Melanie Lyn Nutrition

24/05/2022

Ahhhh there's nothing better than spending a bit of time outdoors in nature. This is often a little difficult to bring up in consultstion bc it comes across vague and unrelated to treating a gut condition for example, this person came in for or as an old lectuer of mine would call it "hippy-dippy" however this lecturer and anyone in this field would highlight the importance of stress management in our daily life.
Stress has a huge impact on our bodies, as you would probably know. While studying pathophysiology, most chronic conditions come about by either: history of alcohol, ci******es, and/or stress. So many of my clients don't drink excessively or smoke - we've become really good at addressing this ourselves however a lot do have limited time for stress management or activities that bring a little joy in life.
We can address the physiology of a condition with dietary changes and supplements however in some cases, the symptoms will only shift if we address the environment as well.
Reflux is a great example of this, so often dietary changes and supplements aren't enough esp if you're still rushing through your meal and rushing out the door or avoiding acknowledging how stressful life has become and how little we do about it. Everyone does it, bc the thought process most likely is - what can slowing down, checking-in with ourselves or meditation actually do to help? Actually a lot.
There are multiple reseaech studies out there on the affects of lifestyle modifications on immune system function, showing a reduction in certain inflammatory markers.
Sooo all this really boils down to is, please make time for something that grounds you, something that can't be bought or sold, something that builds you up from the inside.

28/03/2022

Here is a great go-to dish that can be whipped up in 10 mins total to cook and prepare.

Legume or pulse pasta's are one of my pantry staples. Chickpea pasta or lentil/ edamame/ mung bean, are high in fibre and protein so very filling and very satisfying. Here I've just paired the pasta with other ingredients I believe are great additions to the pantry also - nutritional yeast flakes and dulse flakes (great source of iodine) sprinkle these on add some tomatoes, handful of greens if you like or some sprouts, and some avocado for some essential fats to balance the dish 🔆

17/03/2022

Tuna bake...and the sauce is made 90% of vegetables...and kids looove it.

This one here is made of:

1 box of red lentil spiral pasta
1 box of buckwheat, millet, and quinoa pasta
185g can of unflavoured tuna
420g can of pink salmon
2 punnets of cherry tomatoes
1/2 head of cauliflower cut into large florets, water sauteed in a fry pan, keep any extra water
1/4 head of pumpkin, roasted
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes
2 tbsp non dairy milk
1 tbsp non dairy butter

Blend the cooked veg - pumpkin and cauli w the nutritional yeast, butter and milk, salt and pepper to taste. Then in a large baking dish, add the cooked pasta, tinned fish, cherry tomatoes, and the vege sauce and give it a good stir.

Top with additional nutritional yeast flakes or grated cheese if you like. Bake for 15 mins or until golden brown on top. Serve w a large handful of leafy greens 👌🏼

14/03/2022

Get the kids in the kitchen!! Get them doing anything in the kitchen they feel comfortable doing. Cutting up veg, cracking eggs, mashing vegies, stirring soup, etc.

Doing things here and there, if they're not that keen on the kitchen, will at least build familiarity and confidence to be in there.

Best thing about kids being in the kitchen, it is one thing you really can't mess up - doesn't matter if the veg isn't diced finely, it'll still get cooked. There's only 2 ways to stir a pot and both way's are right.

If kids get more time in the kitchen, maybe they'll get to learn a few basic recipes or improve their knife skills. They'll be familiar with more vegies and may pethaps be more open to eating veg bc they helped to prepare it.

Who knows they may actually really enjoy it 💛🧑🏽‍🍳

10/03/2022

Can you imagine the nerve of the person that first took a bite of this freaky looking mushroom? It doesn't look too delicious...but Lion's Mane is by far one of my fav medicinal mushrooms 😍🍄

While all medicinal mushrooms have powerful medicinal benefits particularly on the immune system, LM exerts most benefit on the nervous system. Add a tsp to your morning coffee or hot drink and you can feel the benefits such as sharper focus, clearer mind, reduction in anxiety, and mood boosting. Take it before bed and it's said to help improve sleep quality. More restful and restorative sleep is foundational to reducing stress by giving more time for the body to repair and heal.

While these are benefits we get with daily consumption of LM, studies have looked into the long term benefits of this nervous system calming mushroom.

Studies have found LM or Hericium erinaceus or "bearded tooth fungus" to contain compounds that are neuroprotective and neuroregenerative. One mechanism to make this happen is the stimulatory effect LM has on nerve growth factor, a neuro protein involved in regulation of growth, maintanence, proliferation, and survival of certain neurons. This is one property that has led to researchers investigating LM for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease such as dementia in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinsons disease. There is also lots to say for LM in the treatment for depression.

As for the different products, there's many companies now that sell LM. I've come to use it in powdered form by Superfeast but I've also heard a lot of good things about the liquid extract by Life Cykel who extracts from an Australian grown sources of LM.

I will always be an advocate for natural ways to optimise health 🧘🏽‍♀️

07/03/2022

Millet is something i suggest a lot in plans for clients. It turns out it's not a very utilised grain. It is more common for diets to include the more common grains such as white and brown rice, pasta, and bread.

We are becoming more inclinced to use more wholefood sources such as wholemeal however you speak to anyone who is an advocate for gut health - diversity will almost always come up in the first sentence that answers "What is inportant for good gut health?"

There is never a hard and fast rule for diet ie there is no one diet to suit everyone however it is clear that gluten has become a problem for a lot of ppl and often when in clinic and talking to a client who has gut issues and we realise they are having gluten at breakfast, lunch, and dinner that by even just reducing their intake of gluten over the day translates to a reduction in gut symptoms.

So what does this have to do with this shy grain that isn't as easy to come by and no one talks about that much? It's just another great option to add to the diet for diversity in grains. It may also replace gluten in a meal and it is often less reactive than other grains. It also has such a lovely texture and taste as well.

Use it in place of rice to pair with curries and stir fries or cook up a big batch and add it to yoyr salads during the week. Give it a go and let me know what you think 😉

03/03/2022

Flashback to when my best friend took photos of me for business but it was also a sneaky way for us to catch up. The 2nd photo is for when told me to smile and i didn't want to anymore 😂

Sooo I have a website now 🙋🏽‍♀️ woohoo it's a place where you can go to have a look at options to book in and gives a bit more info on how I can help you. The link is in my bio, check it out and DM if you have any questions x

28/02/2022

If you're a lover of Carob or on an elimination diet that requires you to steer clear of sugar for a period of time then this one's for you..

Peanut butter carob treats
1/4 cup carob powder
1/2 cup cacao butter
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
Ice cube tray mould

First melt the cacao butter in a saucepan over medium low heat then add in the carob powder and whisk until smooth. Once your happy with the texture, place 1 tsp in each cavity of the ice cube tray mould. Then layer on a small dollop of peanut butter and then fill the rest up with more of the carob cacao butter mixture.
.and there you have it, you're own peanut butter carob choc bite, super delicious and sugar free. As carob is naturally sweet, you won't miss sugar 👌🏼

24/02/2022

One of my fav regulars at the dinner table is vegetable mash with pasta. Veg mash is so so versatile as you can literally chuck any vegetable in and make it work. Kind of like a frittata or a quiche, it's a great one to get all the leftover veg in, making it a dish packed full of nutrients and preventing any wastage.

Now there are 2 ways you can do it. Boiling veg isn't the best way to cook your veg as it does leach out nutrients into the water. However if you don't cover your vegies with water and save the water used to boil the veg, then you are still getting use of those nutrients. The water saved can be used to water sauté vegies for a stir fry or added to a curry or other one pot dish.

So you have your cut up vegies in a saucepan think - brocc, zucchini, carrot, squash, pumpkin, potatoes, sweet potato, tomatoes, etc. Place water in the pot so it sits under the veg at about 3/4 of the way up. Add some bone broth or a stock cube in if you have it and boil until soft. Drain 80% of the water depending on how you like the consistency. Add some butter of choice, nutritional yeast flakes, parsley if you have it and mash.

Cook up some pasta such as buckwheat/ wholemeal meal/ lentil/ chickpea/ brown rice and h**p - whatevers your flavour, top with green onions or extra herbs and sprinkle with some crunchy seeds or nuts for some extra texture. The seed Crackers seen here are made from new Cookbook Guilt-Free Snacks.

The other option is to use roasted veg instead of boiling 😉

Have a go, let me know what you think, the kids love it and is a great addition to the lunch box as well 🙌🏼

**p

21/02/2022

At the end of last year I had the pleasure of chatting to the personnel of about sustaining energy levels and performance with nutrition.

Part of my every day in clinic I chat one on one with my clients of how to improve health and address specific issues they are experiencing. This time is well spent trying to understand why and how this is happening for the person and working toward shifting dietary and lifestyle factors that might be driving the issue.

On a platform where I get to chat with multiple ppl in one space is a different kind of energy. We get to chat about how to optimise daily nutrition and lifestyle habits for better energy and performance daily. It's always great to see what is important to people in general and I thank you guys for having me.

If you're interested in having a nutritionist chatting to you in a workplace or group setting, have a chat with the reception team about it today 🧘🏽‍♀️

08/02/2022

08/02/2022

19/12/2021

After many months of meetings via zoom and talking over different social media platforms we finally get to have the whole together in the flesh and what a day/night 🌌 such a great bunch of women to be a part of ❤️‍🔥

23/11/2021

Check out these babies!!! Homemade lentil sausage rolls, great for kids lunch boxes, I make these regularly and my daughter and her friends get pretty excited when they smell these cooking.

These are a great option to change up for lunches for the week and the best part is you can make a big batch and it lasts for up to 5 days in the fridge fine, so there's a few lunches for the kids sorted for the week.

Making sausage rolls from lentils and adding a few extra things like this recipe here is a brilliant way to sneak a few serves of veg and fibre in throughout the day or at dinner time as well.

To make these bad boys:
1 packet of light Puff Pastry (I haven't tried GF but if you do let me know)
1 slice of whole meal bread
1 carrot, sliced
1 Zucchini sliced
2 x 425g can of macro organic lentils, rinsed well until no bubbles are seen
1/4 head of Cauliflower
1/2 bunch parsley
1 egg
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp tamari
Sesame seeds to sprinkle on top

First, make sure you've taken the Puff pastry out of the freezer and just rest it on the bench while preparing the filling mixture.

To make the filling, in a food processor, pulse the chopped carrot, zucchini, cauli, and parsley really well then add in the bread and blend until the veg and bread resemble a mince or crumb-like consistency. Place this mixture into a large mixing bowl and add in the lentils, eggs, tomato paste and tamari and mix well.

Now you have the filling, grab a piece of Pastry and cut in half (fold in half to gauge halfway then unfold and cut) then evenly place approx. 3 tbsp of filling mixture down the centre and then fold the Pastry over the mixture (photos 2 & 3 for a visual). Cut these up into sizes you like, grab another egg, sramble it, and brush the rolls with the scrambled egg and sprinkle Sesame seeds on top if you have them.

Bake for 15-20 mins in the oven at 180C, and then these are ready to eat!!

You can also freeze the uncooked sausage rolls and cook them another day as well, this mixture amount makes A LOT of sausage rolls.

20/11/2021

These would have to be my fav legume pasta's!! Each to their own but legume pasta or pulse pasta's are a great alternative to other pasta's in any dish.

Legumes are a great source of of fibre, protein and is a complex carbohydrate. It's such a powerhouse of nutrients and quite inexpensive compared to other protein sources.

The texture of these pulse pasta's are spot on and is kid approved 😉 esp. the mung bean fettuccine. A super easy meal to make in 5-10 mins. I'll give you an example in another post!

18/11/2021

Have you ever heard of sprouted grains? The first piccy is an example of what that looks like 👆🏽 sprouted Buckwheat groats. Sprouting happens when you soak the grain for 24-36 hours, allowing it to germinate ie little white things emerge from the grain...exactly like mung bean sprouts you might see at the fruit and veg shop the you might top your salad with.

Why sprout your grains? It's only really necessary if you're having digestive difficulties. Say if your stomach is really reactive - bloating, distension, cramps, pain, excessive fullness feeling, etc., then you could try sprouting grains so it's easier to digest and easier to absorb nutrients from the grain.

Sprouting is the next level of soaking and it "activates" legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds. You might see recipes instructing you to soak nuts before using them in the recipe. These processes help to leach out "anti-nutrients" such as phytic acid and a little bit of oxalates in certain grains. This is why for some it is really beneficial bc it's gentler on the digestive system (reduces symptoms of blaoting/distension etc) and easier to grab nutrients from the grains/legumes/nuts/seeds.

So here I soaked the Buckwheat groats for 2 days by putting them in a container and pouring water to cover and rinsing each day, you'll notice the water is cloudy and a little gluggy which is why you want to rinse them really well. Then the grain is ready to cook! Just pop it in a pot with some water (1 cup Buckwheat to 1.5 cups of water ratio) bring to a boil, reduce to simmer with the lid on for 10-15 mins until the water is absorbed, turn the heat off and let it sit for a further 10 mins with the lid on. The grain should be a bit fluffy. 1 cup equates to approx. 3 cups so it'll keep you going for more than 6 days...you might want to freeze half the mixture for the next week 😉.

Buckwheat is so versatile, use it as the complex carb base for any of your meals!

08/11/2021

Bit of nutrition 101 here but calcium is often a concern for those looking to reduce or eliminate dairy intake bc of intolerances or other reasons.

Absorption rates of calcium from food varies. 41-50% of calcium in Bok choy, broccoli, and kale is absorbed. Translation pls?! 1 cup of cooked bok choy has 160mg of calcium however our body absorbs approx. half of this - 80g.

In comparison, 30% of calcium in dairy is absorbed so if the nutrition panel on the milk carton lists 300mg or calcium per cup, then around 100mg is absorbed, theoretically.

So we can get comparable amounts of calcium from non-dairy sources.

Other sources such as nuts, seeds and spinach have a much lower bioavailability of calcium bc of compounds such as oxalates (often referred to as an anti-nutrient, lumped in with phytates usually) which bind to calcium preventing the body from absorbing it. Oxalates in nuts and seeds can be reduced by soaking/sprouting nuts and seeds whereas oxalates in spinach is reduced with cooking.

Other great sources of calcium are canned fish with the bones such as salmon and sardines for all you seafood lovers 🧜🏽‍♀️.

Hope this has helped, please let me know if you have any questions!

04/11/2021

It wasn't until recently that I found out the origin of Bircher muesli...the name bircher comes from the man who invented it but in German, bircher or muesli means "mush" or "puree" so here is my bowl of mush I've been making on repeat for breaky!

1 tbsp h**p protein powder
1 tbsp collagen
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
3 tbsp oats
Cinnamon
Few tbsp of pomegranate
1/2 cup of bluebs
Sprinkle sunflower seeds on top

Stir it all together and you can eat it straight away or prepare it the night before to eat or take with you in the morning 🥄
Muesli/bircher/porridge is a great way to add protein and fats to, to make a balanced breakfast, do this one for the kids as well but adjust the protein and fats (h**p protein, flax meal, collagen) moreso for taste if you have a little one that picks up changes in flavour.