Earlier this month I had the great pleasure of meeting Dominc D’Agostino - aka “The King of Keto”. Dominic is a researcher and associate professor with a diverse and impressive background in neuroscience, molecular pharmacology, nutrition and physiology. He teaches at the Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida (USF). He is also a Research Scientist at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition and his impressive resume includes a stint working with NASA!

Dominic had travelled from America to present a seminar on Nutritional Ketosis here in Brisbane. The seminar covered a wide range of topics including the effect of ketogenic diet on the gut microbiome, cognition, diabetes, genetic expression, inflammation and cancer.

I was privileged to be able to sit with Dominic during the post-seminar dinner and pick his brains about a topic dear to my heart - ketogenic diet and exogenous ketones for children with Kabuki Syndrome, Dominic is one of the lead researchers in current research being conducted in this area. Dominic was extremely generous with sharing his time, knowledge and expertise in relation to all things keto.

I was delighted to discover that while Dominic is heavily involved in researching the use of exogenous ketones, he also recognizes and advocates for the necessity of appropriate diet in conjunction with the use of dietary supplements. We discussed the potential nutritional deficiencies that can be associated with some of the traditional medical ketogenic diets, and the need to include a variety of low carbohydrate vegetables to support overall nutritional status when undertaking a ketogenic diet.

My time with Dominic has vastly increased my confidence in trailing the use of exogenous ketones with some of my client base, and I’m looking forward to seeing some positive results with this approach. I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from a man with such a wealth of experience and expertise.

Please feel free to reach out for a consultation if you are interested in exploring the benefits of the ketogenic diet.

Keto Nutrition ... See more

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a seminar by Dr Elisa Song MD about integrative treatment strategies for children with complex medical needs. She's a paediatrician based in the US (SF) but travels the world to share her knowledge, so I was lucky enough to meet her all the way over here in Australia. The seminar content was outstanding. The perfect addition to my ever-growing toolkit of strategies to help kids with challenges to be the best version of themselves possible.

I also had the chance to talk to Andrew Whitfield-Cook from FX Medicine, who had coincidentally just hosted a podcast about clinical interventions using ketones the previous day. And that podcast had made mention of Kabuki Syndrome!

Feeling grateful to have had the opportunity to soak up more knowledge about one of my biggest passions - optimal nutrition and lifestyle interventions for children and young adults.

Elisa Song, MD - Healthy Kids Happy Kids

FX Medicine ... See more

Deeply nourishing and delicious chicken and veggie soup. Made with homemade chicken stock, carrots, celery, swede, spinach, Cavolo Nero (black Tuscan kale), cannellini beans, garlic and ginger. Fresh sprouts and sauerkraut thrown on top before serving to enhance digestion and gut health.

This bowl of goodness is packed full of flavour. The sweetness from the swede perfectly balances the bitterness of the kale, and the pop of sourness from the kraut makes my taste buds smile 🙂 Enjoy! ... See more

Playdates don't have to mean junk food. Offer a platter with a range of healthy choices and you will likely be pleasantly surprised by how much is gobbled up. This entire platter was demolished by two young girls and their mums. Include some vegies, fruit, protein and healthy fats to get a great range of healthy nutrients and satisfy hungry tummies.

This platter contains capsicum (red peppers)- olives, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, chicken, rice crackers, mandarin, apples sttawberries and a dip made with Dijon mustard and whole egg mayo, but you can mix it up with whatever takes your fancy. I've found that lttle bits of lots of things tends to be better received than a plate with larger portions of just one or two things. Why not try this out next time you have littlies come to visit? ... See more

It's cold and flu season in Australia. The perfect time to support your immune system with some delicious homemade Fire Cider.

Apple cider vinegar, brown onion, red onion, garlic, ginger, horseradish, tumeric, carrot, celery, apple, rosemary, thyme, orgeno, green and red chillis, lemon. Cover the chopped ingredients with the apple cider vinegar and place in a darkened cupboard for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, add a little local honey (for best antihistamine benefits) and drain off the liquid.

The vinegar can be taken as a digestive and immune boosting tonic - 5mls to 15 mls per day, or a bit more if you have a cold or flu.

If you don't enjoy it straight (I LOVE it straight), you can dilute it into a tea, or use it as a salad vinegar. Blitz up the seperated solids to make a tasty and fiery immune-boosting paste to add to your curries, soups or stir-fries.. Nom nom.

The recipe can be varied so don't get too caught up on the exact ingredients. This is one of my favourite combinations, but I also love it with orange as well as lemon. There are plenty of variations to this recipe out there, so find what suits you best, and enjoy! ... See more

Coconut oil - super food, or not so super?

Yes, coconut oil has health benefits. It contains medium chain triglycerides such as caprylic acid, lauric acid and capric acid, which have proven medicinal qualities. It has antimicrobial, antibacterial and antiviral properties. But overconsumption is not doing our planet any favours, and some coconut oils are not much healthier than margarine.

Coconut oil has been a fairly new trend in Western society. It was probably only about ten years ago that people "on the fringe" started to be aware of its benefits. And it is really in the last few years that the benefits of coconut oil have become well known to the general public, resulting in significantly increased demand.

As with all things, when demand goes up exponentially, we can start to run into trouble.

As demand for coconut oil has skyrocketed, mangroves are being cleared for coconut monocropping, which is destroying coastal ecosystems.. Monocrops decrease biodiversity, deplete the soil, and require intensive input of fertilizer.

And if you are consuming anything other than virgin cold pressed or expeller pressed coconut oil, you probably aren't doing your body any favours either. Refined coconut oil has usually been extracted using solvents, and is then bleached and deodorised.

Instead of overdosing on coconut oil, choose from a range of healthy oils. Use some virgin organic coconut oil for your curries, or frying, or for roasting vegetables. Use olive oil on salads or for low heat cooking. Include oily fish, avocados and nuts in your diet, and experiment with other oils such as walnut, pumpkin seed and hemp. Our bodies were designed to eat a wide variety of foods, and our planet was designed to host a wide variety of plants. Use some common sense and your body and the planet will thank you for it. ... See more

Healthy eating doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming My daughter gobbled this up for breakfast. It's just as good for lunch or dinner. Swiss chard (silverbeet) with ghee and lemon, hot-smoked salmon and blueberries. A super easy way to enjoy a healthy dose of Omega 3s along with a plethora of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

If you are avoiding casein and lactose and can't be certain your ghee is completely pure, use olive oil or coconut oil instead of ghee. ... See more

My daughter and I were amazed and delighted to see this Whole Foods Health Cafe vending machine at the Prince Charles Hospital today. Packed full of fresh salads, hearty soups and other things including vegie sticks and guacamole, mushroom risotto, vegetable broth, fruit salad and so much more. Most of it was gluten free and some of it was even vegan. A massive improvement from the last time we were at this hospital, when they were unable to provide my daughter with a gluten free/ dairy free dinner or breakfast when she was an inpatient. And when the only options in the vending machines were chips and chocolates. Exciting times!

Let's hope this is in indicator of hospitals starting to place more emphasis on the importance of food in healing. Our bodies need proper nourishment to support our immune systems, to repair wounds and to fight infections. Imagine being offered nourishing soups when you wake up from surgery, instead of custard, jelly and white bread sandwiches!

If you are facing an upcoming surgery, please feel free to reach out to make an appointment
I can provide you with detailed information on how to nourish your body before and after surgery to support your healing. ... See more

I woke up feeling a bit flat this morning and was craving something salty and savoury. I walked into the loungeroom and spotted a giant packet of potato crisps that my flatmate had bought. I was so tempted to just rip that packet open and devour them for breakfast. No effort required. But I decided I should at least attempt to get some nutrients into me. And in less than 5 minutes I had this on the plate.

Yes, there is corn on the plate. Tinned, non organic and likely GMO. And yes .shock, horror .that is tinned tuna. Because eating well isn't about perfection. It's about eating foods that provide us with a range of nutrients, and making better choices at those times when the ease of a packet of crisps is all too tempting.

I'm still going to have some crisps. but now it's going to be a small handful, not the whole bag. So by all means allow yourself the odd "infraction" (unless of course you are working on intensive healing, at which point you really do need to be diligent). But be sure that you are getting plenty of nutrient rich food in your diet each day to fuel your body and brain. As a wise woman once said to me "ninety percent of what I eat is for health, ten percent is for being human". ... See more

Another easy yet delicious soup. This one is great to support liver detoxification pathways.

Homemade chicken stock, leeks, onion, red cabbage, green cabbage, celery, bok choy, sunflower sprouts, lentils, ginger, garlic, chilli.

Soak your lentils first for easy digestion, or leave them out altogether if you are following an autoimmune protocol, paleo diet or GAPs diet. Cook the leeks and onions before adding them to the simmering stock. Throw all the other ingredients in at the last minute and simmer just long enough to slightly soften the cabbage. Enjoy! ... See more

A ridiculously easy and delicious soup that is a family favourite. My daughter asks for this regularly..winter or summer. Cauliflower and leek. Slice white parts of 1 to 2 leeks (retain green tops to add to your next batch of homemade stock). Saute in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil Chop 1 whole cauliflower,. I include the leaves and stalk, so nothing goes to waste. Add 2 to 4 cups of chicken stock, then add enough water to just cover. Simmer until cauliflower is soft (about 20 minutes). Blend and season to taste with salt and pepper. I like to throw a handful of mixed sprouts on top for freshness and extra nutrients.

Cauliflower is part of the brassica family, which is wonderful for supporting liver detoxification (but don't overdo the brassicas if you have suboptimal thyroid function). Leeks are a prebiotoc food, which feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut. And sprouts are packed full of vitamins and minerals and..well ..they're just yummy!!

If you aren't eating low carb, you can add 2 to 4 potatoes to this recipe.

Enjoy! ... See more

Picky eater? Did you know that a zinc deficiency can lead to disturbances in the perception of taste and smell?

Zinc deficiency is more common in children with autism than in the general population. Zinc deficiency is also more common in people who have digestive disorders, as these disorders can impact on the absorption of zinc. In addition, treatments used for some digestive disorders (for example. antacids or proton pump inhibitors used to treat reflux) can decrease absorption of zinc.

Consider assessing zinc levels in picky eaters, as restoring adequate zinc levels can lead to improved acceptance of a wider variety of foods.

(Image credit Science Direct) ... See more

This right here is the reason I became a Nutritionist. This is my precious daughter. She has autism and a rare genetic condition called Kabuki syndrome. She is a joy and a gift, and she has faced many challenges in her short life. Dietary intervention was a game changer for her. Literally life altering. It was life altering for me too, as it prompted me to abandon a 20+ year career in research and statistics to study Nutritional Medicine.

My greatest passion is helping people to be as healthy and happy as they can be, especially children with special needs. And appropriate nutrition is a crucial piece in the puzzle of our sometimes complex kids.

Scientific research in the area of health and nutrition is exploding. The number of conditions that can be improved through dietary and lifestyle intervention is far too long to list. What we eat can impact on so many areas of our lives, including gastrointestinal function, sleep, behaviour, mood, function of the immune system and even the state of our skin.

Appropriate nutrition is critical for anyone who wants to be the "best version" of themselves, and perhaps even more so for kids who come to this earth with some extra challenges.

If you have a child who is dealing with some additional challenges in life and you'd like to explore nutritional intervention to help improve their quality of life, please reach out to make a time for a consultation. I'd be delighted to work with you 🙂 ... See more

Another delicious savoury breakfast option, based on a wonderful, warming broth to help heal and seal the gut lining.

This is a traditional Vietnamese Pho, made with beef broth flavoured with aromatics (onion, star anise, ginger, cinammon, cloves, coriander seed and peppercorns). Add finely sliced raw beef, red onion, spring onion, Thai basil, fresh coriander, beansprouts, chilli and lemon to taste. The beef cooks to a perfect medium rare in the heat of the broth.

Pho is traditionally served with rice noodles, but these can be omitted for those eating low carb, paleo or keto style meals. Throw in some brocollini or other green vegies to boost the goodness in this delicious dish.

For those who don't fancy hot breakfasts, this is equally delicious for lunch or dinner. Bon appetit! ... See more

Western breakfasts are so often sweet and/or carbohydrate based meals..cereal, toast, croissants, pancakes, muffins, muesli etc. Think out of the box and get your day off to a better start with a breakfast full of vegies, protein and healthy fats. It will keep you feeling satisfied for so much longer, and help to increase your daily intake of vegetables and fibre.

This one is wild caught barramundi, mushrooms, grilled tomato, avocado and wilted kale with a generous squeeze of lemon (or lime if you fancy).

Excuse the less than perfect background. This is a real breakfast table, compete with dirty knife and a bit of paperwork scattered on the table. You don't have to have the perfect life to start your day with the perfect fuel 🙂 ... See more

My daughter's grain-free school lunch for today. Sugar plums for fruit-break, chicken salad (chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, red capsicum, bean sprouts, grapes, fresh mint) with lemon herb dressing for lunch, carrot sticks and green beans with pesto for afternoon tea.

I'd love to hear other's grain free lunch ideas - what are your favourites? ... See more

Contrary to what we may have been taught, the gut is not just a convenient structure for putting food in at one end, and excreting it out the other. Yes, the gut is responsible for the digestion and absorption of nutrients. But it also plays a huge role in our immune function, psychological function and production of hormones. The gut is often a highly underrated organ, A healthy gut lays the foundations for overall health and wellbeing.

This image was taken from a wonderful book called "'Gut" by Giulia Enders. If you are interested in the fascinating world of gut health, her book is both informative and witty. An easy read and well worth it in my opinion. ... See more

If the leaves on one of your cherished plants start to become discoloured, do you pull out a paintbrush and paint them green? No. You think about whether the plant is getting enough sunlight and water. Whether the plant is getting enough nutrients. Whether the soil contains sufficient healthy microbes for the plant to flourish. Or perhaps whether some sort of parasite, pathogenic bacteria or fungus might be attacking the plant.

When something goes wrong with our body, it can be wise to think along the same lines, rather than turning straight to medications to cover up the symptoms. Are we getting adequate sleep, sunlight, exercise and nutrients? Do we have a healthy gut microbiota? Is our body reacting to particular foods? Is there some sort of external toxin such as mould that could be playing havoc with our system? Finding and addressing the root cause of dysfunction in the body can lead to lasting improvements in health., Don't settle for a "cover up"- discover the root of the dysfunction to start your journey to wellness.

If you would like to talk through ways in which to support your health, please feel free to reach out to arrange a consultation.

www.nourishedpathways.com.au ... See more

As the cool change comes to the southern hemisphere my thoughts turn to simple, nourishing and delicious stock based meals. Super quick and easy to throw together, especially if you pre-cook batches of stock to freeze. Just defrost a portion of stock and throw in a variety of leafy greens, herbs, any other vegies that take your fancy and some beans or lentils for protein. Your liver will thank you, and your gut will too. This one contains home-made chicken stock, leeks, red cabbage, green cabbage, cannellini beans, brown lentils, Pak Choy, celery, shallots (spring onions), rocket, chives, mint, coriander, mung bean sprouts, sunflower sprouts, garlic, ginger, and chilli. Yum. ... See more

It's a well known fact that getting adequate sleep is important for our mental health and physical wellbeing. Sleep is a time during which our bodies rest and repair. Lack of sleep is linked to weight gain, impaired concentration, a greater risk of heart disease and stroke, impaired immune function, mood disorders and issues with blood sugar regulation. In children, adequate sleep is also required to support normal growth and development.

But did you know that lack of sleep is also linked to disturbances in the gut microbiome? A recent Swedish study showed that after just two nights of only four and a half hours sleep, certain beneficial bacteria in the gut were decreased by up to 50%!

With today's busy lifestyle, and particularly if parenting young children, a good night's sleep may be hard to find. Nourish your body this week with some extra sleep. Turn the TV off a little earlier. leave some chores until tomorrow - whatever it takes - your body will thank you for it. ... See more