Tanyadietician

15/07/2025

15/07/2025

15/07/2025

15/07/2025

15/07/2025

15/07/2025

15/07/2025

26/06/2025

The Power of Connection: Why Social Support Matters for Your Well-Being

We often focus on individual efforts when it comes to our health, but the connections we have with others play a vital role in our overall well being. This week, let's explore the power of social support and how it can positively impact your health journey.

Why is social support so important?
• Motivation and Encouragement: Sharing your goals and challenges with others can provide a sense of accountability and offer much needed encouragement during tough times.
• Emotional Well being: Strong social connections can buffer against stress, anxiety, and feelings of loneliness.
• Shared Experiences and Learning: Connecting with others on a similar path allows you to learn from their experiences, share tips, and feel understood.
• Increased Adherence to Healthy Habits: Having a support system can make it easier to stick to healthy routines, whether it's exercising with a friend or sharing healthy recipes.
• Sense of Belonging: Feeling connected to a community can boost your overall happiness and sense of purpose.

Ways to build and nurture your support network:
• Connect with friends and family: Share your goals and challenges with loved ones.
• Join a group or class: Whether it's a fitness group, a cooking class, or a support group, connecting with like minded individuals can be incredibly beneficial.
• Engage in your community: Volunteering or participating in local events can foster a sense of belonging.
• Utilise online communities: Online forums and social media groups can provide a virtual space for support and connection.
• Join our Free Facebook Group: Our Facebook Group is full of ideas and support to help with your goals and aspirations.

Remember, you don't have to go it alone. Building and nurturing your social connections can significantly enhance your health and well being journey.

13/06/2025

Sequence of eating.

The sequence of eating has likely been popping up around everybody’s social media timelines! With all influencers on board to get a piece of this, it might be a little confusing as to what’s happening and if we should actually be eating our food in a specific order.

It has been well documented that we want to keep our glucose levels (a.k.a. sugar levels) as stable as possible – especially if you have diabetes. A more stable glucose curve has many benefits to it, so how do we keep it low? We keep it low by choosing wholegrains, fruits, vegetables and adding good-quality fats and lean proteins. Avoiding refined and high-sugar foods is one of the best ways to keep this curve low.

Emerging research has now been shown that the order in which you eat your food can also play a significant role in your glucose levels. We’ve broken down the research for you, but ALWAYS EAT YOUR VEGGIES FIRST! We’ve found that starting with your vegetables helps to fill you up, but also has a beneficial impact on your glucose graph. After the veggies, you can move on to your proteins and fats. Carbohydrates should be consumed last.

This shows that there is still a place in the diet for all food groups, but perhaps we need to be more mindful of the sequence of our eating?

Try it out and let us know how it has affected your satiety, sugars and cravings!

11/06/2025

All eyes on your meals

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been on the rise – we expected this with longer lifespans, but what is it and what can one do about it?

AMD is a progressive chronic disease of the central retina – it is a complex disease and is the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness worldwide. AMD has been shown to be more common in females, older age, lighter skin, lighter iris color and a genetic susceptibility. Other risk factors for developing AMD is inflammation, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction.

The modifiable risk factors- such as diet, smoking cessation and physical activity – has become more popular to implement with AMD. Some essential nutrients to fight AMD is:
Antioxidants! Vitamins C, E, A (carotenoids), lutein and zeaxanthin were some of the important ones, as the retina requires them to fight oxidative stress.
Dietary nitrates that are found in green, leafy veggies and beetroot.
Zinc, a mineral that is abundant in the retina.
Omega-3 has shown numerous positive effects on AMD.

In addition to the above-mentioned nutrients, a diet rich in plant-based foods and wholegrains should also be implemented. The diet should be low in refined carbs and high-sugar foods and beverages.