Emma otherwise known as @essentiallyemma has a BSc in HumanPhysiology and a MSc in Human Nutrition. Her philosophy is that nutrition should be about nourishing yourself with the food that you
love in a way that makes you feel your best. When Emma isn’t whipping up delicious recipes or helping her clients she is often found eating all of the recipes she makes or doing pilates!
Welcome Emma! You are registered with the Association for Nutrition; can you tell us what this means?
Yes of course! So the Association for Nutrition (AfN) is the registering body for nutritionists in the UK. To be registered with the AfN you have to have completed an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree in nutrition. The degrees are very rigorous as they are heavily science-based. We also have to do ongoing
development work and have a code of ethics that we have to practice by. This means that by choosing an AfN-accredited nutritionist, you can be sure you are getting a fully-educated, no-nonsense nutritionist, rather than someone who has just done a weekend course!
What do you find the most challenging and rewarding about being a self-employed Nutritionist?
The most challenging part is definitely the self-employment part, when you work for yourself you have to do every part of a business: banking, taxes, marketing, sales, social media – all of it!
The most rewarding thing is getting to do what I am passionate about every single day. There is nothing I love more than seeing people making my recipes or getting comments about how much I have helped them!
Your food photography is amazing! You can get Emma’s photography e-book on her website. Can you give the readers a couple of tips on how to take great images using a smartphone?
Ah thanks! My three top tips would be:
1. Use the Lightroom mobile app. This app allows you to have more control over your smartphone like you would with a DSLR camera. You can manipulate the lighting, white balance and everything much more on there. Plus it is free!
2. Think about what textures and colours you are using when you style your photos. Professional photos have a lot more to them than just the food so think about incorporating textures (marble, wood, metal, linen etc) and colours that are complementary to your food. You don’t want to compete with the food!
3. While editing, move away from just using filters on your food. Manually edit your photos on the Lightroom app to get a more professional look. Adjust specific colours rather than overall saturation and really play around with the shadows.
I would love to discuss women’s health and nutrition in this interview. The modern-day woman is
always on the go, what foods will help her do this?
I think foods that are filling and nutritious but quick to make and take on-the-go are ideal. A favourite of mine is overnight oats, which I always recommend to clients who struggle to have breakfast. Oats are an amazing source of slow-burning energy and fibre! An easy and delicious snack to have on-the-go is a banana or apple with a sachet of nut butter. The fruit gives you one of your 5-a-day while the nut butter
provides healthy fats and will keep you full all afternoon.
For women experiencing the menopause, what dietary advice could you give
them to ease any symptoms?
So the key thing that is happening during menopause is the oestrogen levels are declining, this is one of our key female hormones and the loss of this is what triggers all of the symptoms. There is evidence to suggest that trying to replace some of this oestrogen can alleviate symptoms. Some women choose to go on hormone replacement therapy, but you can eat what are called phytoestrogens which are plant forms of oestrogen that are very similar to the type in our body. Soy products are a great source of phytoestrogens so soy milk, tofu, tempeh, soybeans and miso are great. Just don’t overdo it!
Around 50-60% of women will experience a urinary tract infection in their
lifetime. Can any dietary choices ward off this nasty infection?
There is limited evidence on this and many researchers have concluded that there often isn’t much you can do to prevent it. One thing that is definitely important is hydration! Aiming for 6-8 glasses of water a day is great for our kidneys and urinary tract. There is some evidence to suggest that cranberries and probiotics can be beneficial too, but as UTIs are a medical condition, I would always recommend speaking to your doctor!
Nutrition during pregnancy is key to ensure optimal health of the baby. Which
nutrients are the most important for women to be consuming during this time?
Overall our body does an amazing job of adapting to meet our needs but there are a few nutrients that are particularly important. Folate is one that gets focused on a lot, it plays a big role in preventing neural tube defects so all pregnant women and all those trying for a baby should be taking a folic acid supplement. A prenatal vitamin usually contains this!
Omega-3s are also important for baby’s brain development so aiming for two portions of fish, one being an oily fish while pregnant is a good goal.
Calcium is also important as if you aren’t getting enough in your diet, the baby will use your calcium stored in your bones! So, plenty of dairy and dark leafy greens.
Iron is another one as anaemia is quite common during pregnancy. Again plenty of leafy greens, legumes and a bit of red meat if you eat it. You really just want to make sure you are eating enough food, lots of fruits and vegetables and lots of fibre! A prenatal vitamin is always a good idea to make sure you are covering your bases.
Do these requirements change when a woman is breastfeeding?
The main change is the increase in energy requirements. While you are pregnant you need around 200 calories extra in your third trimester only, while breastfeeding you need anywhere from 300-500 calories extra to support your milk supply. So breastfeeding is really not the time to try and diet as it can affect your milk supply!
Calcium and omega-3s remain important too. Many women like to continue taking
their prenatal vitamin while breastfeeding as this again ensures you are getting plenty of
everything.
How does iron play a part in women’s health?
Iron is incredibly important in women’s health. As we lose blood every single month when we menstruate, this means that we are also losing iron with that blood. For some women who have a very heavy cycle, this can be quite a lot. Iron is incredibly important for helping our blood cells to transport oxygen to every cell in our body. If we don’t have enough iron, we can become anaemic. Symptoms of anaemia include
tiredness, shortness of breath, pale skin and heart palpitations. It is much more common in women, particularly during pregnancy and those who have heavy cycles or who are vegan/vegetarian. IF you suspect you are anaemic then be sure to head to your GP to get checked.
Are there any foods us ladies should be thinking about eating if we are
planning to conceive?
As I mentioned earlier, folate is very important in the few months before pregnancy and the first few months of pregnancy, so a supplement is advised. You can even start taking a prenatal while trying to conceive too! With the diet what is really important is making sure you are getting enough energy. If you aren’t getting a good supply of calories, carbs, fats and protein, it can signal to your body that your body is
not able to support a pregnancy as you are in starvation mode. So definitely avoid dieting/restricting your diet while trying to conceive. Research shows that you need a certain, healthy amount of body fat to support conception and pregnancy. If you are aiming for a particular diet, a Mediterranean diet pattern is always considered to be a good option. Lots of fish, vegetables, legumes, wholegrains and healthy fats!
What are the effects of eating an unbalanced diet on our hormones?
Our hormones are influenced by so many things and our diet is definitely one of them! A lot of our hormone production occurs in our gut so a healthy, happy gut is really important. Probiotics are a great way to get some good bacteria back in to the gut, particularly if you have just been on antibiotics. We then need to feed these bacteria with the things they need to thrive! Prebiotics are foods that the bacteria
love, things like artichokes, garlic, onions, chicory root, leeks, asparagus, oats and apples. The bacteria also love fibre so a fibre-rich diet is important!
How can women achieve strong hair and nails?
This is a bit of a tricky topic as some women are just naturally blessed with strong nails and thick hair while some have weak nails and hair that is prone to breakage so sometimes there is no magic answer. A nutritious diet that is full of a variety of fresh foods is really going to be the best answer. Eggs contain biotin which is important for keratin production (the protein in our hair and nails). Omega-3s are also great, they are super healthy fats that are amazing for so many things in our body, you can find
these in fish, nuts, seeds and plant oils. If you are restricting your diet a lot and not eating enough, hair thinning is common so be sure you are nourishing yourself!
Regarding polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) what advice can you give for
someone to manage their symptoms?
With PCOS there is a link with insulin which is a hormone that is triggered by carbohydrates. White or sugary carbohydrates in particular cause a spike in this insulin which has a lot of roles but is known to aggravate PCOS. Wholegrain carbohydrates cause much more of a gradual rise in insulin rather than a spike, so opting for wholegrain carbohydrates is often recommended. Using brown bread, brown rice, brown pasta and wholegrains like quinoa, spelt, barley etc. are recommended. As it is a medical condition though, it is managed best by a doctor alongside a healthy diet/lifestyle.
Something I like to ask everyone…What is the one best piece of nutritional
advice you can give?
Honestly, nutrition may seem complicated but our advice is always similar as you may be able to tell by now! A balanced diet that includes all food groups and lots of fruits and vegetables is what is best for our health. So I always recommend to everyone to cut out all of the fad diets and restriction and just focus on delicious, fresh food.
Emma offers free 15-minute consultations to all new clients to discover if her approach to nutrition resonates with you. Can you tell us what someone can expect to be discussed during this consultation?
So the 15 minute appointment is really to discover if we are both a good fit for each other and find out how I can help the client. We would go through what the client is struggling with, their medical history, their goals and then the approach I use with nutrition to decide whether a client would benefit from seeing me. It is no obligation and is really a taster for my main services!
Thank you Emma! Go and check out her website to see her inspiring recipes and list of her services.
xx