The Wellness Scoop - Hormones, Healthy Mornings & The Truth About Sugar

Episode Date: July 9, 2026

This week we're answering your questions on some of the biggest areas of confusion in nutrition and wellbeing. We're discussing how diet can support hormonal health, from PCOS and amenorrhea to hormonal acne, and exploring how to care for your microbiome while taking a GLP-1 medication. We also unpack the growing conversation around fibre and digestion, including what it means if seeds seem to pass through your body intact and whether prebiotic sodas are really as gut-friendly as they're marketed to be. Plus, we're tackling the conflicting advice around healthy mornings and sugar. Does breakfast really need to be high in protein? Is coffee on an empty stomach a problem? And should fruit only be eaten alongside meals to avoid glucose spikes? As always, we're cutting through the noise to focus on what the evidence actually says. To get 30-days free on The Way App, head to thewayapp.com/wellnessscoop  Recommendations:  ⁠Likalix Ice Creams!⁠ ⁠Rhitrition+ Food Freedom Course⁠ ⁠Park Yoga⁠ Send your questions for our weekly Q&A to ⁠⁠[e-mail]⁠⁠ For more from Rhi and Ella:  Order your copy of Ella's new book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quick Wins: Healthy Cooking for Busy Lives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Order your copy of Rhi's new book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Fibre Formula⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Yeah, it is and I'm so glad. Anyway, it's helped me feel so much calmer, less reactive, more present, It all sounds like huge claims, but I just say, please, please, please try it if you're struggling with stress or overwhelm. You've just got to give it a go. And the lovely thing is that everyone listening can definitely try it themselves. Exactly. So you can get a 30-day free trial, so just try it every day for a month. It'll change your life. All you do is head to thewayapp.com forward slash wellness scoop. Yeah, that's thewayapp.com forward slash wellness scoop.

Welcome to the Wellness Scoop, your twice weekly dose of health and wellness inspiration. And as always, we're both here as your host today. I'm Ella Mills. And I'm Rihanna Lambert. And we could not be more delighted today to be discussing all of the wonderful questions and recommendations that you send into us on a Thursday. So Ella, let's do it. Guys, we're talking about hormones, healthy mornings, the truth about sugar, things like the kind of quote unquote healthy sodas or busy drinks, to breakfast. need to be high on protein, coffee on an empty stomach. Oh, we've got so much to go into today.

But, re, before we do that, any good recommendations for us right now? Do you know? I actually do. Oh, tell me. I know. So I feel like I've had a few weeks of these, actually. To echo, I'm on a role. I'm on a roll. And it's thanks to the one we said last week. First of all, I've become so obsessed with those chocolate ice lollies. The lick-a-lix. Oh, my goodness. Literally the ingredient deck's amazing. It's just coconut milk and cacao powder. It's just unbelievable. Yeah, we recommended these a few times, no affiliation to it, lick a lick, like lick, and then our, licks with ax. I still feel like I'm in phonics, last one.

Honestly, I am heat wave obsessed with those, and it's something I turn to in pregnancy. And then my second recommendation is if you are struggling with your relationship with food, you can join our four-week food freedom course on nutrition plus. I just had a message through while we're here today from someone that watched my old TED Talk on Relationships of Food. that I'd forget that I even did it back in 2017 discussing all the things that are actually coming up a lot today with the maxing trends we discussed on Monday. Oh, like what? Give us a bit of a summary.

So in my TED Talks many, many moons ago. She's so understated. I say this the whole time, but we'll be like, oh, I'm just back from Parliament. Like, I'm just back from my TED Talk. Like, read, this is quite cool. It does feel like a lifetime ago. It's pre-COVID, Ella.

I think for everybody, pre-COVID feels like just a different version of yourself completely. It does. It is an odd one. But I did a TED talk on how to have a healthy relationship with food. And I was discussing all the things that we discussed in the wellness scoop, such as, you know, you have to have enjoyed items in moderation. We have to have ownership over our own intuition around food. Because until we can gather that aspect, it's really difficult, of course, to navigate the world we live in, let alone today,

where we do place such a reliance on other things. So you can go and watch the TED Talk on. This is so weird to say, I guess. Please go and watch it. You probably just Google my name. there. But in the show notes, you can sign up to Retrition Plus. It's four weeks long and I've got my dietitian in the clinic, our psychologist in the clinic, Dr. Laura Jackson, Sarah Elder and myself will guide you free for four weeks. And then my final recommendation is if you have a balcony

or you have a garden, just put out a little shallow bowl of water, put some stones in and let's just help feed the bees and the birds because bees are dying in the heat and is killing me. It's just awful. They're just dropping out the sky because they're heat wave. We're losing so many species because of this heat wave. So what we can all do is just put a bowl there. Look at me like that. I was actually just thinking there were just thinking there have been loads of dead flies in my house and I'm wondering if that's why.

Yes, probably because they can't cope. You know, if we can't cope with this heat, they're not meant to cope with this climate in this country. So we're losing a large population of wildlife without being doom and gloom. You can help. Put something outside. Put a bit of water out in the evening. Just a very shallow bowl, right?

Don't drown it with stones because you don't want them to drown. And then lots of different wildlife, you won't even see it happening when you're asleep will hopefully benefit. Ella, how about you? I'm going to do that tonight. Yes, thank you. When I get home. Thank you. Take a picture for me, send it to me.

Prove it. What is my recommendation? I didn't mean that you have to prove it. But yeah, send it to me, Ella. I will, I promise you and I will prove it because that's the right thing to do. Do you know what I really recommend? We always look to me. Like I'm very naughty because I'll often not have breakfast.

And then I have breakfast when I'm at home because I do it like after this kids. But the idea of eating, I can't eat breakfast at 7 in the morning. You're not that bad. You have come in so many times with things. And some days that's okay. Exactly. Anyways, sometimes when we start recording, I'm like three coffees in, haven't had any water and haven't had any breakfast.

And obviously that's not like ultimate wellness goals. Anyways, but since I became allergic to almonds, I stopped drinking matcha because I didn't really like oat milk. and I couldn't have almond milk with it. And then I was getting off the tube this morning. I was a little bit early. I went into a shop and they had on their board up matcha with coconut milk and coconut water. Anyway, it was such a good combat. I find coconut milk on its own a bit sweet.

So like this, I felt hydrated. Anyway, just really recommend it, again, while it's nice and warm over the summer, matcha with coconut milk and coconut water 10 out of 10. I have got back into coconut water. And thank you so much for matcha. It was so kind. I've got your matcha today. Yay, because in the hot weather, again, coconut water can help with a bit of rehydration.

I've got the coconut club one. You can also make ice lollipops with them. You know, just freeze the coconut water. That's a really good tip if you want something hydrating. Yeah, I'm really trying hard not to be a camel at the moment and be good at drinking my water. We also have a recommendation from you guys that came in, which is such a nice one. My recommendation is to go to Park Yoga. I didn't even know Park Yoga was a thing.

Hello, nor did I. This is a bit of me. Park yoga on a Sunday morning with a friend then go for a coffee or match afterwards I was listening to your recent episode about managing all the burning hobbs If you missed that we're talking about the foreburner theory And the idea that you can't have all aspects of your life

And full blast at one time And how best to juggle all the important elements of your life This means I get to move my body In a beautiful outdoor space Which you always talk about how calming nature And the sound of birds are for us Then I get to fill out my social cup By meeting my best friend afterwards for a catch-up

Park yoga is free There are over 70 venues in the UK Her job is all about encouraging people to move more and in a way they feel comfortable. Some people bring their children on a picnic blanket, some older people sit on the benches and move in a way that their body can. But I think it's really great and I highly recommend it. Anyway, that was one of the coolest recommendations we have because I did not know park yoga's of things. So guys, have a look at it.

Online, there's 70 venues. And I just think what a lovely way to spend a morning. That's so wholesome. Oh, I'd easily swap the football pitches for a park yoga. my goodness me on a Sunday morning. Thank you so much for that one. Our first question today, Ella, is from Lizzie. She's got a question about fibre and digestion. Yes. Lizzie said, I've been making a conscious effort to increase my plant diversity, including eating more seeds and other high fibre foods. Love it. Apologies for the graphic question, but I've noticed that some seeds tend to come out the other end, looking pretty much whole.

Does this mean I'm not properly digesting the nutrients from these foods? Even so, am I still absorbing the calories from them, or are they affect? passing straight through me. I thought this was such a good question because I bet this is one of those things. So many people wonder and never want to ask because they don't want to be embarrassed. So thank you for asking. Yeah. And it's an appearances can be deceiving question too, although it's quite useful to measure gut transit time. So, you know, how long it takes your body to digest foods by eating certain foods like seeds or sweet corn and things that break down differently within the body because of the fibre component. So some seeds, particularly flax seeds, Sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, they've got a really good outer shell lining, cell lining that protects them.

They're not always fully broken down. And that's why you probably see them. But just because of that, it doesn't mean that your digestive system hasn't extracted something from them. Now, it is true that it's better to ground down, like ground flax seed is easier for your body to absorb and get the benefits from, especially the omega-3s, because that's something that's really helpful to increase that content. But your gut microbes do love these foods that pass through you, interestingly enough. And that's when it can help pollinate the garden. You know, I've just said let's help hydrate the wildlife. Let's hydrate our gut garden, our gut bugs that live there.

They need to have exposure to all these different types of foods because they're fermented into compounds called short chain fatty acids and one of the most researched is called butyrate. And that helps support our gut lining in particular, support our overall immune system. And as I wrote in the fiber formula book, you know, it's not just about keeping you regular. And I see, as Ella and I both see, this whole fiber industry now, thank you for sending it to us. I get your DMs a lot on socials as well. Ella gets emails. We see so many products now with added fiber in drinks, in gums and everything you could possibly ever imagine.

That's not what we want. We want a variety of beans, pulses, legumes, spices, herbs within your fill. food. So don't worry about the occasional seed. Don't panic. Please keep eating them. Yeah, I love it. And also keeping honest, I was thinking this is so important with health. People are like, oh, is it just me? And so I love questions like this. Okay, our second question today comes from Jane. Jane said, I have three daughters, two of whom have issues with hormonal health, one of whom is 23 and has suspected PCOS, polycystic ovary system, and perhaps endometriosis, and the other one who's 21 is experiencing her second bowel of amenorrhea. And we'll talk about what that is in a sec. Both alone and estrogen are

quite slim. My question is how can I help them start to heal their hormones, particularly through diet? Obviously, this whole question about hormones, particularly when it comes to female menstrual cycle health is so prevalent, I think, at the moment. Re, have you got any kind of general advice for everybody listening? How true is it in terms of healing hormones? I'm going to actually get a voice note from a colleague here on this one as well to answer further that specialises in this area because we're learning a lot more about female health conditions. You know, we've actually recently renamed P-Cos to P-Mos and we've changed the spectrum of symptoms that cause a classification of a condition. So while you can't directly influence your hormones

through just one or two different types of foods, I would say how healthy you are overall and your health status can help influence the symptoms and side effects you may experience, or even your cycle. And mentioning aminarea here is concerning. And definitely there are elements of, you know, dietary intake that massively contribute to our periods. But when you've got other gynaecological conditions at the same time, it's very high. It's like chicken and egg. You know, which one do you go to first? But I will let our expert take over for you on a voice note here. Hi, my name is Lisa. I'm one of the nutrition dietitians and I specialise in eating disorders and mental health. Firstly, although your daughters have different diagnoses, the fact that they're both lean and have low estrogen suggests they need an individual assessment rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

From a nutrition perspective, the priority is making sure they're eating enough to support their healthy hormone production. So that means adequate calories, regular meals, plenty of quality protein, healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds and oily fish. and enough carbohydrates because under fueling can disrupt reproductive hormones, particularly in young women. It's also worth checking for nutrient deficiencies. And if aminorea is persistent, they should be working with a GP or a specialist to investigate the underlying cause. The best support you can offer your daughters is encouraging them to eat enough, avoid unnecessary dieting, managing their stress levels, prioritising sleep, and then looking to seek personalised care from a healthcare professional who specialises in women's hormonal health. So it's really important not to access generic hormonal health information

that you might see online. It's not going to be relevant. It can actually send you down quite an unhelpful path. Hope that helps. Thank you so, so much. I think it's so invaluable to have lots of words of wisdom on this subject here. Now, our next question is from Nora in the USA. She says, I'm American and I really enjoy my probiotic sodas. I drink one almost every day, usually poppy. but sometimes other brands. I'm wondering, are these pre-bartic sodas bad for your gut health and overall heart health when consumed regularly? I drink them because they're more flavoured than seltzer water and I'm not a soda drinker. Ella, over to you, because we need to do some cross definitions here of what seltzer water is in the UK, I think, as well as the soda.

Yeah, exactly. So seltzer water is as far as I understand basically just like fizzy water, right? Yeah, okay. So Poppy has just launched here. You might have seen them in Pratt, for example. They're the ones that sold for $1.95 billion to Pepsi. So on a just like a personal kind of level from the industry, I'm so curious to see how Poppy do in the UK.

If I was a betting woman, I would bet on not that well because we just don't have the same culture in terms of like fizzy drinks. And there have been a lot of healthier, quote unquote, soda fizzy drink brands that have popped up in the UK over the last couple of years. I've been watching them quite closely. I don't think any of them have kind of gone mega mainstream. So it would be interesting to see.

But if you haven't, basically, as I said, they're in Pratt now. This is not an ad. I just was curious to see it the other day. So just in terms of the ingredient deck, what we're talking about here, if you haven't seen these drinks around, Poppy, for example, is carbonated water, cassava root fiber, sugar, fruit juice concentrate,

apple cider vinegar, natural strawberry lemon flavorings, and other natural flavorings. I gave inulin sweetener, which is stevia, glycosides from stevia and black carrot juice concentrate. Goodness me, Ella. How much sweetness is in that? I mean, it's a little better than a Coke,

but I think it's completely misleading reason, kind of shaking her head. I have to say, I find these kinds of things, again, a little bit frustrating. You know, not that one of these and monks to healthy diet is going to have a terrible effect on you, but I find the kind of claim that they're healthy, very irritating. They're not healthy.

Does having them on occasion mean bad things for your health? No, we don't think it does. But also some of the other ones, this one doesn't, has erythritol. I never say that right, the artificial sweetener. That can be really aggravating if you have IBS and kind of really exacerbate those symptoms. Likewise, lots of them then have things like inulin again, chiscus and chikery root fiber. And lots of these things, again, can be not amazing for your digestive system. and make you feel a little gassy and bloated and things like that.

Anyway, sometimes they have like two grams of fiber in, like excellent, eat an apple. Like I don't mean to be that like facetious, but it's like it's not this magic amount of fiber, as Rhee would tell us, it's not like it's giving you all the same kind of beneficial bacteria because it's not this amazing diversity in a ray. So I'm not, I don't think that they're inherently bad if they don't affect your gut and they feel good and you enjoy them. Like, that's fine in amongst a healthy diet. I find it irritating that people say they're good for you and that they can make these claims because they're not.

If you're trying to cut a soda habit in general with the other big, massive ones, it's a good starting point, but it's not in isolation, a good swap, I would say. You're better off going for a sparkling water variety of flavour because actually the claim on the pack with that is negligible, like we've just said. So that's a very good question. We now have a question from Millie who has said, what foods can really? help with hormonal acne. I also heard on a podcast that they said to save your money on bananas and avocado. Is this true? Or are they beneficial in our diets?

I'm sorry. Does that mean someone on a podcast has literally said, you can't have bananas and avocado? Yeah, I think it's like, do waste your money. That is absolutely insane. And so to clarify this, the guru, Dr. Thithi, who is a dermatologist, resident nutritionist, has a voice note for you. Dr. Thivie here, thank you for your question. So with regards to hormonal acne, what I would recommend is to be careful about your refined sugar intake. That doesn't mean cutting out all sweet things altogether.

It just means being balanced and having those foods at the end of a meal rather than on their own when they're more likely to increase your blood sugar and that blood sugar elevation can sometimes contribute to breakouts. Of course, you know, we all enjoy these things as part of a balanced diet. The other thing is to eat plenty of fibre and look after your gut health because there is a gut skin link in acne as well. And to save money on bananas and avocado, no, I think these are really important for our overall health and well-being. So bananas are a great source of fibre and several vitamins as well. And avocados, of course, are full of essential fatty acids which are very important for skin health because they moisturise your skin from within. So don't need to cut these out of your diet.

Thank you so much Thithy. And just to reiterate, we cannot be saying an isolation, particular foods are good or bad for your skin. I mean, to save your money on bananas and avocados, I mean, these foods will have very good beneficial components for our skin health long term, especially avocados with healthy fats. You know, we don't talk about that enough. And the antioxidant vitamin E, which you find within avocados as well, I'm sure that having a bit of fruit and veg in your diet is nothing to fear when it comes to your skin health. If anything, it's what we should be encouraging. What was this podcast? Yeah, it also, it's all just part of the kind of soup that makes health and wellness so confusing where you're like, oh my gosh, shall I now not eat avocados?

And, okay, not something to about. The big soup pot is being stirred. The giant quagmire of like pretty murky soup is getting, I'm imagining it like a witch's brew, you know? Yeah, yeah. Oh, like all green and like frogs and anyways. Steaming. Oh, love it. Right, Lorena, she said after six years, I'm trying to control my insulin resistance. We'll define that for everyone else in a sec. My doctor prescribed me a GLP1.

Interesting. She said, I know it's controversial, but it's not for losing weight. It's because if my insulin keeps rising, I'll be pre-diabetic. My question is, do you have a recommendation as to how to eat while on the medication? I know I'm supposed to prioritize protein and strength training to prevent muscle loss, but I don't want to overlook my fibre. Love it. How do I take care of my microbiome?

Why I'm doing this? big question and it's actually really important to raise that gLP ones are used for such a variety of reasons and there's actually loads of research coming out now that they can be used for different types of illnesses as well even fertility they can enhance fertility potentially as well but then you're not meant to take them once you fall pregnant so we're learning a lot more on gLP ones at the moment but what i would say first of all is to keep if you are on this medication is to keep in touch with the medical team. I know a lot of people can self-prescribe themselves these now, which I have a real issue with, but you do need to be checking your levels and status. So it's a valid reason,

first of all, I want to change the perception that it's just about protein, though, because it really isn't just about protein. Yes, while your appetite decreases, all the food you eat decreases, that in itself needs addressing for everybody that's on JLP ones. But the problem is you don't know how each individual is going to react to GLP1s. They can react very differently in terms of side effects. But what I would be thinking about is nutrient density here as well. So trying to support your gut microbiome, which does take a knock when people are on JLP1 medications, you know, simply because we're not getting the variety of food, the quantity

of fibre, you've quite rightly said. Really, really think about eating little and often if you can and make sure those snacks and those items are whole foods and things that are really beneficial for your microbiome rather than focusing just on protein alone because protein comes from the plant-based protein sources and I would try and opt for those if you've not got a huge appetite right now. It's also really, really good for insulin resistance to have things like beans and pulses that are slowly released into the system because of the amount of fibre, oats, nuts, seeds, whole grains, micronutrient deficiency is very hard to avoid on the medications.

we often actually, this is a rare case where I suggest supplementation and in the clinic we're noticing a lot of iron deficiency cropping up as well. B vitamins usually are easy to obtain on a diet, but when you have medication like GLP ones, there's also a question of nutrient absorption on JLP ones now, which is being raised as well. Or a bit hampering nutrient absorption. Yeah.

My own advice would be, don't just think protein, just think I need a Mediterranean-style diet that's full of colour, lots of it and get frequent blood tests and speak to your GP about that because then you can measure lots of these markers more efficiently. Amazing. That's so helpful, Ray. Okay, Ellie has written in to say my questions around healthy mornings. I love that question. Yeah, she says, I feel like there is so much noise around how best to start your day. It's hard to know where to begin and what to do for the best. Is it really that bad having a coffee on an empty stomach? I feel like we all just, everybody wants to know that one.

And do I need to be eating within 30 minutes of waking up? And does my breakfast have to evolve around protein rather than carbs? Ella, I just think mornings, you are such a morning person in comparison to myself. Yeah, I mean, look, this is really like unspecific advice. I think you have to do it in a way that works for you. Like, I think that's the healthiest morning because I think that's the most sustainable morning. Are there some kind of black and white rules for that? Yeah, you know, I think that we know unequivocal.

that we should try not to scroll our phones when we wake up or like wake up and look straight at our emails. I think there are some guardrails in terms of healthy mornings. I think a very, very gentle routine that kind of sets you up for a sense of like, I'm going to look after myself today. It can be great. That might just be having a shower. You know, it doesn't need to be anything really complicated. It might be that you just leave your phone off for the first 40 minutes of the day or something like there.

Maybe you live somewhere. you're more rural and you can open the windows and just look outside. You know, there's huge benefits of natural light when you wake up in the morning. You might not be able to take a walk, but you might be able to just open the window and like breathe in a little fresh air or you might be able to walk to the tube. You know, whatever it is. There are some simple things. Like really try and see natural light if you can.

Try and stay off your phone just for a bit if you can. Don't do them scroll first thing or read really depressing news the second you wake up or open your emails. Breakfast, I think all these things don't have to work for you. I hate eating when I wake up first thing in the morning. I don't think I'm less healthy for it. But again, I think we'll pass over to you now. But I think my only caveat is like, again, we've talked a lot about this recently,

but trying to be a bit in tune with yourself and understand kind of where you're at right now. Like if you are in a really great place in your life, you know, do you have natural stresses, but like not overly stressed, you're probably okay, you know, waiting for your breakfast and having a coffee and just feeling good. if you're in a stage where you are in quite a stress dominant chapter of your life and you're feeling a little overwhelmed, you may find not having breakfast and just having coffee and rushing around isn't great for your overall health. And so it's a very nuanced thing, which is why I said, I think a healthy morning is a morning that suits you and your lifestyle. I think that's the perfect answer, Ella, because there's no rule that you have to eat within 30 minutes of waking up.

Where does that come from? Do you know, let's have a look. There's so many myths surrounding that one. I do believe that some of it may have linked to the fitness industry and fat storage and working out and all that sort of thing in the morning. Perhaps myths surrounding cortisol. I think that's where quite a lot comes from as well. Because when we wake up, your cortisol is naturally higher and then it will peter off throughout the day. And that stress hormones are purely to wake you up.

You know, there's a purpose behind it. But, you know, this is why having a balanced breakfast is key when you do choose to eat, because you want to be giving your body all the nutrients it requires the protein, the fibre, the micronutrients, the vitamins and minerals. Coffee is something I am acutely aware of purely from clinical practice, you know, well over a decade's worth of clients that have benefited massively from delaying that first coffee in the morning, just a little bit of hydrating when they wake up. And that's actually important for heart health too, very important to hydrate when you wake up

because otherwise you've got stomach acid production that can be triggered by a coffee first thing. Some people that may be prone to reflux, anxiety, indigestion, it may not be the most beneficial thing to have on an empty stomach. So sometimes it might be, can you get up in the morning, hydrate naturally, and then have breakfast when you're ready and then have a coffee and try and do all that before 11 o'clock because of the shelf life of the caffeine. But otherwise, it's definitely what works for you. I love that. Okay. Final question today is anonymous and our anonymous listener said, I would love your help in understanding the conflicting advice around sugar intake, especially when it comes to fruit and healthy snacks, which might contain things like dried fruit, maple syrup, honey. I'm currently working with a clinical dietitian to help with some gradual, sustainable weight loss. She's given me a very balanced and realistic eating plan that includes fruit between meals.

At around 5pm, when I'm always hungry, I have a piece of fruit along with this, sesame honey bars and plain yogurt or even little chocolate. What confuses me is the growing amount of advice and seemingly scientific evidence, particularly from people who focus heavily on glucose spikes, suggesting that we should never eat fruit or sugary foods on their own between meals. According to that, advice fruit, honey maple syrup,

similar foods should only be eaten immediately after a main meal and snacks between meals should be savoury only. I'm really trying to build eating habits that are realistic and sustainable for life and I'm not sure what to do. I'm not diabetic and nor do I have. have any other apparent health issues. I'd really appreciate your thoughts and clarification on this topic and thanks for all the helpful information. I think Ella and I would have a lot to add to this

type of question. I think I'll start by saying that what the dietitian is currently doing with you is very important because in order to regain your autonomy around food and fill your best and achieve your sustainable goal of weight loss, your body has to be adequately fueled. And the first place where I see where most people go wrong with weight loss is the immense restriction and the chaotic behavior that doesn't actually help your body to function and what some people really, really need isn't intuitive initially. It's routine and structure. And the best thing you can do is have breakfast around the same time every day, your snack around the same time, your lunch around the same time because that often prevents emotional eating cues because you're constantly satisfied,

fulfilled, you're nourishing your body. And it's very methodical. And actually that way of eating can suit lots of people when they find themselves in times of chaos around food. So all of that really, really can work. And I would especially say the biggest snack trap, as I would say in clinic, is that post-work time where most people try to avoid a snap before they get home, but actually the best thing to do would be to have something that's beneficial like a handful of nuts for a piece of fruit before you get on the commute home. Because otherwise, you arrive at the door ravenous, make a less sensible decision if nothing's prepped at home and that's when binge eating behaviours

or patterns are most likely to occur. As for glucose bites, I mean Ella and I, it's just the bane of our lives on this podcast because the fear is so unnecessary. It is and like when I was reading your message I just kept thinking this sounds amazing. Like the way that you're saying this dietitian's supporting you and getting set up,

it to me sounds like advice. for life. You know, I'm hungry always at 5 o'clock too. There's no way I couldn't eat between lunch and dinner. Generally, I fancy something on the sweeter side personally at that point. The idea of having some fruit with a honey bar or like some yoga with some honey and little grated chocolate on the top with some apple or something, yum. Like I would be really satisfied by that. Chocolate ice slowly for me. For sure. You're getting all sorts of good stuff in your life, but you're also having joy and it's also yum and you're going to be satisfied and happy. And I think for me, the whole frustration comes from the fact that so much of this advice just feels so temporary,

not the advice you're being given the advice out there. And it therefore isn't realistic and it's not sustainable. It's so kind of clickbaity and of the moment. And I think most people don't always want to have a savory snack. And that's more than okay. And I think, you know, we talked about this on Monday that like so much of the online world with the whole maxing thing is focused on this idea of perfection. And first of all, I think there's something bad. or non-perfect in so many ways about what you're saying you've been advised to do.

But second of all, it's delicious and it's joyful and it's sustainable and it's great. And I think that there's just, that is what healthy to me actually looks like because ultimately our health is shaped by our daily habits that add up cumulatively over decades of our life. It's not shaped by what you do over the next two weeks. And if it's not sustainable, it won't really shape your health because it won't last. And I think that's the challenge is, you know, I'm sorry, but who only wants to eat sweet things the second they finish their meal? Like, I actually don't really like pudding. I like my sweet things on their own. Like, I find that more satisfying, kind of full at that point. And I just think what a sad way to live your life. And it's, again, I just don't think it's inherently sustainable for most people. And as I said, I think health is built over a lifetime. And you've got to always be thinking about that.

Do you are something we haven't discussed on this podcast? It's lovely words as well, I love that. I completely and utterly agree, but this is why relationships with food are so, so important. The decisions we make around food are often not biologically driven, they're psychologically driven. And that is the key defining factor with so many of the questions we get related to dietary intake. But one thing we didn't touch on, which was this particular glucose trend. And we all know the voice online that does promote fear around fruit and users, studies that aren't actually studies to create images of graphs that do spikes and falls in glucose,

creating fair. It's normal to have fluctuations, but you don't want that, of course, permanently all the time. But what I will say is those same people try to sell you protein powders that are like, could you have a look at her at how much it is, who has gone from saying, you know, follow me, follow me for my advice and is then selling a protein powder that is not unique by any shape or form, that other brands are already selling the same formulation of, but charging an absolute premium. This is a red flag, massively to credibility, in my opinion. Yeah, $120.

So for £100 a month, you know, to be selling what, probably not even a portion of protein powder a day for a month, all that money can be going towards beneficial food to have within your diet, stocking your cupboards with beans and posses and oats and all the lovely fruit that you want to get in. Treat yourself to pack a pomegranates, why don't you? There's all these things to be said for it.

I think when commercial gain gets in the way of credible scientific advice, there's a really questionable element. Within reason, everyone has to make a living. I completely understand that. I respect that I understand what that's like myself. But I think that's a massive red flag and why the glucose trend has to die, Ella, unless you're diabetic and it's very serious. As I said a second ago, it's just all adds up to this murky soup

where we just don't know where to turn and it all gets confusing and it all gets overwhelming and we feel like we need to be maxing or having these complicated or expensive solutions and to me what you've been not prescribed but recommended

of like some yoga and a honey bar and a piece of fruit, fantastic, like just great and I think to me I just, yeah, as I said it's like simple habits that add up over a lifetime

that's what will change your health and don't forget stress is like one of the worst things for your health so if you're stressing about these things. That's really, really, really not constructive either. A hundred percent. So bearing that in mind everybody, thank you so much for sending in your questions. We have got another jam-packed episode that is coming for you on Monday. In fact, I think we are going into fruit juice and supplement

myths in bigger depth, Ella, than we are doing today. Yeah, we are. We're going to be talking a little bit more exact as we said about some hormonal things, some supplement myths, some fruit juice, all sorts of stuff. So we cannot wait to see you on Monday. Have a great. time in between guys. Thanks for listening. Thank you. Also guys, sorry, we've got to say we just realized we were the number one episode in health and wellness last week. It is dominated by some absolutely mega, mega, mega, mega, longstanding podcast and we just want to say the biggest. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you, times a million. It's honestly epic to see the fact that number one slot was contained

by wellness scupers. So have a great weekend, everyone. Yeah, keep it coming, guys. Thanks again.