Nutrition for Students Charlotte Stirling-Reed


Welcome to our Q & A Special Guest Speaker Charlotte Stirling-Reed for a SPECIAL Q & A on Nutrition.
Charlotte regularly provides quotes and articles for magazines & newspapers such as: Mother & Baby, Harper’s Bazaar, The Metro, The Guardian, Women’s Health and Pregnancy & Birth amongst others, and recently featured as an expert on Channel 4’s ‘Food Unwrapped’, and 5 Live news. Charlotte has also been asked to join discussions on the radio, most recently on LBC’s Breakfast show discussing the changes to school meals.
Charlotte has a first class degree in Nutrition and Human Biology and a Postgraduate Degree from Bristol University in Nutrition and Public Health.
Registered with the Association for Nutrition, the Nutrition Society, SENSE Nutritionists and the Guild of Health Writers, Charlotte is an expert who continues to develop on her learning and experiences in the field.

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5You, Tina Gattrell and 3 others

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Natasha Everard I would like to start this Q & A by asking the first question :- How can healthy eating, if any, improve my performance at work? Guest Speaker

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Yulia Taylor Hello. It’s a very interesting question

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Paula Rutter Are we here ?
Hello 
What snacks can u recommend whilst studying instead of sweets
I feel I need sugar for energy boost

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Tina Gattrell Does eating chocolate, sweets affect our memory and concentration

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Guest Speaker Hi Tina, good question. I don’t believe that eating these foods has been linked to memory in any research. However, these foods are a short term source of energy that often result in an energy dip shortly after. Therefore it’s best not to choose these at a time when you need to concentrate and take lots of information in. See some of the snack suggestions I made below!

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Tina Gattrell

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Tina Gattrell

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Guest Speaker Hi Natasha, Good question. Nutrition plays a role in so much that we often don’t realise. This can include boosting energy levels which in turn can improve concentration, motivation and even productivity. Eating the right foods and having a good routine around eating is key to staying alert and on track at work too. It’s also likely that if you’re eating the right things, you won’t get so tired at the end of the day and so can carry on getting the most out of your work for longer.

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Natasha Everard Sounds just what i need smile emoticon

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Tina Gattrell Would you say it’s better to eat three meals a day or little every three hours to keep sugar levels more even

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Guest Speaker It really depends from person to person what works for them. I would say that 3 meals and a couple of healthy snack in between meals to top up energy levels and nutrient intakes is the best option for many, but this does vary. It’s good to work out what seems best for you as an individual. What helps to keep you going, what routine seems to boost your energy levels?

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Suzanna Rich Hello Charlotte!

I dont like to eat too much at work or while studying as it makes me sluggish. What little snacks will keep the energy going?

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Guest Speaker Hi Suzanna, Thanks for your question. I have recommended some snacks on another answer. Please see below. Snacks like nuts and raisins are a good option to give you a good, nutrient dense energy boost though.

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Guest Speaker Hi Paula, great question! There are so many great snacks to eat when studying and relying on the ‘quick fix’ of something like sweets is likely to lead to an initial rush of energy but with a big energy dip after, which will be hard to work through. Best snacks are foods like nuts and raisins, nut butter on crackers or toast, a piece of fruit such as a banana, some plain yoghurt with mixed berries, hummus and vegetable sticks, crackers and cheese, low sugar cereals These all tend to be easy to eat but provide a good dose of energy alongside extra nutrients to help boost energy and concentration levels

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Yulia Taylor I am allergic to sugar what energy source can I use for my brain instead?

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Guest Speaker Hi Yulia, I’ve never heard of this before. Can you eat wholegrain carbohydrates? There are so many snacks that you can have as an energy source, sugar actually isn’t the best idea. Nuts and seeds and raisins, plain yoghurt, fruit, crackers, toast and nut butters, vegetable sticks and dips wholegrain cereals are all good options.

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Yulia Taylor Thank you

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Ana M Cancela Hi Charlotte, thank you for answering our questions. Is there any particular foods that help with memory and concentration. We heard a lot about pricey superfoods, is there any alternatives for student budgets?

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Guest Speaker Superfoods don’t really exist. A good diet is the best way to keep your brain functioning well. This includes choosing healthy fats in the form of olive oil for cooking and dressings, beans, lentils and nuts and seeds as plant based sources of protein and plenty of wholegrains and fruits and vegetables. Fish is also an important source of healthy fats and the recommendation for this is to include it 2 a week in your diet (1 time should be oily fish)

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Tina Gattrell Are there any foods that aid in boosting recovery and rehabilitation

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Guest Speaker Not, spepcifically. But recovery and rehabilitation is all about getting the best out of your health and this includes a healthy and well balanced diet. It’s important to try and not focus on one specific food or food group, instead try and eat a balance of foods from all of the 4 main food groups. Importantly, fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet for a number of reasons – helping to protect the body from infections, disease etc. Protein is also an important nutrient to help repair in the body. Most of us get enough protein but we often choose the wrong sources of protein in the diet. Plant based protein coming from nuts, beans, lentlis, pulses and foods like hummus are good options to include in your diet each week as well as dairy, meat and fish in smaller amounts.

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Suzanna Rich I presume too many carbs arent so good?

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Guest Speaker Good question. Carbs have got a bad reputation but actually they are an important source of energy and provide much needed fuel for the brain. We tend to choose the wrong types of carbs (refined and high sugar) and also we tend to eat too much in the way of carbs. Wholemeal and wholegrain options are the best and it’s good to choose low sugar cereals and foods like oats as well as whole grain breads, crackers, pasta etc where ever possible. Also watch the portions you’re having – they should make up less than 1/2 of what is on your plate….Vegetables and or salad should be making up the bulk of your meal.

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Suzanna Rich What are good breakfast options? X

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Guest Speaker Good question. Breakfast options can be so varied and include: grilled english breakfast with plenty of veggies, wholemeal toast and avocado, peanut butter or marmite, wholegrain cereals (low sugar), homemade muesli, porridge or overnight oats and yoghurt, omlette, scrambled egg with red peppers on toast.

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Paula Rutter Is there anything we can do with diet that would help with stress.

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Guest Speaker Not necessarily. Stress and diet seem to be linked, but it’s more often that stress leads you to make the wrong choices with food and these wrong choices are unlikely to be doing anything to boost your mood, concentration and motivation. Important to deal with the source of the stress first. Exercise also a powerful antidote against stress so make sure you’re getting active. Especially as the weather gets warmer and it’s enjoyable to be outside.

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Suzanna Rich If you have a weakness for cake 😊 is there an ideal time of day to eat them?

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Guest Speaker Nope, not at all. Whenever you enjoy it but watch the portions and how regular the cake eating becomes. It might also not be best to start the day on it….!

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Suzanna Rich Guest Speaker it’s usually a once a week thing. Are there any healthy cake cookbooks you can recommend?

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Guest Speaker Yes plenty of good recipes online. I normally halve the sugar at least or replace it with dried fruit, fruit juice etc. Check out some of the recipes by deliciously ella, jamie oliver but do be mindful that honey and agave are still very much sugar!

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Natasha Everard I am wanting to shake up my lunch box, so to speak, and i am always on the go…anything you suggest as a must for my lunch box?

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Guest Speaker Veggie sticks are great. And check out online lunchbox ideasas there really are so many. Last nights leftovers are a way of saving time and reducing food waste. Include a portion of fruit and veg, a portion of wholegrain carbohydrates and some protein and dairy if possible. Pitta pizzas, sandwiches, pasta salads are all good ideas.

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Ania Cyl Hi Charlotte I work in the office and spend some much time just sitting and working at the pc after dinner going back but till the end of the day I feel tired and so full because have not much movement is it anything I can change in my diet?

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Guest Speaker Well trying to break up the time spent sitting could be the first thing to try and change. Every 15-20 nmintues getting up and walking can help. You could get yourself a pedometer and try and build on your daily steps. Also try and take time out for lunch/snacks at work so you actually take in your food – if possible eat outside too and get some fresh air and exercise at the same time. Healthy snacks inbetween meals is a good idea to help you feel better and try and make healthy choices at food time with wholegrains fruits and vegetables etc

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Ania Cyl Thank you

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Sonya Clague Ashbarry Can you tell us more about hydration and the effect this has on us in work and study/assessments?

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Guest Speaker Good question. The brain needs to stay hydrated to work properly. It’s important you’re drinking enough each day and the recommendation is around 8 glasses of fluid for women who are averagely active. Try and have a glass/bottle with you at all times when studying and look out for signs of dehydratiion such as strong smelling urine, headaches, dry mouth or fatigue.

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Sonya Clague Ashbarry Why do some of us have an afternoon slump after lunch – well mine is usually at 3pm

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Paula Rutter Ditto

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Guest Speaker This is so common. It’s usually just fatigue but can be because you’re not choosing the right foods to eat at lunch. Make sure you’re not eating too many refined carbohydrates at lunch and try to include some protein and vegetables in there. Post lunch the stomach is busy digesting and therefore often directs some of the blood flow away from the brain. To keep energy stores up it’s a good idea to add in a 3.00pm healthy snack to give you a boost.

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Yulia Taylor Is it healthy to eat oat porridge for dinner?

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Guest Speaker Healthy food is all about variety. So of course this is fine as a dinner as long as you’re including some fruit and some dairy too but probably not every day. It would be harder to get protein and vegetables into the diet if this were the case. As a quick, healthy dinner this is a fine option but variety is the key to any healthy eating regime. So altering what’s on the menu each day is a good idea.

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Yulia Taylor Thank you. I am allergic for so many food so it is very difficult to have variety.

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Yulia Taylor From fruits I can eat only apples, pears and bananas. And I cannot eat tomatoes, pumpkin, carrot, sugars, honey, lemon, yolk

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Guest Speaker I’d say make a list of the foods you can happily eat and keep trying to build on those. Make sure your allergies are diagnosed properly by seeing a registered dietitian and your GP too who should be able to help.

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Yulia Taylor What is the best time to eat before an exam? Or better eat after?

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Guest Speaker This will vary from person to person and dependent on the time of the exam and length. Very hard to say. But I would say that having a good breakfast before the exam is vital and a nice top up with a healthy snack around 1hour or 30 minutes before you head in too.

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Yulia Taylor Thank you. It is very helpful advice

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Yulia Taylor I mean how digestion can affect our intellectual activity? For example we feel tired and sleepy after heavy meal

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Guest Speaker I have replied to this above I think! Hope it helps!

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Yulia Taylor Yes, indeed. Thank you

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Ana M Cancela Some of us are on our forties and feeling menopause looming, feeling more irritable and tired. Is there any specific foods to combat this?

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Guest Speaker Hi Ana, good question. Mainly menopause diet is just about healthy eating. there are some specific foods such as soy that has been shown to be beneficial to certain symptoms such as hot flushes. However it’s really about eating well and having a good routine around foods to keep your energy levels up. Again plenty of wholegrains, plant based proteins and fruits and vegetables. No miracle foods though I’m afraid. Just about balance, variety and getting exercise in there too.

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Ana M Cancela Thank you Charlotte. I have rosacea an soy makes me extremely red though. But luckily i can have bananas and tomatoes with no problem. Nutrition is fascinating for me. 

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Paula Rutter What foods can affect rosea or eczema as these conditions seem to flare up when we are stressed. What should we avoid

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Guest Speaker This is very individual Paula. So what affects one person is unlikely to affect another in the same way. First of all dealing with the stress triggers is the first move. What’s causing your stress? Dealing with this may educe eczema etc. Second is keeping a food diary and noticing what foods seem to trigger any skin problems specifically. third is getting plenty of exercise which can help reduce stress, boost endorphines and also aid digestion.

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Marie Evans Hi ya
I’m vegetarian (don’t do eggs or fish either) and hate eating meals I find them boring and tend to pick. I go to gym 3x a week but not losing weight (I sit behind a desk all day) what is good healthy food that I can eat without the weight and still pick at?

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Guest Speaker Ok, that’s fine if you don’t like meals – each to their own. But it’s still important that you get plenty of healthy foods in your diet. It’s also important not to just graze throughout the day as, when you do this, you’re likely to over eat without really realising it. So stick to meal times, even if they are only mini meals. Additionally all the snacks and foods I’ve suggested above are great. Nuts, vegetable sticks, hummus, pitta bread, crackers and chese are all good options

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Marie Evans Thank you x

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Natasha Everard Are there any foods that are linked to helping your memory??

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Guest Speaker Hi Natasha, I believe I replied to this above. Let me know if you didn’t get it.

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Guest Speaker No, not from the research. But as I mentioned to someone else… eating good foods and getting plenty of energy and having a good routine around meals is key.

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Guest Speaker This is what I said above…

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Natasha Everard Thank you smile emoticon

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Suzanna Rich Are nuts not v oily? And therefore calorific?

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Guest Speaker I’ve just finished writing an article on nuts and will post it here: www.srnutrition.co.uk/blog on Monday next week! Nuts are a fantastic source of nutrients with a very healthy fat profile (mainly monounsaturated fats or ‘good’ fats) Research shows that nuts actually help us to lose weight, not gain it, despite their high calorie content. They are protein rich and full of fibre and minerals too!

Nutrition and diet blog from Charlotte Stirling-Reed

Nutrition and Diet Blog from Registered Nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed

SRNUTRITION.CO.UK

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Yulia Taylor Is it good to add oat bran to everyday diet

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Guest Speaker Definitely, if you enjoy it. It’s a great food.

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Guest Speaker I’ve just finished writing an article on nuts and will post it here: www.srnutrition.co.uk/blog on Monday next week! Nuts are a fantastic source of nutrients with a very healthy fat profile (mainly monounsaturated fats or ‘good’ fats) Research shows that nuts actually help us to lose weight, not gain it, despite their high calorie content. They are protein rich and full of fibre and minerals too!

 

Nutrition and diet blog from Charlotte Stirling-Reed

SRNUTRITION.CO.UK

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Natasha Everard Does anyone else have any further questions for Charlotte?

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Guest Speaker Thanks Natasha. Sorry if there were some spelling mistakes, the questions were coming in hard and fast initially. Hope I got through everyone.

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Guest Speaker I write about Nutrition regularly and have many blogs at the link above that should help, especially for those really interested in nutrition. Do feel free to follow me on social media too: Twitter:https://twitter.com/SR_Nutrition Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/SRNutrition and instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sr_nutrition/ I share plenty of meal ideas and latest research on nutrition.

 

SR Nutrition (@SR_Nutrition) | Twitter

Senaste Tweets från SR Nutrition (@SR_Nutrition). Consultant Nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed. Media…

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Yulia Taylor Can you recommend good online source of nutrition information.

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Yulia Taylor Oh I think it was answer for my question, thank you

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Guest Speaker Yes, be careful what you read and check it from someone Regsitered (registered Nutritionist or dietitian) because otherwise it’s just opinions, not facts. Check out my blog or there is www.bda.uk.com for factsheets that are all evidence based.

 

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Natasha Everard May i say WHAT AN EXCELLENT Q & A this evening. I would like to say a big thank you for Charlotte giving up her free time this evening for what has been a fantastic and very informative Q & A. Thank you so much for this evening smile emoticon

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Guest Speaker Thank you all for having me. Please do follow me and feel free to drop me any questions on there at a later date. Have a lovely evening.

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Natasha Everard Thank you!

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Ana M Cancela Thank you Charlotte, it has been very insightful 

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Suzanna Rich Thank you Guest Speaker! Xx

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Yulia Taylor Thank you very much

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Guest Speaker Thanks all!

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Sonya Clague Ashbarry Thank you!

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Maele Tshediso Edward Wat a resouceful information, eish I failed to participate due to electricity shortage. #thank you.

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