Caroline Keatinge Nutrition (2026)

09/12/2024

Does a weekend away result in constipation?

I’m just back from a weekend in Wales – if you’ve seen my stories you will have seen that we were hit by a major power cut as a result of Storm Darragh – with the power cutting out at 4am on Saturday morning.

Our lovely cosy little historic house (some rooms dating back to medieval times) rapidly became an ice-box… despite our valiant attempts burning logs.

We persevered – with toasting fork sourdough toast, managed to get out for a blustery pub lunch on the Saturday, and cheese and crackers in front of the fire on Saturday evening.

But being so cold, and with no way of heating water (or any food), I barely drank any water – and compounding things I did drink some wine – which I rarely do at home.

This brought me to thinking about how sometimes gut symptoms can be hidden.. 5 years ago this weekend would have left me constipated for a day or 2 and struggling to ‘get things moving’ (trying to minimise the TMI here! 😊). Not so today.

I did a stool test 2 years ago – without any real gut symptoms but wanting to see. And boy was I surprised to see some serious dysbiosis – nasty bacterial overgrowth and more. This would in large part be due to lots of antibiotics as a child and an adult – and seeing the results made me recognise some of the ‘hidden’ gut symptoms which I ignored as they were my ‘normal’

All this to say – common symptoms don’t mean normal – or what you have learned to view as your normal may be very much sub-optimal! And the bigger picture is not just the gut, but the impact that gut issues have on so many other aspects of our day to day life – from anxiety/depression, mood issues, brain fog, energy and the list goes on. Symptoms you are highly unlikely to link to an underlying gut problem.

Oh and by the way the power never did come on! We left midday Sunday, with power expected to be restored Sunday evening.

It was a glorious weekend tho 😊

PS – If you think your ‘normal’ may not be serving you drop me a DM – I offer free 20 min calls to talk things through.

15/11/2024

It’s been an age since I introduced myself – so I though it long overdue!

So – hello! I am a Functional Nutritionist - which means I look at how the body functions using nutrition and lifestyle changes to restore health. I use detailed health questionnaire together with testing to identify root causes of symptoms, and have extensive expertise with stool, blood, hormone, genetic and organic acid testing.

I mostly work with women experiencing fatigue, hormone issues, anxiety/mood issues, gut problems, (and more) and/or who are just not feeling ‘right’. Uncovering root causes I take a holistic approach to address the issues – evidence based and designed to work with the body – supporting your gut, hormone balance, metabolic processes and more.

Recently I have been doing more in the realm of Nutrigenomics – using genetics to identify and understand individual propensities and using nutrients (in food and supplements where relevant) to address issues. This can be enlightening in areas such as understanding your response to stress or issues with mood, as well as for example exploring why you may be struggling with your Thyroid – to name just a couple.

I have an MSc from Oxford Brooks University in Nutrition, and have done extensive training including Functional Medicine (IFMCP), Blood testing (Functional DX approved practitioner), Genetic Testing (LIfecodeGX approved practitioner) and more.

08/11/2024

What’s the value in functional testing?

Most Clients I work with undertake some form of functional testing.

This can be blood, stool, hormones, genetic or other (eg mycotoxin, organic acids etc).

I admit it’s usually not cheap so why make the investment?

It’s because of the power of uncovering the root cause of what’s causing their symptoms… not just treating the symptoms.

And once we’ve identified the root cause we can take action to address the issue.

I have seen on so many occasions the transformation that taking informed targeted action has – restoring energy, improving mood, transforming menstrual cycles, helping menopause symptoms, eliminating bloating, fixing constipation… and this list goes on.

There’s nothing better than working out the WHAT is behind a person not being able to live their best life, and taking targeted action to address.

22/02/2023

Would you, could you believe that restless legs are associated with gut dysbiosis and SIBO?

We tend to think of gut problems as being ‘to do with the gut’ – i.e. diarrhea, constipation, bloating, farting, etc etc.

But they’re also at the root of anxiety, fatigue, brain fog, cancer risk, and more…

And yes – which might be keeping you awake at night, or distracting you at your desk in the day.

Who would believe?

And you don’t even need to have any ‘gut symptoms’

But once you’ve tested, and identified you can follow a protocol to address the root cause.

And relax for the first time in ? how long?

09/02/2022

To soy or not to soy??

Soy can be a controversial food.

But the facts are that Soy can be potentially beneficial in helping with menopausal symptoms - as well as potentially cardiovascular risk, breast and prostate cancer risk.

Studies on all these areas are typically not always conclusive - but menopausal benefits are identified - particularly with aspects like hot flushes.

Soy contains a high concentration of isoflavones - compounds known as phytoestrogens as they act like (weak) estrogens in our bodies.

These isoflavones are in digested soy - and our gut environments are unique to every individual - the benefits will to some extent very by individual.

When looking to increase soy in your diet focus on the less processed soy foods, organic where possible - and recognising that the fermented soy products (tempah, natto, miso) have additional benefits.

Here's a simple way to add some soy into your diet:

'Mixed noodles with soy'

All you need (for 1 person)

- 30 grams noodles of choice (I had buckwheat soba)
- 1/2 courgette made into courgetti with a spiraliser - or made into noodles with a potato peeler
- Cabbage 'noodles' - long narrow slices of cabbage
- 4-6 cherry tomatoes (for colour really :))
- 350 ml of broth (bone broth or vegetable)
- Other veg as fancy and have to hand (I had some leftover broccoli)
- 120g Silken tofu (I used organic silken tofu) sliced into 'blocks'
- Handful toasted seeds (I used sunflower and pumpkin)
- Chilli flakes and soy sauce to taste

All you do:
1. Cook the noodles in water according to the pack instructions, and cook the cabbage (and any other vegetables except the courgetti and tomatoes) for a couple of minutes; drain and keep to the side.
2. Heat the broth and add the courgette, cooked vegetables and noodles, simmering for a couple of minutes. Season with soy sauce and pepper to taste. Add more broth / water as needed.
3. Serve in a bowl with the quartered tomatoes and tofu. Sprinkle with toasted seeds and chilli flakes and additional soy sauce to taste.

Want to see more soy recipes??

07/02/2022

Food is SO much more than something to fill a hungry hole - or a source of energy. We truly are what we eat, and the power of food to affect our mood, our immunity, our health & our menopause never ceases to amaze me.

This was my lunch today - on the face of it just soup and a sandwich - but because of some of the choices I made it also packed a super nutritious punch.

Here are some easy swaps to make your lunch work harder for you:

🧀🐟Swap cheese sandwich for tinned fish - I chose sardines in moroccan spiced tomato sauce - VitD, calcium and lycopene can help with bone health - oh so important around and post menopause; and Omega-3 is a fabulous anti-inflammatory fat, + heart and brain healthy.

🍞Swap white bread for a 50/50 wholemeal sourdough - A traditionally made sourdough is made over many hours (sometimes over 24!), and this process makes the flour easier on the gut to digest. If you can add in wholemeal flours you'll get all the benefits of the higher fibre and other important nutrients.

🥪Have an 'open' sandwich - for a number of reasons including: switching 'processed' foods out for less processed options; lower energy needs as we become less active; potentially decreasing insulin sensitivity - meaning that we can become less efficient at processing carbohydrates.

🍗Include bone broth in your soup - if you are able to make a homemade soup use a quality (or homemade) bone broth which is so good for gut health (plus hair, skin and more!)

🥔🥕🥦🍠🫑🧅Include a variety of veg in your soup if you're able to make home made. This was a veg soup and included onions, courgette, celery, sweet potato and red pepper. A diet rich in diverse plant foods supports a healthy gut microbiome.

🍗Add a protein source to your soup - this had a handful of red lentils - protein is the macronutrient which takes the longest to be digested so will help you to feel fuller for longer!

🧑‍🍳Batch-prep some lunchtime options on the weekend so you have some home-made deiciousness to turn to!

What swaps do you think you could make to your lunch?

03/02/2022

40-60% of women report sleep disturbance and insomnia during the menopause transition.

That's more or less one in 2.

And given the link between insomnia and mood issues, anxiety, depression - and frankly just our ability to function as a competent human being - it's critical that we have the tools to manage this.

But in Peri-Menopause it's more than just sleep hygiene we need to get right.

Check out my blog post for all the details on 5 steps you can take to manage your insomnia.

Do you struggle with sleep disturbance or insomnia?

Are you one of the 50%?

Let me know in the comments below.

26/01/2022

Have you seen this article in The Guardian (one of the few quality newspapers not behind a paywall).

I agree with much in this article.

What is so important for us as we face into exploring how beat to manage our menopause, is that we can have confidence in the information and advice we are being given.

As this article mentions there are a variety of options available to help you manage your menopause - and what's right for you will depend so much on your overall approach, background, family history as well as how you experience the menopause and your symptoms.

Some of the solutions are more grounded in science and eveidence based than others... and when we look at supplements the quality varies considerably.

I am always clear with my clients to lay out the evidence and research, and explain what supplements (if any) I am recommending and why.

Do take a moment to read this article in - and DM me with any questions.

07/01/2022

Happy new year

Can I still say that on the 7th January?

I think I can – so am going ahead regardless.

It’s been pretty quiet on my grid, but if you follow my stories you’ll know why!

I was away with family over Christmas and then my daughter and I had an amazing week on the slopes over New Years.

And since coming back I’ve been getting myself together – catching up with some Clients, and planning for the months ahead.

But more of that later.

For now just let me wish you all the very best for 2022.

What’s on your agenda for the year?

#2022

09/12/2021

Spend any amount of time talking to women about their menopause experiences and there’s a common theme which comes out… Namely most women didn’t realise that they were in Perimenopause.⁠
⁠
Why is this?⁠
⁠
When we look at the other hormonal changes our bodies go through, we generally knkow what’s happening.⁠
⁠
We recognise the signs of puberty after all!⁠
⁠
So why not menopause?⁠
⁠
Well maybe it’s because women have kept it quiet for so long.⁠
⁠
And because there is such a long list of symptoms.⁠
⁠
Here are 5 of the less well recognised perimenopause symptoms.⁠
⁠
1. Itchy skin or scalp⁠
2. Heart palpatations⁠
3. Worsening PMS⁠
4. Increasingly heavy periods⁠
5. Restless legs⁠
⁠
Now I’m not saying that if you have on of these symptoms you’re in peri-menopause – but if you tick off a few of these it’s worth tracking your symptoms and asking the question.⁠
⁠
Any on the list sound familiar to you??⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

09/12/2021

Spend any amount of time talking to women about their menopause experiences and there’s a common theme which comes out… Namely most women didn’t realise that they were in Perimenopause.⁠
⁠
Why is this?⁠
⁠
When we look at the other hormonal changes our bodies go through, we generally knkow what’s happening.⁠
⁠
We recognise the signs of puberty after all!⁠
⁠
So why not menopause?⁠
⁠
Well maybe it’s because women have kept it quiet for so long.⁠
⁠
And because there is such a long list of symptoms.⁠
⁠
Here are 5 of the less well recognised perimenopause symptoms.⁠
⁠
1. Itchy skin or scalp⁠
2. Heart palpatations⁠
3. Worsening PMS⁠
4. Increasingly heavy periods⁠
5. Restless legs⁠
⁠
Now I’m not saying that if you have on of these symptoms you’re in peri-menopause – but if you tick off a few of these it’s worth tracking your symptoms and asking the question.⁠
⁠
Any on the list sound familiar to you??⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

22/11/2021

I’m just surfacing from a week bedridden with COVID.

I've had to face head on into a lot over the last 10 days.. my own arrogance and assumptions as well as reflecting on times so long distant that they've ceased being memories!

I thought I would have an easy time of it - and definitely be less ill than my husband because after all I do lots of 'the right things'.

But it turned out I was the sick one!

I was in bed with a fever for a week - feeling very sorry for myself.

And it reminded me that we are not a 'snapshot' of where we are at a moment in time...

Rather we are a reflection of our journey!

Read my blog post on my website for more deets...

Or if you just want the takeaway - don't just look at the here and now, but remember how you got here!

And remember not to assume or judge!

Link in bio.

Monday	09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 17:00
Thursday	09:00 - 17:00
Friday	09:00 - 17:00

Caroline Keatinge Nutrition

09/12/2024

15/11/2024

08/11/2024

22/02/2023

09/02/2022

07/02/2022

03/02/2022

26/01/2022

07/01/2022

09/12/2021

09/12/2021

22/11/2021

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