Zara Syed Nutrition

11/08/2022

☀️STAY HYDRATED💧
Get ahead of the heatwave this weekend with my top 5 hydration hacks! Click the link in my bio to read more..

05/08/2022

NEW ARTICLE: BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING
🤱🏻Breast milk provides your baby with optimal nutrients, a diverse range of beneficial bacteria, antibodies and unique human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), all working together to nurture your baby’s microbiome and provide support for their developing immune system.
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🤱🏻Government guidelines recommend breastfeeding exclusively for up to 6 months since any amount of breastfeeding has a positive effect, with a longer duration giving greater positive benefits.
Click the link in my bio to read all about some of the health benefits for both mother and baby!

04/08/2022

It’s breastfeeding awareness week and off he goes, flying the breast 🤣🤦‍♀️🥛
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MY JOURNEY.
I know breastfeeding isn’t for everyone and more often than not, it does not go to plan.
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I exclusively breastfed since birth, Esa never accepted the bottle past 3 months and never drank out of a cup. He tossed cover ups to the side, and didn’t approve of anyone being in the room if he was feeding (side effect of lockdown), staring them down until they left 😂

Like many, our journey didn’t start off smoothly..we struggled to latch properly and it felt like tiny razor blades at my ni***es during every single feed.
The first few weeks, there were times when I wanted nothing more than to give up, both of us in tears - me because of the pain, Esa because of the hunger.
Through perseverance and a lot of help from my mum and the amazing midwives ,we got into a rhythmn and it was just the most amazing feeling! No matter what was going on around us, what life threw our way, breastfeeding allowed me to pause and recentre myself when I saw my beautiful baby staring back up at me.
Sometimes we would smile and laugh, sometimes we would talk, sometimes sing, other times he’d bite (and I’d scream!) And for a long time it was the only thing that would bring him comfort in the night.

20 months on.. We said a very emotional goodbye to this beautiful and special journey (oh caffeine how I had missed you!)
Thank you my baby boy, it’s been an absolute honour and I’m so proud of us ❤️

28/04/2022

Tune in tomorrow morning to the Breakfast show, where I discuss intermittent fasting and how to maximise the benefits of fasting during Ramadan. Thank you for having me!

16/04/2021

We are a month into our weaning journey and I wanted to share some of my top tips with you! Weaning is an exciting process which should be enjoyable for both parents and baby, however I also know how daunting it can be. We put a huge amount of pressure on ourselves to get it ‘right’, but it’s ok if your little bub doesn’t take to it straight away, they will in their own time - every baby is different!
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🥄Begin when your baby is developmentally ready to start weaning (usually around 6 months).
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🥄Invest in a good quality highchair with good back support and a foot rest. Above all, make sure it is one that is easy to clean (trust me!) We use and
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🥄There isn’t a huge amount of equipment you need to start with, but if you’re anything like me you will buy bowls and spoons in all shapes, sizes and brands you come across 😂 In reality, my go to now is always silicone range (obsessed) and .uk suction plates/bowls.
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🥄There will be mess..a lot of it! Especially if you are planning on baby led / combination weaning. Make your life easier - the bigger the bib, the better in my opinion. Reusable wipes are also brilliant for the clean up after!
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🥄Consider the time of day you are offering foods. Think about what works best for you and for baby- ideally you don’t want to be feeding a baby who is too tired, too full or too hungry!
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🎶 Create a relaxing environment for yourself and for baby during meal times. Babies will sense your anxiety! Playing some music (usually reggae or baby Mozart for us! ✌🏼), engaging and sitting down with them at their eye level will make the process less intimidating and create a calm space for you and baby.
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⛑ If you’re feeling a little anxious, I’d highly recommend completing a baby first aid course before weaning begins- it will really help to give you confidence and the necessary tools should anything happen.
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✍🏼 Keep a journal to log the foods you’ve already tried and note down any changes you notice. My first flavours chart has been my absolute go to and is such a fun way to keep track!

🥄Most importantly, enjoy the process of exploring new flavours and textures with your baby! And please don’t feel any pressure to rush!

29/03/2021

Hello Postpartum💙👋🏼
I am generally blessed with thicker hair however, like most mamas was unable to avoid pulling out clumps of it at around 3 months post partum!!🤱🏻At around 6 months, it has all started to grow back🙌🏼
In addition to a nutritious diet, I personally found applying flax seed oil and coconut oil every other night really helped me! However there are a number of factors affecting hair thinning and although genetics and hormones play a huge role here, diet and nutritional deficiencies are all too often forgotten about as a vital piece to the puzzle. Individual requirements will be unique to you, however some of the key vitamins and minerals to focus on to support hair growth include:

◾️B Vitamins are important and can be found in foods such green leafy vegetables, eggs, dairy products, legumes, salmon and fortified foods.

◾️Vitamin D - those of you who have been following me for a while, will have heard me go on about the importance of this vitamin. UK gov guidelines recommend that we should all be supplementing this time of year but we can also get a small amount through diet with foods such as egg yolks, dairy and oily fish.

◾️Zinc plays an important role in growth and repair, while some studies show hair loss being associated with zinc deficiency. There are plenty of foods that will help you meet your daily needs, such as beef, shellfish, nuts, milk, cheese, pumpkin seeds and legumes.

◾️Iron helps to carry oxygen around the body for the growth and repair of cells, including those that stimulate hair growth. Rich food sources include spinach, red meat, legumes, shellfish and seeds.

◾️ Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant and needed for collagen production, an important part of hair structure. Combining iron with Vitamin C rich foods will aid absorption e.g kiwi, citrus fruits such as lemon, peppers, broccoli and green vegetables.

◾️Protein- the main building blocks in our body and hair is made almost entirely of protein! All too often I see clients who are following the latest trend or faddy diet and as a result are missing out on good sources of protein- you can include plenty of fish, meat, eggs, dairy and legumes.

18/03/2021

18/03/2021

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙩?
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Learn more about fibre and gut health with my latest article on 💛 and try out this delicious berry breakfast bowl, the ultimate porridge recipe!

https://www.munchyseeds.co.uk/news/whats-fibre-got-to-do-with-it/

23/02/2021

I don’t usually post about personal things on here, but I’ve finally mustered up the courage to pay tribute to my beautiful Nana, who we lost 6 weeks ago. Like many, it has been a very difficult time for my family and I, as we grieve in these incredibly unusual circumstances. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who has lost someone close to them during this time. We truly appreciate the generosity from those around us and have found great strength through the unity of our family and friends.

My Nana was the beating heart and soul of our very large family and has left a gaping hole in all of our lives, from her grandchildren to those who were lucky enough to know her.
She made me who I am today and taught me more than I can even put into words. She was always always by my side, cheering me on and I am so grateful to have had such a happy, strong and graceful woman to look up to.
In her final year, she spent all of lockdown making nutritious food for my pregnancy and postpartum recovery as well as crocheting an entire wardrobe of clothes for my baby, her precious great grandchild. I will never forget the look of pride and pure joy on her face when he was born and will forever be grateful that he was able to meet her.

My mother put it so beautifully- she has left us with the most joyful, happy memories of how to live life with strength, dignity and never without a big smile on her face.
That was who she was in a nutshell - a rare gem, our smiling angel and my most favourite person in the world. ❤️
She has left behind the most beautiful legacy and if this year has taught me anything- despite all the ups and downs that have been thrown at us, I hope to be able to honour her by having the same zest for life and positivity as she did 🌸

*Handmade sugar lillies by

24/10/2020

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Id like to take this opportunity to say sorry for being quiet on here! The last few months have been an incredibly special albeit busy time for me running my full time online clinic, moving house and....
last month I gave birth to our beautiful baby boy, Esa 💙💙
Thank you to each and every one of you for your support and lovely wishes, while I take some quality time off to enjoy my little bundle of absolute joy!
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I will be back soon with lots of new content and I really look forward to reconnecting with you all then!
In the meantime please stay safe and healthy ❤️

28/07/2020

.out.nutrition
The empowered woman is powerful beyond measure and beautiful beyond description.
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Thank you to all the incredible women in my life 💕

18/06/2020

Throwback to my talk at Inditex just before lockdown.
I have absolutely loved being able to support all of my lovely clients online during this period, but cannot wait to get back to clinic/ visit your offices and meet you all in person again! In the meantime, I am offering a wide range of live talks and webinars if you would like to continue to support your employees while they work from home 🙌🏼
Please get in touch on here or via my website zarasyednutrition.com.