasons why people lose weight and shares her top tips for gaining weight. I am 22 years in the health business and the most popular misconception I face is that all I do is advise people on weight loss! This couldn’t be further from the truth. My unique role as a Dietitian is first and foremost about increasing nutrients and ensuring health is optimal from top-to-toe. This involves fixing; cellular function, gut health, mental health, checking genetics, bloods etc. One area that gets very little press however is how to gain weight. There are lots of reasons why people lose weight such as a poor appetite, nausea, difficulty eating, eating disorders, surgery, illness or a traumatic event. Extra good quality nutrition and extra energy are important to help gain weight along with addressing lifestyle issues that may be connected. It may seem wrong but it is important to eat healthy choices when needing to gain weight as processed high sugar poor quality foods affect health negatively. When gaining weight it is essential to add muscle and replenish healthy levels of fat around the body, while not gaining unhealthy fat around the abdomen and organs. My top seven tips for gaining weight are as follows: If appetite is small have small, frequent meals and snacks during the day. Try to eat or drink something every few hours. Three meals and three snacks is a good pattern to follow. Add small amounts of olive oil/cream/cheese to your food. This is an easy way to increase the energy in your diet while volumes do not increase by much. Choose high energy from protein foods at both meals and snacks. Make every mouthful count! Don’t fill up on low energy foods like water, tea, coffee, ‘diet’ food and drinks or plain fruits and vegetables. Follow the ideas below to increase the energy and protein content of some common low energy foods. Choose full cream dairy products and use high energy milk. To make high energy milk, add one–two tbsp skim milk powder to every 250mls of full cream milk. If nausea is a problem: Cold foods and drinks may be better than hot as hot foods often have a stronger smell. Avoid eating late at night if nausea is notable in the morning. Don’t let your stomach get too full or empty as this will increase nausea. Eat and drink slowly– If the smell of cooked foods puts you off try to avoid kitchen smells until you are feeling better. 7. Avoid taking a large amount of fluid when eating a meal and snack. Drinking 20 minutes after is better. 8. Ask someone else to assist you where possible so you are not wasting the energy and weight you are trying to build. Adding high energy and protein foods (such as cream, cheese and margarine) to your meals really does make a big difference! The examples below show just how many calories/ kilojoules (KJ) you can add to a typical meal. This is an easy way to increase energy without having to eat lots of extra food! Whether you need help with weight loss, weight gain or understanding your dietary needs, get in touch with Gillian today. 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 If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed]
Patient review -121 dietitian fixes my health
Patient review – suffering from a major depressive disorder and gastrointestinal issues, which included a range of symptoms. Pat shares how thanks to 121 Dietitian’s expert guidance, her health has drastically improved. “My road to recovery began on January 2019 after years of chronic health problems, some of which included major depressive disorder and a malfunctioning bowel of an inability to evacuate normally, therefore having to resort to mechanical means to empty my bowel daily. I was also diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Disease and Metabolic Syndrome. I am 59 years old. Having done extensive research into my gastrointestinal issues and undergone many tests, investigations, and commenced on a plethora of prescribed medications over the years I discovered Dietitian Gillian Killiner at www.121dietitian.com. I was so impressed with her online portfolio that I decided to contact her and she agreed to come to see me mid-January 2019 for a home assessment, which was great as I rarely left the house. To say that I was impressed is an understatement as Gillian blew me away with her extensive knowledge and experience of the workings of the human anatomy and physiology. Having told Gillian my medical history of depression, abdominal obesity, bowel problems with associated persistent nausea, dry mouth, repeated fungal infections and abdominal pain and discomfort and poor sleeping pattern, she listened attentively and compassionately to my myriad of issues. She grasped every word that I spoke with a sincere understanding and knowledge surpassed by all professionals with whom I had come in contact over the years. Her plan of action for me was personalised and tailored specifically to my problems. My individualised care plan was put into action and included, not a diet as such, but a healthy lifestyle food plan and high-end specific supplements following the results of a series of blood tests. I met with Gillian again mid-March 2019 at my home and was excited to relate to her the changes she made to my quality of life. Gone are the nausea, dry mouth and fungal infections as well as the abdominal pain and discomfort. My bowels are functioning somewhat better and I’ve managed to scale back on some of my prescribed medications. My mood has markedly improved and I have a better quality of sleep. I’m also 14lbs lighter and continuing to lose weight at a healthy pace. To summarise I have to say that during all my years of contact with the different healthcare providers (of which before retirement I was one of them) I can say without doubt that Gillian’s extensive expertise on nutrition and general health is worthy of note and I have the utmost confidence in her abilities and talents to help people vastly improve their quality of life. Gillian’s professional, courteous, warm and affable nature affords her the highest recommendation in her chosen field of wide-ranging nutritional, health and well-being aspects of the individual.” – Pat Morgan If you feel you could benefit from the expertise of a dietitian, get in touch today. 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 If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed]
The truth about nutritional supplements revealed by a UK leading Dietitian
One of the most commonly asked questions we hear at 121 Dietitian is “What supplements should I be taking?” With this in mind, Director and Principal Dietitian Gillian Killiner discusses the topic of supplements and who should be taking what. It might surprise you to learn that the term ‘dietary supplements’ actually applies to a wide group, including; vitamins, herbs, enzymes, amino acids, minerals, protein drinks, sport aids, weight loss pills, anti aging tonics etc. According to a report in Optimum Nutrition Magazine, the nutritional supplement market in the UK in 2016 was valued at £431 million and this is expected to double in the next 5 years. People in the U.K. take dietary supplements for a variety of different reasons. Athletes and bodybuilders may take supplements to gain performance improvements and to bulk up. Others take supplements to get protein and vitamins into their diets as part of an overall focus on a healthier lifestyle. Pregnant and lactating women may take dietary supplements to provide enough nutrients to support their growing babies. Children from ages six months to five years may be given supplements to make certain that they are getting enough vitamins while they are growing. The government recommends that children in this age group are given supplements of vitamins A, C and D. People also take dietary supplements to help lose weight, while older adults take supplements to help to maintain their health as they age. This sounds and is, for the main part, acceptable. When supplements are advised and taken correctly, they can enhance an individual’s health and thus improve life outcomes and I am all for this when following an expert’s advice. However, this needs to be after a full health assessment. What is most worrying is that I find frequently in my clinical practice individuals taking supplements for several years or maybe longer and they really have no idea the quality of the supplement they are taking (often cheap shop brand) the quantity of the ingredient dose they are taking and the risks associated with this or on the reverse that they might not be absorbing the ingredients at all. Sadly, I have had several patients who have significant liver damage as a direct result of high dose supplementation taken for an extended period of time. Truth be told, I am a supplement nerd and I am meticulous in sourcing the correct therapeutic supplements for each individual based on their; health, lifestyle, age, sex, metabolic status and most importantly, blood test results. The supplements that I select are chosen because they have: No nasty chemicals which can often trigger additional issues with gut/skin health. Selected for optimal dosage and from natural sources so the body can absorb them easily. Purest for no toxicity. Dose administered to assist their optimal absorption. If using several supplements they are introduced over time to monitor for any reactions. During the time a patient is with me, bloods and symptoms are monitored to ensure health is assisted and the supplements taken for the correct time frame at the correct dose. So where does that leave you? For those of you that do supplements: Do remember you can’t expect supplements to take care of a bad diet or lifestyle – research has proven this to be more harmful. If you take supplements please do consider there are positives and negatives to these and be aware that they could be unnecessary, toxic or just making expensive urine! Don’t mix food supplements and medicines. Some food supplements can interact with medicines. So if you are taking any medication, seek advice from either a GP or dietitian. Your body is like a finely tuned engine of a car – all the parts have to work in harmony to ensure you are in top gear. Too much or too little of anything and your won’t be firing on all cylinders! 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 If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed]
