Rachel is a university qualified nutritionist based in Balmain, Sydney. She is a busy working mum of two teenagers, so is practical and realistic with her advice. Specialises in peri menopause, menopause, gut health, weight issues, low FODMAP diet and sports nutrition. Online and in person consultations available.
Perfect for entertaining, or for a family dinner with the hopes of leftovers, here's how we've been enjoying our grilled veggies. Our secret is to include a punnet of figs (so cheap at the moment - and they used to be such a luxury!) and to marinade before grilling. This is a delicious side to barbecued steaks, sausages or halloumi.
Read MoreIn worrying news for hummus fans the world over - we are facing a GLOBAL SHORTAGE OF CHICKPEAS! After the avocado crisis I'm not sure how I'll cope! In the meantime, while tinned chickpeas are still cheap I'll stock up. Here's how we had them last night - roasted til crispy tossed with coriander, cumin and oregano, roasted along side some pumpkin. Served with rocket, mint, toasted pepitas, pomegranate seeds and some halloumi too.
Read MoreI hate to use the term superfoods (eye roll) but I was thinking about all the lovely food we are blessed to be surrounded by this time of year and that I associate with Christmas. I thought I'd share some of their health benefits as well as recipes that my family enjoy this time of year. I'd love to hear about your Christmas super foods too! My favourite part of Christmas is sharing a meal with the people that I love. Food should be seen as part of the celebration - not something to feel guilty about. Include plenty of fresh fruit and veggies and some lean protein and use the time off work to schedule in a walk or run. Consider Mindful Eating over the Christmas break by making more conscious food choices, paying attention to how you eat, and practicing self-acceptance.
Read MoreHas your teenager recently announced they are a vegetarian? Mine has! The rest of the family eat meat and I'm too busy to be cooking 2 meals every night so here's some ideas for how I cope. I've also seen quite a few vegetarian clients recently with iron deficiency so I'll outline some common nutrient concerns with a vegetarian teenager and how to avoid them.
Read MoreI was lucky enough recently to be able to work with an athlete preparing for the Australian Schoolboys Rugby Union Tournament. He was interested in maintaining his work rate, making his tackles and not fatiguing in the second half of the game. Here's some of the key points we came up with. Of course, every athlete is different with different food preferences, requirements and backgrounds. What is right for one athlete may not benefit the next - so make sure that your sports nutrition advice is tailored to your goals.
Read MoreIf you are asked to bring a salad to a BBQ or Christmas party - this one is a winner! Look at those colours! And yum, any salad with pomegranate and feta is a winner in my books. Then add in that beautiful refreshing watermelon and the crunch of almonds, so good.
Read MoreThe more we learn about the role of gut, the more it seems that the gut can be thought of as the centre of overall good health. Our gastrointestinal tract runs right through the core of the body and has does a lot more than just digest our food. Our gut is home to lots of bacteria – known as gut flora. A healthy digestive system has a balance of good and bad bacteria. When your gut is not working as it should your energy levels are affected, your mood is affected and your ability to concentrate is affected. You can help maintain your digestive system by ensuring you consume prebiotics, probiotics and sufficient dietary fibre.
Read MoreShould you skip breakfast before you exercise?
Read MoreWith the arrival of spring in Sydney I've had a craving for this Jamie Oliver inspired recipe. Salmon is a fantastic source of omega-3 fatty acids which are inti-inflammatory and extremely beneficial to your health - they can help lower cholesterol, reduce high blood pressure, and may reduce symptoms of arthritis and depression. I've accompanied the salmon with salsa verde and some lovely roasted veggies.
Read MoreAre you following a low FODMAP diet to manage your IBS symptoms? FODMAPs are a large group of dietary sugars. These sugars can be poorly absorbed in the small intestine and fermented by bacteria to produce gas. Following a low FODMAP diet can help manage IBS symptoms.
Endurance runners often suffer from stomach problems. If you also suffer from a FODMAP intolerance, fueling for your long run can be quite tricky. Here’s some tips to help you focus on your running, rather than your stomach, or wondering where the closest toilet is.
Read MoreIt's sooooo cold in the morning in Sydney at the moment and I love a warm bowl of porridge, but I'm often hungry a couple of hours after I've eaten it. I've come up with a fabulous trick to increase the protein of your porridge to keep you full all morning.
Read MoreA long overdue post about my most used sports nutrition product - nuun electrolyte tablets. Nuun tablets are added to water and replenish the electrolytes that are lost in sweat during exercise with only 1g of sugar (dextrose) per serve (compared to 36g of sugar in a sports drink). Nuun contains the four main electrolytes that are vital in hydration and exercise performance and this year they will be the official hydration partner of the City2Surf
Read MoreI love taking classic comfort foods and making them a whole lot more nutritious. I've added lentils and plenty of veggies to my shepherds pie base and my mash is half cauliflower and half potato. With the veggies, lean lamb and lentils this is a immune boosting recipe for winter that my kids love!
Read MoreI developed this delicious granola recipe for my son and he loves it. He mixes it with yoghurt as a great second breakfast after early morning rugby training or after a game. The combination of protein and carbs makes it ideal for refuelling my hungry boy!
Read MoreCreate this delicious classic french salad with loads of veggies and heart healthy tuna and eggs for a hot summer night to transport you to the south of France.
Read MoreHot summer evenings are calling for this divine BUN CHA bowl with a warm dipping sauce.
Healthy, low carb, high protein, with heaps of veggies, Gluten Free and FODMAP friendly!
Read MoreIf you hang around the sports nutrition world you'll see there's a lot of fuss about beetroot juice, which has recently been promoted to a Grade A supplement by the Australian Institute of Sport. Whether you are trying to improve your exercise endurance, improve your blood pressure or just add more veggies to your diet - check out my beetroot smoothie.
Read MorePresenting my mid week mojito...
Over the last few years A2 milk has become a significant player in Australia and New Zealand. It has recently expanded into the UK and US markets too. If you suffer from bloating or an upset stomach after drinking milk, it might be worth giving A2 milk a go.
All regular cows’ milk brands today contain a combination of two main types of beta-casein protein, namely A1 and A2. The A2 milk company has developed a genetic test to choose cows which don’t produce the A1 protein. The farms that produce the A2 milk use only cows which produce the A2 protein. The rest of the A2 milk process is no different to the production of any other milk - it doesn't use genetic engineering or a special technological process.
There have been 2 small human studies looking at the effect of A2 milk. The first study was conducted on a small group of 41 people, of which 10 reported an intolerance to dairy milk. In this trial after drinking A1 protein only the study participants reported softer stools than after drinking A2 milk. It is thought this was due to an increase in gut inflammation caused by consumption of the A1 protein.
This second study on 45 people compared common commercial milk that contained both A1 and A2 milk proteins and to milk containing only A2 protein. This study found that consuming A2 milk did not cause an increase in unpleasant digestive symptoms (for example, bloating and flatulence) usually associated with milk consumption in those who were lactose-intolerant.
These studies were both very small. Currently Monash University is conducting a larger trial which will have results published in December.
With only 10% of Australians consuming their recommended 3-4 serves of dairy each day I am a big fan of any product that helps people drink more milk. Dairy products are a rich source of a wide range of nutrients including calcium, protein, iodine, vitamins A, B2, B12 and D, and zinc. Improved dairy intake has been linked to weight management, reduced risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, and provides one of the best dietary sources of calcium for bone health.
If you already drink milk with no tummy upsets, there is no advantage in switching to A2 milk, and it does cost nearly twice the price of regular milk. However if you do suffer from digestion issues after drinking milk then it's certainly worth giving A2 milk a go.
Note that A2 milk is not lactose free, so will not solve medically diagnosed lactose intolerance. However, if you have diagnosed lactose intolerance but would still like to try a2 Milk™, you can add a lactase enzyme supplement (such as Lacto-Free) to break down the lactose milk sugar making it possible for you to enjoy dairy.
if you do want to try A2 milk, make sure you buy the labelled A2 milk and don't be tricked by other milk that "contain A2 protein" as it's the A1 protein you want to avoid.
I am a big fan of Jalna A2 yoghurt which is a reduced fat yoghurt made from A2 milk. While all yoghurts contain starter cultures, not all have probiotics (live bacteria that survive digestion and colonise in the gut). The strains in all Jalna Yoghurt are: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus Casei. These cultures have been shown to survive in sufficient numbers to reach the large intestine, where they multiply and colonise. These cultures have been demonstrated to provide gastrointestinal and immune health benefits.
Intermittent Fasting diets have been popular for a few years. Recently researchers from Austin Health and the University of Melbourne compared the results of the popular 5:2 intermittent fasting diet with a standard kilojoule reduced diet. The 5:2 diet involves eating only 2,500 kilojoules (or 600 calories) on two non-consecutive days a week and then eating normally on the other five days. Both diets demonstrated similar weight loss and reduction in body fat and girth over a 6 month period.
Often clients ask me whether an Intermittent fasting approach would work for them. My answer is - it depends. It works well for some people. If you are like Client A who has a busy job, not really into food, happy to fast for 2 days because they forget to eat much at work anyway and don't feel the need to "feast" on the non fasting days an intermittent fasting approach might work.
However for client B who works from home, prepares the family meals, who gets a lot of hedonistic pleasure from planning and enjoying meals (this is me by the way) - going 2 days with only 500 calories ("what does that equate to anyway?!") would find intermittent fasting a challenge.
Client C might be a strict "If it fits your macros" gym-bro who isn't afraid to sacrifice meals, avoids "cheating" when a goal is near, and is used to restrictive eating might be able to persevere with intermittent fasting while they get results and then might move on to the next thing if intermittent fasting non longer works for them.
Really, any approach that involves eating less and moving more is likely to get results. However with any way of eating before you commence it you need to think about whether you can imagine doing it for the rest of your life because that's ultimately the plan that will work for you.
I'd prefer people to tune in to mindful eating, where they notice and enjoy food and recognise hunger and fullness cues. I'd love to see more families cooking at home and eating together with parents modelling a balanced, healthy approach to food. You can find out more about mindful eating here and my coaching approach here.
If you do decide to try intermittent fasting make sure you talk to your GP first. There have been concerns around risks for some people on certain medications or with particular medical conditions – fasting might make some conditions worse. If you're on medication for high blood pressure or type II diabetes, you may need a different medication regime on that day or a whole change of medication. Also in some susceptible people, it can stir up their liver as the fat starts emptying out of it. This can actually make the liver more inflamed and trigger liver disease. A similar thing can happen in the gallbladder, too.
© Copyright 2020 Rachel Eagleton | All Rights Reserved | Designed by Nicola Murrin
