Lucy Epps Nutrition

16/03/2026

"Fast food" 5 minute lunch for Gut Health

If you're short on time, think: fibre, protein, colour and a dressing for extra flavour.

FIBRE → for slow release energy and to "feed" your gut bacteria. Fibre is key for gut-health

PROTEIN → for satiety, steady energy and brain health

COLOUR → for micronutrients including antioxidant rich polyphenols (gut bacteria loves these)

This plate has:

🐠 Protein: tinned mackerel, kidney beans heated in paprika for a few mins, goats cheese
🫘 Fibre: kidney beans, beetroot, avocado
🍅 Colour: tomatoes, avocado, coriander, beetroot, kidney beans
🥑 Healthy fats: mackerel (omega 3), olive oil, avocado (unsaturated fats)
🌶️ Peanut rayu for flavour

Underrated staple: tinned fish - mackerel, sardines or anchovies. Quick, affordable, rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3s, and ideal for fast lunches

Save this for the next time you need a 5-minute lunch idea

16/03/2026

"Fast food" 5 minute lunch for Gut Health

If you're short on time, think: fibre, protein, colour and a dressing for extra flavour.

FIBRE → for slow release energy and to "feed" your gut bacteria. Fibre is key for gut-health

PROTEIN → for satiety, steady energy and brain health

COLOUR → for micronutrients including antioxidant rich polyphenols (gut bacteria loves these)

This plate has:

🐟Protein: tinned mackerel, kidney beans heated in paprika for a few mins, goats cheese
🫘 Fibre: kidney beans, beetroot, avocado
🍅 Colour: tomatoes, avocado, coriander, beetroot, kidney beans
🥑 Healthy fats: mackerel (omega 3), olive oil, avocado (unsaturated fats)
🌶️ Peanut rayu for flavour

Underrated staple: tinned fish - mackerel, sardines or anchovies. Quick, affordable, rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3s, and ideal for fast lunches.

Save this for the next time you need a 5-minute lunch idea

06/03/2026

Are you crashing at 3pm?

It might be your morning meal.

Eating a breakfast that focusses on fibre and protein can help your blood sugar levels to be more stable after your subsequent meals, versus not eating breakfast.

Meaning you have better blood sugar balance - aka glycemic control - later on in the day.

This is known as the 'second meal effect’.

When your blood sugar is more balanced, you have:
Fewer cravings
More consistent energy
Easier, more productive workdays

If your energy usually dips in the afternoon, try switching up your breakfast and let me know if it makes a difference.

sugar

27/02/2026

Fact or Fiction Friday: Seed oils cause inflammation.

The claim: Oils from seeds (sunflower, safflower, pumpkin, rapeseed) are “toxic.”

So, what’s really happening?

Seed oils are rich in linoleic acid, an omega‑6 fat. Linoleic acid can be converted into compounds involved in both pro‑ and anti-inflammatory processes. Because of this pathway, it was theorized:

More omega‑6 → more inflammation → increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

But mechanism ≠ outcomes in humans.

Human studies show:

Increasing dietary linoleic acid does not raise inflammatory markers.

Higher tissue or blood LA biomarkers are not linked to higher inflammation or mortality.

Instead of fearing seed oils, focus on getting enough omega‑3s (especially EPA and DHA), which have strong anti-inflammatory properties. The richest sources are oily fish, aim for 2 - 3 portions per week. If you don’t eat or don’t like fish, consider a good quality algae oil supplement.

Do you worry about seed oils? Let me know if you have any questions.

(Johnson & Fritsche, 2012, Marklund et al. 2019, Li et al. 2020)

24/02/2026

Not all probiotics are the same.

Lots are taken for ‘gut health’, but research is strain-specific.

Different bacteria strains have been researched for different outcomes, including:
Reducing severity of IBS symptoms
Reducing risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea
Supporting immune resilience, and reducing occurrence + duration of upper respiratory infections
Improving iron absorption

If you’re choosing a probiotic, ask:

1. What outcome am I trying to achieve?
2. Does the label list the specific strain(s) - 3rd name or number in the line - and not just the species?

Pair with prebiotic foods - vegetables, beans, oats - to help them work.

Do you usually check the strain?

16/02/2026

Fibre is more than a trend - it’s foundational for a diverse gut microbiome.

But if you’re not used to including fibre rich foods in your diet, suddenly increasing your intake can cause:

Bloating
Discomfort
Digestive upset

The goal?

Build fibre in small amounts, gradually and incrementally, one meal or snack at a time - over weeks, not days.

Let this change become habit before adding in a second.

This gives your gut a chance to adapt and you’re much less likely to feel overwhelmed trying to make lots of changes at once.

Examples:

Handful of chickpeas, lentils or beans - add to your curry or bollognaise
Small handful of nuts or seeds - eg. on yoghurt with banana
1 Tbsp ground flax - go steady + drink with plenty of water
Swap white bread for wholemeal or rye
Extra 1-2 handfuls of veg with your lunch or dinner.

Are you trying to increase fibre? Let me know if you have any questions

11/02/2026

GLP-1 medications reduce appetite by increasing the feeling of satiety - and that can mean fibre, protein, and other key nutrients drop without you noticing.

Even when weight and health markers improve, reduced intake of nutrient-rich foods can affect gut motility, gut bacteria diversity, muscle + bone mass, and even hair + skin health.

This is why nutrition support needs to ADAPT for people taking GLP-1 medications.

Have you noticed changes in digestion while taking a GLP-1?

27/01/2026

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