Diet & Nutrition
Good nutrition is the foundation of good health. The first step is to obtain adequate nutrients from the diet, yet due to modern industrialized food production the quality of these nutrients varies greatly. Further, modern society is flooded with inconsistent nutritional advice and dubious health claims, leaving the layperson confused and prone to either anxiety around what to eat, or perhaps even worse, apathy towards their diet and eating habits.
In certain instances nutritional supplements can be of benefit by supplying additional nutrition in concentrated forms, however there are global inconsistencies with the manufacture and regulation of these products, raising doubts around their safety and efficacy. Many people rightly exhibit caution, especially concerning their long term use for the management of chronic health conditions, or in support of physical exercise and training regimes.
With extensive knowledge of food and popular diets, plus experience in the retail health sector, NH21 is equipped to offer advice and guidance on healthy eating and the merits of supplementation to achieve your personal health goals.
Exercise & Active Lifestyle
As important as eating well, regular moderate exercise is essential for physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Whether you are a competitive athlete or committed to regular exercise; diet and nutrition have a profound impact on athletic performance and overall health.
However, there is a difference between peak sporting performance and optimal health. Whilst the highest achievements of professional sport may be aspirational, they are not necessarily in line with a healthy balanced lifestyle. Whether walking, running, swimming, yoga, or any other form of physical activity; we need simply elevate the breath- and heart- rate a little each day.
At times there may be a need to manipulate the diet to achieve specific objectives, such as increasing muscle mass or reducing body fat. This requires careful management to ensure the goal is met without placing a burden on the body and risking the health of the individual.
With a special interest in aerobic and endurance exercise, NH21 provides goal-specific dietary advice and guidance aimed at maximizing physical performance whilst safeguarding personal health.
It’s not just what we eat that affects our digestive health, but also the manner in which we eat it. Often, as people become interested in modifying their diet, such as for weight management or attempting to alleviate gastrointestinal symptoms, they inadvertently create mental and emotional anguish, becoming fearful of food!
Eating is only the first stage of an intricate biological process that begins whenever we consume a meal. Digestion describes the breakdown of food so that nutrients can be extracted and absorbed into the bloodstream for use by the cells, and is greatly influenced by our mental and emotional state of being.
The gut is the interface between the inner and outer world. Complex interactions between the endocrine and nervous systems enable the processes of digestion to take place, with the immune system also involved in producing potent chemicals and an army of immune cells that patrol the tract defending against invading organisms.
With a passion for digestive health and personal experience of restoring health through proper nutrition, NH21 offers practical advice and guidance for sustainable eating practices that protect digestive health without compromising the joy of food!
Childhood is a period of significant physical, mental and emotional development; often marked by parental concerns about a child’s progress in comparison to friends and peers. Clinical markers such as height and weight measurements allow for potential nutritional problems to be detected and treated early. Yet equally important are signs of general good health such as a happy disposition, clear skin and eyes, healthy colour and sleep patterns, regular bowel function, and being active and alert.
Many factors influence the food habits of children; including family environment, social trends, media influence and periods of ill health. Variable appetite and struggles at mealtime often arise as a child learns to assert their will and independence. Food and eating provides more than simple nutrients. Developing food habits and feeding skills mirror cognitive development, as the relationship with food is established in childhood and carried into adult life.
NH21 offers practical advice and guidance centered on whole foods and keeping things simple to deliver adequate nutrition and establish positive food habits for children from infancy through to adolescence.
Stress, Pain & Inflammation
The physical effects of stress on the body include elevated heart rate, blood pressure and tension in the muscles. An increased production of adrenal hormones is also responsible for stress-associated symptoms such as headaches, irritability and difficulty sleeping.
The body does not digest food effectively in a stressed state; leading to nutritional deficiency, gastrointestinal discomfort, and the production of free-radicals. Prolonged stress encourages inflammation of body tissues. Although inflammation is a normal aspect of human physiology, too much can cause harm and compromise immunity.
The NH21 personalised health consultation can help to identify areas of stress in daily life, assess their effects on wellbeing, and prioritize their reduction or removal through therapeutic practices such as breath work, meditation, exercise and dietary modifications.
“Yoga is not an ancient myth buried in oblivion. It is the most valuable inheritance of the present, the essential need of today and the culture of tomorrow.” ~ Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Yoga, as the science of right living, is a means of balancing and harmonizing body, mind and emotions through the practices of asana (movement), pranayama (breath work), shatkarma (cleansing) and meditation (mindfulness).
There are many historic branches of yoga, allowing each individual to find a style more suited to their personal wants and needs. The practices offer direct and tangible benefits to everybody regardless of their spiritual aims. Yoga therapy in particular works to balance the nervous and endocrine systems, positively influencing all other systems and organs of the body.
NH21 regards yoga as a therapeutic practice of healing and repair, and offers private tuition to individuals seeking a holistic healing modality to complement existing healthcare protocols.