Laila Charlesworth Nutrition

11/09/2025

A strategic report from Southwark and Lambeth found that people often blame individuals for obesity. But the real drivers are deeper:
🏘️ Poor housing
🍽️ Limited access to healthy food
💼 Chronic stress
💊 And yes, medications that don’t always fit the person

In my own case, HRT pushed my oestrogen levels far too high. I was already oestrogen dominant and the patch made things worse. It affected my weight and my mental health. I didn’t feel like myself, and I didn’t feel motivated to make changes. That experience taught me how vital it is to listen to symptoms, not just follow protocols.

Other medications can also affect weight and metabolism:
- Antidepressants (like SSRIs) may increase appetite or slow metabolism
- Steroids can cause fluid retention and fat redistribution
- Antipsychotics often impact insulin sensitivity and hunger cues
- Even contraceptives can shift hormonal balance in ways that affect weight

These aren’t reasons to fear medication, but they are reasons to personalise care.

I finally decided to love myself enough to listen to my body.
🌿 I changed my HRT
🏃‍♀️ Moved in ways that felt good
🥗 Ate in line with my blood glucose
💪 And I’ve lost a substantial amount of weight—not through punishment, but through understanding.

This is what personalised care looks like. If I can do it, so can my clients. And I’m here to help you find your way back to feeling well, too.

🧠 Prevention isn’t just about eating better. It’s about understanding better.

10/09/2025

🧼 Think your home or workplace is clean? It might be too clean for your lungs. A 2024 review in Environmental Research reveals that many common cleaning products release chemicals linked to asthma, endocrine disruption, and chronic inflammation. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), and synthetic fragrances are just the beginning.

🏫 Schools and hospitals are especially vulnerable. Poor ventilation means these chemicals linger longer, exposing children, patients and staff to harmful pollutants. Children absorb more due to their proximity to surfaces and hand-to-mouth behaviours. Immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women face heightened risks.

🔬 Long-term exposure may disrupt cholesterol balance, mitochondrial function, and inflammatory pathways, which raises concern for chronic disease prevention and public health equity.

✅ What can we do?
Choose low-VOC, fragrance-free products
Avoid QACs where possible
Ventilate after cleaning (open windows, optimise HVAC)
Push for transparent labelling and safer formulations
Prioritise child-safe products in schools and homes
Screen high-exposure groups for respiratory symptoms

Clean doesn’t have to mean compromised.

09/09/2025

A landmark study published in eClinical Medicine has just mapped 37 markers of ultra-processing against all-cause mortality - and the results are sobering.

🔍 Additives most strongly linked to increased mortality risk:
- Flavours & flavour enhancers
- Sweeteners (e.g. sucralose, saccharin, acesulfame)
- Colouring agents
- Varieties of sugar (including fructose, maltodextrin, inverted sugar)

📉 In contrast, gelling agents (often pectin-based) showed a protective association - reminding us that nuance matters in food science.

With ultra-processed foods making up over 50% of energy intake in the UK, this research reinforces what many of us in nutrition and public health already suspect: additives aren’t just about taste and shelf life - they are quietly shaping our metabolic resilience and long-term health.

🛑 Time to rethink the “convenience” narrative. Let’s advocate for transparency, reformulation, and policies that prioritise real food.

02/09/2025

🌿 Organic September is here, but it’s not just about labels. It’s about reconnecting with the land, our bodies, and the choices that shape our health.

As a nutritionist, I’m sharing how organic food can support health and which foods to prioritise (UK Dirty Dozen).

Tap the link in bio to read the full blog.

16/08/2025

Fascinating!

Whether triggered by pollen, pet dander or peanuts, allergies in this day and age seem nearly impossible to avoid. Yet, somehow, the Amish seemingly do.

In fact, one Amish community living in northern Indiana is considered one of the least allergic populations ever measured in the developed world.

But why? There have been many hypothesis.

The “hygiene hypothesis” suggests that early childhood exposure to microbes protects against allergic diseases by contributing to the development of a healthy immune system. The “farm effect” suggests that growing up on one gives you a lower risk of developing asthma or allergies.

Now, researchers are beginning to identify the protective agents in Amish dust that prevent allergic asthma.

Read more: https://wapo.st/4mi6UyL

08/07/2025

🐮 Happy Cow Appreciation Day! 🐄

Did you know that cows play a vital role in our ecosystem?

Learn how these amazing animals contribute to soil health and the environment.
Read my latest blog post and discover a more nuanced perspective on sustainable food systems.

Here's the link: https://www.lailacharlesworth.co.uk/blog

04/07/2025

Wow!!!!

03/07/2025

The UK’s new 10-year health plan talks a big game on prevention, but here’s the reality:

⚠️ Obesity = BMI + drugs (GLP-1s)
⚠️ Dietitians in medical settings = the full extent of ‘nutrition’
⚠️ No mention of nutritionists. No systems-based nutrition. No true food-first strategy.

So where does that leave evidence-based, registered nutritionists? On the outside looking in - AGAIN.

💬 This plan frames nutrition as a reactive clinical tool, not a proactive pillar of health. It soft-pedals the influence of commercial food environments, relies on voluntary reformulation, and continues to sideline the professionals trained to help people nourish themselves and heal.

🎯 If we don’t speak up now, as qualified, regulated nutrition professionals, we risk letting this next decade of “prevention” be dictated by pharmaceuticals and policy-makers with little grounding in nutritional science or lived experience.

✨ Nutrition is not an afterthought. It’s not a prescription. It’s foundational.

📣 This isn’t about division. It’s about recognition. We need an NHS plan that values all evidence-based nutrition professionals, not just those working within clinical silos.

Let’s be in this conversation—loudly, clearly, and professionally.

02/07/2025

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I HATE school uniforms!!! Horrible stiff clothing, useless ties, and horrible shoes to boot (pardon the pun). When will schools wake up and realise looking smart doesn’t have to mean looking like an office worker from the 80s!

"A simple change in school uniform policy to permit plain black trainers could help protect the health of hundreds of thousands of children."

Find out more here: https://bbc.in/44dQQaw

28/06/2025

Always cook minced meat thoroughly. That includes any burgers you might be planning for a BBQ this weekend (or not looking at the forecast!) .

When meat is minced, harmful bacteria from the surface can spread throughout the mince. To keep your food safe and sound, always ensure your mince is cooked until it’s steaming hot all the way through.

Look for these signs:

🥘 When pan-frying mince, stir frequently and ensure that every bit, especially what’s initially on the surface or edges, is brown and cooked all the way through before adding any sauce

♨️ The meat should be steaming, with steam visibly rising from the surface

🔎 There should be no pink meat visible, and juices should run clear

Cooking mincemeat properly protects you and your family from food poisoning. Plus, browning meat can give your dish more flavour.

So, enjoy your meal knowing it's both safe and (hopefully) tasty!

11/06/2025

We often think of diabetes as something that just happens. But in reality, it’s often the result of years of silent blood sugar dysfunction. Here are some things we’ve come to normalise:

⚠️ Energy crashes
⚠️ Constant cravings
⚠️ Belly fat that won’t budge
⚠️ Mood swings and poor sleep
⚠️ Feeling shaky or irritable if meals are late

These are all red flags that your blood sugar is out of balance, long before a diagnosis ever shows up.

As a nutritionist with years of experience, I’ve supported many people in reclaiming their energy, weight, and metabolic health. I’ve also completed certified specialised training by the Commission on Dietetic Registration in treating metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, and obesity with Therapeutic Carbohydrate Restriction, giving me clinical tools to help reverse blood sugar dysfunction at the root.

🥦 Supporting blood sugar isn’t about cutting all carbs. It’s about:
✅ Balancing meals with protein, fat, and fibre
✅ Reducing ultra-processed triggers, not whole food groups
✅ Managing stress and improving sleep (hello, cortisol and insulin!)
✅ Supporting the metabolism with targeted nutrients and lifestyle shifts