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Lise Evans Nutrition & Wellness, 31a High Street, Alcester (2025)

16/05/2024

The Mental Health Foundation has been leading Mental Health Awareness Week since 2001 and this campaign’s theme is movement - moving more for our mental health.

Now is it true to say the UK is a nation of couch potatoes? Well, a study back in 2000 by the Alliance and Leicester found that one fifth of Britons spend as much time watching television during the week as working.

Sadly, being glued to the box does appear to be the country’s pastime of choice with a third of UK adults of their waking hours watching TV and online video content in 2020 according to regulator Ofcom.

Regular movement and exercise are one of the most important things you can do to protect your mental health. Not only does it improve your mental health it protects against a myriad of chronic health issues such as stroke, heart disease, and certain forms of cancer.

Yet despite these benefits being well established, over a third of UK adults do not meet the recommended amount of activity.

Current NHS guidelines recommend that adults aged 19 to 64 should do 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity each week spread over four to five days per week or daily.

In fact, doing just 15 minutes per day can significantly reduce your risk of getting depression from 10 to 20 per cent.

In fact in some cases it can be just as effective as anti-depressants. What’s not to like?

If you sit down all day at work, then making time for a brief lunchtime stroll is really important. Or now it’s lighter in the mornings, a pre-work walk is also a possibility.

The days are getting longer too so resist the urge to slump in front of the box chop at night and instead get active.

15/05/2024

One of the most effective things you can do to support your mental health is to mind what you eat.

To put it frankly if you eat rubbish you are going to feel it.

Eating substantial amounts of processed foods will result in poor gut health resulting in an imbalance between beneficial bacteria that live there doing good stuff and pathogenic ones.

We call this imbalance dysbiosis. And it is associated with poor mental health.

Enter the gut-brain axis. The bi-directional communication system of neurons that link your gut with your brain.

Gut microbes interact with the gut-brain axis helping to create a number of neurotransmitters that are required for good mental health like serotonin and dopamine.

You can support your gut microbes and therefore production of neurotransmitters by adopting a diet consisting of unprocessed fresh foods (like fish and meat), pulses, nuts, seeds, whole grains fruits and vegetables.

To help those all-important gut bugs aim for a least five portions of fresh vegetables and two pieces of fruit per day.

The more colourful the better! 🍎🫐🥑🥕🍆

13/05/2024

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week from 13 to 19 May. 💫

Like physical health we all have mental health. It can be good, times when it is poor or most likely, periods of both during our lifetime.

Research suggests a quarter of us each year in England will experience a mental health problem of some kind.

With one in six people experiencing a common mental health problem like anxiety or depression in any given week.

Two-thirds of UK incapacity claims are for mental and behavioural disorders. We seem to be in the midst of a mental health crisis. And it’s deeply concerning.

What is important to realise, however, that just like your physical health, your mental health can be improved by working at it. By adopting certain lifestyle and eating habits, you can really improve your resilience for when tough times come your way.

So, over the next six days I will be posting my top tips to support your mental wellbeing.

And just like you do like exercise to keep yourself physically healthy, you can do exactly the same to help your emotional and cognitive self. 🩷🧡💛💚💙

07/04/2024

It’s the time of year to give your home a good spring clean but beware of the harmful chemicals that lurk in your cupboard under the kitchen sink. 🪣 🧽🧼

Persuasive advertising would make you think you need all those myriad cleaning products and air fresheners to make your household surfaces and bathrooms germ-free and smelling as fresh as a daisy.

How did our grandmothers ever cope? How did our parents survive to adulthood without all those ‘must have’ cleaning products that come in endless plastic containers.

Do not be taken in. Resist. More importantly, don’t put yourself or loved ones in the position of having to breathe these toxins that inevitably get sprayed into the air.

There is increasing evidence that the kind of household chemicals in cleaning products and others found in beauty products or kitchenware disrupt our hormones, putting women at an increased risk of developing breast cancer. They are called Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals or EDCs.

Instead, arm yourself with a bottle of white vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, citric acid and a bag of lemons. Your new best friends when it comes to an eco-friendly home.

✨Gleaming windows
I’ve been using one part white wine vinegar to two parts water to clean windows for over two decades. Simply add to a spray bottle and use either a soft cloth or newspaper to wipe down. (Yes, newspaper is surprisingly effective!) You can add 10 drops of your favour essential oil for natural fragrance.

✨Shiny sinks
A tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda sprinkled around the kitchen sink worked around with a soft cloth will quickly tackle any stains.

✨Kettle descale
Boil half a kettle of water and stand in the sink (unplugged). Add 80g of citric acid and leave for 30 minutes. By this time the limescale should have dissolved and you can tip the solution down the sink knowing you are not polluting our waterways.

✨Neutralise niffs with lemon
Clean and deodorise your microwave by popping half a used lemon in a small glass bowl and cover with hot water. Put on full power for 90 to 120 seconds or until you see it bubble. Remove and use a clean cloth dipped in the water (careful, it will be hot) and use to wipe inside. Steam will have softened any old food gunk and the lemon (which has natural antibacterial properties) will also leave it smelling fresh.

For more information on EDCs I thoroughly recommend you take a look at the excellent Breast Cancer UK website:

https://www.breastcanceruk.org.uk/reduce-your-risk/chemicals-and-our-environment/

17/03/2024

🌹 Need a bit of ‘me’ time? Why not relax, unwind and revitalise with a deeply relaxing aromatherapy massage. I’ve been a qualified aromatherapist for over 30 years and have treated a variety of people like you for a wide range of issues. During this time, I have seen first-hand how massage therapy is not just a luxury, but a way to improve physical and mental wellbeing.

🌹 Aromatherapy combines the healing touch of massage with the use of aromatic plant essences known as essential oils. These highly fragrant oils have many therapeutic properties and can be used to treat a number of complaints from anxiety and sleep issues to painful knotted shoulder muscles.

🌹 You don't need to be unwell or feeling low to enjoy the benefits, as even the fittest folk are relaxed and energised by a full body massage. Massage can also create a sense of caring, comfort, and connection, boosting your mood and well-being.

🌹 I am registered with the International Federation of Aromatherapists, the oldest governing body for therapists. The IFA has the highest standard of training in the UK and pioneered aromatherapy in the NHS, hospices and care professions, which is why it is as accepted by the UK medical profession as it is today.

🌹 I invite you to experience the healing touch of massage to help you relax and revitalise. Get in touch with me today to discover how I can help you embark on a journey of wellness. I am based in Alcester, Warwickshire. Gift cards available.

16/03/2024

TIP 9 - HAVE A DIGITAL DETOX

⚡️From work emails to ebooks and social media, screens have become a central part of our routines. Any idea of how many hours each day you spend looking at digital devices?

⚡️If you are thinking you’re wasting too many hours mindlessly scrolling and looking at cats falling off things, then it’s time to claim some of your life back with a digital detox!

⚡️It can pose a real threat to our general wellness not least exhausting when we forget to disconnect. Our brain is energy-hungry and consumes about 20 to 25 percent of the energy despite representing only two percent of body mass.

⚡️Most of this energy, (around 80 to 90 percent) is spent in a resting state, that is, without any specific task demands. Thinking and processing demands more…

⚡️So, spending hours a day googling at screens can literally be mentally exhausting. However, it’s easy to reverse this ingrained habit if you consciously decide to turn off the box and lay down your smartphone.

⚡️First though, check your screen time to see how much time you’re spending on the phone each day…

Here are six detox tips as a starting point to recalibrate and find balance:

✅Use your phone purposefully – don’t automatically begin and end your day checking it

✅Set internet-free times and spaces – particularly before going to bed

✅Mute notifications

✅Delete unnecessary apps

✅Read a book during downtime

✅Spend more time in nature - now the days are getting lighter opt for a quick stroll before or after work

14/03/2024

TIP 8 – FOLLOW THE SUN

🌤 During spring and summer months your body makes vitamin D from sunlight, and a lack of it can make you feel fatigued, sleepy and less motivated to exercise or make healthy food choices.

🌤 The so-called ‘sunshine vitamin’ is vital for keeping energy levels high, and one of its many roles is to help your body manage blood sugar levels, maintain insulin balance and reduce pain and inflammation, which is bound to make you feel better in yourself.

🌤 Researchers at the University of Manchester have been looking into the relationships between sunlight exposure and vitamin D. They have found that for lighter skin types, daily sunlight exposure for 10 to 15 minutes between April and September provides sufficient year-round vitamin D while also minimising the risks of sunburn and skin cancer. For darker skin types, 25 to 40 minutes is recommended.

🌤 Vitamin D also plays an important role in the production of the ‘happy hormone’ serotonin so now spring has nearly sprung make sure you start to spend some time outside each day. That can be from walking, gardening, playing with the kids in the park, whatever it takes to get some sunlight on your body.

11/03/2024

TIP 7 - GO UNPROCESSED

🫐 While a cheeseburger and fries might be comforting while you’re eating it, its nutritional value is low. Processed foods, such as ready meals and takeaways, canned foods and precooked meats are typically full of preservatives, additives, sodium, trans fat, and artificial ingredients that will slow you down.

🫐 The fresher your food is, the higher the nutritional value. Unlike processed foods that may be stripped of nutrients for a longer shelf life, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices contain a variety of health-boosting phytonutrients that help fight disease.

🫐 There are over 25,000 different phytonutrients in the plant kingdom and they give foods their taste, smell and colour. Eating a variety of colourful fruits and veg each day will ensure you are getting a good variety. Eating in-season fruits and vegetables means they ripened naturally.

🫐 Just like processed foods, refined carbohydrates like sugars and white flour add little nutrition. Choosing wholegrain foods and complex carbohydrates like oats ensures that your body gets the full benefits of the hull of the grain that adds fibre to your diet.

09/03/2024

TIP 6 – DRINK UP

💧Dehydration is one of the biggest causes of tiredness. When you think about it, your body is about 60 percent water, so you need to keep topped up to make sure it’s working efficiently.

💧Aim for two litres a day of filtered water. That way you’re not filling your body with chlorine and fluoride from tap water, which can play havoc with your body, especially if you have a thyroid problem.

💧 Hate the taste of water? Pimp it up with a slice of lemon or cucumber. Fluids found in herbal teas and foods with a high water content also count. Apples, oranges, cucumber, celery, lettuce, spinach, tomato, melon and berries are good choices.

08/03/2024

TIP 5 – GET MOVING

💥Yes, I know, having a workout is often the last thing on your to-do list when you’ve had a busy day, are tired and low on energy. However, sticking to a regular exercise routine is one of the easiest ways to beat fatigue and feel full of beans.

💥When your body becomes more active, internal mechanisms like metabolism and blood flow speed up. It’s as if you’re waking your body up from the inside!

💥Getting your heart rate up also helps produce those lovely endorphins, the happy hormones that trigger a positive feeling in the body.

💥Aim for at least 20 minutes of moderate-paced walking five times a week (or daily if possible) within two hours of waking. Finding a walking buddy adds a social element - you can walk & talk.

💥Full-spectrum light helps to reset circadian rhythm and movement and exercise will not only boost your mood, it will help to increase insulin sensitivity and assist with weight loss.

07/03/2024

Tip 4 – SWAP CAFFEINE & ENERGY DRINKS FOR INVIGORATING HERBS

🌿 Want to feel more energised? Brace yourself - it’s time to ditch relying on coffee, diet cola and energy drinks to keep you going through the day. Does that sound familiar? If so, it’s definitely time to rethink.

🌿 Caffeine puts pressure on the adrenal glands (which produce the hormones that help your body control blood sugar, burn protein and fat, react to stressors like major illness and regulate blood pressure).

🌿 I’d never say never to coffee as caffeine does help increase alertness, but you have to use it judiciously as it can cause insomnia, especially consumed in large amounts after 2pm. (How it affects you personally is down to genetics!)

🌿 Green tea is a good alternative as it contains some caffeine providing a mild boost, it is much gentler than high-caffeine drinks which can lead to an energy crash later on. It also contains theanine, which is associated with several health benefits, including improvements in mood, cognition and a reduction of stress and anxiety-like symptoms.

🌿 It is also an antioxidant powerhouse that contains lots of phytonutrients called catechins which are protective in joint, cardiovascular, and neurological health.

🌿 Peppermint tea is naturally sweet and free of caffeine. It is linked to health benefits, including improving digestion, boosting focus, and relieving migraine. While there are no studies on peppermint tea specifically, research demonstrates that natural compounds in peppermint may have beneficial effects on energy.

🌿 There are coffee substitutes on the market and dandelion root has long been used as a natural alternative. English company Aquasol do an excellent version with its instant dandelion coffee. See link in comment.

06/03/2024

Tip 3 – PRIORITISE SLEEP

😴 It’s obvious, right? If you haven’t slept well, you’re going to be tired. And when your sleeping patterns are out of sync, it puts stress on the adrenals, which can lead to brain fog and more serious health problems. A lack of sleep also disrupts your hunger hormones so you can end up eating more than you normally would the next day.

😴 Sleep is when the body restores itself and to do this the brain produces the hormone melatonin, also a potent antioxidant, which sets the circadian rhythm (your internal body clock). So aim for seven to eight hours a night if you can. If you’re struggling to fall or stay asleep, eating foods with melatonin can help. Tart Montmorency cherry juice (200ml to 500mls per day) is one of the best-known sleep aids and add nuts, fish and eggs to your diet.

😴Introduce a bedtime routine to calm the mind ready for sleep – that means switching off all electronic devices ideally an hour before bed, practise some meditation, write down any worries so they won’t keep you awake or read a few pages of a good book. Try a few drops of lavender essential oil on your pillow. You’ll soon find your eyelids getting heavy and you’ll drift off into the Land of Nod.

05/03/2024

TIP 2 - BOOST YOUR B VITAMINS AND MAGNESIUM

🫘 It’s important to understand that your body doesn’t need just carbs, fats and protein to make the energy you require to fuel as your body’s functions.

🫘 Certain vitamins and minerals are essential because as co-factors, they support the key processes of energy production. ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the body’s energy currency, and you have to make it before you can spend it.

🫘 They can also help you get a handle on stress, and as anyone feeling stressed out will know, emotional exhaustion can be just as crippling as physical tiredness.

🫘 As well as making you feel low, anxiety and depression drains your energy and affects your sleep patterns, making you feel more tired when you’re awake. Boost your get-up-and-go by stocking up on the following:

🫘 B VITAMINS
An adequate intake of B vitamins is essential for optimal energy levels and they act as ‘energy carriers’ in the complex process of turning food into energy. Find in brown rice, beans, nuts, seeds, avocado, celery, apple, pineapple.

🫘 MAGNESIUM
Without magnesium, ATP is not biologically active hence low energy is a symptom of magnesium deficiency. This marvellous mineral is found in nuts (especially almonds and peanuts), seeds, olive oil, green leafy vegetables, wholegrains (like brown rice and wholemeal bread).

🫘 Other essential minerals for energy production are iron and manganese alongside CoQ10.

04/03/2024

TIP 1 – EAT A PROTEIN-RICH DIET

🥦The first step to boosting your energy is a healthy, protein-rich diet. Your body needs a variety of nutritious food as fuel to work efficiently, so that means filling up on quality protein foods which along with whole grains, will ensure you have a consistent dose of energy throughout the day.

🥦This is particularly important at breakfast time when the old advertising slogan ‘go to work on an egg’ is highly relevant as it’s a great way to stabilise blood sugar levels. So, ditch sugary cereals in favour of poached egg and smashed avocado on sourdough. It will stop you from getting the elevenses and reaching for the biscuit tin.

🥦Eating quality protein with every meal (from meat, fish, eggs, dairy, tofu, lentils, quinoa, chickpeas, beans, nuts and seeds) is not only satiating but has the added benefit of being highly thermogenic.

🥦The thermic effect is the increase in metabolism you get when you eat, digest and macro-nutrients (carbs, fat and protein). At 30 percent, protein has a much higher value than carbs and fats which means you expend a greater amount of energy to store it (which means less goes on the hips…). Basically, it takes the body longer to break down, stopping you from feeling hungry.

🥦Pair this with leafy greens (full of magnesium which is essential to make energy) or broccoli (yes, a useful source of protein too, particularly if you follow a plant-based diet) and cut back on starchy carbs (white potatoes, white pasta, white rice, and white bread) for a new, improved energised you.

04/03/2024

NINE ENERGY BOOSTING TIPS

💥Fed up with feeling tired all the time? When was the last time you felt one hundred percent?

💥The stresses and pressures of modern life leave many of us feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and with little time or energy to take care of ourselves. Then our bodies start to pay the price.

💥Sure, that chocolate bar or latte might give you a boost for, ooh, about 30 minutes, but after those quick high wears off, you’ll crash and burn feeling even more drained.

💥So, what’s the secret to long-lasting energy and keeping sluggishness at bay? Simply follow these 9 fatigue-fighting tips over the next 9 days to put a spring back into your step!

25/02/2024

🍎Hi, I’m Lise a registered nutritional therapist. And I’m on a mission to help people live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. I’ve had a life-long interest in natural health and like many who work in wellness, I have had my own health challenges along the way.

🍎I’ve experienced first-hand what an enormous impact changes to diet and lifestyle can have on your physical and emotional wellbeing. This has ignited a passion in me to want to help others discover the power of nutrition to transform their health to live vibrant and energetic lives.

🍎You’ll be pleased to know I love food and nutrition is not all about restriction! It's about eating what's right for you, your bio-individuality and health concerns. And, the knowledge and insight I have acquired from decades in the kitchen (as a busy working mum) as well as my extensive nutritional studies have given me a two-sided philosophy of diet, health and lifestyle.

🍎The food we eat must bring joy and pleasure, but it must also nourish and support us throughout our lives. I want to share my knowledge with you so please follow my pages for tips and advice.

🍎I am a registered member of the Association of Naturopathic Practitioners and regulated by the General Naturopathic Council. I have been a qualified aromatherapist for more than three decades and am getting ready to offer nutritional therapy consultations online and in-person in Alcester, Warwickshire.

21/02/2024

☀️We might have got past mid-winter but it’s going to be a while before our skin can make adequate vitamin D in response to sunlight.

☀️This is particularly relevant to northern European countries like the UK where we don’t get enough UVB exposure between October and March.

☀️There is growing evidence showing how important vitamin D is to our health and that many people and specific population groups may unknowingly have low status.

☀️In fact, it’s so important to our immune health that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHS changed its guidance to recommend that all adults should supplement with 400 IU per day during winter months.

☀️Vitamin D plays a key role in our immune system – it tells it how to behave – so a deficiency is associated with autoimmune conditions such as inflammatory bowel diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and MS.

☀️It plays a major part in bone health (think the childhood deficiency condition, Rickets), mood, memory, fatigue, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, fertility and pregnancy.

☀️I would recommend anyone suffering with depression to check their status. Ask your GP or it can be done privately with a relatively cheap finger prick blood spot test you get through the post. (See comments for a link to an NHS laboratory where you can get this done.)

☀️Conventional medicine considers over 50 nmol/L to be sufficient and under 25 nmol/L deficient. I’d suggest over 80 nmol/L is optimal.

☀️If you have darker skin tones, are elderly or consciously avoid the sun during summer months then you are at higher risk of deficiency.

☀️Good dietary sources are oily fish and egg yolks. A plant source is found in mushrooms, but these need good sun exposure.

☀️To maintain optimal levels of vitamin D I’d recommend supplementing with 1000 IU per day.

15/02/2024

💦 During the colder winter months, it’s easy to forget how important it is to drink plenty of water each day to stay hydrated.

💦 Adequate hydration is crucial to maintaining every organ and system in your body. This includes sufficient saliva, bile and stomach acid production, having well-lubricated joints as well as regular bowel movements.

💦 Our brain is 75 per cent water so it’s logical that dehydration may have an impact on cognitive functions and mood.

💦 Several studies performed on healthy people, looked at the effects of induced dehydration on cognitive performance and motor function - tiredness, mood, reaction time, short and long-term memory, attention…

💦 And it appears that as little as two per cent dehydration is sufficient to impair function and performance.

💦 So, drink before you are thirsty! Swap squash, cola and energy drinks for filtered water and if you don’t like the taste, flavour with lemon, cucumber or ginger for an extra bit of zing.

💦 Aim for one and a half to two litres per day (about eight large glasses) including herbal and green tea.

💦 How do you track your hydration levels? Simple, just check your wee. Pale yellow, or “straw-colored” urine means hydration is optimal.

💦 Avoid drinking a lot of fluids with a meal as this dilutes your gastric juices which impairs digestion.

Read more on the benefits here ⬇️
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/why-is-water-important

26/03/2022

🌷🌷🌷 Still, looking for that special present for Mother’s Day? 🌷🌷🌷

Give her the gift of ultimate relaxation with one hour’s full-body aromatherapy massage treatment!

Cost ~ £50 Includes gift card, 30 minutes consultation, and 60 minute top to toe aromatherapy massage with essential oils. 🌷🌷🌷

26/01/2022

It’s time to give your immune system a boost! The season of coughs and sneezes (and C-19) is still upon us, however, it’s important to know that there are things that you can do to give your immune system a helping hand.

Clinical research suggests that regular massage naturally improves your immune system function by reducing levels of cortisol (your stress hormone) and increasing the number of lymphocytes, one of the three types of white blood cells.

White blood cells are important in helping the body fight off infections and play a large role in our immune system thus keeping us healthy.

Certain essential oils can support and strengthen your body’s immune response as they contain many antiviral and antibacterial properties.

Top immune supporters are lemon, pine, eucalyptus, tea tree and rosemary. These oils can be combined to create a therapeutic massage oil or vaporised in an oil diffuser which releases their chemically complex components into the atmosphere.

Other lifestyle measures to consider:

Get fresh air – Exposure to fresh air can really bolster your immune system and can help to generate the kind of beneficial bacteria that your body needs to fight off harmful pathogens. So, after three winter months of winter hibernation (with central heating), it’s really important to adequately ventilate your living and workspaces. Even better, get a daily fresh air fix with a 20-minute walk in your local green space.

Eat wholefood – good nutrition is vital for a strong and healthy immune system so cut down on processed foods in favour of natural foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, cold-pressed oils (like extra virgin olive oil), whole grains, pulses (lentils and beans), fish, seafood, poultry, and grass-fed red meat. In other words, eat like your grandmother! And don’t forget to incorporate plenty of fresh herbs and spices.

Optimise sleep – sleep is nature’s great restorer and healer, and what is more, it’s free! Adults need between 7 and 9 quality hours of it per night so ditch the screens after 8pm and make sleep a priority with light’s out before 11pm.

Be physically active – regular moderate exercise will boost your immunity (as well help prevent weight gain and a host of other conditions) so aim for 30 to 60 minutes five times per week. Go for 10,000 steps per day and build up slowly to this if you’ve been sedentary for a while.

Adequately hydrate - Water supports immune health by helping your body’s natural filtration system. Pure water helps flush out what your body doesn’t need. Aim for 8 glasses (2 litres) of filtered water daily which can include herbal and fruit teas. (If you are not keen on the taste of water, pimp it up with a slice of fresh citrus!)

Review stress levels – chronic stress lowers your immune system’s resistance to infection as well as dysregulates the finely tuned balance between your hormonal and neurological systems. Try and schedule in a bit of ‘me-time’ to address work-life balance such as meditation, deep breathing or a yoga class.

Monitor alcohol intake – alcohol is basically a toxin, puts a burden on your liver and has an immunosuppressive effect. Aim to have at least 2 to 3 consecutive alcohol-free days per week.

Avoid smoking – smoking weakens your ability to fight infections and also promotes autoimmunity, as well as being the cause of a host of chronic illnesses from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases to allergies and cancer.