Real Food as Nourishment
I have always had a love for food and cooking, not just the way it tastes or fills a plate, but the way it has the power to heal, to strengthen, and to sustain us through life.
Somewhere along the way, though, much of what we call “food” stopped being about nourishment. It became about convenience, calorie counting, low-fat everything, and quick fixes.
For years, I lived that story too. It left me depleted, inflamed, and constantly searching for answers.
My Food Philosophy
I am not a qualified nutritionist or dietitian. What I share comes from my own research, curiosity, experimentation, and lived experience and I encourage you to have the same curiosity.
Over the years, I have worked on my own diet, supported my family and grandchildren, and had the privilege of learning from mentors like Steph Lowe, Cyndi O’Meara, and working alongside Dr Ravi Gornall in functional medicine.
One truth keeps showing up: when we choose real food, our health changes.
For me, real food is simple. It is the food our grandparents and generations before would recognise. It is grown, raised, and alive with the intelligence of nature and how we have evolved. It is food that nourishes, not just fills.
When we eat this way:
Our gut can absorb nutrients more effectively
Metabolism thrives
Inflammation settles
Resilience grows
Over the years, I have explored and experimented with different approaches, including low carb, paleo, GAPS, even carnivore. While the details may vary depending on life stage or health goals, the foundation remains the same: food is nourishment.
I have seen real and notable changes in both my health markers and those of clients I have worked with in clinic.
Your choices with every plate either take you closer to health—or further away from it.
How I Eat Now
My approach to food has changed dramatically over the last decade. I have left behind the restrictive, low-fat, calorie-counting era that certainly did not serve me well.
I no longer look at food through the lens of fear or numbers. Now, I see food as a way to heal.
I focus on:
Real, nutrient-dense food
Local and organic or spray-free produce
Pasture-raised animal products
Wild-caught fish
Free from additives, preservatives and toxins when possible
Meals that taste good and are good for you
My current diet sits somewhere between a paleo and animal-based way of eating. Quality animal-based protein always comes first on my plate because I know it naturally fuels training, supports recovery, and helps me build and maintain muscle.
This protein-centric way of eating has been particularly important while navigating peri and post-menopause and it deserves a whole newsletter of its own.
When my body doesn’t feel like it is recovering well, nutrition is the first place I look to tidy up. It is the easiest and often most effective fix.
I am certainly not perfect with my food. I love chocolate and coffee, and I do eat out sometimes. But even then, I make the best choices I can: quality ingredients, prioritising protein, well-sourced produce, and avoiding poor-quality processed foods and oils.
For me, it is not about restriction. It is a philosophy, a way of living that empowers you to be an advocate for your own health and that of your family.
Key Turning Points
Looking back, there are moments that shaped my philosophy:
Years of IBS, acne and poor gut health, treated with medication, antibiotics, and skin treatments that only masked symptoms
Post-babies: carrying extra weight, post-natal depression, and often using alcohol as a fix
Trying programs like Jenny Craig that promised quick fixes but left me depleted
Suffering from low iron, being offered a hysterectomy, and facing early menopause as my best option
At 48, I knew I had to try something different. I started strength training, and my trainer at the time simply said: “Just eat real food.” Simple! But sometimes not as easy as it sounds.
That was my reset and I am so grateful!
This simple approach, choosing real food over refined, naturally lowering sugar and refined carbs, and balancing quality protein and good fats allowed my body to heal. From this point on, I studied nutrition, experimented, and refined what worked best for me. I respect that everyone is at a different stage of their journey.
It was not a quick fix but a lifelong mindset shift and commitment to change. It enabled me to:
Eliminate all prescription medications
Heal my gut and my mind
Absorb nutrients from the food I was eating
Avoid unnecessary surgery and forced menopause
As one of my mentors, Cyndi O’Meara, always says:
“When you know better, you do better.”
Deepening the Journey
During COVID, this philosophy deepened even further. It became a time of reflection and connection:
Buying directly from regenerative farmers
Experimenting with new cuts of meat and slow cooking
Growing food in our own garden
Learning to eat what was in season and available from local farmers
Connecting to food, farmers, and the land added another layer of meaning.
Whenever possible, we now continue to buy local and seasonal produce that is organic or spray-free whenever we can.
Why It Matters
Today, food for me is about trust.
Trusting nature
Trusting my body’s innate intelligence
Trusting that what I put on my plate matters not just for me but for my family and friends
Because every time we choose real food, we are making a statement and leading the change we desire, not just for ourselves, but for our children, our grandchildren, and the generations to come.
The change you make today does not stop with you.
It has the power to transform your health, and to shape the health of your family and future generations.
That is the gift of nature and real food.
