https://www.ectnutrition.co.uk/

Eleanor Thrupp Nutrition, London Borough of Hackney (2025)

07/03/2022

Thyroid Health (Part 1)

⭐️ What is the thyroid?
It is a small butterfly-shaped gland that is located in the front of the neck and secretes hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which help regulate the body’s metabolism. Thyroid hormones are released when the thyroid gland is stimulated by thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).

⭐️ Thyroid disease

✨ Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid isn’t producing enough thyroxine.

👀 Signs and symptoms to look out for:
🔹Tiredness
🔹 Low mood
🔹 Dry skin
🔹 Sensitivity to the cold
🔹 Constipation
🔹 Low libido
🔹 Menstrual disturbance
🔹 Weight gain

✨ Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid produces too much thyroxine.

👀 Signs and symptoms to look out for:
🔸Weight loss
🔸 Altered appetite (increased or decreased)
🔸 Irritability
🔸 Sweating
🔸 Anxiety
🔸 Diarrhoea
🔸 Loss of libido
🔸 Goitre (enlarged thyroid gland)

⚠️ If you notice any lumps or swelling of your neck, please speak to your GP.

Look out for part 2 where I will discuss thyroid health and nutrition 🍓

23/02/2022

Vitamin C 🍊🍋🥦

➡️ Vitamin C is an essential nutrient and antioxidant. It works to support the immune system as well as playing a key role in the production of collagen and the regeneration of other antioxidants.

➡️ It is a water soluble vitamin, meaning, our bodies cannot produce it, nor store it.

➡️ It is uncommon to be deficient in vitamin C but feeling tired or fatigued and aching muscles could be a sign that your vitamin levels are low. To ensure we have enough vitamin C in our body, it is important to consume a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

🍋 Sources of vitamin C:

🍊 Citrus fruits
🍓 Strawberries
🫑 Peppers
🥝 Kiwi
🍅 Tomatoes
🥬 Spinach and kale
🥦 Broccoli

🍋 Health benefits:

⭐️ Immune system support
Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system. It is especially important to maintain your levels of vitamin C during the winter months to protect against the common cold and flu viruses.

⭐️ Promotes healthier skin
Vitamin C contributes to collagen formation for the normal function of skin. As we begin to age, our body’s natural production of collagen begins to decline, resulting in fine lines and wrinkles. Eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C can boost your skin’s elasticity and encourage collagen formation.

⭐️ Antioxidant
Vitamin C has antioxidant properties, helping your body to fight damage caused by free radicals (oxidative stress). It also helps assist in the regeneration of other antioxidants, including vitamin E.

21/02/2022

Overworked and overtrained? 💪⚠️

Whether you have been training for years, or have just started exercising, everyone has their limits. Exercise can be beneficial through many aspects, from decreasing body fat and increasing bone density, through to improving immune function and mental health.

Exercise itself is a stimulation in which the body must adapt to, for example by increasing heart rate. However, if the body isn’t adequately nourished and rested, it can fail to adapt.

Ways to prevent and reduce the symptoms of overtraining:

🧘‍♀️ Rest one day every week and alternate between hard and easier days of training such as yoga, stretching, walking or swimming between higher intensity training days.

🥱 Adjust your training volume and intensity based on how your body feels and your mood. Avoid training following a period of illness or if you are highly stressed.

🍳 Consume approximately 20g of protein with complex carbohydrates after exercising to support muscle glycogen synthesis.

🛁 Magnesium can reduce muscle cramps and promote protein synthesis. Try adding epsom salts to your bath.

🦪 Zinc supports muscle repair, immunity and muscle strength. Foods high in zinc include meat, shellfish, legumes, nuts, seeds and eggs.

🥬 B vitamins are involved in energy production and can improve fatigue. CoQ10 is a mitochondrial antioxidant, supporting energy release. Foods high in B vitamins are meat, fish, eggs and green leafy vegetables (kale, spinach).

💧 Rehydrate! Fluid and electrolyte loss occurs during exercise through sweating. If not replenished, this can cause dehydration so don’t forget to keep drinking water.

26/01/2022

Supplements: how they can help us through the cold and flu season 🤧🦠

There are many steps you can take in order to stay healthy during the winter including eating a balanced diet. In order for your body to function normally and help protect it against colds and illnesses, it’s important you’re getting all the right nutrients.

Supplements can be a good way to increase your vitamin intake and give your body what it needs throughout the winter.

🔷 Vitamin B-Complex 🥬🥚🦪
The eight B vitamins that make up a B-complex are essential for our body’s metabolic functions as well as contributing to the production of energy and the maintenance of a normal psychological function

🔷 Vitamin D 🥛🐟🍄
Vitamin D is the main vitamin we lack during winter as our bodies are less exposed to natural sunlight. It is essential for regulating the immune system and fighting off colds

🔷 Vitamin C 🍊🫐🥦
Vitamin C is known to help maintain a healthy immune system and provide your body with the support it needs during the winter

🔷 Zinc 🥚🧀🥩
Zinc is an essential nutrient which our body can’t produce or store. It is necessary for immune cell function and cell signaling, a deficiency can lead to a weakened immune system

🔷 Omega-3 🐟🥜🌰
Naturally found in oily fish, omega-3 fatty acids can support your well-being during the winter.
If you’re deficient in omega-3, you may notice signs of low mood, depression or fatigue

🔸For further information about supplements, check out the packages on my website www.ectnutrition.co.uk or email me eleanor@ectnutrition.co.uk to see how I can help you

24/01/2022

Nutrition consultations with me 👩‍💻

I offer two nutritional packages including an initial consultation, plus additional follow ups, delivered online.

⭐️ The build up
No one person is the same so I ask you to complete a series of forms prior to your consultation to build-up a picture of your symptoms, diet and lifestyle.

⭐️ The consultation
I will study your case history, looking at all the systems of the body, using the functional medicine framework, and I will complete a dietary analysis.

Following the consultation:

📄 I will provide a detailed and personalised nutrition and lifestyle plan

💊 I may suggest supplement recommendations if required

📄 Additional material to help support the plan

🧪 Further testing may recommended either through your GP or a testing company. These help to investigate the root cause and obtain a comprehensive understanding of your health condition

⭐️ The follow up
4-6 weeks later we will assess your progress, address any concerns you may have and set new goals.

📄 You will receive a revised nutrition and lifestyle plan along with additional material to support you with these changes

📧 If you’d like to get in touch for more information, there are details of my packages on my website www.ectnutrition.co.uk or you can drop me an email at eleanor@ectnutrition.co.uk

19/01/2022

Balancing blood sugar levels 🧁🍩

🔷 Everyone has a small amount of sugar (glucose) in their blood at one time, this is needed for day-to-day function. It is important that it doesn’t drop too low or rise too high - low blood sugar can be problematic for the brain since it relies on blood sugar as a constant source of fuel.

⚠️ Sugar cravings are often your body’s way of asking for more sugar when it has dipped too low but when blood sugar is too high it can cause tissue damage over time.

🔷 Although we have in-built mechanisms to keep our blood sugar balanced, we don’t want our bodies to deal with blood sugar highs and lows too often as this can put unwanted pressure on our internal systems.

⭐️ Ways to help balance blood sugar levels:

🍠 Incorporate non-starchy, fibre rich fruit & vegetables and wholegrains to your diet. Fibre slows down the digestion of carbohydrates and the absorption of sugar, meaning you experience a gradual rise in blood sugar after meals
✅ Sources - leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, raspberries, pears, lentils, oats

🥚 Add a source of protein to each meal. Protein modulates insulin secretion, leading to a gradual rise in blood sugar after a meal. It is also satiating, keeping you fuller for longer.
✅ Sources - lean meat, eggs, tofu, lentils, chickpeas, quinoa

🥑 Consume healthy fats as they help to prevent blood sugar spikes.
✅ Sources - olive oil, avocado, nuts, fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring)

💤 Sleep more and stress less. Sleep deprivation and stress cause elevated levels of stress hormone cortisol which raises blood sugar levels.
✅ Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Try meditation and yoga to combat stress

🏋️ Exercise regularly. Your muscles need glucose for fuel which means when you exercise, you help move blood sugar from the bloodstream into the muscles where it’s burned. Over time, this can help maintain stable blood sugar levels and increase insulin sensitivity (how well your cells are able to absorb glucose from the blood and use it for energy)

17/01/2022

⚠️The effect of your daily caffeine fix

Caffeine is a substance that stimulates the central nervous system, muscles and heart. It works by blocking a molecule called adenosine from binding to its receptor. Adenosine normally has a number of different effects depending on its location in the body. In the brain 🧠, it helps promote sleep and in the heart ❤️, it reduces heart rate.
However, when caffeine comes along and blocks adenosine, you can be left with increased feelings of wakefulness and increased blood pressure.

☕️ Each coffee consumed..

Caffeine is a stimulant that gives you a temporary boost in energy. This energy high is often followed by a sudden dip, leaving you in need of another coffee to pick you up again.
If you need caffeine to get you going in the morning and regularly throughout the day, it could be that your energy levels are less than optimal (due to poor 😴 quality or a busy schedule). If this is the case, it’s important to focus on nourishing your body with nutrients for efficient and balanced energy production.

🌿 Natural ways to deal with caffeine cravings through the diet

⭐️ Magnesium: a crucial mineral for energy production.
🥬 Dark green leafy vegetables - spinach, swiss chard, kale
🌰 Nuts and seeds - pumpkin, chia, sesame
🥔 Beans and lentils
🍌fruits - bananas, dried figs, blackberries

⭐️ B vitamins: play a role in energy production. Highest sources of B vitamins include
🥩 Meat
🍣 Seafood - salmon is high in riboflavin, niacin, B6 & B12
🥚 Eggs - rich source of biotin
🥔 Legumes - pinto beans, black beans & lentils
🥬 Leafy greens - spinach, collards & romaine lettuce are highest in folate

05/01/2022

⚠️ A new year, another new diet

January is the time of year when people can be tempted to follow unrealistic diets but I’m going to persuade you to stay away from these and instead set yourself manageable life changing goals.

⚖️ Getting on the scales everyday and looking at the number may work but it is important to remember that the initial weight loss is fluid loss.
Diets don’t help with weight loss long term as your metabolism slows down and you produce more ghrelin (hunger hormone) and less leptin (hormone that regulates fat storage) as your body attempts to cope with less calories 😫

☹️ Fad diets leave you feeling undernourished, tired, miserable, depressed and can result in insomnia and poor concentration.
They are often very low in calories and essential fats, leaving you with less energy and negatively impacting your brain health. As your brain can only use glucose as an energy source, your concentration will suffer as well as putting yourself at risk of developing nutritional deficiencies.

🌞These diets don’t address any emotional or mindset issues you may have or teach you how to eat well for the long term or make you feel happy.

⭐️ Instead, make January the month to reflect on what you might want to be different!
🔹Think about what good foods you can put into your body
🔹Make it positive and focus on what you can have, not what you can’t
🔹A healthy diet is about looking at the bigger picture and your long term health
🔹It’s all about balance, consistency and enjoyment

04/01/2022

💤 Do you suffer from bad sleep? 💤

Around 1/3 of adults in the UK are thought to struggle with a sleep disorder, such as insomnia.

Sleep deprivation can have a serious impact on your mental well-being, with extreme tiredness affecting your ability to concentrate, communicate and function at your best. A good nights sleep is important as it is the time when your cells are restored and your hormones are synthesised.

Sleep deprivation however, can impact your immune system, making you more vulnerable to colds and viruses, affecting recovery time too.
A lack of sleep can also impact your metabolism, leading to an increased production of ghrelin (hunger hormone) and lower levels of leptin (hormone associated with satiety).

How to sleep better:

🌒 Create a relaxing bedtime routine - avoid screens in the hour before you want to go to sleep and make sure there is no light in the room

☕️ Avoid stimulants - stimulants may provide you with a quick fix but they can leave you feeling wired. Try to limit caffeine intake to 1-2 cups of coffee in the morning

🏃 Exercise regularly - exercise can reduce stress levels, helping to improve sleep quality

🧘‍♀️ Meditation - is about relaxing the body and mind to leave you in a calm, peaceful state

🍝 Avoid heavy evening meals - eating a heavy meal late in the evening can lead to heartburn and indigestion, keeping you awake and affecting your ability to sleep well.

Good foods to eat before bed include:

🍌Bananas are high in magnesium, helping to relax muscles. They are also a natural source of serotonin and melatonin which can encourage sleep

🐟Fatty fish (salmon,mackerel) have a high omega-3 and vitamin D content which can influence the production of sleep-promoting serotonin in the brain

22/12/2021

⚠️ Stress ⚠️

Stress can manifest itself in different ways - from emotional suffering to physical symptoms such as stomach pain, trouble sleeping, headaches and muscle tension.

🌟 The effects of stress on the body:

The central nervous system is in charge of your ‘fight or flight’ response., the hypothalamus in the brain signals the adrenal glands to release the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones increase your heart rate and cause your blood vessels to constrict and divert more oxygen to your muscles so you can act faster.

After the stressful event is over, your body calms down and relaxes. With chronic stress, your body is trapped in fight or flight mode, and the constant wear and tear of stress hormones can impact long-term health.

⭐️ Tips for managing stress:

💤 Sleep - interruptions in your body’s circadian rhythms can increase cortisol levels making it harder to fall asleep. Think about your sleeping environment (temperature, darkness, noise control, avoid screentime and eating too late)

🏃 Exercise - physical activity reduces stress, leads to better sleep and improves mood. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of fresh air a day as oxygen can affect levels of serotonin released in the body, contributing to relaxation

☕️ Reduce caffeine - stress can negatively impact energy levels but drinking coffee late in the day can increase feelings of stress, anxiety and sabotages sleep. Try to have your last coffee before 1pm to ensure the majority of caffeine has left your system

🍣 Increase omega-3 fatty acids - they are associated with stress support and can improve stress resilience. Increase consumption of oily fish (salmon, mackerel), nuts and seeds (flaxseeds, chia, walnuts)

🥬 Magnesium - helps support the activity of neurotransmitters that regulate the stress response but chronic stress and sleep disruption can deplete magnesium. Increase consumption of green leafy vegetables (kale, spinach), wholegrains (buckwheat, quinoa), pumpkin seeds and avocados

21/12/2021

What’s the difference between prebiotics and probiotics?

Prebiotics (also known as dietary fibre) are the indigestible components of food that are able to reach the large intestine (where most of our gut bacteria lives), to feed our beneficial bacteria to promote it’s growth and function.

Food sources:
🔶Garlic - supports good gut bacteria
🔶Onions - rich in prebiotics, antioxidants & flavonoids which help strengthen your gut health
🔶Jerusalem artichokes - rich in fibre, helping support your colon health by increasing healthy bacteria
🔶Oats - high in beta-glucan fibre and resistant starch which increases beneficial gut bacteria

Probiotics are a combination of live beneficial bacteria and/or yeasts that naturally live in your body.

Common lifestyle choices such as alcohol consumption, processed food intake and antibiotic use can impact negatively on the levels of our beneficial bacteria.

Although feeding our bacteria with prebiotics is important, it is just as important to have the right balance of beneficial bacteria to be fed in the first place.

Probiotic food sources:
🔷Live yogurt
🔷Kefir
🔷Sauerkraut
🔷Tempeh
🔷Kimchi
🔷Miso
🔷Kombucha

10/12/2021

EXERCISE & GUT HEALTH

Around 70-80% of your immune system is located in your gut, so it’s important to take care of yours by creating a healthy microbiome.

Did you know that exercise can play a role in this? Certain types of exercise may influence the health of your digestive system, helping to support overall health. Keeping active can help to keep your gut moving, promoting digestive health.

What are the best exercises for gut health?

🚶🏻‍♀️Walking
Taking time out of your day for a walk not only allows you to get your daily dose of vitamin D, but it can also help regulate bowel movements.
A sedentary lifestyle can have a negative effect on your gut health, increasing the likelihood of feeling bloated and uncomfortable.

🚴Cycling
As an aerobic form of exercise, cycling helps to increase the blood flow in your body. This increase in blood flow can help to alleviate any disruptions in your gut, helping to promote optimal digestion.
*Note that swimming 🏊‍♂️ and jogging 🏃 will have a similar effect on your digestive system.

🏋🏻‍♀️Crunches
Building up your core muscles with abdominal muscle exercises such as crunches, variations of the plank and sit ups help strengthen bowel movement and the intestines. They also help to improve digestive function such as bloating and constipation.

🧘‍♀️Yoga
As a lot of tension is often held in the gut, yoga can help to de-stress and relax your body, helping to support your gut health, stretching your stomach muscles and encouraging mobility in your gut.
*Focus on full-body stretches (downward-facing dog, cat-cow, bridge pose) as these are best for supporting the health of your gut.

Eleanor Thrupp Nutrition

07/03/2022

23/02/2022

21/02/2022

26/01/2022

24/01/2022

19/01/2022

17/01/2022

05/01/2022

04/01/2022

22/12/2021

21/12/2021

10/12/2021

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share

Category