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121 Dietitian

Face to face consultation - your health is your wealth

dietitian belfast

2020 with COVID 19 – How our family recovered…

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2020 was a tough year for the world with the COVID 19 pandemic and 2021 continues to see no end to this virus. The vaccinations can hopefully help reduce hospital admissions however we still need to keep others safe.

Reflecting over the past year we have had our ups and downs but over all I am one of the lucky ones and wake everyday thankful for what we have. We are fortunate that my husband has a secure job and really glad my kids are easy to manage as teens. We are fortunate we can sleep and eat in the safety and comfort of our warm home and we have a large park beside us to walk our dog.

I am also very fortunate to be have my Dietetic nutritional consultancy business www.121dietitian.com online to continue to help and advise others. I am passionate about wholefood nutrition and this really matters with our current pandemic.

Not being able to visit loved ones has been very difficult. I am especially sad about not seeing my parents. My mum has Multiple Sclerosis and dependent on hoists and wheelchair and loves company. She needs many to assist her daily needs. Sadly they are 120 miles or a 3 hour car drive away in a different country – not easy to visit, so in between the lockdowns we have hopped in the car driven and spent a few hours chatting in the window to them returning home relieved they are safe and coping.

2020 was not easy for me in relation to my health. As you may already know I have been successful with fixing my auto-immune Thyroid condition Hashimotos in 2013 (more in my other blogs). Thankfully this continues to be under control. However the big kicker was a horrid episode of nerve pain. Never had anything like it before. I thought it was a pulled leg and butt muscle but when it was affecting my lower leg with burning I was at the end of my tether. Sleep was non existent and it made me grumpy and very jealous of everyone around me walking, running etc.

How did it begin?? A few reasons lead me to experience this.

  1. I gave up my weekly running club – this was to support a busy sailing schedule for my kids, supposed to be for a few months over the summer in 2019. Little did I realise this was going to be for a lot longer and how desperately I miss running and the friendships.
  2. In 2019 we changed our mattress – supposed to be for the better we went for a memory foam – big mistake for me. As a very flexible individual I seem to over do it when awake and asleep! This really was not good and I began to feel like I was lying in unsupportive quicksand.
  3. And finally Nov 2019 a holiday abroad and some showing off! My 3 kids are always up for a competition so I showed them my moves to see if they could do the same! One of my challenges walking hands down the wall behind into a crab position. This over stretching combined with no regular running and an unsupportive mattress was the worst. I started to suffer upper leg and hip pain. Thinking it was a pulled muscle I spent weeks stretching, foam rollering etc
  4. March 20 I was in agony. It took till Oct 20 to recover, fortunately I had some expert treatment along the way. I am still not back running and I miss this greatly. I have now purchased an Elliptical trainer and building up slowly.

Whilst I was in the thick of this, Summer 2020 was a tough time for my eldest 2 children: A-levels and GCSE’s were cancelled and they were hugely disappointed. They are now doing their best to continue focused for the future but it is damn hard. I am very proud of them.

Fast forward December 20 everything was going well, life was in a routine with work and school and we were preparing for Christmas at home. We managed to enjoy Christmas day and then COVID struck (brought home from my husbands work). We began to fall ill first my husband and then me. We told no one as we were scared of what was ahead. We self isolated and were fortunate to have extra food in with Christmas. The kids also had varying symptoms.

I can’t say for sure but as I write this we have got away lightly. Loss of taste and smell and fatigue being the most difficult for 2 weeks. We were dreading the worst as both myself and my husband are healthcare professionals and have seen first hand what COVID 19 is doing to people. The longer term damage of kidneys, heart, brain, stroke and lungs is all too real. I have over the past year of COVID been advising others on assisting their immunity and improving their overall health. Little did I think we would be saved by it too.

I personally feel that having underlying good health, eating a varied diet, taking Vitamin D, getting restorative sleep and keeping a safe alcohol intake has been advantageous in our recovery. 2021 has been a slow start for us but when you have your health you have your wealth so it can only hopefully get better.

From my experiencing with COVID 19 if you can do one thing in the next 12 months I would strongly urge you to please protect yourselves and your family from contracting COVID 19. Let 2021 be the year you make any changes you need. Optimise your diet. Have the best metabolic health you can. Ensure you have the best sleep, activity, mood and gut possible. Stay well and stay safe.

If you need any guidance or chat further about any of this please do let me know. Take care. Gillian x

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Tel: 07717392306

email: info@121dietitian.com

Please feel free to share our blog to help others

Menopause: The Top Nutrients You Need To Know About

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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 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.

Here a few major ones 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. 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… 

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Seven Top Tips for Gaining Weight

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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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Choose high energy from protein foods at both meals and snacks.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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. Call: 07717392306 or email: info@121-dietitian.com

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“My health has drastically improved thanks to 121 Dietitian”

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Suffering from a major depressive disorder and gastrointestinal issues, which included a range of symptoms, patient Pat was housebound. Here, 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. Email info@121dietitian.com or call Gillian on: 07717392306.

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Using your health insurance to cover your Dietitian’s appointment

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Here, Gillian Killiner, Director and Principal Dietitian at 121 Dietitian shares her advice on using your private health insurance to cover the cost of the services of a dietitian.

Most UK residents are entitled to free healthcare from the NHS, however more and more of us are adding the additional cost of private healthcare insurance to our already stretched outgoings or have this included as a work perk. In the event of anything going wrong you have the peace of mind that you can get the treatment you need in a reasonable length of time.

As with all insurance there are different levels of care and clauses on how much and often you can claim. So it is really important to know these details when purchasing.

The ins and outs of private health insurance

I think private health insurance companies offer wonderful extras to incentivise staying healthy and avoiding ill health. This is all very impressive and I am delighted to see people using these. It is however under the surface when you are looking for advice from a Dietitian that the disappointment occurs.

I wear several hats as a Dietitian. I have the knowledge and tools to prevent ill health, I can also, when required, diagnose and treat ill health in relation to a plethora of nutritional issues or assist in optimising health when part of a long term illness or acute injury.

Patients are referred to me with one or multiple different health issues and with a thorough assessment I know I can treat them with the programmes that I provide. The problem arises in relation to the insurance fee to cover the treatment.

Man at the table fills in the form of health insurance. Healthcare concept. Vector illustration flat design style. Life planning. Claim form. Medical equipment, money, prescription medications.

Receiving a thorough assessment

Dietitians do not operate like Doctors in terms of assessment and advice. Doctors on average see a patient for up to 20 minutes and within this time they have assessed the patient, written a summary letter for any further tests/scans or onward referrals and included a review appointment if required. The end.

Dietitians require a full and detailed history of health, diet and lifestyle before they discuss the details as to the illness in relation to dietary changes and then provide verbal nutritional advice for that individual. An initial appointment usually lasts 1 hour. My patients, as with many Dietitians, have their programme written up for them in a detailed multi-page document with additional advice which can include recipes, shopping lists, blood test requirements, supplements to take etc. A write up on average can be 2-3 hours. A review appointment is necessary to ensure the patient has been successful in following the advice, taking supplements and checking blood results. Further verbal and follow-up written advice is then required after the review appointment.

The frustrations with health insurance

So why am I frustrated?! Health insurance companies are all about keeping the patient in tip top health – track your weight, track your steps, reduce your costs……but clearly they haven’t joined up the dots when you need expert nutritional advice.

Payment allowed for individuals attending Dietitians is not reflective of all the background work provided and it creates a shadow of negativity around the patient journey. It is very hard to explain to someone that they are not fully covered for the programme they are most certainly requiring to get better and optimise health longer term and know they need.

I appreciate what some of you may be thinking – why not cut down your information to match the costs offered? Sadly I have tried this and it does not work, the fees just barely cover the first 1 hour appointment, let alone fees for office staff, rental etc.

I have trained and educated myself daily for many hours in addition to the work I do and over the past 22 years I have accumulated the knowledge to fix people from cellular level up. I don’t charge much as my passion is for helping fix others.

This is surely a win-win for the health insurance companies????

It is obvious that the insurance company will still be receiving the yearly insurance fee but the individual, if following the specialist advice correctly, will not require repeat hospital or doctor consults as possibly needed and thus keep profits healthy!

I would even go as far to say a Dietitian can assist in highlighting and preventing further illness that may be lurking for a future episode of health insurance spend. I think they are missing a trick!!

Just saying this guy got it right and this was around 310 BC!!!

If you are interested in seeing a Dietitian and have private health insurance, do check the cover they offer and question why if not enough to pay for a full programme. The more they become aware of this the hope they will see the benefits.

If You Wish To Discuss This Further, Please Do Not Hesitate To Contact Us:

  • Email: info@121dietitian.com
  • Tel: 07717392306
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The truth about nutritional supplements revealed by a UK leading Dietitian

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supplements

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 supplement’ 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 supplement:

  • 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!

Please feel free to share our blogs to help others

If you wish to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact us:

  • Email: info@121dietitian.com
  • Tel: 07717392306
  • Follow us on Facebook here
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