The healthily journal
Thoughts, explanations and perspectives to help you make sense of health, happiness, and food — without the overwhelm.
Food Rules Aren’t About Food
Many people haven’t eaten potatoes in years because they’re “high in carbohydrates” — yet think nothing of a chocolate bar or packet of biscuits. This isn’t hypocrisy. It’s the quiet accumulation of food rules absorbed over time. In this piece, I explore why food rules aren’t really about food, where carbohydrates genuinely fit into a balanced diet, and why understanding physiology may be more powerful than adding another restriction.
How the Beginning and End of Your Day Can Transform Cravings, Energy, and Sleep
Food cravings and low energy aren’t about personality failings. They’re shaped by sleep, hormones, and how we begin and end our day. This article explores how sleep quality, cortisol, and a balanced breakfast influence appetite, blood sugar, and food choices — and offers gentle, realistic strategies to support energy and cravings without rigid food rules.
Eating Is Emotional: Understanding Emotional Eating Without Shame
We all eat emotionally. From stress and boredom to joy and comfort, emotions influence our food choices far more than we realise. This blog unpacks the biology behind emotional eating and invites a kinder, more sustainable relationship with food.
Why Weight, Eating and “Willpower” Are So Much More Complicated Than We Think
If you’ve ever felt confused by your hunger, frustrated by the scales or stuck in cycles of restriction and overeating, you’re not alone. Here’s a kinder, science-based explanation of weight, emotional eating and metabolism —and what genuinely helps you feel more in control of food.
Understanding the Hormones Driving Appetite & Metabolism
Appetite, cravings, and weight fluctuations aren’t just about “calories in vs calories out.” For both women and men, they’re driven by hormones, liver function, and the gut microbiome — all of which influence hunger, fullness, and metabolic flexibility. This article explains the key hormones behind appetite and offers practical, compassionate strategies to support metabolism without restriction or guilt.
Why Metabolic Health Is a Female-Specific Issue — And Why HRT Isn’t the Magic Bullet
Many women enter perimenopause believing HRT will resolve everything — from weight gain to energy, mood, and digestion. But if metabolic dysfunction has been building unnoticed for years, hormone therapy alone won’t create the results you hope for. This article explores why women’s metabolic health is unique, the early signs we often miss, and the essential metabolic housekeeping that helps HRT work better.
Joe Wicks License to Kill: Why the UPF Debate Needs More Empathy, Not More Ego
The Channel 4 programme Joe Wicks: License to Kill has divided opinions in the nutrition world. I share my perspective: why the ultra-processed food debate matters, why empathy matters more than ego, and how we can help people reconnect with real food — without fear, without judgement.
Should You Be Fasting? What the Science and Your Body Might Be Telling You
Fasting has ancient roots — but modern interpretations can be confusing. This article explores the science, tradition, and personal context behind fasting, so you can make confident and compassionate choices about when (and whether) to fast.
The Hidden Risks of Rapid Weight Loss – And Why Nutritional Support Could Be the Best Money You Ever Spend
GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Mounjaro can feel like a breakthrough—finally, food noise fades and the kilos drop. But rapid weight loss comes with hidden risks that aren’t always explained. From toxin release stored in fat cells, gallbladder stress, muscle and bone loss, to electrolyte imbalance and mood shifts—this article explores what’s really happening in your body, and why nutritional support could be the smartest investment you make. If you’re using Mounjaro, here’s what you need to know to protect your future health and get the long-term results you truly want.
How to Eat Well on GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs: A Nutritional Therapist's Guide to Long-Term Success
Discover the risks and rewards of GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Mounjaro and Ozempic. Learn how nutritional therapy can protect muscle, support digestion, and promote sustainable results.
Comfort Eating: Changing the Way You Think About Food and Feelings
We tend to assign particular words to meals or ingredients such as ‘bad’, ‘naughty’, ‘cheat’ or ‘comfort’, with these labels often triggering an emotion of guilt or a need to counteract the ‘mistake’ by ‘doing better next time’.
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