The Wellness Scoop - Christmas Menus, Intolerance Tests and the Wellness Trends to Ignore

Episode Date: December 4, 2025

In this Extra Scoop we’re tackling your brilliant listener questions, from the confusion around food intolerance tests to what to cook for a summer Christmas lunch. We break down why IgG tests aren���t reliable, how to get a proper diagnosis and why unnecessary restriction can do more harm than good. Rhi shares her clinical insight into navigating misinformation online, from the rise of the AIP diet to the red flags around unregulated “women’s health practitioners.” We also answer your questions on omega-3 supplements, skincare ingredients like BHT and phenoxyethanol, and whether lots of small meals or three bigger ones best support digestion and sleep. Plus, we share your latest dark chocolate recommendations and talk through what a Deliciously Ella–style summer Christmas menu might look like. It’s a practical, myth-busting episode designed to bring a bit of clarity, calm and common sense to the world of everyday wellness. Recommendations: The best dark chocolates (so far!): Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Madagascan 80%, M&S 75%, Tesco 85%, Divine 85%, Hu Kitchen, Ombar 80% Ella’s book event: https://www.bookbaruk.com/event-details/meet-ella-mills-exclusive-pre-publication-signing-and-meet-greet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the Wellness Scoop, your weekly dose of health and wellness inspiration. And as always, we're here as your host. I'm Mela Mills. And I'm Rihanna Lambert. And today we are so excited to be diving into so many wonderful questions that have come from you. I love our Thursday episodes. So I love we get to talk about so many different things and that we get to do our recommendations. And I'm also loving that you guys are sharing so many recommendations. We last week shared some chocolate recommendations and we have got more, which is so fun. Because we might do an actual chocolate tasting. Oh, I think we have to,

like, you know, if our work insists that I agree. I agree. I think you all want to hear the crunch of the chocolate. I certainly do. Okay, so Anna has written in to say in the dark chocolate front, the M&S 75% dark is really good, not too bitter and no emulsifiers in that. it also the brand hue h u is divine and also no emulsifiers their usp is clean simple responsible ingredients that's delicious i've tried that one before oh my goodness really good things in them so like cashew butter there's a crunchy one with like puff quinoa i think it sounds weird we got a mim one i remember i first tried them so early on when i changed my diet completely so this was like 2014, I think I was, I was in America because one of my best friends from university

lived there and I went to visit her and I tried it. It was when they had just opened. They had this location in New York, Hugh Kitchen and they had the chocolate there. And this was when nothing like that existed in the UK. And I just remember being like, jaw on the floor, oh my gosh, I can't believe it is possible to create delicious things without all the nonsense in them. And I was so inspired by it. So actually, I love that brand, but it played a really big role in my journey. Ella, in your chocolate connoisseur journey. I'm loving this.

Well, and almost the creation of the brand, to be honest. And then starting our factory and all the rest of it. Because it was this sense of like, actually it is possible. Stop trying to say you need to have all these UPFs in products to make them taste good. You don't. And so they were one of the first brands I came across that were making things that people could take on the go that actually had good ingredients. So it was really interesting. That's so amazing.

And for anyone that can't get hold of that, I know that from the plants team, didn't Lola say that there's some great shop brought own versions as well? Yeah. So we've had Anna recommending the M&S 75% dark as well. And then Lola exactly said in the All Plant's office, the Fave is the Tesco 85%. And then the Divine. And Divine is such a nice brand. They've been ages. I remember them at uni.

Yeah, they've been going a long time. I think the An Associational were created by I can't remember Oxfam. And you know, Tony Chocoloni has done this. amazing work in focusing on removing slavery from the supply chain when it comes to chocolate. Actually, Devine were there doing that sort of thing first. It didn't quite hit. I don't think the same scale. How is that still happening?

I don't understand. Again, it's one of those things that you just think 10 years ago had been sorted and it hasn't. I agree. So basically, now for dark chocolate recommendations, UPF-free dark chocolate, we have got a smorgasbord for you guys. We have been recommended. Saintsries Taste the Difference, Madagascan 80%. M&S 75%.

Tesco, 85%, Divine 85%, and the Hugh Kitchen one. And I think, if you guys agree, we should have a line-up and crown a Christmas winner. I'd love that. And I also love ombar chocolates for people as well. They're so delicious, really yummy. Which one of theirs are you throwing into the mix for our competition? Yeah, but it's not a dark. Do you know, actually, I really like their dark chocolate one.

They've got a really nice, like, 80% one, haven't they? Okay, I'm throwing it in and writing it down now. Okay, if you guys agree, we'll do a chocolate. Okay, a chocolate off. I'll have a Christmas winner. A chock off. A chock off. The big chock off. The big chock off. I have a totally unrelated recommendation before we go into our other questions today. I went to see Wicked. I saw it. Oh my gosh. I saw that on your stories. That was it? Well, you need, I will go again with you, Ella, because I love it that much. I cried my way through. I just think Wicked is like that phrase from Shrek and onion with so many layers

because it's deep. And I don't think you realize until you watch it. It's about suppression of a voice, about animal rights. It's about judging people on their looks, how we love, how corrupt society can be. Wicked's deep, but also very uplifting at the same time. I love that. Hopefully that's what the wellness scoop is, showing out west up. The health and wellness, the food landscape is that was for episode.

On Monday, we and I really were on our own soapboxes once we came off air about how frustrated we were. But then you feel empowered at the same time. We also have a listener recommendation from Lizzie, which I thought was a really nice one. We've had a lot of feedback, actually, on our conversation that we had a few weeks ago on people having their cycle affected and their period stop on the basis of changing their diets, sometimes in slightly extreme way, particularly looking at things like ketogenic diets and lots of fasting. And Lizzie was saying how empowering and helpful it is to listen and understand your cycle as well. I had some tricky years and my teens and early 20s with absent periods and avarienciss and generally things not been quite right

I'd been on a mission since then to educate myself so she's loved all the conversations we had on it she agrees the recommendations of Maisie's book Period Power and Geek on social and things that she'd love she would also though like to recommend to listeners for people who want to learn more about their cycle the podcast by India Racluson

I think is how you say her name the podcast is called 20-ish days later She said it's a really helpful user's guide. That's lovely. Thank you so much, everybody. It moves us nicely onto our questions because Claire has one for us. She said, I recently took a blood food intolerance test from York tests. Have you heard of those, Ella?

Yes, I have. I definitely have. I don't know if I've heard of York specifically, I think I have. But it has been the sense of, yeah, blood intolerance tests. Yeah, absolutely. Not allergy tests. I think that's the important thing. will come on to you in a second percent and she said that the results came back for her that

she's cowl's milk protein intolerant and that she should not have been surprised by this as she does have a few issues of milk however it also came back that she's borderline intolerant to wheat yeast egg white egg yolk and melon she then said i had a 30 minute call with a nutritionist i will just add the term nutritionist everyone isn't protected as part of the service however it was completely overwhelming and everything i can't eat and replace and I never got to ask any questions. My question to you both is how reliable are these tests and should I be worried about the borderline intolerances?

I think it's a really interesting question and I really wanted to include it today when I was looking at everyone's questions because I think we do get lots of different questions on testing and allergies versus intolerances and people being recommended to cut things out and how important that is or how safe that is. And so, really, I think it would be amazing

to hear from your experience of this industry. How reliable are these the difference between food and tolerances and allergies and what should people really be thinking about? Yeah, I'm glad you put it in Ella, because I think we can feel so vulnerable, can't we? We just really want answers when you don't feel quite right. So it's really natural that you'd look for something that potentially could give you an answer. These tests have been around for a very long time. And in the retrition clinic, they are sadly one of the bains for us because the reliability of them, in short, is that they're not reliable at all

and that most commercial ones you buy and you can spend a couple of hundred pounds on these. I don't know if you want to look it up eloquently while I'm chatting through like how much these actually are these days because when I last looked it was quite a few years ago. They measure essentially IgG antibodies which are immunoglobulins, which are part of your immune response, which are not markers of an intolerance or an allergy.

In fact, the presence of them is normal because it just means you've been eating them. So it's your immune system. recognizing the food in the test, not reacting to it. And a lot of the governing bodies say definitely not to use these. They're not accurate and they do not undertake what's an intolerance or an allergy. And this is because they pick up differences. So IGE's immunoglobulin E indicates an allergy.

And these tests don't test for that at all. Allergies can be life-threatening. Just want to remind everybody, if you are experiencing vomiting, breathing issues, swelling, you have an allergic reaction and you need to be medically recognised and you can get tested with a skin prick for those sorts of things. However, like I said, these tests you buy online, IGGs, it's just normal exposure. They cannot be used as a diagnostic tool for an intolerance or an allergy. How much have you got before I waffle on, Ella?

How much are they? Yeah, so the York one in particular is currently on sale for £139, normally £199. pounds. Yeah. And some of them I've seen can go up to 500. It's actually crazy. So just to clarify, in your clinic, for example, you would never ever use something like this. What would you be doing instead? If someone said, I think I have, you know, don't react well to milk, for example, as a kind of obvious question, what would you guys do? So you can test for a intolerance to dairy. So lactose, where you can't digest it and break it down effectively because you lack an enzyme called lactase. That is a validated test tool.

You can do that at your GP. However, intolerances are very difficult. And the best thing you can do is what's called an elimination diet that's supervised, where you take things out and then you reintroduce them with other foods that we call safe foods that you are fine with. And then you can mark the symptoms. But if you had an allergy, like a cow's milk allergy, you would know about it. And the only testing is with an allergy specialist.

So an intolerance, everyone is not an allergy. It's enzyme related. It's not your immune system. Just remember, intolerances, not immune system because the symptoms you get are more digestive, things like bloating, diarrhea, gas and the gold standard, if we suspect that it's an issue, would be two to four weeks of trying to eliminate cow's milk products, and then we reintroduce them, just like you'll have heard of maybe of something called the milk ladder with children, where you slowly reintroduce foods over a period of time. We know that exposure to foods helps prevent allergies later on in life, like nuts and things. things during weaning and you've got to be really careful, but we would not recommend these test kits in the clinic for so many reasons. I mean, coming back to say you've got an intolerance to melon is a really, really rare reaction you'd have to a food. And what I would recommend is

taking your time and just testing these one by one. What I will say about cow's milk is that 60% of the world, I believe that's right, may want to fact check that, do have a lactose intolerance and not everybody has adapted or evolved to digest it, dairy. So it's more likely you'd have a reaction to that type of food than a piece of fruit like a melon. Yeah, approximately 65% of the population is lactose intolerant. It varies. Not in the notes. I did it. No, varies massively by region because it varies massively by ancestry. So in Asia, for example, like as high as 90% population, whereas actually in Northern Europe, it's much, much lower. Yeah. So I hope that's helped clear it up a little.

bit, just avoid these kids. If they were real and work, the NHS would be giving them out left, right and centre. Just have a think about it that way because it would save so many appointments. And a question we've got here, which leads on to food a little bit more, is from Vic. And she said, I'm a massive fan of the Wellness Scoop. Thank you for making a healthy living so much more enjoyable and easier to navigate. We are very happy to hear that. So my question is with Christmas fast approaching, I'm starting to think about our Christmas lunch menu. We live in New Zealand, so enjoy a summer Christmas. And I love making some beautiful salads.

But what would Ella cook to accompany these if she was to have a summer Christmas lunch? Ella, I've never had a Christmas in the sun. Oh, my gosh. So I have had, I'm very lucky to say a lot of, I'm having my first non-sun Christmas this year. Now, I am, please don't judge me. I don't really like Christmas. Oh, my goodness, said Ella. We are chalk and cheese on this.

I know. I'm really trying to be this year to get a. into it I went it's cold I just found it quite complicated emotionally but we will not go into that but I am trying to love it this year and so but we've been away for Christmas every year for the last years and have had hot sunny Christmases and I have to say I love it but if I was cooking a hot sunny Christmas it really depends on who you're cooking for but I personally would do a centipiece and I think if it was me I would do something like I don't know a really delicious um do a kind of Horissa carrot tart, for example, or like a herbie asparagus puff pastry tart with a really

delicious base, something kind of quite creamy. It really depends on, I don't know what's in season or kind of very relevant to you guys, but I think I would do some kind of really delicious tart because I think that looks so nice in the middle. You can do a really easy base, for example, like there's a courgette one that I do quite a lot and it's literally just like whole wheat flour as the base. It's very, very simple. And you and then do it. a beautiful homemade pesto and then rolled up courgettes, loads and loads of cherry tomatoes. You can do pistaches in the pasto, loads of pine nuts, basil. I'm so hungry now.

It just looks really beautiful. So I think that's a nice thing because actually it's really easy to do. And you can prep the base in advance and everything, which is quite nice if you're hosting. You've got loads of people, I think having some easy wins. And it also looks absolutely gorgeous. So I think something like that would be really lovely. But I also appreciate it is not festive in any shape, form to our British listeners. who are thinking about like a classic roasted.

You could put cranberries in a tart. Exactly, 100%. Or you could use your kind of classic Christmas veggies. Yeah, glazed carrots, for example, would be absolutely delicious in there. Or you could do some kind of grata with like potatoes, sweet potatoes, past nips, carrots, etc., which would be with a kind of crispy breadcrumb top.

Could be actually also lovely. You could have that as well. Have you got any in the new book? Any like centerpieces? The new book is very weaknight staple focused actually. We're very like, what on earth do I do on a Monday? Which is everybody. Which is, as we found out from our stats on Monday, like 60 plus percent of the population who are just so stressed by midweek meals.

So actually this is more, I would say quick quince is very catered to that moment, although, of course, you can adapt to anything and have it as a celebratory meal as well. What would you make, Ray? That's lovely. I've never had a sunny Christmas. So I'd really have to rack my brains of what I'd actually serve. I think that's a really helpful answer, Ella, because Tarts is a. very, very good idea. I mean, I don't know, would I do like a plate of kind of stuffed potatoes and things with like cheesy cranberries and all the veggies? It's really hard to think what you'd put

in the middle as a centrepiece. I do love nut roast and I think they go nice with salads too. I think that's a, yeah, you could put all the nuts and apricots and fruits in and then have that on the table. That's kind of Christy. A mushroom Wellington is also so delicious. Hot or cold that works. Yeah, hot or cold that works. Also a nice prep and advanced kind of guy. Absolutely delicious. Also a kind of sage and onion type sausage rolly thing. Fun as well.

If you're thinking, if you're veggie and you're maybe hosting this year or you're bringing things to a Christmas meal, now I'm not just talking about Australia for everyone. What I quite like doing, because we don't have a fully veggie Christmas meal, is I like making something that I know everyone else will enjoy as well as side,

so you're not on your own. And something like a mushroom Wellington or that kind of sage and onion sausage homemade sausage roll type thing. I love the veggie stuffings. Yeah, so delicious. You can have it as a centrepiece, but actually for other people, they can have it as well.

And I remember one Christmas a few years ago, my sister's veggie as well, and we made this really delicious mushroom Wellington. And it was so amazing with this spinach sort of cream in it. And it was, I have so it was really, really good. But we made a big one, so it looked lovely, and it was devoured by everybody. I love that.

And if you want to get a little UPF, and I know we're trying to avoid UPF, but you can buy pastry and it can really help if you're on a rush on Christmas Day if you want to make like a I'll make reefs you know like pastry reefs

or parcels of things or Christmas tree patterns I do all and that's where I would say like really don't get bogged down in UPs like if you're then stuffing it with beautiful chestnuts

and mushrooms and onion and you know garlic and all the rest of it like don't worry if there's a little bit of something in your pastry but it saves you hours of time you should see my Christmas tree

with nut butter in the middle oh my god it's so good oh i think i need the recipe for that okay well enjoy your christmas book that sounds really fun i've had um tie curry for christmas the last few years so in work while we've been away so it's going to be really different this year i'm going to be back to doing i think my mushroom wellington this is a paid advertisement for better help the festive season is such a special time it's full of traditions family moments and routines that bring us together but it can also feel a little bit overwhelming, can't it? Oh my goodness, completely between wrapping up work, planning Christmas and trying to do

everything for everyone else, it's easy to forget to pause and take care of yourself. Which is why we've been thinking about rewriting traditions and health therapy and investing time in yourself, which I think is so key, could be a part of that. So making space for calm and clarity amid the festive rush. I just love that idea. Therapy, honestly, has helped me so much this year to make sense of things and just bring more balance into my days. And that's something that I think we could all use particularly at this time of year. So Better Help therapists are fully qualified and they do the matching for you based on your goals and preferences so you can focus on what matters the most.

And they've supported over 5 million people worldwide, including thousands of people here in the UK, helping those people find perspective, peace and a clearer sense of self. Oh, so this December, maybe it's time to start a new kind of tradition and one that's all about taking care of you. And the good news, our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com slash wellness scoop. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P.com slash wellness scoop. Get no frills delivered. Shop the same in-store prices online and enjoy unlimited delivery with PC Express Pass. Get your first year for $2.50 a month. Learn more at PCExpress.ca.c.c.a. This is a really nice one, I think, from Sarah, which was she just said, I was wondering which is better, lots of little meals or three big ones. Because I feel like there was a moment. I reckon it was like five or ten years ago now, but where people kept talking about having five mini meals a day being really good for you instead of kind of three big meals. Oh, the claim of boosting metabolism. Remember those? Yes, that's what it was. You're so right. Does it boost metabolism?

No, you can't lose your metabolism is like how you produce energy, how you digest food. This is individual and I will say if you enjoy lots of mini meals and that works for you and you feel good that way, it's healthy, your guts thriving on that, then that's good for you. But there are people out there that will not work well with snacks and mini meals throughout the day who do need for regularity and for their, also their relationship with food to have three meals a day. So I think it's completely individual, this question, Ella, and it depends on your job, your livelihood. You know, if you're a surgeon, you have to rely on lots of mini meals whenever you can get it. You know, I think we've got to start looking that whenever we can eat, make it an opportunity to nourish. I love that. But your advice is really try and have that overnight, if you can, without eating, because it's really good for your gut.

From 9 o'clock, everybody, I just don't think we should be snacking or eating. I mean, we really need to wind down before bed. If you can give your stomach two to three hours to kind of wind down, that probably is really going to help as well. And I know we all love a late night snack, but I try a licorice and peppermint tea. Someone did you see sent a story saying they loved it. Yeah, I've seen a few of that.

Actually, that is so good. Tea pigs, peppermin liquorish tea. I have to say, if I wasn't existing with other people, I would do mini meals 100%. Yeah, me too. I way prefer them. But it's not really conducive to kind of being social and existing with other people.

But if I lived on my own, I'd lose track of what I've eaten with mini meals sometimes. And that's interesting. It's not always a planned mini meal. It's what you can grab. So you're not effectively maximising the nutritional aspect sometimes, depending on what you do in your day. Oh, 100%.

But I just love lots of different tastes and textures, which you get so much more of with mini meals. You do, I agree. So we do now move on to our avid listener from Amsterdam. Yes. Evelyn, I think is how we said, but apologies if we haven't pronounced it correctly. Thank you so much for being an avid listener. We love it. You've said, I'm vegan and taken an omega-3 supplement, which you have on multiple occasions discussed the benefits of. But one thing I'm still unclear on, I use a fairly complete one with 250 DHA and 125 EPA. But I always notice that the ones without EPA are about half the price of my expensive ones. Is the EPA worth the extra money if I can afford it?

I'm reading mixed messages when I look it up, so we'd love an expert opinion. Rhee, give us your expert opinion. And actually, quickly, sorry, could we rewind? Could you remind people DHA and EPA? Yes, of course. First of all, it's interesting because in the UK, we don't have a recommended amount of Amiga 3 and numbers. In other countries like Australia, they do give recommendations for doses,

which I also find very interesting that we still haven't updated that. So, first of all, Amiga 3, you can get two different components. So DHA is the structural omega-3, and that's involved in our retina, our brain. Our brain is 60% fats predominantly there, and our nervous system. And we really need that. And then around 70% of the brain's omega-3 content is specifically that form of the omega-3, Ella, the DHA. Then the EPA, which you've said ups the price tag, that is the active, so the anti-inflammatory

bit of the omega-3. I mean, I'm really simplifying this here, but I think this is the best way to break it down, which is where the studies that suggest benefits of heart health come from because it supports our blood vessel health, it helps modulate inflammation, potentially maybe linked to our mood, play a role with, again, immune function and overall metabolic health.

So ideally you do want both for ultimate omega-3 gains, but you can just go with the one and still support your brain health, essentially. But, I mean, when it comes to cost of supplements, Ella, there's no perfect ratio either of EPA to DHA. I just want people to get enough. And the advice here in the UK is poor. So I'm really glad in Amsterdam perhaps you've got something different. Please do let me know any way you live in the world.

But we're just told to eat oily fish each week. And there's not really much help for people that don't eat oily fish. And a lot of people that are omnivores don't eat that anyway. Yeah, exactly. I think that's incredibly helpful, really. So you want it any which way, as in you definitely want your omega-3. because to your point, even if you do enjoy eating fish, most people don't eat enough oily fish.

So that is an interesting supplement to investigate. Ideally, though, it does have DHA and EPA. So if you can afford it, it is worth the extra money to have the two to get that potential added benefit of the anti-inflammatory nature of the omega-3s, but definitely just get the DHA. Full stop, you need to be getting omega-3. If you do not consume one to two portions of oil, I'd argue too with the state of the oceans

but again that feeds into the problem you really need to be thinking about your walnuts, your cheer seeds your flaxseed, your supplementation there of that one supplement that I wish was cheaper but is not no it's so valid okay our last question today is a really

interesting one and she wrote in with her name but she said please may you make this anonymous she said as an AFN registered nutritionist and I know this is a really important topic to and a very important topic I think it's the health and wellness industry, that's the proper registered body of regulated nutritionists, which re is obviously as well. So as an AFN registered nutritionist myself, something that has

been bothering me of late is women's health practitioners, she's put that in quotes, promoting the AIP diet. My understanding of the diet is that it's an elimination diet and as Rhee and yourself will know even nutritionists aren't able to support their clients with this. I guess this is one of the new iterations of unregulated healthcare professionals online and I would love to hear your thoughts particularly on three things. Have you seen these posts and influencers? What do you think about the AIP diet and what do you make of these professionals? I fear this new trend of look what happens to me when I eat UPF influencer puffing their cheeks is fearmongering and may create a new guise for disordered eating patterns. So very big question and I think we'll probably answer it in

multiple different parts. I think there's two different parts as I see it really. One that's just talk about the AIP diet specifically. And then two, I think this trend of look at me when I eat UPFs and when I don't and the fear mongering there is important. And maybe we can answer them as two separate strands. Yeah, they're absolutely right. The AIP diet is an autoimmune protocol. So it's not grounded in tons of research.

It's a highly restrictive elimination diet that is used with some people of autoimmune conditions. So it's something that a consultant would say, look, we've tried other things. We've tried this. we've tried that this is what we're left with really this potentially could help but it cuts out grains dairy legumes eggs nuts seeds nightshades and you feel like there's nothing really left at the end of that to consume and the evidence is very limited and in some extreme cases it might be really beneficial but that is alongside a medical team a nutrition team all working in tandem together to ensure that someone isn't then going to be malnourish because when you restrict so many

items of food, it can worsen the gut diversity as we know and it definitely needs to be done specialist guidance. It is not something even my dietitians in the Retrition Clinic would do. This is something I'd say with someone that's probably under a care team frequently at a hospital and I'm shocked to hear Ella. I haven't seen it of you. I've not seen this as a trend. No, I haven't seen it as a trend either actually and I didn't know anything about it. The trend I see a lot of for look how I used to look versus look. I look now is the carnival diet. That's the one I see loads of online, of the eye cut out anything and everything,

essentially, went to the carnivore diet. And people don't even really eat vegetables on that. I have to say, very compelling before and after. So I think it's important to call it what it is. Like, they do look great. There's no denying that. And I think that's one of the things that I find really difficult is you're like, I know, but your guts in terrible shape and you might look gray today.

but fast forward a few years and you're really not doing much for your health. It does link us on though to perhaps this is something we're going to see more of. You know, like when we looked at a trend last week for cellular data becoming more and more interesting, we might see more of these things emerging. Potentially, it's just not on my radar at the moment.

But this is why I have such an issue with what I eat in a day videos and I've even seen other health professionals doing it recently because they know it goes viral or they know it gets clicks. and it's really just very confusing. And I just wonder when it will end, Della, I don't even know what I have to contribute to this discussion

because I just feel like it's misleading. I just feel these discussions are so misleading that this is what I do, this is how I look. And you rarely get people that aren't in a slim body saying this is what I eat in a day, eat like me and this is good for you. And that's a big statement for me to make. I really appreciate what I have just said.

is sensitive. But that's why I have an issue with it because I don't think it's representative and I think it's really marginalist and I think it really pins people into a category. There's an inherent implication. No one says that obviously allowed but you don't need to of eat like me and look like me. And as we know, that's really compelling when it comes to sales because there is an aspirational element to those videos and as a result, you know, the desire to purchase whatever is involved in it is quite high. And it's a really difficult thing. because there's parts sometimes I see people do some of the like this is what I eat and it's really helpful it's like I batch cook this on Sunday because I've got such a crazy week and I've

taken this to the office and there's elements of that that I'm like that's great that's such good inspo you know and look here I've like sectioned out into my various different tappewats and now I'm going to add this grain to it or I'm going to like add on this xylz to it and I find that really helpful or like I've made these oats in advance and some of times I see these videos and I make that's so helpful actually this is someone with a very much busy life, super realistic. Yeah, they've taken two hours out of their week on a Sunday and they're showing you therefore how they manage to stay. Like, I don't want to say on track, but keeping up with healthy habits when life is super busy and it's actually not particularly aesthetic and it's just

actually super practical. They've made seven different overnight oats with different toppings and as I said, like one meal, four different ways that they've batch cooked and it's really, I find it's super, super helpful. But I think those are nice. It's done with the angle of like, I genuinely think this is helpful is not actually exactly what I eat in a day like minute by minute with time stamps. Yeah, which I'm seeing a lot of and in and what they're wearing. I like those videos like you said. I call those meal prep videos. Yeah, okay, that's probably more what it is. And you see it throughout the week and I find that really, really helpful because I think it's super realistic. And I think we know that people really, really struggle to keep up with eating well with the best intentions because life

gets in the way and so seeing how other people do it, I think can be so valuable. And that's the difficult thing with socials, isn't it? Is that I think there's lots of this is what I do that I personally think is really helpful because this is what I do to help me and this is what I found effective and what really works in my life. And I think that can be super, super helpful to inspire other people and empower them with their habit changes as well because we know we collectively need a lot of habit change to happen to improve our health.

But then there's what I eat in a day that's so aesthetic and so far removed from an office job or a shift work job or whatever it is, that just feels beautiful but challenging to replicate. I think that summed it up perfectly. I'm digging more down into the body image ideal side of it that I think is concerning, you know, like, or the anonymous question came from puff cheeks, you know, making it appear like this was the before and then this is what I do now and this is me after. I know. And that's really challenging. And I think again, that comes back to, I think the idea of removing all you from your diet is just, yes, might be relevant to some people and there may be specific health or medical conditions why they might want to do that and why being super doubled down

on their diet is really important today. And that's brilliant respect and kind of huge support to those people. But for most other people who are just living in a normal life, no specific health concerns, they just want to improve their health, they want to improve their energy, their sleep, their mood, they just want to feel their best or, you know, better. But you've got normal office job. You've got lots of different commitments and responsibilities. the idea of removing all UPFs from your diet is completely unrealistic and I think probably just puts on way too much pressure as opposed to let's try and re-address the balance of cooked from scratch versus a UPF and I think that's when I find this yeah challenging as well

because I just think it's so far removed from life I think you're completely right I was meant to be attending this Wednesday evening a TikTok creators evening for health professionals trying to get the platform regulated sadly I can't go now on my childcare has let me down this is what happens in the way of the world. But I really wanted to ask these questions and I'm going to get someone from my team to go because I feel like there's just a very invisible unspoken line of what's ethically okay and inspirational

and what really is and how on earth do you even start? It's a big topic. Yeah, it's so nuanced. And I think, as I said, there's real positives, the socials and I'll see things and like, goodness me, I keep talking about my salad is definitely taking over my life. But, like, I've watched so many videos on the way that people proof their dough and the way they fold.

And it's so useful. Like, I feel I'm getting a lot from socials at the moment. Christmas recipe inspiration. You know the question we're asked before? Yes. We should just browse socials and type in summer Christmas. I bet loads would come up. Ideas on what to do with the elf on the shelf.

Loving it. Have you done it? Have you done the elf? Because I haven't, I've never done it. Oh, we did it last year and it was actually really fun. I mean, goodness me, I did not go all out, like some of the amazing things I saw. online but the girls did find it fun to find him every day and it was a kind of sort of fun little playful thing i didn't as i said we did it quite simply where it was a bit more of a hide and seek

situation as opposed to him like because i've seen some of the things online where they do amazing creations and yeah i've got friends that get you know spill the flower and write things in the flower and do all sorts of things so i didn't do any of that last year i might out my game once or twice this year he's send me a link to where you buy an elf i don't know how do i buy a Literally anywhere online. Last request for recommendations from you guys. If you have any good Elf on the shelf recommendations, do let us know. Or any other Christmas meals that you are cooking that you think might inspire.

Obviously, you've got your classic rose turkey. But if there's things that you're cooking or recipes that you love, that you think our community would really enjoy over Christmas that you want to recommend, I think shout out for those because I would love to be able to share those over the next few weeks. I think our listeners would love them. I will bring my specific ones next week with links to them. Okay, wonderful. Well, everybody, thank you ever so much for listening, for being here and for sharing your questions with us, because, gosh, do we cover some amazing diverse topics from elves to UPS? From the best dark chocolate to elf on the shelf to what allergy tests to do or not to do.

What they eat on a day videos, yeah, I think it has been very, very diverse. Keeps it fun though. Thank you, guys. We just so appreciate you. We do. Have a wonderful week and we will see you on Monday.