Empowered Nutrition

24/12/2025

Putting a candle in the window on Christmas Eve is an old Irish tradition. It signals to Mary and Joseph, wandering in search of a room, that they are welcome.

Wishing everyone a happy and peaceful Christmas.

03/12/2025

You may have heard of the "Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen", produced by the Environmental Working Group in the USA to list those fruits and vegetables that were found to have the lowest and highest levels of pesticide residues on them. But did you know that in the UK, the Pesticide Action Network (PAN UK) produces an annual "Dirty Dozen" list, informing us of the produce most likely to contain a cocktail of multiple residues. This is based on government testing in the previous year.

Shockingly, they found that a quarter of vegetables and THREE QUARTERS OF FRUIT tested contained multiple pesticide residues, including 42 chemicals linked to cancer.

PAN UK say "Safety limits are set for one pesticide at a time, completely ignoring the fact that it’s all too common for food to contain multiple chemicals. The truth is we know very little about how these chemicals interact with each other, or what this exposure to hundreds of different pesticides is doing to our health in the long-term. What we do know is that pesticides can become more toxic when combined, a phenomenon known as ‘the cocktail effect’."

Read the text in the infographics to understand why PAN UK doesn't produce a "Clean Fifteen" list and to see, based on limited data, the trends for the produce with pesticide cocktail residues over the past 5 years.

It's fair to say that we don't yet know the health impacts of all these chemicals, and we may never be able to show causation with disease, because how do you separate individual chemicals out from the cocktail effect? However, it's important to realise that allowing these chemicals in our food supply in untested combinations is a big experiment that we are being exposed to. I don't feel like chancing it, so buy as much organic as I can. However, it's not right that it is up to the individual to pay a premium in order to do this.

Read more at https://www.pan-uk.org/dirty-dozen/

26/11/2025

It’s Acid Reflux Awareness week!

(24 -30 November 2025)

Did you know that acid reflux occurs when your stomach contents flow back into the oesophagus? This is not necessarily due to there being too much acid but can be due to an issue with the Lower Oesophageal Sphincter (LES).

This ring of muscle at the base of the oesophagus opens to allow the foods we swallow to enter the stomach and should close to keep the stomach contents until we next swallow. This muscle can be damaged as seen with a hiatus hernia but can also be affected by diet and lifestyle too.

Foods like chocolate, coffee and alcohol all cause the muscle to relax making it easier for reflux to occur. Avoiding these foods especially close to bedtime can help reduce your reflux symptoms.

If you suffer with acid reflux and want some help to take control pop the word reflux in the comments.

25/11/2025

An issue that I don't believe is discussed enough with women who have had breast cancer treatment is that it can have adverse effects on the heart and cardiovascular system - often only showing up many years later. I'd be really interested to hear if your oncology team has discussed this with you.

Nobody wants to go through treatment only to develop heart problems.

But don't worry! Nutrition and lifestyle medicine can really shine at supporting normal function of the cardiovascular system and mitigating risk. Read more in my latest blog:
https://www.empowerednutrition.org.uk/love-your-heart-after-breast-cancer-treatment/

24/11/2025

A warm bowl of homemade soup is the ultimate comfort on a cold grey day. It's not just good to have soup for comfort though. When it's cold, warm food really does help to keep us warm, and it's also easier to digest than cold food.

This is one of my favourites: spiced butternut squash and red lentil. It has the advantage of making good use of the glut of squashes I currently have that have built up over recent weeks of veg box deliveries!

In a large saucepan, sauté onions in extra virgin olive oil until translucent, then add crushed garlic, grated ginger and your favourite spices. (I used cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli powder and cinnamon.) Fry for another minute. Stir in red lentils to coat with the spice mix. Add chopped squash, coconut milk and vegetable stock or bone broth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes. Everything should be soft, so remove from the heat and blend - the easiest way is using a stick blender, but you can also use a food processor.

Don't waste the squash seeds! After rinsing, spread them on a baking tray, drizzle a little tamari sauce over them and roast at 180C for 15 minutes. They make a delicious topper.

This is just the start of soup season.....hugs in a bowl!

04/11/2025

It shouldn't be up to individuals to have to filter their drinking water because of the PFAS ("forever chemicals") content. Yet with this article claiming that one water company has been given until 2029 to reduce concentrations of PFOA in its supply (despite the fact this is classed as a class 1 human carcinogen), it seems as though there is no other safe choice.

Reverse osmosis water filters are very effective at removing PFAS. Activated carbon filters also remove some, but are not as effective as RO filters.

The 2019 film "Dark Waters" is a dramatisation of PFAS issues in the water in the USA, and is worth a watch. These chemicals are probably linked to health conditions as diverse as high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, testicular cancer, renal cancer and thyroid disease. They are endocrine disruptors, they affect the immune system and can cause low birth weight.

Analysis finds regulator for England and Wales raised issues with untreated water at facilities serving millions

03/11/2025

How are you making sure you eat oily fish regularly? Tonight I was lucky - my husband cooked this delicious mackerel curry. Served with brown rice, cauliflower roasted in spices and a little bit of sauerkraut.

Mackerel can handle strong flavours, so my favourite way to eat fresh mackerel is in a curry. It cooks pretty quickly - fry the onion, garlic and spices first, add your sauce (this was coconut based) and you only need to add chopped fish about 5-10 minutes before serving. The mackerel was fresh from the fishmonger this morning.

Oily fish contain essential, anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids in their most usable form. Eating oily fish regularly may reduce your risk of heart disease and may help your mental health amongst other benefits. Some evidence suggests a reduced risk of breast cancer for those who eat the most oily fish.

If you don't like mackerel, your other choices for oily fish include salmon, anchovies, sardines, herring and trout. Choose wild, sustainable fish please!

19/10/2025

Thank you Hello Beuatiful for inviting me to talk about cancer-related fatigue. I had a great time!

18/10/2025

Tomorrow lunchtime - come and join me! 😀

💪 NUTRITION TO BEAT CANCER-RELATED FATIGUE

🗓 Sunday, 19 October | 1–2PM

Feeling drained from cancer or its treatment? Join nutritionist Joan Faria for a powerful session on how the right foods and lifestyle changes can help restore your energy.

🌿 Discover how to:
✨ Nourish your body for better energy
🍽 Create nutrient-dense meals that save time and effort
🔍 Understand the underlying causes of fatigue—and how to address them

🆓 Free to attend – register with code HBUNITE and follow email instructions once booked
👉 hellobeautiful.org/unite

Let’s fight fatigue together 💜

13/10/2025

IN PERSON TALK, SUNDAY 19th OCTOBER 1-2pm

I'm honoured to be talking about how nutrition can help with cancer related fatigue this weekend, as part of the Breast Cancer Unite festival in central London.

I'd love to meet you if you're able to come. It's free for people with cancer - use code HBUNITE to book at https://www.hellobeautiful.org/unite (go to book sessions then scroll down to find mine)

💪 NUTRITION TO BEAT CANCER-RELATED FATIGUE

🗓 Sunday, 19 October | 1–2PM

Feeling drained from cancer or its treatment? Join nutritionist Joan Faria for a powerful session on how the right foods and lifestyle changes can help restore your energy.

🌿 Discover how to:
✨ Nourish your body for better energy
🍽 Create nutrient-dense meals that save time and effort
🔍 Understand the underlying causes of fatigue—and how to address them

🆓 Free to attend – register with code HBUNITE and follow email instructions once booked
👉 hellobeautiful.org/unite

Let’s fight fatigue together 💜

09/10/2025

BEETROOT BENEFITS

I hadn't planned a post about beetroot, but when I sliced this one the colour was just so vivid that I just had to say something about it.

It's a compound called betaine that causes the red colour, and the presence of betaine is a great reason to eat beetroot. Let's take a look at why.

Have you heard of methylation? It's a key biological process that is going on all the time in our body. It's involved in detoxification, processing hormones, turning genes on and off, building neurotransmitters and much more. In other words, it's a key process for health.

How does this relate to betaine? Betaine is a nutrient that can keep the methylation cycle "turning". Ensuring enough nutrient availability for methylation is important in relation to cardiovascular disease, cancer risk, mental health and hormonal health, amongst others. I know I have genetic variants that mean that I benefit from a higher than average intake of betaine. Other sources of betaine include spinach and quinoa.

Another great reason to eat beets is because they contain nitrates. These are converted into nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels. Drinking a glass of beetroot juice daily results in significant reductions in systolic blood pressure in people with hypertension.

The dilation of blood vessels by the nitrates results in improved oxygenation throughout the body, so it shouldn't be too surprising to learn that taking beetroot before an event (as powder or juice if the whole food is difficult) can improve athletic performance and stamina.

Beetroot is also a great source of nutrients such as fibre, folate, potassium, manganese and vitamin C. However, as betaine is harder to come by in the diet, it's the betaine that keeps me eating beets.

When I was young, we never ate beetroot at home. My mum used to say it was the only food she wouldn't eat. I wonder now if she had only ever tasted soggy pickled beetroot. I prefer to buy fresh beetroot and then slice it thinly into a salad, chop it into chunks and roast it, or again slice it finely and mix it into patties. And sometimes I juice it and drink it before exercising - just in case it might help me beat some records 😉!

06/10/2025

Although October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month I don't mention that so much, as many of my followers don't need reminding!

This month, many companies ask for your money with the promise that some of the profit will go to breast cancer related causes. To be completely honest, I haven't looked into products and sums of money donated because the whole thing triggers me quite a lot! However, here's one thing I can guarantee: an opportunity to directly help women who have had a diagnosis to empower themselves to live well.

In June I was privileged to be part of running a beautiful weekend retreat for women who had been through a breast cancer diagnosis, whenever that may have been in their lives, including those living with stage 4 breast cancer. All 4 of us involved in the project have had breast cancer and are passionate about empowering women to live well after diagnosis using movement, nutrition and lifestyle measures.

We are planning more retreats, and we are currently raising funds through the stellar efforts of one of our organisers taking part in an awesome Deka Strong Event. Your support will go directly to a women whose life has been impacted and will be able to either gift her the opportunity to attend through a fully funded space or subsidise costs for every attendee.

Direct support to women who need it. No pinkwashing!

Donate at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/nurturenourishretreats?utm_medium=CR&utm_source=FM Thank you 💕💕