All Posts By

Kate Taylor

Feb 24

Pregnancy post #2 – being sick

By Food for thought, Pregnancy No Comments

The nausea

From when we found out about baby bean (as he was known from then on) the nausea continued. I was only physically sick once but had nausea pretty much all day every day until around 17 weeks. We had a weeks holiday booked in Portugal when I was 9 weeks pregnant so I was hoping some R&R would be welcomed. It was, however with a little bit of drama, some could say I’m my fathers daughter (for those who know dad, you’ll understand what I mean and laugh).

Portugal

We were sitting down to lunch beside the pool and I didn’t feel right, thought I was going to be sick so tried to make it to the toilets, fainted and woke up on the ground with an audience staring at me and blood coming from my chin. It could have been so much worse and now I have a lovely scar and a chipped back tooth to always remind me of this little bean. After a ride to the hospital, glue and steri-strips, a scan to confirm everything was ok and a few stiff brandy’s for my hubby we were back at the hotel and I was subject to many inquisitive guests for the rest of the trip.

I was then also under the constant watch of my hubby and told to rest more than usual. Which I struggled with. I don’t really do rest that well and neither does he. The day we returned to the UK we were supposed to be going to see P!NK in concert at Wembley Stadium. It was one of the hottest days of the summer in the high 30’s so needless to say we bailed on that, which was totally the right decision. When you know, you know and don’t ever be afraid to trust your instincts. Not just in motherhood but in general. (When it comes to my birth story, I’ll talk more about trusting your instincts).

I got a cold at 28 weeks. It really took its toll on me, moreso than a cold normally would. One of the benefits of being your own boss is working from the sofa. Also, at this time was when I started to get uncomfortable. My sleeping really took a knock and I was waking every few hours not only for a wee but also because it was just awkward. I started to feel a stretching type sensation in the sides of my tummy, which I assumed was totally normal. My lower back also ached pretty permanently which I learnt to get used to. I tried not to let it stop me. I’m a big believer in not moping around because quite frankly it’s not going to help your mental state of mind. Sure, rest is important, but there is a difference between rest and simply not doing anything which can often make you feel worse. This was the only time I got sick throughout my entire pregnancy. Which is probably less than how often I get sick normally.

The final weeks

The nausea came back intermittently in the remaining few weeks but nothing compared to what it was like at the start. It was usually in the first few hours of waking up and then it would go. Being uncomfortable got worse. And getting up in the night also got worse although it depends where baby bean was lying. He must have moved occasionally as I had some nights that were just worse than others.

And that was it. There wasn’t anymore sickness (oh until labour where I vomited twice, the first time I had my head so close to the bowl it splattered back in my face, lucky I’ve got a good sense of humour). I firmly believe because you know there is an end in sight, you can mentally process it and get through it.

Feb 17

Pregnancy post #1 – the beginning

By Personal, Pregnancy No Comments

Here goes…

I don’t often write a lot of personal perspective stuff as all my nutrition work is based on science and research. However, when I found out I was pregnant and started my own research on the parent population I found that there are so many inquisitive mothers to be out there, who just want to be listened to and also want to understand how it was for others. Not for comparison, but to help them during their own journey. I certainly found it helped me to understand pregnancy by listening to others and reading a lot of other mothers stories. So, over the next few weeks I’ll be posting about my journey, what changed, how I felt and hopefully to make you all feel a little calmer about things. It’s not broken down into weeks or months, but topic focused, everything from food to shopping, female body changes and what people say. Let’s start at the beginning shall we…

The beginning

We found out about baby Law at around 7 weeks. We’d been away with friends for a long weekend in France and when we got back I felt awful. I had zero energy, was nauseas for three days straight and said to my husband “I think I might be pregnant, and if I’m not then I’m booking a doctors appointment because this isn’t normal”. Two days later he got home from work and we had both purchased pregnancy tests. It was my mum and dads 39th wedding anniversary, what a gift. We were going to be parents.

At least now I could put my feelings of total rubbish down to something. Most of my friends have had children and they had recommended going for a private scan just to check the viability of the embryo as otherwise we had a nervous five weeks to wait until the NHS scan you book in for at 12 weeks. I acknowledge here that we are privileged to be in this position and £80 later we knew our baby had a heartbeat. That was the only private scan we had throughout the entire pregnancy.

The pregnancy journey

I had a relatively smooth pregnancy, I can’t and won’t complain. There are others who go through hell. I do however, think it’s about being realistic about the situation too. For me personally, pregnancy almost calmed me down a bit. I am always on the go, with things to do. I’m busy. And relaxation for me isn’t really sitting on the sofa all day under a duvet watching re-runs of Friends. It’s more like going for walk, watching one episode of something on television, having a bath, reading, cooking and even cleaning sometimes. But people struggle to understand that. I guess what I learnt from this journey is you know yourself the best and if you are up for something then do it.

At my 20 week scan the sonographer noted that my placenta was lying ever so slightly low so I was booked in for another scan at 32 weeks. I was secretly delighted as it was another chance to see our little baby bean before his arrival into the world. I wasn’t overly worried about the placenta. From what I was told from friends a lot of the time they can move up and in the end what will be will be. If it didn’t move then I’d need a cesarean and that would be out of my control. At 32 weeks, we were re-scanned and it was no longer close to the cervix which was great. Bubs was cosy and his head was down already, I remember my husband saying, “so basically he is upside down, for like the next 2 months”. This was confirmed when he regularly and persistently kicked me in the ribs.

Midwife appointments and the start of labour

My midwife appointments went as normal every 2-3 weeks and then weekly from 40 weeks. In Hertfordshire where I live we see community midwifes at the children’s centre so there aren’t any trips to the hospital unless its for a scan or consultant appointment.

I declined a sweep at 4o + 3 as I wasn’t overly convinced on the benefits and despite being uncomfortable most of the time I was happy our little baby bean would be here when he was ready. I went into labour at exactly 41 weeks.

Feb 05

#35 Milk and dairy (Part II)

By Sunday Shutdown Series No Comments

SUNDAY SHUTDOWN #35 MILK AND DAIRY (PART II)⠀

This is a question I get asked at almost every workshop or talk I run, via my social media and from friends too. Is dairy harmful for human health? I have written a Sunday Shutdown on it already (check my website) however I wanted to elaborate further.⠀

Summary of the evidence

In 2016, a review (Thorning et al.) was published summarising all the evidence on milk and dairy products and their impact on human health. The analysis looked at obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cancer and all-cause mortality. It’s important to note that butter was not included in the overview, and given its nutritional profile is very different to other dairy products it’s quite good it’s been left off.⠀

Some important findings from the overview were:⠀

  • Magnesium is important for bone health, and in children pretty much all their intake comes from dairy. This is also true for calcium. Whilst plant based milks have calcium added into them it isn’t organic to the product and there is limited research on how this reacts in the human body. Does it work in the same way or not? The products are so new it’s impossible to tell.⠀
  • There is still very limited evidence on dairy and some cancers. A 2011 World Cancer Research Fund report concluded that dairy consumption probably reduces the risk of colorectal cancer. This was further shown in a 2014 meta-analysis (Ralston et al) particularly in adult males, yet not females. However, other than this type in particular, most studies are inconclusive or indicate a positive effect. There are none which indicate a negative effect.⠀

Plant based alternatives

Whilst plant based alternatives may be trendy they tend to have a very low protein content compared to dairy which is high (this is good). This is with the exception of soy which is comparable. We know that the protein content in many peoples diets currently may just meet the UK Governments recommendation. Yet we also know this is no where near enough for optimum health. I advise all my clients to be consuming in excess of 1g/kg of body weight as good practice.

Summary

All in all there are very few adverse effects which have been proven about consuming milk and dairy. And prior to the introduction of plant milks on the market there were no other alternatives. My fear with removing dairy completely is the long term health effects of reduced protein, calcium, magnesium and iodine intake. We can certainly all consume less, just not remove completely unless for medical reasons.

Jan 21

DADS CHICKEN & SWEETCORN SOUP

By Recipes No Comments

Makes 4-6 portions

INGREDIENTS
1L chicken stock⠀
1L water⠀
600g shredded chicken⠀
1 tin corn kernels (200g/drained weight 160g)⠀
2 tablespoons soy sauce⠀
2 medium free range eggs⠀
2 tablespoons cornflour

METHOD
Either cook a roast chicken and shred the meat, or cook 600g of chicken breast or thigh meat. Your choice (personally I prefer the roast meat).
Use the carcass of the chicken to make a stock, boil it in 1.2 L of water for about 30 minutes and season with salt & pepper – or use a stock cube, both are fine. Top up with water to make it up to 1 litre.
Then mix in the chicken, sweetcorn and soy sauce and simmer for 30 minutes.
In a mug, mix 2 tbsp of cornflour with water into a paste the add to the soup whilst stirring which will thicken it up.
Also in a mug, beat the two eggs. After the 30 minutes while the soup is still simmering pour the eggs in slowly whilst stirring. This must be super slow to avoid the eggs from scrambling.
Enjoy with a big slice of crusty bread.

NOTE: If you are storing in the fridge when re-heating add a dash of water to loosen!

Jan 10

#34 Mushroom supplements

By Sunday Shutdown Series, Supplements No Comments

SUNDAY SHUTDOWN #34 MUSHROOM SUPPLEMENTS have hit the headlines and I’ve been asked about them a few times recently. Last year, there was even a mushroom latte released from a London coffee chain claiming to improve immunity. I mean please.

There is no doubt that mushrooms themselves have great dietary properties, they are a brilliant food, low in calories, a source of fibre and a plant. Something the majority of us should be including more of in our diets.

The back story

Mushrooms have been used in traditional herbal medicine for centuries. And that’s about as far as it goes. Herbal medicine, which isn’t based on science but moreso on the natural elements of plants and traditions doesn’t have much if any clinical evidence to support its claims. One of the main issues is that many herbal remedies aren’t regulated, you don’t need a licence to sell or produce them yet some can have the same side effects as regulated drugs and medicines. But you never hear those stories, do you? Just about the miracle cures. Would you buy conventional medicine from Jane who lives down the road rather than your pharmacist or doctor?

Claims include supporting the immune system, enhancing mood, being anti-aging, increasing endurance and more scarily helping to fight cancer growth.

Supplements

Supplement forms are available as powders, tablets, broths, teas, coffee and even shower gels. Yet there is no evidence to supports any of these claims being true in humans. The majority of evidence for immune support exists in rodents where high doses have been used. You cannot compare injecting mushroom supplements into mice with drinking a herbal tea or orally taking a capsule.

Any effect you see is likely to be a placebo, which if that helps your symptoms then great. But also think about if you made any other changes at the same time you started taking these and could that have been the reason you feel better?

Jan 04

Australia, my home land, my heart breaks for you

By Food for thought, Rants, Travel One Comment

I’m so sad. I’m actually crying right now.

But I had to sit and write this in the hope that it will help you all make change. Help you to meaningfully look at your life habits and think about the future. I talk about this stuff all the time, but this time it’s more serious.

Why so serious?

Maybe it’s because I’m about to have a baby that it’s hit me harder than normal? Is it wrong that I feel guilty already about the world I’ll be leaving behind for him? I hope he’ll be ok?

Or is it because the place I call home, Australia, is literally on fire. The state I was born in is burning. The mountains that are snow topped in the winter are now filled with flames. Smoke has reached New Zealand. The size of the burnt area is half the size of England, can you imagine if half of England was engulfed? Half a billion animals have perished and perhaps entire species lost. The only way these fires will be put out is by mother nature. It needs to rain. Yet it won’t. And what if it doesn’t, how long will they burn for? And the smoke. The long term health implications of this will be absolutely terrible.

What most people outside of Australia don’t realise is that our rural fire firefighters are largely volunteers and these are the people who are on the front line.

Feeling helpless

It’s awful feeling helpless isn’t it? We all know the feeling. We will have all experienced it at some point in our lives. As I watch videos of koalas fur smouldering as they are pulled off trees to be rescued, of a burnt, dead kangaroo stuck to a fence because it couldn’t get out, of families being separated and of a country that is now so divided by politics, I just feel lost. It hurts. I did wake today feeling slightly more optimistic. It’s refreshing to hear that the country is pulling together and the support I’ve seen is outstanding. It does make it a little easier. Just a little.

Is there anything we can do? We can start by not ignoring it. We can start by educating ourselves on how to help and stop being ignorant. We can start by making it our problem.

Change for the environment

So, when I speak to people or put out tips on making change for the environment I am actually serious. It’s not just some little thing I do because I have time. It’s because I want to make a difference and I want others to as well. It’s because it angers me every time I see people not thinking about their actions before they do them. If we don’t actively consider what we do now, there will not be a next time. No seriously there won’t.

I am not an environmental scientist. I studied human nutrition. Very different, yet both are sciences and both inter-related, probably moreso now than ever before. And don’t get me wrong this is not solely attributed to climate change, not at all. However, over the last 12 to 18 months I’ve done a lot of research (as has my husband) on this ever-changing world we live in and perhaps how we can be better. There is no perfect way to start, it’s just important that you do.

We are by no means perfect. No one is. We still travel. We buy products in plastic. We own a car. But we have made so many changes that will help our world.

  • Look after what you have. Don’t be wasteful. Repair clothes. Repair toys. Repair home furnishings. Look after your home. Stop throwing things away when they can be fixed.
  • Don’t buy a bottle of water. If you are thirsty and you forgot your reusable one, tough shit. Wait. Or ask a café or shop for a glass of water as you pass by. It’s not rude if you ask in the right manner.
  • Can you walk? Transport currently has the biggest impact on the environment, the biggest emissions. So yes walk, especially if it’s a short distance because by the time you get in the car, drive, park and get out you may have been able to walk there anyway. Stop moaning. We have legs for a reason. Re-arrange meetings and use technology for the purpose we have it. Video call. Phone call. Don’t feel like you have to be there in person. Think about how much time you’ve wasted in traffic not even moving. Right, only you can change that.
  • Challenge other people’s decisions and behaviour. Be brave and ask them why they are or aren’t doing any of the above.

There is so much more we can do, this is just a start. And this won’t stop Australia burning. Think about every decision you make because collectively that’s the best chance we have at making a difference.

Even if it’s one thing. Tell me a good reason why you shouldn’t give it a go. What’s the worst that might happen? Your legs get tired or you feel really thirsty. Someone talks back to you. Wow. Seriously.

And on that note (while I’m feeling overly passionate), don’t be a dick. Be nice to people. Smile. That also won’t help our environment, but it might just inspire someone else to do something good. Or at least feel good.

So please, don’t turn away. It’s not someone else’s problem. You have a personal responsibility because you live here, on earth.

How you can help

And finally, here’s how you can help those in Australia. At this stage monetary donations are the best way to help. The time will come for clothing, food and shelter but at this very point in time it cannot actually reach those who need it due to geographical restrictions and evacuations.

Mycause.com.au – Has a multitude of links to support those who have suffered in the Victoria bushfires, wildlife, humans and the volunteer fire service and emergency services.

Wires.org.au – This is the NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service Inc.

Koalasincare.org.au – Not for profit organisation run by volunteers who receive no government funding, they’ll be inundated with rescue koalas at the moment.

MyGC.com.au – has a full list of charities including The Red Cross, St Vincent de Paul and The Salvation Army.

Adopt a Koala

Dec 30

#33 New years resolutions

By Sunday Shutdown Series No Comments

SUNDAY SHUTDOWN #33 NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS: because they will be across your feed for the next few weeks.⠀

The truth is…

it’s estimated that around 80% of NY resolutions fail. Why. Quite simply because for most of us we want to do everything at once.⠀
❗️We are all or nothing.⠀
❗️Which means we do everything or we do nothing.⠀
❗️Which means when we miss one thing, we deem ourselves a failure.⠀
❗️Why does New Year = New You?⠀
❗️And even moreso why do you need a new you?⠀

So yes I’m shutting down the new years resolution because you can make a change at any time. And I’d urge you to ask yourself if the new year is the right time as more than likely you’ll be starting a whole host of other things too.⠀

If it is, then great but it’s best to start with one thing, just one.

If it’s related to eating better perhaps aiming for 5 portions of fruit & veg a day is a good place to start, or having a meat free day per week, meal prepping for one extra dinner or just being more conscious around your food choices and journalling to reflect that.⠀
If it’s related to exercise and movement, start with one or two sessions a week, then move to three and maybe four. Not everyday.⠀

Also, perhaps don’t tackle both food and exercise at once. Just a thought.⠀

Finally, don’t forget to make note of what you’ve changed. Be accountable to yourself that you will do what you’ve set out. Have clear goals, clear intentions and review them. Just like you would for a meeting at work.⠀

On that note, Sunday shutdowns will return in the new year, and we’ve got a pretty good line up.⠀

Dec 30

#32 Collagen

By Sunday Shutdown Series, Supplements No Comments

SUNDAY SHUTDOWN #32 Collagen

Collagen supplements are relatively new to the market and claims about health include maintaining a healthy gut, glowing skin, improved mood as well as promoting healthy hair, nails and skin. It comes in the form of tablets, drinks, topical creams, bars and powders.

With our skin starting to age from our mid 20’s onwards, many are actively freaking out about lines and wrinkles and will do anything to stop it.

Studies…

There are many studies showing collagen works in a laboratory environment but move away from there and into the real world and there is pretty much no evidence for its positive use in humans on any of the health claims listed above. Once you consume collagen, it has to survive being digested (the stomach is very acidic) get into your blood and then be transfused into your skin before it can be used. Collagen is once again cleverly used to pray on our insecurities.

However, the good news is taking collagen supplements is unlikely to be harmful due to the minimal doses being consumed within these supplements. Personally I wouldn’t recommend spending your hard earned cash on something that’s not proven to work. However, that’s up to you. Some of the best things you can do to protect your skin is stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, eat lots of fruit and veg, exercise regularly and don’t smoke or consume alcohol excessively.

There is a little bit of research into the positive effects of collagen hydrolysate supplementation on bone density and joint health, however you ain’t gonna get this from a drink with collagen added to it. Yet again these studies were a mix of animal, lab and human studies with doses of up to 12g per day and the effects were short term. For perspective, in a tablet you’ll get about 1 gram. (Porfirio, E 2016 and Liu et al 2018)

What do the the experts say?

Whilst on the topic of skincare and the effect ingesting collagen can have on your skin, I’d recommend taking a look at Anjali Mahto on Instagram. Clear cut evidence for your skin who also supports that the science here is sketchy at best.

Dec 23

GRANOLA

By Recipes No Comments
I honestly thought I’d posted this a long time ago. But alas I haven’t so here it is. Use what you’ve got in your house and mix it up where you want to. I don’t have set quantities I just chuck in what I’ve got in the cupboard.

INGREDIENTS
Oats (generally I put more oats than anything else as these are the base)
Desiccated coconut
Sultanas
Dried apricots, roughly chopped
Dates, roughly chopped
Prunes, roughly chopped
Almonds, crushed
Peanuts, raw (not salted or roasted)
Cashews, crushed
Mixed seeds – sunflower, sesame, pumpkin
Chia seeds
Honey, max 2 dessert spoons

METHOD
Preheat oven to 180C
Line a roasting tray with baking paper
Mix all dried ingredients together in a big bowl
Pour ingredients into tray
Drizzle with honey
Bake for 15 minutes stirring every 5 minutes. The granola should be golden and crunchy. You can leave it in the oven for a little bit longer just be careful as it will burn quickly!

Dec 10

Plant drinks. Is yours fortified with iodine?

By Plant based, Supplements, Vegan, Vitamins No Comments

Did you know that as humans our main source of iodine comes from cows milk. And that organic cows milk actually has a lower iodine concentration by around a third. Especially important throughout pregnancy for foetal brain development but also for the general population too. So when we make the switch to a plant based alternative, that’s one micronutrient we are actively removing from our diet. A lot of the time unknowingly.

Some brands will add iodine in, but even some of the most well-known don’t. This isn’t law in the UK so it’s completely their decision if they want to add it in or not. Cost comes to mind?
Marksandspencer and Oatly both add iodine to their standard plant milks, and Alpro do to their soy original only. Double check the label for piece of mind. Does it contain iodine? It will say on the nutrition panel. If it doesn’t then look for another one.

Supplements

If you are adopting a vegan diet then unless you are consuming fortified drinks or other fortified foods you may need a supplement. It should be in the form of potassium iodide or potassium iodate. The UK adult recommendation is 150mcg/day and your supplement should not exceed this amount.

Food sources

Seaweed is also good source, so sushi or those seaweed sheets you can get for snacks are great. However, they don’t need to be consumed every single day as their iodine content varies considerably. There are also some seaweed/kelp iodine supplements on the market however it is not advisable to take these due to the point mentioned above.

Other food sources are white fish like cod or haddock and eggs. Or if you can consume a mixture of dairy and plant drinks that’s a good option too.

If in any doubt a blood test from your GP will be able to detect your current levels

Further reading

And if you would like some further reading, there was a review published in 2017 by Sarah Bath et al “Iodine concentration of milk-alternative drinks available in the UK in comparison to cows’ milk”

It’s just useful to remember this will be ever changing as manufacturers change their recipes so best to check the label.