Food is our fuel, what we put into our bodies will greatly reflect our health and sense of well-being. I have found in the clinic and personally when I eat a well-balanced diet my energy and moods improve. When I say well balanced, I mean a large variety of foods that are mostly plant-based and look close to what they looked like in nature.

Foods that have been processed may be quick, easy and tasty but they can cause health issues if over-consumed. They also may contain preservatives, food colourings and taste enhancers made from chemicals. These may be carcinogenic, cause allergic reactions and/or hormonal dysregulation. Chemicals in our food can lead to unexplained weight gain where our fat cells are doing an amazing job of looking after our organs by diluting the chemicals with fat!

Eating organically grown food is the best, better flavour and more than 70% better for you. It has been proven that organic fruit and vegetables contain nutrients not found in chemical supported grown vegetables. So, you are getting such wonderful nutrition when you eat organic, and these days, with so many up-and-coming farmers who have seen how much easier it is to have an organic farm, the prices are reasonable. I bought some cauliflower recently for $7 and when I went to a local shop to get some gloves, I noticed they charged the same. Pete Melov in Botany has a wide range of plant-based and animal meats and broths as well as Rhubarb foods co-op and Chomps organic buying group in Mascot.

Even when eating organic, we still need to digest it so chew each mouthful about 30 times to ensure the food is broken down. Have some apple cider vinegar or lemon in water before food if you have had a particularly stressful day as this will improve your ability to digest by increasing the release of hydrochloric acid. The lemon will also help to clean your liver and stimulate the gall bladder to release bile.

If you need a treat, have some nuts, vegetable sticks with hummus or your favourite homemade dip. I enjoy a cannellini, potato and olive dip, cook the potatoes and cannellini beans and then add the olives and blend, add some salt and olive oil and enjoy with carrot sticks. Tahini is another nice dip for vegetables, you can also add crushed garlic to give it some extra spark.

Overall, enjoy good food and bring joy to your heart and stomach when you are eating.

In Sydney, we have some lovely restaurants and ones which I would recommend for a treat are: 

• Broth bar and larder in Bronte 
• Cooh in Alexandria 
• The Acre in Camperdown 
• The Grounds in Alexandria