Nichola Forrest, Nutritonal Therapist B.A. HDipEd, DipNut IINH, mNTOI.  See clients from Only Natural on Wednesday mornings, cost of appointment is €60 for the initial consultation and €40 for follow ups. For appointments ring or text 087 619 6831.

Nichola Forrest has kindly decided to share some of her nutritional tips with us, just little ways in which we can try to increase our nutritional intake.  This blog will be updated month to month and we hope you’ll find it very informative.

Oil Pulling for Oral Health

This oral therapy is a type of Ayurvedic medicine that dates back 3,000 years and it involves swishing approximately 1 tablespoon of oil, preferably raw virgin coconut oil, around the mouth for 10-15 minutes.

Make sure to oil pull first thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything. Swish the oil around for 10-15 minutes, do not gargle or swallow the oil. Spit out the oil, preferably into a bin, and then rinse your mouth and brush your teeth as normal.

Some of the reported benefits are: Whitens teeth; Strengthens teeth, gums and jaw; Prevents cavities and gingivitis; Banishes bad breath; Relieves headaches and hangovers; Helps you sleeps better; Clears sinuses; Detoxifies the body.

Are you Drinking Enough Water??

So we’re all still talking about the weather! What’s great is that the glorious sunshine is our focus and how to manage a sensible approach to it. I met a friend a few days ago and she said that she felt like she was coming down with a virus; she had a headache, sore muscles, felt fatigued… I asked her if she thought she was drinking enough water!?! She wasn’t. Dehydration is so common and doesn’t necessarily feel like thirst. More often, when you think you’re hungry, you may just be thirsty!!! So drink some water, wait 10 minutes and reassess. You need an average of 30ml per kg of body weight. So if you weigh 50kg, you need 1.5 litres of water over the course of the day.

Try adding a squeeze of lemon or lime if you struggle to drink plain water. 80% of daytime tiredness can be down to simple dehydration. Finally, if you sweat a lot, add some Himalayan pink salt or sea salt to your drinks or makes to help electrolyte balance.

Do you suffer from Sun Rash or Prickly Heat??

As a fellow sufferer, I have found a couple of simple solutions that work for me and my family. I switched to more natural suncreams that are free from parabens, SLS/SLES, irritating emulsifiers and fragrances. My favourite is Green People’s edelweiss sun lotion which has a natural tan accelerator in it and I use their scent free lotion for my children. I also use stinging nettle drops or nettle juice in the lead up to the summer(!) or if I’m going on holiday. Nettle can reduce symptoms of prickly heat quite dramatically and is well worth trying.

Sleep

We all know that sleep is important.  I used to great night’s sleep every night but since I had children I’ve never managed to sleep through the night…  But I have learned a few tricks along the way.

  1. I love coffee but I no longer drink it after 2 or 3 in the afternoon as it definitely makes for a poor night’s sleep in my house.
  2. Epsom salts bath. A bath is a lovely way to wind down in the evening and the magnesium content of Epsom salts relax the nervous system and can lead to a better sleep.
  3. Herbs like Valerian and hops are traditionally used to relax and improve sleep quality. Vogel’s Dormeasan is a popular choice.
  4. Cherry is a natural source of melatonin, a hormone vital for proper sleep.  You can drink the juice or get it in an effective powder form.

Sleep is so important for immunity, cell regeneration, hormone balance and so on … make sure you’re getting a good night’s sleep.

Make Sure to Feed Your Recovery

As a few of us from Only Natural are gearing up towards the Rosslare 10km run next Monday organised by Wexford Triathlon Club, I’ve been focussing a lot the last couple of weeks on recovery after training. I like to preach to others about the importance of replacing both protein and carbohydrate within an hour after a training session to encourage recovery and muscle repair but I can be guilty of missing that window myself! My sore muscles the following day are a good reminder.

So the general rule is to have your meal within that key hour e.g. chicken and sweet potato, poached eggs on wholemeal toast, salmon and brown rice … (and of course your vegetables/salad). Another option is to have a protein shake (whey or there are plenty of dairy-free alternatives like hemp, pea, sprouted brown rice) and a piece of fruit shortly after training and follow up with a good meal later on.

As the clocks have changed and we optimistically look forward to longer, brighter and warmer days exercise is easier to include but remember to time the recovery foods so you’re raring to go again the next day!

Add Protein to your Breakfast

A protein-packed breakfast will reduce hunger and help you make better food choices later on in the day. This doesn’t mean opting for the full Irish(!), rather, add poached eggs or some Greek yoghurt to your first meal of the day. Try two poached eggs with some homemade porridge bread or try a cup of plain Greek yoghurt with some almonds, mixed berries and chia seeds. Yum!