Eat for Your Body’s Natural Rhythm with Sue Ellar

Travel Freedom and Working Online 0:00

Welcome to the Wellness [music] on Tap podcast with your host, Dr. Debs Eastwood. >> Yay. Love it. Love it. And your business, health, weight, relationship with food. Can do that online mostly. >> I do it almost exclusively online. So, you know that I'm in the room quite a lot. >> Yeah. meeting people, like-minded people, networking, sharing, learning all the time. But the main aspect of my business is all conducted online. So, it's just perfect. It means that I can reach clients all over the world and it means that I can travel wherever I want to travel, where I can be wherever I want to be and still do what I need to do, >> which is wonderful. M which is wonderful. I'm looking forward to getting to a similar stage like moving out of anesthetics, moving into initially me giving the intravenous infusions to get various centers around the UK primarily established, but then I want to move up a tier and have somebody underneath me who can do the exchanging time for money, the physical practicalities of it. need to be there in person >> so that I can then move away from having to be there in person >> running the business but from wherever you >> wherever it you know it takes you.

>> Exactly. >> Yeah. That's it. That's the magic of it. >> Yeah. And I guess from what you were just saying, Italy, it'd be one of the first places. >> Oh, absolutely. I mean, I I have a passion for travel altogether, but I also with a bit of an ADHD brain, it occurred to me that I don't really want to just go somewhere and live. I don't really want to I haven't really got ambitions to live in Italy. >> It's about traveling. It's about being free to move to Rome, to see new things, to be in new places constantly. That's that that kind of brain. I love new experiences. stimulation. Yeah. So what for years I did think cuz I go to Kefalonia every year almost every year because it's just so beautiful and I've got a kind of base there that is so good it's rude not to. And I did think maybe I need to buy a property in Kefalonia one day and then I started feeling stifled by that idea and I thought ah I know what this is telling me. Kefalonia is the most beautiful place I've ever found and I could absolutely keep going back there every year. But when I do that, it stops me going to other new places.

>> And so I'm getting itchy feet again. Cfalonia, beautiful. I will keep coming back to it my whole life. But I also want that freedom to explore new places. So I think for me it's France, it's Italy, it's different Greek islands. Maybe when things are calmer, the States, so many wonderful places I'd like to explore in the States. >> Yeah. Yeah. Places like New Zealand, you know, there are place there are so many places that I want to not just go to but take the family to. >> Yeah. Or I loved New Zealand. I spent a month there.

>> Yeah. >> In my 20ies. Just me. Took off rrook sack on my back cuz I was staying with my family in Sydney and just thought, well, relatively speaking, it's next door. >> So to pinch your expression, it would be rude not to. And so I just got on the plane and landed late at night with

New Zealand and Motorhome Travel Dreams 3:40

nowhere to stay. and nothing like that. But it didn't matter. >> Wow. >> Because New Zealand, whether it is still now or not, I don't know, was known for its backpacking lodges. >> Yeah. >> And I just said to one of the guys, one of the staff in the airport, as I was walking towards the exit, I said, "How do I get hold of somebody for, you know, to get one of these backpacking lodges overnight?" He says, "Go out the door and turn right." So that's what I did. And there they were, half a dozen waiting for people coming through.

>> Well, you and I had a very similar experience then because when I was 28, I did that. I spent a month backpacking New Zealand. I didn't arrive with nowhere to stay. I had it all planned out. I got the Kiwi Experience bus. And although I didn't know what to expect with that, they were a little bit younger than me. They're all sort of, you know, gap year kids. But it was a bit of fun. But to to spend that time going around seeing some of the most beautiful landscapes, beautiful coastal scenes, mountain scenes, and I, you know, I removed myself from the crowd and I did a little bit of solo travel, >> reflections in the beautiful lake, dipping in the cold, freezing cold water in in a high up lake with snow on the mountains. Yeah. those kinds of experiences, you know, >> and you go around the corner of the mountain and it's desert on the other side. You're like, "Hang on a minute.

>> It was lush and green and freezing cold over there and there's a desert there." >> Yeah. >> And I could probably walk that in 10 minutes. >> Yeah, >> that's insane. >> And there's parts of it that look like Wales. >> It's just magical. So, yeah, there's definitely on the list of places I want to revisit. The Grand Canyon >> and motor home feels like something that would really facilitate that. I would have to agree, my dear. >> Hotels don't really do it for me. >> Good weather camping, love it in a tent, but I think a motor home gives you that freedom to do the distance and city, countryside.

>> Yeah. So, I think Europe here we come to start with. >> Oh, I love it. >> Yeah, >> I love it. So tell me a little more then about the business that you will be running online from your motor home. >> So the business that I run um it's I call myself a health transformation and food relationship coach and it all started with me about five and a half years ago looking for a solution to release some weight. I was late 40s and I had been struggling with my weight for decades since I was a teenager.

And back then the only thing that we knew was, you know, calorie counting, low fat, this diet, that diet. So, you name it, I tried it in in an attempt to lose some weight. Looking back, not that I really needed to, but I felt that I needed to because I was perhaps the largest in my class, >> right? >> Or not very sporty or feeling a little bit, you know, like I really need to get down into the next size jeans. So I think it started with probably a false idea that I was overweight, a suggestion given to me as a kid and then I think that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy >> because then you start depriving yourself of food and you start crash dieting. It plays havoc with your metabolism. Plus I know that I'm genetically predisposed to carry extra weight. I'm one of those people who we're the survivors, you know, would have survived back in ancestral times.

So really, I I had what I felt was a significant weight problem my whole life. What I hadn't noticed was that the way I was eating wasn't just becoming a problem with weight gain. It was actually making me feel stiff and achy and lethargic and um all kinds of minor ailments. Now, I would say to everybody, why am I so stiff and achy? What is it about me? What, you know, why am I seizing up all the time? And nobody could tell me. So, I just thought it was one of those things, you know, maybe I'm just a stiff and achy person.

But I now know that I was suffering from inflammation. And I know this now because in looking for the answer to release some weight naturally and sustainably. I've also found the solution to the joint pain, the stiffness, the brain fog, the skin conditions, all the little minor ailments that have been plaguing me for decades that I just thought were a normal part of life. >> Cuz you do when it's been around for

From Weight Loss to Health Transformation 8:40

that long, don't you? You just accept it. >> You just think it's normal and everybody's talking about them all anyway. you know, everybody's got acid reflux or a little bit of, you know, gut thing going on, bit of IBS going on, or this minor uh skin condition that you treat with some ointment or, you know, oh, the brain fog, you know, for getting very forgetful, oh, it's just aging, you get starting to get a bit older and and all these things and and the the afternoon slump is a classic one. And I just thought all that was normal and I was just looking for weight loss.

Luckily for me, I found nature's best kept secret, [laughter] which is learning to eat in a more natural way that I I like to call the natural human diet. But it's about learning to eat in the way the body evolved to thrive. And this is now what I coach. But here's the thing. You could tell anybody how to eat. You could say, "Right, if you want to overcome your aches and pains and have great energy and release weight naturally as a side effect and just feel the best you've ever been, I'll hand you the list of how to eat." And no one would do it.

>> It's crazy, isn't it? But you are right >> because the way we're being fed in this day and age is so far removed from the way we're meant to be eating as human beings. And because of that, it's really hard. It's really hard to eat the way our bodies long to be fed so that you're maximizing nutrition. >> You're regulating your blood sugars, you you're giving yourself the conditions for a thriving, healthy gut, and you're fully nourished with all the right nutrients. >> To do that, I can tell you how to do it, but you wouldn't do it. So what's needed is a combination of well here's how we want to be eating and it's not just one way. We can talk about that in a bit.

But we didn't evolve to eat just one one way. >> We evolved with different metabolic modes depending on what kind of food was around. >> That makes sense because we were definitely seasonal eaters of course and depending on the season there's different kinds of foods around right. So we can talk more about that. But in order to eat in the way that the body really thrives with all the right nutrients, stable blood sugars, removing that ultrarocessed nasty stuff that we're being fed, and the convenience that we're depending upon, plus all the experiences that we love as part of our lives, the c celebrations, the parties, the meals out, the drinks, the birthdays, it's it's all part of our life. and you just wouldn't know what to do if I said here, eat like that. So, a huge part of it is the psychology of behavior change.

>> Yeah. And how you see it because if you see food and healthy eating as something that is deprivation, you'll never want to do it. You might do it for a short time, but you won't stick to it. But if you learn to see if you if you if you are given an experience where for a short time you eat in a way that really feels good. You know your aches and pains, your symptoms start to subside. You some weight comes off, your energy comes back and you think that you know this is the best I felt in decades. you now start and when you're guided to really reflect on that in the light of and what is it are that you're doing to help you feel that way. Oh, okay.

Well, I changed this one thing and I felt better and then Sue got me to change another thing and I felt even better. So now you're associating the actions you're taking, the swaps you're making, the food choices you're consciously making with feeling better in your body. So it doesn't become about your future health or some ideal weight. It becomes about right now. So when you can associate the steps you're taking with how good you're feeling right now, it's the penny starts to drop. >> Yeah. >> Then your relationship with food starts to change. So then the next step is how do you do that when the whole world wants to feed you junk?

>> Precisely. >> How do you balance that? So, you know how great it feels when you're eating in an optimal way, but let's face it, who can eat in an optimal way all the time in this day, >> today's world? >> Yeah, >> it's really tough out there. So then I suppose the next step would be to find out what happens if I experiment a little. What happens if I do have some chocolate, some wine, some cake, whatever it is, some fast food? How does that feel? And when you know how that feels now, you have true free choice.

>> Yeah. >> You know the consequences of eating that way. There's no guilt. You're completely free to eat, drink in the way you choose, knowing >> the impact that that has on how you feel that day or the next day. So it becomes very real. it becomes very tangible >> and essentially that's when I coach. I have a question. Are there any foods and I'm not talking about processed food here because that's obviously bad for us. We all know that. [snorts] Are there any foods that are typically perceived as being good for us that actually aren't? Gosh, that's that's a huge question.

>> I'm sure it is. >> And it's all mixed up with food marketing, isn't it? You know, everything's controlled by money. Everything's controlled by big corpora. >> And the way we eat is controlled by those big corporations as well. And so, in order to get us to eat the things that they're selling when we know we we're trying to be a bit healthier, well, we're going to follow anything that they say is healthy. M [clears throat] >> so if it's labeled you know his perhaps a bit historically now labeled lowfat >> it's still people are still falling for the whole low fat label you know it must be healthy it's low fat but of course then they laden it with sugar >> okay >> so the and or they might say fortified >> with vitamins how do you know that it's fortified with the vitamins you need >> you know things like that so it'll be you know protein bars you Musli meal replacements, supplements, shakes, they're all ultrarocessed.

They're all sold as being healthy because they contain certain nutrients. >> Yeah. >> But what but if you start looking at the ingredients, what else are they putting in there? And how much does that resemble the way we naturally evolve to eat as human beings roaming the planet? It's and the human body doesn't recognize it >> precisely. >> And so there's mainstream healthy eating advice which you know which is heavily influenced by big corporations food the food industry. >> But then there's also mainstream healthy eating advice which is supposedly um has supposedly originated from the NHS or the doctor. you know, health care professionals and they'll say eat this way and they've got this ideal plate, but that's not right either because the the advice that they're given is based is based on data that's over 50 years old, right?

>> Yeah. >> In particular, a third of your plate should be refined carbs. >> It's like what? >> You know, >> nonsense. >> And [clears throat] those those refined carbs that they're telling us to eat, well, it would it would have come from postwar, right? where we needed the energy source from somewhere. >> Absolutely. >> But these days there's an abundance of energy in our food. There's not an abundance of nutrition of nutrients. >> That's the switch, isn't it? >> And so they're still telling us third of the plate carbs and they're still telling us to eat foods which the human human body was not it did not evolve to eat. So it's it's a huge problem and the the the biggest problem for people is this confusion around well how do I eat then? Do I listen to the mainstream? Do I listen to the the you know the food industry? Do I listen to um which different experts am I going to listen to? Do I listen to the glucose goddess?

Do I listen to Tim Spectre? Do I read Mosley? Bless his soul. >> Yeah. you know, one of the first people to pioneer this idea that you could improve your blood sugar control and diabetes through the way you're eating. People didn't believe it. >> You did. >> Exactly. And so many of my clients have so Mosley great, but people have tried to follow Mosley's programs and found it's too restrictive. Can't do it. So there's just so much confusion around and the way I coach the program that I'm that I coach is that's exactly what it's there for. It's there to cut through the confusion.

Yes, you will be guided on a journey of making some really good swaps, but once you've made them and you've experienced them in your own body, you don't need you don't need to believe me anymore. You don't need to believe a rule book >> because you will know in your own body what feels good and what doesn't. And then then you can start to have true freedom with food. >> Mhm. >> Which is why we've got this little tag, food freedom program, health transformation and food freedom program. Because it's not me telling anybody how to eat. It's me giving somebody an experience that feels so good that they change the way they want to eat.

But then when they know what the choices are and what the implications are, they're free to then indulge. Conscious gastronomy, I like to call it. >> Oh, [laughter] I like that. >> Conscious gastronomy. >> Yeah, that's a nice expression. Tell me what you think about gluten. Gluten's a really tough one because it's of course it's absolutely true that

Food Noise, Cravings, and Behavior Change 19:40

gluten is, you know, so many people are intolerant to it. It causes so many problems. Yeah, it's it's not great. But the problem is that it's not so much the gluten, it's a human beings didn't actually evolve to eat wheat. >> That is totally true. >> Human beings did not evolve to eat wheat. How long have we actually been eating wheat and similar grains as a significant part of our diet? Again, the bulk of it is post war, but I guess it started before that. >> It started certainly more and more and more in recent um centuries.

But that agriculture goes back 12 to 14,000 years. >> Mhm. Now the human body has been evolving for hundreds of thousands millions of years. So if you look at the time frame whereby we've been eating foods like wheat and particularly the modern the very modern grains modern versions of wheat >> out of the whole of human evolution it probably looks like the nail on my finger. >> Yeah. So whilst some of us have begun to tolerate foods like wheat, it's not one of the requirements for human beings to thrive.

>> And so the an even bigger problem than intolerance is actually is taking the place of more nutritious foods. >> So yeah, people with a gluten intolerance really know it. A lot of people who are intolerant don't know it. >> And so there are lots of uh symptoms and side effects of eating wheat that people aren't aware of. Inflammation is a huge one and people aren't aware like me back then, you know, just just six years ago, getting tight rings, getting stiff joints, achy hips, puffy ankles, not knowing that that was triggered by foods like sugar, wheat, and some processed foods as well, things like, you know, the the unhealthy oils.

But the biggest problem is that people aren't aware. That is very true. And the big corporations want to keep us like that. Exactly. >> It puts money in their pockets. And my theory is that if they keep us ill, it keeps us going to the doctors which keeps big farmer in business as well. >> And it's just this huge loop where we are completely controlled. >> Yeah. >> Now >> that makes me so angry. [sighs and gasps] >> Where do you start? M. So although I went into this wanting to release some weight and and I did, you know, it was a couple of dress sizes and for me it was life-changing because of the whole identity piece. Releasing a couple of dress sizes meant that I now look in the mirror and I feel like me again.

>> Wonderful. >> And that's life-changing. >> Yeah. >> But that's a side effect. The more important piece is that I hadn't I didn't know that I wasn't well. And when I look back now, I can see that I was showing signs of developing type 2 diabetes. And I can see it. Um I can see that I was suffering some metabolic ill health. The afternoon slump being one. Skin tags is another giveaway. There are a few other signs that you can look for about, you know, for poor metabolic health, warning signs that might indicate >> worth getting checked out for pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes. And I can see that in me in my 40s cuz both my mom and dad got type two diabetes and they both reversed their diabetes on my program >> along with many many other clients as well now.

>> [snorts] >> So the the health piece for me became so much more significant than the weight release. But actually weight release it's just a side effect because when you learn to eat in a way that helps your body thrive it it it releases. >> Yeah. >> It doesn't need to hold on anymore. >> No. It doesn't need it to there to keep you safe. >> Keep you safe. The cortisol because of stress and our modern lifestyle is trying to keep us safe, isn't it? trying to hold on to anything it's got because you don't know what's around the corner.

>> But when you're eating in a way that allows the body to be at ease to thrive in a fully nourished environment also you need to learn to tackle the stress >> improves sleep. But actually there's another thing that improves when you eat in better sleep improves. >> Yeah. So I know a lot of people will say, "Oh, I need to sort out my sleep and then I can tackle these other lifestyle factors." >> Absolutely. So often it's the other way around. So often the way we are eating or I like to say the way we're being fed >> is keeping us is keeping our heart rate high at bedtime. So it's hard to drop off. And if we do drop off, perhaps with the help help of a bit of alcohol, we drop off, but then the the body's still processing the the carbs, the alcohol, it wakes us up at 3:00 in the morning, and we think, "Oh, it's just permenopause, but it's to do with heart rate, metabolism. Yes, of course it's to do with hormones as well, but so many people don't realize how much they can improve their sleep when they when they learn how to regulate things like refined carbs, sugars, caffeine, and anything else that might trigger >> symptoms in them. So, sleep is another thing. I think the top thing >> that so many people don't realize is energy. I mean, we can talk about symptoms, joint pain, stiffness, brain fog, and all the rest that I've mentioned. And we can talk about weight, which releases as a side effect, but the big one is that energy.

And we live in a state where we're deprived of sleep, we're deprived of nutrition, and our energy is really, really low. Unsurprisingly, >> we're overworked, we're stressed, and we're exhausted. >> And I think out of the 300 people who I've coached so far, the vast majority come to me saying they wish they had more energy. >> Yeah. >> And that is actually probably the top thing that improves. >> Some people will say this is how you know this is eased. I release the weight. This joint pain has gone. But the best thing, I've now got the energy to to live my life, to do the things that I want to do. The simple things, you know, the energy to be able to play with the grandkids.

>> Yes. The energy where when you when you close the laptop after a hard day at work, you've still got a bit of energy to go and do something that you like to do of an evening, >> which fulfills your mental health and your soul. simultaneously, doesn't it? >> Exactly. Those nourishing activities, taking up a class, you know, it might be a dance class, it might be just going swimming, it might just be just going out for a walk. But how many of us are

Misleading Healthy Foods and Gluten 27:30

so exhausted when we finally close the lid that all we want to do is slump. >> Yeah. >> Because the body is saying rest. You're exhausted. You're undernourished. You haven't slept enough. So when you get and it can happen so easily. It's it doesn't have to be purist and it doesn't have to be particularly strict to see the benefits. >> So with a few small swaps, should we say few lifestyle factors like getting properly hydrated, this is key. You know, so many people are feeling exhausted because they're dehydrated.

That's true. That's true. I is the one is the one food swap that's right at the top of your list for popularity in terms of popularity. Yes. But I think the way I would rather put it is what comes first? What comes what should come first? So the program that I coach is designed so that the first changes you make feel very very easy because if we got you switching everything out and going to all natural overnight you know it just wouldn't be sustainable. >> The first changes that we make are you know easy things like adding in water and you immediately see the benefit.

It's like, oh, all I did was ext drank an extra couple of glasses of water a day and I feel so much better. So, when you feel better and you are empowered because you know you've made some good choices, you are then ready for the next step. >> Yeah. And the next step would be it's not so much a swap, but it's an adding in. And it always starts by adding in. So the f perhaps the first step foodwise isn't swap something out, it's swap something in, put something good in. And that would be extra probably protein starts with adding in good sources of protein. And if you're somebody that eats meat, fish, and eggs, get them in.

If you're somebody that prefers not to eat meat, fish, and eggs, maybe you're vegetarian, maybe you're vegan, find the protein sources that work for you. um it can be harder for our vegetarians and vegans. So, they need to pay close attention to how they get a wider variety of proteins. Yeah. >> But adding in proteins, vegetables, fruit, >> you know, where a lot of us are depending on sweet foods like chocolate or cakes and pastries, those kinds of things. You know, adding in a lot of fruit to start with can really help >> satisfy that sweet craving but in a healthier way.

>> Yeah. It's not necess, you know, a lot of fruit's not necessarily the be all and end all. It's not necessarily the end point, but it's a really great starting point. So rather than there being one top popular swap, it's what easy, convenient, nutritious foods can you add in to start putting the nutrition back so that you're less dependent on the junkier stuff. That would probably be my top tip. >> Yeah. And that makes so much sense, especially if somebody's coming into your program. I'm not suggesting by any way that everybody comes in thinking like this, but if somebody is coming in thinking that they do want to drop some weight, the way society is and has been for decades is right, well, you've got to restrict down what you eat. And if you're saying to them right at the beginning, no, we're going to add in >> Yeah, >> absolutely. some things they're going to go, "Oh, oh, >> because most schools of thought are focused on calorie restriction, right?"

And almost everybody I speak to before they understand this program is, "Oh, I've been managing my calories through this or I've been thinking about what to eat." And you know, you go to a restaurant, what's the only piece of nutritional information on the menu? >> Calories. calories. >> Yeah, >> there's no information about how much protein is in it or whether there's sugar in it >> or whether there are ultrarocessed ingredients in it, but it's got calories. >> We are taught to be obsessed by calories and yet it's missing that you know that's just like 5% of the story. It's missing the whole it's missing the whole story on nutrients and inflammatory ingredients >> which is much more important than the calories.

You know, you can lose weight by restricting calories, but it's going to be very short-lived >> because ultimately the body will fight back because that's how we evolved. If we evol if we I if there was a period of time where food wasn't in abundance and our calorie intake dropped, the signal the the hormones in the body, the hunger hormones and the whole go and find food. Yes. So, those of us who've suffered decades on calorierestricted diets know this only too well, right? You end up binging on chocolate and crisps and going, "Oh, sod it. I can't stick to this damn diet cuz it's just too hard."

>> Yeah. >> It doesn't work. >> In theory, it should work >> if all you're interested is is releasing weight. But what you're not taking into account is are you properly nourished? Are you getting enough protein? Are you getting enough of the all the minerals that we need, all the vitamins that we need, all the micronutrients. And so now what we do is, oh, people are undernourished, right? What supplements do they need? So now it's this supplement and that supplement. And yet to a great extent, not necessarily 100%, but to a great extent, if we all started eating more, more packing it in more of the proteins and the vegetables and the fruit, our bodies would then be calmer because we're starting to meet all the nutritional requirements. And you know that not everybody can always meet all the nutritional requirements because we're all absorbing >> nutrients at a different rate and some people have you know issues with absorption and that kind of thing. Plus of course modern food has a tendency to be depleted.

So you it's not 100% but to a great extent when we start adding in more natural whole foods the body can calm down because it doesn't need to crave the nutrients anymore. So it's so so not about calorie restriction >> and like you said that's just not sustainable is it? Because as soon as you eat more calories again, the weight loss, if you've achieved any, is going to come back >> and probably more. >> There seems to be a way, doesn't there, that the body goes wrong, you better put on more weight then because if you're going to go through that starvation period again, we need a little bit of extra fat on our bodies to get through it.

>> Yeah. >> Which is why which which brings me to the seasons actually we mentioned earlier. You know, it's all very well saying, well, how did the human body evolve to eat? And of course, that would have differed according to, you know, where we were on the planet. But depending on the time of year, it would have been a very different source of foods. >> So, a very simple way of looking at it is is this way. In the springtime or the rainy season, everything's new, everything's fresh. Green veg. We would have evolved to eat a lot of green veg as we were going around the gathering stage. The vegetables springtime and then there would have been sources of animal protein. Okay, so you know little maybe some fish depending on where we were maybe some small birds proteins and maybe every now and again a hunting catch some wild meat those kinds of things. Um so the way we

Inflammation, Energy, and Sleep 35:40

would have eaten in spring was relatively low in sugars. M and yet when you go you have a look at the opposing season autumn where the sun has been out all season and the energy in our foods is now denser so sugars have started to form in our foods. So that might be fruit and it might be root vegetables, carbohydrates. That's a very different season from spring. And most people don't realize that there are actually two completely different fuel sources. So the fuel the natural fuel source in our uh end of season autumn was carbohydrates.

Why did humans evolve, survive, and thrive? Because those carbohydrates uh tell your body to store fat. You know, insulin, carbohydrates trigger insulin. Insulin stores the fat on your body, right? Survive a harsh winter. That's how it's supposed to work. >> Yes. But in our modern age, we're all living in this perpetual dirty autumn with all its refined carbohydrates piling on fat. Some of us more than others depending on our genetics. >> But we're never compensating that. Whereas in nature in going back to ancestral times, we would have then suffered a winter of perhaps very little food at all.

used up the fat on our bodies because we were in a period of fasting. Then we would have come through to the springtime where everything was fresh again and you got the g the greens, the leafy and the proteins. >> So you would have switched naturally away from the glucose and carbohydrate burning metabolism >> into a fat burning metabolism. >> Yep. thriving on the still green veg if it was available and the proteins and the fats that naturally went along with those proteins. So what that does for the human body is you start producing ketones which give you energy and feed the brain. So more alertness, more focus, more motivation, more get up and go.

Full of the joys of spring. Right >> there it goes. That's the expression. these two opposing seasons and most people and certainly the food corporation don't teach us this but if you look at how the the human body has these two different metabolic modes. We're either in fat burning where proteins and green veg is great and all the fats that come with that or we're in carbohydrate burning. And the problem that we have is very few of us have ever experienced the energy and the vitality that comes when you're living and eating in a spring-like way.

>> Yeah, that makes perfect sense to me. I can see that. >> Yeah, makes sense. >> So, when I'm coaching people through this program, it's a series of steps to first of all get them to experience that spring energy which is very healing, very energizing. The other thing that it does which is quite magical is it turns off sugar cravings. Turns off the craving [snorts] for carbs. That's massive. >> Because if you think about it, if we were going through a season where there was no carbs, no sugars, and we had that perpetual sugar craving, we'd be losing energy to no to no avail.

We'd be wasting energy looking for sugars. And it send us nuts. >> It send us nuts. We'd spend all our time looking for the fruit, looking for the honey, looking for the root veg, not finding it. It doesn't make any sense. >> So what happens, and anyone who's ever experienced it, it turns off the cravings for carbs and sugars. And so you're now free from that food noise. That's what food noise is, >> basically. >> Is that craving for the next cake or >> Yep. sweet treat or savory treat, but it might be toast or crisps or something, but it tends generally speaking, it's carbs, might be some cravings for salts and certainly cravings for for meat if you haven't had, you know, a lot of that. But in a in a nutshell, the spring energy has that side effect of dialing down the food noise. And that for so many people can be completely life-changing because we're constantly, some of us are constantly thinking about food, thinking about snacks, struggling, battling with our food relationship because of everything that's out there.

>> Yeah. >> You've only got to pop into the next establishment that's open, petrol station, supermarket, corner shop, coffee shop. Carbs, carbs, carbs, carbs, sugars, sugars everywhere. Yeah. >> And it's tough. >> It is. There's no variety out there. There is nothing else unless you're going to take something home and cook it or eat it raw. But, you know, >> it's limited. >> It's really hard to know how to eat in that spring-like way when you're out and about. >> So, then there's some skill involved.

And that is ex, you know, another aspect of what I coach. It's right. So, we've established that living and eating in this spring-like way, not the whole time, there's a place for the fruit and the carbs, but it has so many benefits that it's a really great place to be, >> particularly if you want that mental focus, concentration, performance, energy, motivation. It's particularly good for people who are struggling with their with their mood. particularly good because it can actually help regulate moods.

>> That's powerful. >> Yeah, it really is. So, so many people that I've coached have said that spring energy gives them it help, you know, some people have said it it even helps lift them from a depression. And of course, we know these days how linked mental well-being is >> with gut health, don't we? You can't separate the two. >> Exactly. So, we've got gut health is so important for our whole health, but also our mental health. >> Yeah. >> But also, if you think about it, one of the main things that causes mood swings is erratic blood sugars.

If you're eating in a spring-like way, you don't get the erratic blood sugars. >> Consistent. So that has a knock-on effect of keeping us in a positive, upbeat, calm, regulated mood. >> Yes. >> So that's, you know, there's a few different physiological reasons for it and also being properly nourished >> because of course a lot of our um mental well-being issues can be traced back to missing nutrients from the diet as well, can't they? So there's a few different things going on there >> which all point to uh help us understand why eating in this spring like way can be really beneficial on a mental well-being level as well.

>> Yeah. >> And organic foods. >> So this organic is an interesting one, isn't it? Because you've got the first thing that people think about is the expense of organic foods. So, what I hear a lot is, "I can't afford to eat organic. Therefore, I may as well not bother." I think what comes first before you even think about organic is getting plenty of good natural whole foods. So, start with the ones you can afford. >> Yeah. >> You know, let's get the veg, the fruit, the proteins. Now if you are fortunate enough to be able to afford higher quality food >> then absolutely prior prioritize it.

>> Yeah. >> Because what we now know about modern foods is that they're high in pesticides. Right. Just one of the things they're high in is pesticides. >> Yeah. And that's never been a food. >> Exactly. And so, you know, you've only got to read um ultrarocessed people or, you know, look at any of Tim Spectre's work to know that pesticides are a huge problem for us on our health. So, but that's like that's like the advanced version. The basic version is eat more veg, eat more protein. >> Yeah. >> Forget organic. Just eat more of that where you can you know what you can afford to get. The next level is right now that I'm eating more veg, more protein, how can I reduce the contaminants like >> the pesticides? And that would be to switch to organic where possible.

>> Yeah. >> Sometimes it's double in price though, isn't it? So, it's not >> it's not easy, is it? >> It's not easy. You can't get it. And what I do cuz I like to get as much of my regular veg organic as I can. So, some of the veg that I eat really

Adding In Nutrition and Practical Food Swaps 45:00

regularly, several times a week, would be celery, cucumber, spinach. Those things I can get organic in my local shops for not double, but maybe 25% more. So, those things, because I eat those regularly, I will usually buy those organic. >> That makes sense. that feels like a >> a sensible upgrade, >> but that doesn't mean that I'm buying organic chicken and organic beef and all that because >> that is pricey. >> You know, you can be talking two, three times the price. Lovely for those who can afford it. I think the main thing with organic is that it's the pesticides. It's the is the nasty agricultural chemicals that are sprayed on. Um, and you can't guarantee that they're free from that even if you do buy organic because of overspray from other fields, can't you?

>> Absolutely. >> But it's I think it's just levels. >> Yeah. You're just doing the best you can with what you've got available >> with what you've got available. That's exactly that's exactly one of the principles that I coach. >> Oh, good. >> Also, do the best you can with what's around when you're traveling. >> You know, you can't always get the perfect food when you're out and about. And who wants to completely change their lifestyle and live like a hermit and never go anywhere and, you know, be at home the whole time because that's where you can be 100% in control of your food.

I don't want to live like that. >> So, it's finding that balance, doing the best you can with where you are. >> Yeah. And that is a much easier adjustment to make to your life that requires the education and the guidance. But once you know it, then it really is your choice, isn't it? >> Then it becomes your choice. And then you can get savvy. So when you travel, you can learn new skills. You can Yeah. I always carry my lunch with me to an airport. I'll bring some chicken thigh, roasted veg, something like that.

something that's easy to eat with a with a disposable fork. I'll put it in a disposable container. I'll take it through security. People don't often realize you can take your lunch through security. >> And maybe that depends on where you fly into, but I've always managed to get mine through. Um the other side then I will eat my lunch. I will get rid of the container. I usually reuse, but every now and again to have something disposable with you that you can just chuck >> makes it a bit easier. Yeah.

>> So now I've had my lunch. I've had my protein and my veg. Now I'm not dependent on finding a sandwich or a burger at the airport. So you can there are little upgrades that you can do, >> but it takes quite a bit of knowledge, quite a bit of training. >> So half of what I do is about the psychology around >> wanting to eat in an upgraded way. A lot of it is about the natural human diet and what it is that we're meant to be eating and what serves you. But but then a the other half of it is how how do we do this when we're busy, when we got fussy families, when not everybody likes things like sardines and I don't particularly like seafood, you know, but it's a great it's a great natural food.

I don't really like seafood. >> No, we all got different tastes. >> Yeah, we've all got different tastes. Some people I've started to get used to sardines because I knew that I needed to increase my omega-3s and I thought well I could take an omega-3 supplement or I could start eating sardines and salmon at least twice a week. So that's what I did. >> Yeah. >> And so now I'm okay with sardines. You know, I don't particularly love them, >> but I'm choosing to prioritize nutrition over what I fancy >> because that's important to me now. So it's changed the whole way I look at it.

>> Yeah. >> But once you know how you want to eat in an ideal world, then it's learning the techniques to make it doable, to make it manageable given your lifestyle. So it's about learning new skills with food prep, storage, carrying food, skills that mean that you don't have to take hours and hours to prep a meal. You know, I always say number one, don't cook when you're hungry. >> Oh, yeah. Don't shop when you're hungry. >> Don't shop when you're hungry is a very common one, isn't it? And it's a it's a good rule.

>> Don't cook when you're hungry. You're desperately hungry. You want to eat. >> Yeah. >> Not cook. >> Now, it's different when you're in spring because when you're in spring, that hunger isn't so urgent. When you're hungry and you're eating in that spring-l like way, it's like, "Oh, I'm going to be hungry in the next couple of hours. Yeah, I've got time to cook a meal. Great. But most of us when we're hungry, we need to eat now. So, I often say you cook in advance and you don't cook every day. So, you're learning to batch cook. You're learning to batch prep. You're learning to always have something in the fridge grab and go. And when you haven't been shopping and everything's gone out of control, at least you've got the tins covered.

You've got a tin of tuna. [laughter] >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. >> And or you've got something in the freezer. And so it's learning these skills and also it's learning where to eat when you're out and about >> places like you know when you if you're going out to a restaurant >> be involved in that decision as to where you're going because if you leave it to your friends they're going to choose pizza burgers whatever it is >> you if you get involved in that decision you can go well hang on protein and veg where am I going to go to get protein and veg maybe a steak maybe some veg vegetables, maybe a salad, maybe some chicken, maybe some fish. But if you if you just go with a default, you're going to be left with nothing but a pizza.

>> No, if if that's what you really want, go for it. But if what you really want is the protein and veg, it's learning how to read a menu. What have you got here that will really work for me? Oh, great. They've got some salmon. Oh, but the salmon can come comes with pasta. I don't really want pasta because my blood sugars. Salmon and broccoli. That would be great. But there's not two things on the same plate, right? But that's okay cuz this restaurant that I've just chosen has a chef. And I know that I can say, "Can you ask the chef if I can have the broccoli from that meal and the salmon from that meal and make a nice new plate?" Oh, yeah. Lovely. You can't do that in a chain.

>> No, that's true. >> The other thing about a chain is there will be sugar in everything. >> So, these are some of the skills that we need to learn. >> Absolutely. I mean, I love that tip about going through the airport security because it's liquids, isn't it? That they're >> liquids is what they're funny with. Yeah. Now, actually, um, for the first time when I flew out to Vienna five, five five, six days ago, I was allowed to bring my bottle of water through for the first time. So, they've got new systems in place where you can even bring your water through. Now, I was glad of it cuz I had water with some electrolytes in. I'm glad that I didn't have to tip it all away.

>> Yes, >> coming back I did have to tip it away. So, it's changing. But essentially, if you want to bring your lunch through so that you're not relying on whatever food they serve or non food >> on the airplane, bring your lunch with you. >> And you can always put an apple in your bag. >> Yeah. you know, the rules on things like cheeses and meats and fruit and particularly fruit with, you know, sea, it differs, but my experience of flying from the UK out >> has been that I've always been able to carry my lunch with me.

>> I shall remember that. >> Yeah. Then it gets you off to a good start. >> Yeah. >> And you know, with Vienna, it meant that for the first couple of days, I was completely on plan. And then the next day, it's like, okay, we're out and about. I want to experience Vienna. What gastronomic experiences do I want? And one of them was apple strudel. [laughter] I absolutely wanted an apple strudel, but I wanted the best. >> Yeah. >> I didn't just want to go to any old place on the high street doing. So, we

Seasonal Eating, Organic Choices, and Travel Tips 53:20

were looking for the best place to have apple strudel, you know, freshly baked conscious gastronomy, that delight, you know. Now, it does take its toll on me making choices like that because one thing that I notice on me is I get a bag under my left eye. And I don't know if you can see it, but I was able to see it this morning when I looked in the mirror. And that is the consequence of having a few days with a little bit of sugar, a little bit refined carbs, something like a little pastry or something each day, maybe a little bit of chocolate, and it'll show up here.

Now, to me, nothing major, but that is a warning sign that my body is starting to get inflamed. My body is starting to complain that what I'm feeding it is not ideal. So if you can just tune in to warning signs like that, >> then you're getting the feedback. >> But most of us are living with a whole host of symptoms. Like that to me 20 years ago was huge. I was in my more than 20 years ago. I remember I was in my late 20s and I started to get a really puffy bag under the eye. Both eyes, but this one has always been worse. And I thought, what is this? Am I lacking in sleep? Uh, you know, people will say, "Do they bags under the eyes?

You haven't slept in enough." [clears throat] What is it? Didn't know. Is it my eye cream? Do I need more eye cream? Do I need to stop using moisture? What is I had no idea and I was worried about it. >> But it wasn't until, you know, much more recently that I've learned exactly what that is. And it's refined carbs and sugar. >> Yeah. Which you just wouldn't think, would you? You would never know it because this is not taught. >> No, it isn't. >> So, now I have my little warning signs and that's okay because it's all giving me information.

>> Yeah. >> And another one is my wedding ring's going tight. So, every day I will do the ring test and if my rings slip off easily, I know that I've eaten reasonably clean. My body is reasonably happy with the way I ate yesterday. But especially when traveling, Sometimes those rings are really tight and I think, "Oh, yeah, I'm inflamed." Now, the problem with inflammation is that we we now scientists now know, right, that inflammation, chronic inflammation over a period of time is one of the key contributing factors to long-term chronic disease.

>> Yes, it is. So if you can get a little warning sign like tight rings, puffy eyes and particularly for a lot of women, per menopausal, post-menopausal joint stiffness, stiff, achy joints, aching wrists, achy neck, shoulders getting stiff. Yeah. Knees, hips, those are that's warning signs of chronic inflammation. I can see that. That makes perfect sense. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. It's very rarely the osteoarthritis. And if it is, that's [clears throat] bone on bone. >> Yeah. >> That's a different thing.

>> But by far the most common thing that I see when women come to me wanting more energy, they want to relieve their joint pain and stiffness. >> It's easily improved. easily improved when we start to add in the good stuff >> and pay attention to the things that trigger inflammation. Joint pain eases dramatically. I just can't understand why more people aren't teaching this stuff because I see it every single day. >> It's crazy, isn't it? That's another reform that needs to happen. >> Yeah. >> We need to reform big farmer. We need to reform clinical medicine. And we need to reform food education. Yeah.

And yet most of these things, these ailments, these symptoms that we experience, whether it's permenopause or whether it's earlier than that, we go along to the GP and we get some treatment for it to ease the symptoms, don't we? >> That's what happens. >> So, anti-inflammatories. So, now you're living your life on on ibuprofen or something similar. um acid reflux you get the not even just ant acids anymore is it but it's the much more the harsher version of those I went along to the GP about >> 15 years ago suffering with acid reflux >> and immediately they prescribed me omerazole and it works a treat so I could eat pizzas and takeaways and drink and and eat cheese on toast and not get any acid reflux cuz I was on a merazole. But I also now know I don't need a merizole because when I'm eating reasonably clean, I don't get any acid reflux at all. I don't get it at all anymore. It's partly to do with the immediate effects of what you've eaten, but it's also to do with your gut health.

>> So, I now live completely free of acid reflux >> and completely free of ant acids. Delightful on both scores. >> Exactly. >> Yeah. Oh, I love it. I love people such as yourself that are doing solid good quality work that involves re-education. >> I mean it we shouldn't have to re-educate. We should be educated from the beginning. >> Yeah. >> But it's so good to know that there's people out there that are actually doing it and evidence-based. They've done it themselves. >> Yeah. >> Because that's so important. And I think when you've experienced something that completely changes your life, you don't have a choice.

>> You've got to get out there and teach it. And I've always been that way. And so when I realized that, yeah, I got the weight release and my weight fluctuates, you know, depending on how much conscious gastronomy we're human, you know, [laughter] >> which is fine, but it's releasing the guilt from that as well. I want to say I am in control here and I can have a few freedom days and the holiday and gain some weight. I don't need to feel guilty about it. But when you are not aware >> of what causes what and you're obsessed with this weight release, you it's not going anywhere. So to educate people on what it is about the way they're eating that causes their low energy, their aches, their pains, their symptoms, their digestive issues, their acid reflux, the IBS, and it's not always, but nearly always I am seeing almost complete relief with things like the joint pain, stiffness, the IBS, migraines is another big one.

You know, we think that migraines is just something we have to put up with. So many people just just prescribed meds. And of course, meds are so helpful, can be helpful, but they're just prescribed the meds without even looking at what the triggers could be. Now, my hubby Paul was getting about six migraines a month. >> And he's got good tablets for it. They don't He still needs to spend the entire day in bed. Not anymore, but at that time six migraines a month. It would mean the entire day in bed with the med with the meds. Uh now he gets one maybe once every couple of months. It's reduced that much since he learned to eat. I know what his triggers are. Um I don't know whether I should share but we know that there are things like you know typical things that trigger migraines is a dependence upon sugar the dependence upon a lot of caffeine and also I I think with Paul is artificial sweeteners as well >> but it's not so much you have a bit of artificial sweetener it triggers a migraine it's not that it's living a life where you're constantly dependent on the caffeine the sugar the artificial sweetener when you when that imbalance goes wrong, that can trigger the migraine. So, it it's along those lines and Paul has seen a dramatic improvement. And yeah, he's still got the meds there for when it happens, but the incidence of it is a lot less. And usually he can attribute it to something that he's changed along those lines.

>> Yeah. And you can cope then, can't you? >> Yeah. >> Amazing. My head is buzzing with insights. Thank you so much. Oh, you're so welcome. Thank you. It's been a pleasure to share some of this because I just wish the whole world knew it. >> Well, we're going to put your links in the show notes so that people can access them and come and find out more if they want to. >> Amazing. >> Which you all should, by the way. [laughter] >> Thank you, darling. >> Thank you, Debs.