Nutritional Blog

Aisling Murray has a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and offers a one to one specialist nutrition service at Whelehans Pharmacy. Call Whelehans at 04493 34591 for an appointment

You may think that by avoiding lunch and holding out until dinner will save you some calories but this theory couldn’t be further from the truth. Bear in mind, replacing food with juices is also considered skipping meals (no matter how amazing your juicer is or how organic your fruit and veg). Juices are recognised by the body as liquid and not food and they are digested rapidly by the body giving you very little or no sustenance.

Blood Sugar Drops and Spikes

One of the most important reasons that skipping meals is unhealthy is the effect on your blood sugar.

 Why slow weight loss is easier to maintain

Every woman needs to intake 1900 calories a day and every man needs to intake 2450 calories a day. By restricting your calorie intake over a long period of time, you may slow down your metabolism and as a result weight loss will become slower. When your weight loss is slower your metabolism is kept constant and you lose weight steadily. You are not restricting calories or food and your diet will be more balanced and healthy. You will see better weight loss results down the line. Not only are you sheading the pounds but you are educating yourself on healthy eating habits that are easier to maintain. Your energy levels are increased, unhealthy food cravings are reduced and you are not obsessing over food.

Whelehans Nutrition Service

Whelehans nutritional service is a private one to one advice service with our nutritionist Aisling Murray. Aisling’s areas of interest include weight loss management, nutrition education and food intolerance. Our nutrition service offers you the chance to change your life in a positive way by focusing on your overall wellbeing as well as the chance to follow up on your progress. Plans start from only €10 per week.

Aisling Murray has a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and offers a one to one specialist nutrition service at Whelehans Pharmacy. Call Whelehans at 04493 34591 for an appointment

If you are trying to lose weight or have lost weight in the past then you will know how much of an adjustment it is. When you initially make the decision to lose weight you feel motivated, ambitious and you are intent on improving you eating habits. This feeling may increase when you see how quickly the weight is coming off (as it does in the early weeks). However weight loss eventually stabilises...

Whelehans Nutrition Service

Whelehans nutritional service is a private one to one advice service with our nutritionist Aisling Murray. Aisling’s areas of interest include weight loss management, nutrition education and food intolerance. Our nutrition service offers you the chance to change your life in a positive way by focusing on your overall wellbeing as well as the chance to follow up on your progress. Plans start from only €10 per week.

Aisling Murray has a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and offers a one to one specialist nutrition service at Whelehans Pharmacy. Call Whelehans at 04493 34591 for an appointment

Healthy Eating

 Aisling Murray has a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and offers a one to one specialist nutrition service at Whelehans Pharmacy. Call Whelehans at 04493 34591 for an appointment

Migraine: Foods to Avoid

This is the final of my series of three articles in Examiner about migraine.

Food additive triggers

Additives like flavour enhancers, sweeteners and preservatives can all lead to migraines.  They include monosodium glutamate (MSG) which can cause a condition known as “Chinese restaurant syndrome”; one of the main symptoms of this is headache. MSG is present in packet soups, Oxo cubes, soy sauce, certain crisps, sauces and Chinese restaurant food. Always check the food label to identify if a food contains MSG.  Aspartame (sweetener) is present in diet fizzy drinks, sweets, sugar free foods and diet foods, it can cause headaches and in severe cases migraines. So many of us buy diet or sugar free foods and think “healthy”; but for a migraine sufferer these foods can trigger an attack.

Migraine triggers

There are a number of triggers which can bring on a migraine attack and are known to account for 40% of migraines. Seven of the main triggers include: stress, hormonal factors (menstruation, contraception, puberty, and menopause), sleep (lack of, too much), exercise (not enough or going overboard), weather (strong sun, humidity, heat, strong winds, and change in pressure), strong smells and diet. One triggering factor may not result in a migraine; it is generally a build-up of triggers which result in an attack. An example being, if you eat a food which triggers a migraine, then you miss out on a good night’s sleep and have a stressful couple of days then the build-up of all these triggers can result in an attack.

Aisling Murray has a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and offers a one to one specialist nutrition service at Whelehans Pharmacy. Call Whelehans at 04493 34591 for an appointment