Optimum Nutrition – Details, episodes & analysis

Catherine Sharman is a nutritional therapist and founder of Après, formerly a hit London restaurant and now a healthy ready-meal company. In this episode, Catherine explains how she uses the principles of functional eating – a concept instilled in her while studying at ION – in her food, making little changes to food she loves in order to better support health. Joined by host Hatty Willmoth, a journalist and Communications Officer at ION, Catherine starts by explaining her long professional journey before turning to functional eating. Catherine is adamant that healthy food does not have to be boring. On the contrary, she says, the key to a sustainably healthy diet is eating beautiful, nourishing food that you love; joyful food that just so happens to be healthy. So, what's the difference between a regular chicken satay dish and Catherine’s? What sets apart a 'functional' shepherd's pie from any old version? And what can fish-and-chip lovers do to improve their meal of choice?

If you enjoyed this episode, follow us on social media at @ion_nutrition, follow Après at @apresfoodco, and take a look at their website (www.apresfood.com) for more information.

Interested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more.

Dr Kirstie Lawton is a nutritional therapy practitioner and ION lecturer who specialises in paediatric nutrition, i.e. nutrition for children. In this episode of the Optimum Nutrition podcast, Kirstie addresses common questions and misconceptions about how best to support a child’s health with nutrition, particularly focusing on how to help them develop a healthy relationship with food that will serve them for life. In conversation with host Hatty Willmoth, a journalist and communications officer, this episode tries to shed light on some difficult conundrums that parents might face. Is it ever okay to put a child on a diet? Should children be allowed to snack? What is the best way to handle picky eating? And should any foods be off-limits for children?

This episode was recorded during a busy day in the office, so there is some background noise. Apologies!

If you enjoyed this episode, follow us on social media at @ion_nutrition and Kirstie at @drkirstielawton.

Interested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more.

Registered nutritional therapist and author Jackie Lynch joins The Optimum Nutrition Podcast to dispel the stigma surrounding menopause, and discusses how nutrition and lifestyle can help to manage symptoms. 

She explains how a women’s hormones begin to change when she enters midlife, and why this can lead to specific symptoms such as hot flushes, mood swings and joint pain. Jackie also provides lots of practical tips for specific foods and nutrients that can target symptoms, and explains why eating well should continue long after your periods have stopped.

Registered nutritionist and women’s health specialist Le’Nise Brothers joins The Optimum Nutrition Podcast to dispel some of the common myths around periods, including whether people should experience pain and cramping, and exactly what a 'normal' period looks like. She also discusses the four stages of the menstrual cycle, and how nutrition and lifestyle can be used to harness the benefits of each stage and enjoy a happier period.

Le'Nise Brothers is the founder of Eat Love Move.

Views expressed by guests are not those of ION, nor does ION endorse any third party products mentioned.

To discover more about nutritional therapy, visit ION's website.

Registered dietician and certified food addiction counsellor David Wolfe joins The Optimum Nutrition Podcast to discuss how to overcome a food addiction, including how to recognise the signs and symptoms of addiction and whether abstinence is the best recovery path. He also discusses whether there’s a place for sweeteners when recovering from a sugar addiction, why he believes community is an important component in recovery, and gives his tips for enjoying a healthier relationship with food.

Views expressed by guests are not those of ION, nor does ION endorse any third party products mentioned.

Visit ION's website to find out more about nutritional therapy.

Registered nutritional therapist and former barrister Katie Shore discusses the positive impact that nutrition and lifestyle interventions can make before, during and after pregnancy; from helping couples to conceive, to supporting mothers through their fourth trimester.

She also debunks some common myths around fertility. Is your fertility determined by the eggs you were born with? Does your fertility 'drop off' after 30? And is morning sickness something women simply have to suffer through? Read more

If you enjoy the episode, make sure you subscribe to the show and leave a review.

Discover more about the Institute for Optimum Nutrition here. 

Ryan Carter is a registered nutritional therapist, PT, health coach, breathwork coach and the founder of Live Vitae. In today’s episode, he discusses his ancestral approach to wellbeing; from nose to tail eating to ‘downloading’ in nature. Ryan also shares how he approaches nutrition with an influence, having gained a following of over 450,000 on Instagram.

Views expressed by guests are not those of ION, nor does ION endorse any third party products mentioned.

Find out more about ION and its highly-reputable nutritional therapy courses here.
View episode information here.

A graduate of the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, Olga Preston has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She developed an interest in mental health after the effect that good nutrition had on family and friends affected by mental health conditions. She now focuses on using her passion for nutrition to support people with their mental wellbeing at ION’s Brain Bio Centre. In this episode, she discusses how biochemistry can influence mental health, and shares tips for building your mental resilience through food.

If you enjoy the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review. To find out more about nutritional therapy and the Brain Bio Centre visit: ion.ac.uk

Dawn Waldron is a registered nutritional therapist and life coach who has been specialising in breast cancer for almost two decades. A twenty-three-year survivor of breast cancer herself, today’s discussion focuses on integrated care and how nutritional therapy can work alongside other healthcare disciplines to provide a powerful approach to those going through breast cancer treatment and beyond. She also introduces the concept of nutrigenetics and how this could play a role in the future of cancer care.

If you enjoy the episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review. To find out more about nutritional therapy, including ION’s courses, clinic and magazine, visit ion.ac.uk

Ojarike Udu has been a practising nutritional therapist for over 10 years, having given up a career in finance to retrain at the age of 40. Today's episode focuses on diversity and inclusion within nutritional therapy, particularly in terms of why men are less likely to seek out nutritional support. OJ also discusses barriers to good nutrition for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as how the industry can become more racially diverse. 

To find out more about nutritional therapy, including ION's courses, clinic or magazine, visit ion.ac.uk