Sarah Leith Russell Nutrition

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Sarah Leith Russell Nutrition

Support with gut health, IBS, weight management and blood sugar balance for a healthier, happier you

I am a registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioner incorporating coaching using Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Having experienced managing my own gut health issues I realised how important what we eat and how we live can make us feel. I want to help others to understand how modifications to diet and lifestyle can positively impact their health and wellbeing. I specialise in digestive health and IBS, supporting healthy weight management and blood sugar balance (such as with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes). Programmes begin with a 90-minute initial consultation to confirm your health goals, gather information, and review your current health issues, diet, and lifestyle. Personalised nutritional support incorporates coaching to help you manage your diet and lifestyle. A one-off non-personalised consultation can take a look at the foods you eat with a Nutritional Health MOT to help you to change behaviours and achieve your desired health and wellbeing.

14/07/2025

Maintaining the freshness and flavour of your salads doesn't need to be complicated. You can keep salads fresh and crisp in a bowl of water for up to three days. Cover and store the bowl in the refrigerator. Change the water every day to keep your salads fresh and tasty.

Salad leaves come in a variety of colours with red or darker green leaves generally higher in nutrients and vitamins.

Lettuce is an excellent source of beta carotene (vitamin A) which is needed for healthy skin, bones, and eyes.

Also, a good source of Vitamin K, important for blood clotting, bone strength and healthy blood vessels.

Rich in phytonutrients, salad leaves also contain antioxidants. Especially high in red leaf lettuce.

25/01/2025

Ok, haggis is not everyone’s cup of tea. So why not give it a try with a few extra ingredients this Burns Night! Finely dice 2 carrots, a red onion, a stick of celery and 2 garlic cloves and finely slice 1 small leek, then gently fry in a tbsp rapeseed oil. Once softened break up the haggis and fry along with the veg medley and add a few sprigs of fresh thyme leaves. Occasionally stir the haggis until starting to brown. Add a cupful of bouillon stock and 2 tsp of miso paste and stir through. Check seasoning, which probably doesn’t need any addition as haggis is normally highly seasoned. Stir occasionally on a medium heat in the pan until mixture starts to dry out, around 10-15 mins. Serve with brown basmati rice and steamed pak Choi.

14/11/2024

World Diabetes Day
14 November 2024

> Worried that you are at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes?

> Need to make changes to your diet and lifestyle?

As a Nutritional Therapist I can support you to improve your diet. To have the confidence and knowledge to manage your blood sugar balance and overall health.

A healthy and balanced gut microbiome helps our body to metabolise carbohydrates and fats. A less diverse microbiome can influence the body's ability to regulate blood sugar. An unbalanced gut microbiome can also lead to inflammation, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

Improve your microbiome gut health and blood sugar by:
- Eating a low sugar and high fibre diet with a rainbow of fruit and vegetables
- Avoiding processed foods that are high in sugar and low in fibre
- Repopulating your microbiome after antibiotics with probiotics as supplements or with fermented foods such as yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, kombucha and sauerkraut
- Eating protein with every meal and snack including wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds
- Reducing stress which can negatively impact gut health
- Exercising regularly and keeping active.

Keep an eye on your waistline too as a larger waistline is linked to insulin resistance.

Book a FREE Introductory Call with me to discuss your goals and nutritional health and lifestyle concerns. Find out how I can support you at sarahleithrussellnutrition.co.uk

07/11/2024

STOP AND TAKE TIME FOR YOU

Taking time out to escape the noisy world we live in is the perfect way to push away life stressors. I was lucky to have a few days beside the North Norfolk coast last weekend and spend quality time with family and enjoy fun and laughter. It was so refreshing to just be in the moment, taking in the view, breathing the fresh coast air and listening to the birds and sounds of people and boats passing by the cottage.

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, taking time out and doing nothing helps your body and mind to recharge. A break from a task for a walk, reading or listening to music can help to clear our heads. Time spent away or meeting with friends gives you permission to unwind and relax.

So, allow yourself some time out and feel less stressed and more…
> Relaxed
> Productive
> Energised
> Creative
> Positive

25/10/2024

Pumpkins - not just for Halloween!

Primarily grown in the UK for celebrating Halloween, pumpkins are a nutritious food source and store well. They are full of fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

FIBRE: supporting digestion and regulating blood sugar and blood pressure.
VITAMINS: excellent source of Vitamin A essential for eye health and along with Vitamin C, support immunity.
BETA-CAROTENE: orange flesh is high in phytonutrients that our body converts to Vitamin A, boosting levels.
MINERALS: rich in minerals including calcium, magnesium and potassium supporting heart health.

Versatile, pumpkins can be used in a variety of savoury and sweet dishes. Tray bake with other colourful veg, or use the pulp in soups, gnocchi, breads, muffins and puddings.

You can also roast the seeds and add them to porridge, soups and salads or eat as a snack with nuts and seeds.

16/10/2024

I love this time of year when people leave boxes of 'please take me' autumn fruits outside their homes. Apples are a favourite of mine and they are healthy too!

🍏 Source of polyphenols - apple skin rich in quercetin, an antioxidant flavanoid
🍏 vitamins C, E, B1, and B6
🍏 Rich in soluble-fibre and low glycaemic index to support blood sugar balance
🍏 Pectin in whole apples may help to lower cholesterol
🍏Prebiotic qualities help feed a healthy gut microbiome

I have slighlty adapted an old recipe of mine, swapping 25g apple for chopped walnuts to add protein, crunch and healthy fats.

APPLE and CINAMMON CAKE

Ingredients:
300g self-raising flour
Heaped tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
350g demerara sugar
50g raisins
125 g butter, melted
2 large eggs, beaten
175ml milk
225g apples peeled, cored and chopped
25g chopped walnuts
Icing sugar for dredging

Method:
1. Sift the flour, cinnamon and salt into a bowl and stir in the sugar, raisins.
2. Mix in the melted butter, eggs, milk and apples and beat well. Stir through the walnuts.
3. Turn into a lined and greased 20cm square cake tin. Bake in a moderate 180 C, gas mark 4 oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours until the cake springs back when lightly pressed.
4. Turn onto a wire rack to cool, then dust with icing sugar.
Keeps stored in an airtight container for a week.

Enjoy with your favourite brew 😊

02/08/2024

QUICK AND SIMPLE FRESH ANCHOVY AND SUNBLUSHED TOMATO PASTA

I love to put together different ingredients and a quick and easy to make pasta dish is ideal when you are in a rush or you want to spend more time outdoors this summer.

Gluten-free spaghetti makes it suitable for those coeliac or with an intolerance to gluten.

Give it a try and have a play too with swapping and adding ingredients. Roasted red peppers, sliced celery and courgette ribbons would work just as well.

26/06/2024

ARE YOU KEEPING HYDRATED!

Summer has finally arrived bringing with it sunshine and warmth and a much awaited feel good factor.

But with the hot weather comes a higher risk of dehydration. So it is important to remember to drink water even when you are not thirsty.

Our bodies are mostly made up of water and keeping hydrated is important for many biological processes including the proper function of our organs, supporting waste removal and for healthy digestion. Keeping hydrated is also important for healthy skin and lubricating our eyes and joints.

As a guide, it is recommended that you drink 6-8 glasses of water per day, around 1.5-2 litres. With the summer heat we lose water more quickly as our bodies own air conditioning system tries to keep us cool.

If water is not your drink of choice, then try adding some other ingredients such as mint leaves, slices of fruit or cucumber. Drinks such as sugar-free drinks, tea and coffee also count as well as foods like soups, fruit and vegetables. Though caffeinated drinks can cause you to urinate more.

How do we know if we are dehydrated?
Some common symptoms include:
• Dry mouth
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Extreme thirst
• Reduced urination

So keep that bottle of water handy and keep cool and healthy this summer.

26/05/2024

Oat banana pancakes 😋 A perfect breakfast to prepare me for some Bank Holiday chores

12/04/2024

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects 1 in 7 of us!

Are you one of them?

IBS can get in the way of everyday life. It is a challenging condition with various subtypes:

IBS-D (Diarrhoea dominant)
Frequent bouts of diarrhoea and urgency

IBS-C (Constipation dominant)
Difficulty passing stools, infrequent bowel movements, bloating.

IBS-M (Mixed Diarrhoea and Constipation)
Flare-ups alternate between loose stools and constipation.

IBS-U (Unsubtyped)
A mix of symptoms with no specific pattern.

If you are fed up and want to find out how working with a Nutritional Therapist can help you to manage your symptoms, book a FREE introductory call via my website...
www.sarahleithrussellnutrition.co.uk

15/03/2024

PREBIOTICS VS PROBIOTICS

Prebiotics and probiotics work together to support a healthy gut microbiome and diverse ecosystem.

- Prebiotics are the food for our live bacteria.

- Probiotics are the live bacteria that feed on prebiotics and help to balance our gut flora.

The most common probiotics include:
• Lactobacillus – found naturally in fermented foods and often added to yoghurts and cheese.
• Bifidobacterium – found naturally in some fermented foods or live yoghurts, and often added to yoghurts and cheese.

ANTIBIOTICS
Probiotics can help restore our gut ecosystem after a dose of antibiotics.

POSTBIOTICS?
These are the metabolite waste products from the microbes that eat the prebiotics in our gut. Postbiotics are bioactive compounds that may provide health benefits such as helping to lower blood sugar and supporting our immune system. These include short-chain fatty acids (SFAs), lipopolysaccharides, enzymes, vitamins and amino acids.

11/03/2024

BOOST YOUR GUT HEALTH
How can we support our microbiome and gut health?

EAT FIBRE
Insoluble: keeps intact and does not dissolve in water helping to move foods through our digestive system. Found in wholegrains,, nuts and seeds, legumes and vegetables, it helps to add bulk to a stool. It is mainly within the outer shell of seeds, grains, fruits, and vegetables and can be stringy or coarse.
Soluble: dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance slowing down digestion and nutrient absorption. Found in oats, fruits and berries (incl. apples, strawberries and blueberries) but not the skins, nuts and seeds, beans, pulses and lentils and vegetables.

Caution: Gradually increase more fibre into your diet to mitigate possible digestive issues.

EAT SLOWLY AND CHEW
Digestion starts in the mouth. Eating slowly and chewing each mouthful of food at least 20 times increases nutrient absorption and can help prevent over-eating. The digestive protein amylase in saliva helps digest carbohydrates. Eating food in excess overwhelms our digestive system. Our gut motility slows down making us feel sluggish and sugars ferment in our gut contributing to bloating.

KEEP HYDRATED
Keeping hydrated and active as well as eating plenty of fibre helps to avoid constipation. Water softens the stool and promotes regular bowel movements. Dehydration can cause gut inflammation and can lead to brain fog and headaches.

INCLUDE FERMENTED FOODS
Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir provide healthy live bacteria that help to increase microbiome diversity. They can also help reduce inflammation.

KEEP ACTIVE
Walking after a large meal helps aid digestion. Exercise also helps to reduce stress, improve sleep and help to enhance the number of beneficial microbial species.

EAT COLOURFUL WHOLE FOODS
As well as being rich in fibre and nutrients, colourful plant foods contain polyphenols that allow the microbiome to thrive and help to reduce inflammation. Aim to eat a diverse rainbow of colourful foods.

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