It is now a well-accepted idea that what we put in our body will affect our physical performance, which has lead to ‘sports nutrition’ becoming a huge and lucrative industry. Guidelines have traditionally focused on the intake of protein, carbohydrates and fats with a view to maximising performance and analysing the nutritional adequacy of an athlete’s diet based on training demands. However, little thought is given to the underlying health of the athlete or their general lifestyle and therefore the context into which the exercise they choose to do is being placed i.e. are they already a stressed individual? Do they have any physiological health issues that may be affecting absorption or functioning of systems that are being taxed by strenuous exercise regimes? Is their exercise regime contributing to organ/system imbalances?So today we are joined by Hayley Purtill Quin to talk about the importance of a 'health-first' approach to sports nutrition. Hayley is an IHS nutritional Therapy graduate, a member of the Nutritional Therapists of Ireland and the Institute for Functional Medicine and is also trained in functional sports nutrition. She actively trains as a purple belt in the martial art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.Want to know more? Then don't forget that IHS have two sports nutrition courses based on the 'health-first' Functional Sports Nutrition model. For active individuals wishing to support their active lifestyle better we have https://learn.instituteofhealthsciences.com/course/simple-steps-to-eating-well-for-fitness And for nutrition practitioners wanting to support their active clients in a more comprehensive and personalised way try https://learn.instituteofhealthsciences.com/course/personalised-sports-nutrition

Mums and dads - Are emotional outbursts a recurring theme in your household? Maybe from the kids...or maybe your you too! Have you ever wished you had practical tools to help you know what to say and do to help them in those emotionally intense moments? Would you love for your child (and maybe even yourself) to have simple strategies in place so that they can find their inner calm more easily? Well this episode is for you as we chatted to Natalie Costa - award winning coach, speaker, author and founder of Power Thoughts (https://www.powerthoughts.co.uk), a coaching service designed to give children ‘power’ over their own thoughts! Through her private practice and workshops, Natalie has helped thousands of children worldwide discover the tools to help them feel calmer, happier and more empowered. On this episode she shares her practical and easy tips for helping managing those big emotions.

If we asked you to name the most common chronic disease in Europe - what would you say? Maybe overweight and obesity? Heart disease? Well no - its allergy. More than 150 million Europeans suffer from chronic allergic diseases with predications that by 2025 half of the entire EU population will be affected.The UK has some of the highest prevalence rates of allergic conditions in the world, with over 40% or adults and children having being diagnosed with an allergy. And the most worrying thing? The number of people living with allergies is rising by 5% every year – and these figures do not include intolerances – they relate solely to pure allergy to foods and environmental factors.So this month we chatted to IHS graduate Nicola Brady https://www.thefoodclinic.ie/, a Nutritional Therapist and professional cook with a special interest in allergies and intolerance to find out why allergies and intolerances are on the rise, how we find out if we have an undiscovered allergy or intolerance and what we can do to support our immune systems.

Too busy for self-care? 20 minutes of meditation just not an option...or in any way appealing? Then this episode of Simple Steps to Wellness is for you. We interviewed Health Coach Lou Barton https://livewellwithlou.com/ who shared some of her favourite practical and super quick mindfulness and self-care techniques with us. No time to listen to the full episode right now? Then head to our Wellness Bites podcast which feature 10 minute bite sized chunks from our favourite episodes - including this one. Lou specialises in helping busy mums journey from burnout to balance  - to go from feeling tired, stressed, overwhelmed and like there is no time in the day for you, to feeling full of energy, in control and with some vital ‘me time'. So if you feel like you are too busy for any form of self-care or just want to freshen up your self-care toolkit – have a listen and learn how you can change your mindset and your day in just 60 seconds!

5-2, 16-8 or 14-10? If you have been on a ‘diet’ recently then chances are you not only understand these terms but you have probably tried at least one of them. What are we talking about? Intermittent fasting, which according to a 2020 survey by the International Food Information Council, now tops the charts for the most popular diet in the US, with around 10% of the adult population giving it a go. Intermittent fasting is an eating plan that switches between fasting and eating on a regular schedule with much less focus on what you eat than WHEN you eat. So is this just another weight loss ‘fad’? Well perhaps not according to studies that suggest it can be an effective weight loss approach, however we are WAY more interested in emerging research linking intermittent fasting with reduced risk of some common chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, obesity and Alzheimers.To help us find out more we chatted to IHS Nutritional Therapy graduate and certified Low Carb High Fat coach Virginia Ziulu (https://www.instagram.com/virginiashealthcorner/) who has a special interest in Intermittent fasting and Therapeutic Ketogenic diets having used them to help support her own health through Hodgkins lymphoma and Lipidema.

Struggling to get pregnant? No idea why or what to do? Then you are not alone. An estimated 15% of couples will have trouble conceiving with a fairly even split in terms of the cause being attributable to the male or female partner. However, 25% of those couples do not know the cause of their fertility problems. So it is no wonder that more and more couples are seeking medical help, with a reported 60% of those suffering from infertility receiving some type of fertility treatment - be that IVF, fertility medications, or ovulation induction. This can be a long, painful, confusing and expensive journey with no guarantee at the end of the outcome you so desperately want. But infertility is a problem many couples carry alone not knowing where to seek help, what to ask and what to do to improve the chances of conception. Well - no more! To help point everyone in the right direction we chatted to journalist and communication specialist turned Infertility Patient Advocate Oana Gharbi from https://www.getthegoldenegg.com/ who helps women over 40 navigate their infertility journey by providing support, guidance and coaching to those struggling to understand the best path for them.

Do you sometimes find that taking care of yourself – whether physically or mentally – can feel like just another thing on your to-do list? And between work, family and friends it can easily slip to the bottom of your priorities - or even become a stress in itself? Well - maybe it's time to rethink your wellness routine. Of course, an hour-long yoga class or massage can do wonders for our overall health, but sometimes it’s just not possible to fit them in. However, we can all find two minutes right? Well according to Tayyaba Jordan (https://wellnesswithme.co.uk/) - Executive Health Coach, micro-changes expert, Workplace Wellbeing Consultant and speaker- that is a great starting point for making a big difference to our wellness.So- grab yourself a cuppa, sit back and find out how ‘mini moments of joy’, a 7 minute delay’ and ‘2 minute micro-changes’ can revolutionize your wellness routine and help you regain control of your health.

Do you dread your period every month and spend days or even weeks feeling powerless against it's associated symptoms? You're not alone. If you're a woman, you've probably resented your menstrual cycle at some stage in your life and may struggle with it on a month by month basis. Over 90% of women in the West say they get some premenstrual symptoms, such as bloating, headaches, and moodiness so it is unsurprising that many of us don't view our cycle very positively. But some of us also seem to know surprisingly little about them, with research from the UK showing a quarter of women aged between 16-39 don't understand their menstrual cycle, whilst one in five feel uncomfortable discussing their periods with their female friends, their mums and their partners.But what if we embraced what makes us female, learned more about our menstrual cycle and adapted our lifestyles to suit the hormonal changes we experience every month? Studies show that our attitude to our period can actually change how we experience it and that cultures where a female's first period is celebrated and where rest is encouraged during menstruation view this natural part of life in a much more positive way.This month we chatted to Erica Quinn (https://www.ericaquinn.ie/), IHS graduate, mum of 3 and Fitness and Lifestyle Coach with a passion for all things Fitness, Nutrition, and Menstrual Cycle Awareness. She believes that our menstrual cycle can be our superpower once we take the time to learn about and understand our own hormone, mood & energy fluctuations. Erica believes when we are educated about our bodies, we can start to feel empowered in them, can be more compassionate with ourselves and can create a happier more fulfilling life, whilst moving with the ebbs and flow of our cycle.If you want to learn more about how simple nutrition and lifestyle changes can have a huge impact on your life then head to  https://learn.instituteofhealthsciences.com/ and find the IHS course for you. Or join our ever growing Facebook community IHS Simple Steps to Wellness for a wealth of tips, information and support to help you boost your wellness.

How many of you made new years resolutions this year? And how many of you have already broken them, are struggling to maintain them or can't even remember what they were? Well – you are not alone! By the end of Jan / early Feb over 80% of us will have ditched our resolutions. We all start the new year with such optimism and energy so where is does it all go wrong?….Lockdown and home schooling will always do a pretty good job of sucking motivation out of you but now more than ever perhaps it’s time to find out why we are all finding it so hard to sustain positive changes in our lives and what we can do about it!!This month we chatted to IHS lecturer and trainer Shane Pearson from https://designyourlifecoaching.ie/. Shane works with us on our Health and Wellness Coaching and Stress Management programmes. He is an NLP master practitioner, a Health and Wellness coach and a certified trainer of H&W Coaches. Shane is also a professional speaker and a service provider for Irish Life Health insurers, whilst running a successful coaching practice in county Laois Ireland. Shane offers his insight into why good intentions are so hard to maintain and some top tips and strategies for nailing your goals this year.Don’t forget if this is a topic that resonates with you our Simple Steps to Smashing Your Goals online short course is available at https://learn.instituteofhealthsciences.com/course?courseid=simple-steps-to-smashing-your-goals

It’s mid December already so inevitably our minds are on Christmas and we’re starting to panic about what we’ve still got to organise. Christmas is supposed to be a joyous time but up to 70% of us find our stress levels rising over everything from buying gifts to family issues to organising the dinner. It’s been one heck of a year and Christmas 2020 style may not be what you had in mind, so we wanted to help you make the most of the festivities and enjoy your day. This month we are chatting to IHS's very own Georgie Kavanagh (internal quality assurer,  nutritional therapist, cook and busy mum of 3) all about making Christmas as stress free as possible. Here she brings you all the food prep, cooking tips and mindset changers you need to relax and enjoy the festivities with your family - so grab a glass of whatever you fancy, relax and enjoy!And don’t forget - you can get your hands on our free ‘Christmas recipes’ eBook at https://study.instituteofhealthsciences.com/downloads/ebook-christmas/ and can give yourself or a loved one the gift of learning this Christmas with one of our brand new online short courses https://learn.instituteofhealthsciences.com/pages/new-courses

Is it really possible to support, or even boost immunity, with our food and lifestyle choices? And is there a ‘super’ food or supplement that will protect us from in these challenging times?Immunity is a hot topic right now (for obvious reasons!) with more and more people looking for ways to proactively maintain their health. So to help you sort the fact from the fiction, stop wasting money on expensive products and gain lots of simple, practical and sensible tips on supporting immune function, we spoke to IHS Nutritional Therapy graduate Debbie Devane (https://www.thenutricoach.ie/). And don’t forget - you can get your hands on our free ‘Immune Boosters’ recipe eBook at https://study.instituteofhealthsciences.com/downloads/ebook-immuneboost/ and can sign up for our free Stay Well This Winter online short course at https://learn.instituteofhealthsciences.com/course?courseid=stay-well-this-winter. Its packed full of nutrition and lifestyle tips to help you through this winter and all the challenges it is bringing.

Do you know what you need to do to feel healthier, want to do it…but struggle to maintain healthy lifestyle changes in the long term? If so then you’re certainly not alone. Why? Because change is hard and we are creatures of habit. But the good news is that the field of coaching offers many techniques and practical strategies to help us implement, and most importantly stick to, healthy lifestyle changes. And in even better news, many of them are easy to incorporate into our everyday lives.This month we spoke to IHS Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaching and Health and Wellness Coaching graduate Liz Holland (https://www.facebook.com/LizHollandHealth) and found out her favourite coaching tips, plus why she believes we often find change so hard.Don't forget IHS also run online courses in coaching - our practitioner certificate in Health and wellness Coaching, for those wishing to effectively help others towards lasting lifestyle change, and our Coaching Skills for Everyday Life short course, perfect for those wishing to use a more coach like approach to enhance their own life and wellness. Find out more at https://instituteofhealthsciences.com/course/certificate-in-health-and-wellness-coaching/

Struggling to keep all your family happy at meal times and get a variety of healthy foods into them everyday? Then this podcast is for you.If you have a picky eater in the house then you’re not alone, as research suggests between 20-40% of children are considered picky eaters at some stage. This is something that impacts a lot of families and can cause a lot of stress around meals. It can also lead to longer term issues with food and disordered eating throughout life. Picky eating can be associated with underlying concerns such as hypersensitivities but can parents work with their children to help them enjoy a varied and healthy range of foods?To help answer that question we spoke to IHS Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaching graduate and mum of 3 Clare Hegarty (https://www.facebook.com/clarehegartynutrition/) and got her top tips to help everyone in your family enjoy nutritious and varied dinners. Clare has a wealth of firsthand experience having navigated her own family, including a child with sensory issues around food, to a complete change in their diet and health- this is not to be missed.Don't forget IHS also run an online short course, Simple Steps to Eating Well, designed to help you and your family eat for optimum health. Find out more at https://learn.instituteofhealthsciences.com/course?courseid=ss-eating-well

When was the last time you took some quality time off to do very little except recharge your batteries? Been a while? Feel too guilty? Then think again.According to recent research not taking time out is can have a negative impact on cardiovascular health and some experts, including psychologist Dr. Nava Silton, are even prescribing solo holidays, particularly for busy individuals such as mums, to help us counter daily stresses and recharge batteries.So this month IHS director Suzanne Laurie chats to Wendy Riordan, IHS Nutritional Therapy graduate and founder of Irish based wellness festival Nourish and Flow (https://www.nourishandflow.ie/), about the amazing stress relieving therapies she has found that will be helping her festival goers revive and restore body, mind & soul. We’ll also be covering her top tips for taking time out and managing stress within your daily life.Don't forget IHS also run a Stress Management online short course to help any of you wanting practical and science-based tips for helping master your own stress or that of others. Find out more at https://learn.instituteofhealthsciences.com/author/course?courseid=stress-management

The number of people switching to a plant-based diet is growing at a startling rate, with many making the decision to go fully vegan. According to a UK survey, over 2% of the UK population are currently vegan – around 1,100,000 people, a number that is set to double by the end of 2020. So this month IHS director Suzanne Laurie chats to Juanita Griffin, IHS Nutrition and Lifestyle coaching graduate and founder of Little Spoons of Happiness (www.littlespoonsofhappiness.com), about her own vegan journey and how her whole family followed suit! Juanita shares some simple tips on how to transition to a more plant-based diet (whether thats plant-slant, pescatarian, vegetarian or fully vegan), how to avoid nutrient deficiencies and her favourite resources and sources of inspiration. Don't forget IHS also run a Fundamentals of Plant Based Nutrition online short course (which Juanita has completed!) to help any of you wanting to incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet. Simply enrol at https://learn.instituteofhealthsciences.com/course?courseid=survive-and-thrive-at-home

Most of us are currently housebound due to Covid-19. These are strange and uncertain times but it has never been more important to keep well and look after our mental and physical health. This month IHS director Suzanne Laurie chats to Gwen Bastion, Nutritional Therapist and IHS team member, about their own experiences of lockdown and how they are applying their knowledge and experience in the wellness field to keep their families safe and well. This Podcast supports IHS’s free online short course ‘ Survive and Thrive @home’ which was launched to help all those isolated to their houses to maintain their wellness. From nutrition to movement, stress relievers, sleep and fun - we’ve got you covered. Simply enrol at https://learn.instituteofhealthsciences.com/course?courseid=survive-and-thrive-at-home

Are you suffering from stress related illness or symptoms? Or are you at risk of burnout if something in your life doesn’t change? In the past year in the UK, 74% of people have felt so stressed they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope, and approximately 60% of work absenteeism is attributed to stress and burnout. This month we spoke to former consultant paediatrician and current Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach, Dr Catriona Walsh, about her own experience of burnout and how individuals can stop themselves becoming another stress related illness statistic.Catriona has founded The Food Phoenix (https://www.thefoodphoenix.com/) offering personalised 1 to 2 and small group coaching on all areas of nutrition and lifestyle. One of her special interests is the effects and management of stress and burn-out and in this episode she offers practical tips on how avoid and manage both.

Every 3 seconds someone in the world develops dementia with an estimated 50 million people worldwide suffering from some form of cognitive decline. This number is predicted to almost double every 20 years from this point, reaching 75 million in 2030 and a staggering 131.5 million in 2050. So is there anything we can do, and can nutrition and lifestyle help prevent dementia? That’s what we asked Nutritional Therapist and IHS graduate Edelle O’Doherty-Nickels. Edelle is the founder and director of Personalised Health Clinic, Dublin and specialises in the role of nutrition and lifestyle in cognitive decline. In this episode she offers practical tips on the foods to avoid, those to eat in abundance and the key lifestyle habits to adopt if you want to reduce your risk of dementia and keep your brain in optimal health.

In our very first episode find out how to take the stress out of achieving wellness as we chat to IHS graduate and Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach, Louisa Cooling from Enriched Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaching. She also offers a 5 minute, 3 step morning routine to start your day off with a bang and a ‘5 P’ approach to making lifestyle changes that stick.