I was delighted to be asked to be the guest editor of a sustainable cookbook developed by Glasgow Caledonian University’s Dietetic students. This book contains lots of seasonal recipes with sustainable tips and tricks.
More information on this project can be found here
The book is FREE TO DOWNLOAD and can be found here
Louise x
I was honoured to be asked to take part in Symprove’s Spotlight Series and share my expertise on plant based eating and gut health. Symprove is one of the most widely researched and evidenced based probiotic supplements. Probiotics supplements populate the gut with ‘good’ gut bacteria. And a healthy digestive tract is needed to support many processes such as immune function and cardiovascular health
This interview is on ‘plant based eating’ and the microbiome. Plant foods are essentially ‘pre biotics’. They are rich in fibre and phytonutrients which ‘feed’ the good bacteria. But did you know the term ‘plant based eating’ actually describes a whole spectrum of eating habits and not just veganism?
Read on for more detail on
It was great to be interviewed by Aymes. This UK wide supplement company is leading the way with vegan oral nutrition supplements. In my interview I share my approach to achieving a sustainable diet, the challenges faced by malnourished vegan patients and my top tips for a plant based diet.
As someone who has been in the field of nutrition for decades, it’s exciting to see the whole landscape of clinical nutrition and dietetics develop to meet consumer demand for such products. Commercial vegan supplement drinks have been on the market for sometime but these clinical products are carefully formulated with malnutrition in mind. When I practised as a clinical Dietitian (a few years ago now !! ) We only had access to supplements that used whey (milk proteins). The plant protein used in these products is soya. The fat is palm oil – I was pleased to find out it is RSPO certified sustainable palm oil . Developments like this reduce the worries and potential barriers for vegans experiencing malnutrition in hospitals or undernutrition at home.
As a Clinical Dietitian I worked in the area of nutrition support and still use these skills in my individual consultations today.
If you are interested in a consultation, please get in touch here
I’m delighted to join Halos Osteopathy as their team nutritionist.
Good nutrition is the foundation of musculoskeletal health. I work with their clients to develop tailored plans which promote recovery and build physical resilience.
What might this mean in practice? For some, it could be targeted nutritional strategies to support inflammation resolution. For others it might mean bespoke meal planning.
The Halos clinic is based in Oxted but I also offer nutritional services for osteopath clients around the UK on a remote basis.
CBD is short for cannabidiol.
CBD is a plant chemical or ‘active ingredient’ that comes from Hemp and Marijuana plants (which are different but both botanically related).
CBD is found in the stalks, leaves and flowers (but not seeds) of Hemp plants. It is extracted and put into a ‘carrier’ oil which is then sold for commercial use. The products can then be diffused or added in various ways to other foods.
No, only the Marijuana plant has THC (the ingredient that gets you high). The CBD used in food products is only allowed to be sourced from Hemp plants (not Maijuana).
CBD oil is very different from Hemp oil. Hemp oil is simply the oil extracted from the Hemp seed which does not contain CBD. In some ways it’s similar to the simple rapeseed or sunflower seed oil. CBD oil is an extraction of CBD which is added to a separate carrier oil.
In some clinical trials, CBD has been shown to promote the following health benefits:
However, the strength and quality of CBD in commercial foods is unlikely to match that of those used in clinical trials. Therefore it’s far too early to rely on health claims and hence prescribe these products at the moment. Many ‘CBD’ foods are high in fat and sugar so it can be hard to justify their use.
I was recently interviewed for Channel 4’s Food Unwrapped programme. The discussion was about CBD in foods and its effect on the human body. See below for a summary of what Kate Quilton and I discussed.
For more information on my background and training, please visit here
I’m delighted to be working alongside my trusted friend and colleague Samia Gomez with her team at Clinic4Sport.
Their clinic offers sports injury rehabilitation and physical therapy following stem cell treatment.
Optimum nutrition is crucial for success in each of these areas.
I am able to offer a wide range of consultation packages, either face to face or online.
Feel free to get in touch if you are interested in a consultation.
Like much of the UK population, bananas are my favourite fruit. They’re packed with potassium, Vitamin B6 and many other vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. They make a perfect snack to sustain energy levels thanks to a combination of ‘quick’ and ‘slow’ releasing sugars. To meet our desire for this fabulous fruit we import around 5 billion bananas into the UK every year!
In terms of sustainability, bananas have a fairly low environmental impact. This is due to their low carbon footprint which is estimated at 0.48 kg CO2e per kilo. If we compare this to UK tomatoes (grown in greenhouses) which are 2.5 kg CO2e per kilo, this seems quite small. Bananas are energy efficient as they use natural sunlight to grow. They also come with their own tough skin which acts as natural packaging. This is favourable compared to soft berries that need plastic packaging to keep them in perfect condition.
Global plantations are now under serious threat from Panama disease. Major companies such as Fyfes and Del Monte, have become over-reliant on growing just one species known as the Cavendish. This variety is popular because it was (at first) disease resistant, easy to grow, easy to transport and sweet. Global production methods which rely growing only one species (monoculture) can be problematic. Bananas have become a monoculture crop. Planting the same crop in the same place each year drains nutrients from the soil. This is because nutrients are not naturally replenished as with polyculture and crop rotation techniques. As monoculture soils need more fertilisers it keeps the artificial cycle of nutrient depletion and repletion going. Furthermore, when disease strikes all the plants are susceptible and killed off in one go as there is no natural variety to limit the damage. All that’s left is infertile waste land.
Panama disease is now spreading rapidly throughout plantations and threatening the survival of this Cavendish variety. So far it’s spread through Sout- East Asia, China, Australia and Africa. It seems like a ‘no brainer’ but if banana plantations diversified species then one disease wouldn’t have such a disastrous effect.
It’s tricky as we are at the mercy of what industry provides us! However, if consumers are willing to try new varieties it may encourage producers and suppliers to invest in these crops meaning we will have a more secure supply in the long term.
There are some alternative varieties to the Cavendish such as the ‘Latundan‘ banana (also known as Tundan/Apple Bananas) and these can already be found in some supermarkets.
If you’re working for a food company or retail chain, find ways to identify, sample and try new varieties of banana. Whether this be for new product formulation or simply to be marketed straight to the consumer. This will help our banana supply be more sustainable in the long term.
I offer consultation services to the food industry including: Product Development, Menu Design, Supply Chain Analysis and Sustainability Cooordination. If you would like best-in-class guidance on this or any foods, please get in touch.
There has been an explosion of ‘zero waste’ shops in the past 5 years thanks to an increasing consumer awareness of environmental issues and the ‘war on plastic’. Harriets of Hove is one such shop and is a real gem in the heart of BN3.
I was particularly interested in talking Harriet as I’d heard on the grapevine she was an NHS nurse. Having worked in the NHS myself I was keen to explore her thoughts on the medical profession and the environmental sciences which, historically, have been worlds apart. Similar to me, Harriet witnessed first hand the environmental impact of the NHS. Our chat reminded me of why I moved into the area of sustainability. I was horrified at the amount hospital food that was wasted and the use of cheap, factory farmed meats.
For Harriet, seeing the sheer amount of disposed plastic lead to the epiphany that ultimately resulted in her pantry. Despite taking up a role as a NHS sustainability ambassador she was frustrated how slow it was to change. On top of this, Harriet struggled to fit in ‘zero-waste’ shopping with nursing shifts as it was time consuming. Going it alone and setting up her own business seemed like the ideal solution.
Walking into the pantry you are faced with a wonderful display of plastic-free/eco goodies. The refillable products range from floor cleaner to shampoo. Harriet tries to source local, environmentally friendly brands such as the Green Goddess. There’s also an enticing range of dried fruit, nuts and seeds. Despite 90’s dance music playing in the background the shop had had a tranquil feel! Customers took their time to browse, chatting about the products and environmental issues. As I spent more time there I couldn’t help but feel that shopping in this way is a much more socially enriched experience than going to other, larger retail outlets.
It was great to meet Harriet and we had so much to chat about. Understandably she is really enthusiastic about her shop, products and team. I’ve chosen some great facts from our interview:
Try and get into a habit of re-using containers in a way that works for you. I find having one full bottle in use and another spare, empty version in a box near the door. This is so that when you’re about to leave you can see your refill pile totting up. The number of times I’ve failed to fill up a my bottle and then had to buy a whole new product because I not got out in time to refill it!
If you are in the Brighton and Hove area, I highly recommend popping in! You can find Harriets of Hove here:
Streetcube is a new project which transforms shipping containers into street kitchens which serve sustainable gastronomy food.
They’re launching all over the UK, with the first one being opened in Wandsworth last week.
As a Dietitian with expertise in food sustainability, I am closely aligned with their core values. I’m really pleased to have been chosen as one of their Trusted Advocates. Other Advocates include Raymond Blanc, Dr Clare Pettinger and Professor Philip Sloan.
This project has recently been launched and I’m looking forward to working with the founder and his team on food sourcing, recipe development and creative content for the web platform. Watch this space…
I’m very proud to be a Registered Dietitian and member of the Freelance Dietitians Group. This group is run by the British Dietetic Association and is only open to Dietitians who are BDA members.
Here is a link to my profile page, please have a look!
Dietitians are the only nutrition professionals which are regulated by law. If you’re interested or confused by the differences between Dietitians and Nutritionists, there is a great explanation from the NHS here.
Dietitians are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. This means we are governed by an ethical code and audited regularly to ensure we always work to the highest standard.
Therefore you can be assured my advice is tailored to your needs, evidenced based and impartial.
I offer Dietitian services in the Brighton and Hove area. If you are interested in a consultation in a private practice please click here.
I’m really fortunate to have a fantastic, practical role as a Project Lead for Grow and Play at community allotment called Plot 22 in Hove.
Grow and Play provides outdoor learning opportunities for young children and families living in high population areas of the city who may not have access to a garden. We teach the group about conservation, wildlife, nature, food-growing and cooking. The idea is that the group apply the skills they have learnt to their home environment and wider community.
Participants will prepare the harvested food and cook nutritious meals using healthy, inexpensive ingredients – these are important skills which the families can use at home. I believe that eating in a healthy and sustainable way should be something everyone understands and has access to.
My role as project lead began in 2016 and I have learnt lots including how to write funding applications for charities in the food and sustainability sector.
Plot 22 also runs many projects, events and workshops.
I was delighted to be interviewed on the Food Medic Podcast with the lovely Hazel Wallace.
This was my first podcast experience and despite a bit of newbie-nerves I think it went really well!
It was recorded at Global Studios, London in February 2019.
For those who don’t know Hazel’s work, she is a Doctor specialising in nutritional medicine (and an awesome podcast host too!)
In this episode we discussed some really interesting topics including:
You can find the podcast here (Season 2 Episode 9)….don’t forget to subscribe: https://thefoodmedic.co.uk/the-podcast/season-2/
Or on the Apple podcast app here
It was great to be at the BDA’s launch of One Blue Dot campaign at Food Matters Live 2018.
One Blue Dot helps dietitians and nutritionists communicate environmentally sustainable food choices to their clients.
This area of work is very close to my heart so it is great to see it being brought in to mainstream dietetics.
There are some great plant based recipes as well as low meat options for those who don’t want to give up meat completeIy.
I am delighted to be offering my nutrition services from new facilities in Brighton and Hove.
The clinic rooms are bright, modern, comfortable and private
There are 3 locations, 2 in Hove and 1 in Brighton, details are here.
I am also listed on the Brighton and Hove Therapy Hub
If you would like to book a nutrition consultation with me, then click here. Don’t forget, home visits are also available
I was a member of the judging panel for the Women’s Health Food Awards 2018 which is available in the October 2018 issue.
It was great to meet the rest of the panel, and of course to see the magazine go to print.
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I was asked to judge the health and sustainability benefits of several new products for Women’s Health Magazine
There were quite a few to get through…..most of which were yum!
The results will be out in their September/October issue.
Did you know:
A classic quick and easy children’s favourite.
I use wholemeal pittas for added fibre and Quorn ham for a tasty sustainable topping.
You only need to grill the top of the pizza after adding the toppings.
Wow!
A clever mum showed me how she reduces plastic by wrapping her kids picnic food in this clever product from Beeswax
I was booked to give talk to parents on pregnancy nutrition and post natal health at the Bump and Baby Show.
It was well attended and everyone seemed to enjoy it….except for the babies who fell asleep!
My home-made baby food tasters were popular at my trade stand too.
Loving the new banner!
