Kelly Hafner Nutrition

Eating locally and seasonally is a fantastic way to enjoy the freshest, most nutritious foods.

Redcurrants, in season during the summer, are rich in antioxidants that help protect our bodies from oxidative stress.

A recent study from researchers at Hacettepe University in Turkey highlighted the antioxidant capacity of produce based on colour, emphasizing the powerful benefits of red/blue/purple . The study found that these colourful foods are particularly effective in boosting our antioxidant status, contributing to reduced inflammation and lower risk of chronic disease.

Embrace the season and add some locally grown redcurrants to your diet for a burst of flavour and health!

Cruciferous Rainbow 🌈

Consumption of cruciferous vegetables has long been associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases.

This can be contributed in part to a bioactive compound derived from cruciferous veg called sulforaphane. This powerful compound has been shown to positively influence genetic expression, reduce inflammation, encourage favourable oestrogen metabolism and support detoxification.

Also, consuming different coloured varieties of the same vegetable provides a wider range of phytonutrients which feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut and help to increase diversity in the microbiome.

Top tip - the action of chopping or chewing activates the enzyme needed to produce sulforaphane from cruciferous veg while sustained boiling or heat can inactivate the enzyme. I recommend chopping your veg and letting it sit for 30 min before lightly steaming.

With the weather getting cooler, it’s the perfect time to incorporate more nutrient-dense soups like this one into your diet.

Watercress has bitter properties which help to stimulate digestion and absorption, promote satiety and according to Dr Jeffrey Bland, may help to rejuvenate the immune system:

Watercress also contains:

✅Isothiocyanates which may help to prevent cancer
✅ Sulforaphane which supports detoxification of harmful oestrogens
✅Lutein and xeaxanthin for eye health
✅ Vit C for immunity and collagen production
✅Nitrates for improved blood flow and exercise performance

Do you regularly include watercress in your diet? Let me know by commenting ⬇️



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I took my favourite buckwheat pancake recipe and supercharged it by using Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat

Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat (HTB) has over 100 phytonutrients and may help to rejuvenate the immune system. Due to the presence of a unique plant nutrient called 2-HOBA, HTB may also help to reduce biological ageing by protecting the body’s proteins from biological ageing processes.

HTB is rich in quercetin, rutin and luteolin, polyphenols which may help to coordinate an effective immune response, lower blood pressure, improve blood vessel function and reduce cholesterol levels.

Rutin and the high-fibre content of HTB may also help to increase insulin sensitivity and improve weight loss.

Here is the recipe:

Dry ingredients:

1/2 c Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat
1/2 c regular buckwheat flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 fine sea salt
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

Wet ingredients:

3/4 c plant milk (plus more if too thick)
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional:

Chocolate chips or wild blueberries to add to batter.

Mix dry ingredients, add wet and stir until mixed through. Heat skillet with a little coconut oil cuisine and drop 1/4 c of pancake batter onto heated skillet. Cook for a few minutes and flip to cook the other side. Repeat until done and enjoy 😊

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464616302122

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32739818/

I am so grateful when I receive messages like this 🙏🏻 However, my advice is only one piece of the puzzle. Establishing a positive therapeutic relationship built on collaboration and trust is key. The real credit goes to lovely clients like this that put in the hard work and make the changes necessary to achieve their goals ❤️

BEET GREENS sautéed with a little EVOO & fresh garlic. To retain the medicinal benefits of garlic, press or chop garlic 20 min before cooking and add to your dish at the very end for just a few minutes, being careful not to overcook.

The benefits of beet greens are numerous!

Folate supports cardiovascular and reproductive health.

Lutein & Zeaxanthin protect and support vision.

Calcium, Vitamin K and manganese help to maintain healthy bones.

Vitamin C supports the immune system, adrenal glands (stress support) and collagen production.

Fibre helps to keep digestion running smoothly and supports detoxification.

You can add beet greens to salads, soups and stews, enjoy them juiced, in smoothies or simply sauté and enjoy as a side dish.

PURPLE FOODS AND MENTAL HEALTH

Did you know that purple plant foods contain compounds that support cognition and mental health?

Foods like blueberries, purple grapes, purple carrots and purple sprouting broccoli (in season now!) contain mood and brain modulating flavonoids that help to support learning, cognition and mood and may even help to reduce anxiety through their ability to bind to GABA (our calming neurotransmitter) receptors in the brain.

Minich DM. A Review of the Science of Colorful, Plant-Based Food and Practical Strategies for "Eating the Rainbow". J Nutr Metab. 2019 Jun 2;2019:2125070. doi: 10.1155/2019/2125070. Erratum in: J Nutr Metab. 2020 Nov 28;2020:5631762. PMID: 33414957; PMCID: PMC7770496.

Preventing Alzheimer's Disease | Hope for the Future? | DNApal Kate Scott discusses new research and treatment protocols showing promising results for preventing Alzheimer's Disease in the future.

Lions Mane Mushroom 🍄

I was surprised to find this amazing mushroom at my local farmers market today! It was quite timely after spending yesterday at the IHCAN Conference learning all about brain health and the latest research in Alzheimer’s Disease 🧠

Lions Mane may be a powerful adjunct in supporting brain health due to its high polyphenol content and ability to increase levels of key antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH).

This is especially relevant because oxidative stress and inflammation are closely linked to neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s.

Not quite sure what to do with it though! am thinking I may blend it into cauliflower soup or add it to a stir-fry.

Please comment below and lmk if you have cooked with Lion’s Mane or if you have any suggestions!

Including a variety of colourful plant foods in your diet each week has been shown to increase both the number and species of beneficial bacteria in the gut, this is referred to as microbiome diversity.

So, why is this important and what do these friendly bacteria do for us??

🦠 They support a healthy and balanced immune response
🦠 They reduce allergies and hypersensitivity responses
🦠 They support the integrity of the intestinal lining
🦠 They crowd out potentially harmful bacteria
🦠 They modulate inflammation
🦠 They produce B vitamins and Vit K
🦠 Impact mental health via the gut-brain axis
🦠 They improve blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity

And more!

The magic happens when you include 30+ different plant foods per week. Additionally, including colourful plant foods has been shown to positively influence genetic expression. 🧬

If you’d like to learn more, check out my recent series of blog posts at www.DNApal.me

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8070776/

My afternoon go-to for a pick me up 🍫 Anyone else?

Fresh berries from the Farmer’s Market. Berries are a great source of polyphenols which help to mop up free radical damage, reduce inflammation and feed the good bacteria in our gut. 🫐🍓🍒

Today is World Microbiome Day so I thought I’d share some helpful strategies you can put in place to look after the health of your gut 🦠

It’s also important to be mindful of and minimise the many things in modern life that can negatively impact gut health:

Poor diet - processed foods, sugar, refined carbohydrates, alcohol, damaged fats 🍩

Medications/antibiotics - these are sometimes necessary but it’s important to put strategies in place to minimise the negative impact that some medications can have. 💊

Chronic Stress - this is a big one. Prolonged stress impacts our digestion and absorption of nutrients and is pro-inflammatory. Practicing deep breathing and spending time in nature can really help here. 🧘‍♀️🌳

Environmental exposures - toxins in our food, air, water and personal care products can harm the beneficial bacteria in the gut and lead to dysbiosis (an imbalance in gut bacteria). This can contribute to intestinal permeability (I.e. leaky gut) and inflammation.

Infections - For example, research shows that COVID can deplete gut bacteria that help to modulate our immune system. Infections can also harm the gut lining which can lead to systemic inflammation. 🔥

The good news is that by implementing certain diet and lifestyle strategies you can positively impact the health of your gut.

Colourful plant foods rich in polyphenols, prebiotics, probiotics and fibre can help to reduce inflammation, increase the beneficial bacteria and improve the integrity of the gut lining. Herbs such as garlic and ginger can also help to reduce harmful gut bacteria.

Exciting line-up for the conference today!

-COVID and the Gut Microbiome
tomobryan - Early Biomarkers of Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration

- Lyme, EBV, COVID, Mercury and Mold Illness - Similar symptoms but different therapeutic approaches

Dr Cheryl Burdette - Lowering the Inflammatory Load Through Lifestyle

As a member of BANT, I help my clients to implement important diet and lifestyle strategies to improve their health, energy and well-being and ultimately empower them to be in charge of their own health!

BANT upholds the highest of standards in the field of Nutritional Therapy and I am proud to be a member.

Prebio Banana Loaf 🍌

This is a fantastic banana bread recipe and treat for your microbiome from


This recipe contains two different prebiotics, GOS and PHGG, which are key to improving the health of the gut microbiome by supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria 🦠


GOS may help to:

✔️Support intestinal absorption of minerals
✔️Support the gut-brain axis, improve sleep quality, stress response and anxiety
✔️Modulate oestrogen status by reducing bacteria related enzyme activity in the gut that allows for the recirculation of oestrogens which can lead to unfavourable oestrogen levels.

PHGG is a low-FODMAP prebiotic and well tolerated for people with IBS and SIBO. It can help to:
✔️balance bowel movements by improving both diarrhoea and constipation
✔️increase bifidobacterium and other SCFA producing bacteria (short chain fatty acids nourish the gut lining, modulate gut motility, support brain function, reduce inflammation, and more!)


Here is the recipe 🍌

Ingredients:
1/3 c grass-fed butter
3/4 c brown sugar (I used 1/2 c)
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
2 organic eggs
3 tbsp Bio.Me Prebio PHGG (not pictured because I ran out)
1 tbsp Bio.Me Prebio GOS
1 1/4 c Doves GF self raising flour
Handful of walnuts

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 C

Mix wet ingredients then fold in the prebiotics and flour. Mix well. Sprinkle in chopped walnuts. Pour into a well oiled loaf pan and bake for 45 min or until a skewer comes out clean.

I hope you enjoy!

Loving this book by on reversing biological age through implementing diet and lifestyle strategies that positively influence genetic expression.


I was first introduced to (the interaction between diet & lifestyle and our genes) several years ago while studying for my nutrition qualification and have since done further training as part of my Continued Professional Development and work with .pal 👏👏👏


When you consider that on average the last 16 years of life are generally spent with one or more age-related chronic diseases, this work is truly groundbreaking in that it shows that daily choices when it comes to food, movement, stress management, relaxation and sleep can positively influence our quality of life as we age.

IT’S EARTH DAY 🌎


Eating produce that’s in season and locally grown is a great way to help protect our planet.


It also means that you will be getting more nutrients and greater diversity in your diet which is so important to support the beneficial bacteria 🦠 in your gut.


The beneficial bacteria that reside in our gut help us to digest our food, regulate our immune system, protect against other ‘not so friendly’ bacteria and produce certain B vitamins and vitamin K.


Greater microbiome diversity has been associated with more favourable health outcomes while loss of microbiome diversity is a common finding in several disease states.


I always encourage my clients to eat seasonally and include a minimum of 30 plant 🌱 foods per week!


https://dpi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2016.02.005

STRESS AWARENESS MONTH


It’s not realistic to think that we can get rid of stress from our lives. Stress can be physical, mental or emotional and certainly, it’s wise to minimise stress where we can but it’s also important to have strategies in place to support our body and mind when facing life’s challenges.


A good place to start is to ensure that you are replacing important nutrients that are lost due to the extra demands that stress places on our physiology.


When feeling stressed, ensure that you have optimal intake of all essential nutrients with a focus on B vitamins, vitamin C, Zinc and Magnesium.


B vitamins get used up very rapidly during stress. B5 is needed to make adrenal hormones and B6 and zinc help insulin in its function of transporting glucose into our cells.


Magnesium, sometimes referred to as ‘nature’s tranquilliser’ is often lacking in the diet and is vital for helping the body deal with stress, is calming and supports a balanced mood.

Sounds like a good reason to enjoy some magnesium-rich dark chocolate 😉 🍫

Wishing you all of the hope that Easter brings!

The EWG’s updated Dirty Dozen list is here! These are the 12 fruits and vegetables that you should always buy organic.


Exposure to pesticides in our food can lead to disturbed metabolism and subsequently chronic illness.


This year, the EWG’s report found that nearly 70% of non-organic samples tested positive for at least one pesticide.


Additionally, a single sample of kale, collard and mustard greens contained up to 20 different pesticides.


And even though citrus fruits didn’t make the list, nearly 90% of samples tested positive for an endocrine disrupting fungicide and potential carcinogen.


If you cannot buy organic, be sure to wash and scrub your produce thoroughly. You can also soak in either baking soda or apple cider vinegar and water.

It’s World Sleep Day and this past year has brought a lot of attention to the importance of sleep for all aspects of our health.


As someone who has experienced insomnia at various points in my life, I am keenly aware that anxiety and a hyper-focus on sleep can create a vicious cycle of poor sleep and anxiety that leads to more problems sleeping.


Long before it was trendy I had strategies in place to support my sleep - this was out of sheer necessity! I have found that it’s not one thing but the combination of things that help to calm the nervous system and promote deep, restorative sleep.

I have also started to track my sleep with and it has been life-changing for me to see the impact of how these lifestyle strategies can help to reduce the impact of stress by increasing Heart rate variability and improving recovery.


Sending ❤️ and encouragement to anyone out there who has experienced insomnia. It is possible to improve your sleep and feel human again! 💤

When I think about the wonderful women who have touched my life - grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters, cousins, friends, teachers, nurses, colleagues - these are just some of the words that come to mind. Happy International Women’s Day to all of you amazing women out there!

HEART HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH ❤️

I am sure we could all use an boost of oxytocin this Valentines Day! I hope you find some time to do something that fills you up, makes you feel loved and brings you joy this weekend 💓

I am often asked whether or not I think coffee is healthy and as with many things in the world of nutrition, the answer is it depends.


Coffee can be part of a healthy diet but there are many factors to consider.


If your stress levels are high and you are feeling rundown or burnt out, it is probably best to avoid coffee for a period of time due to its impact on stress hormones and blood sugar levels.


Genetics also influences how your body processes caffeine. If you have a variation on your CYP1A2 gene, it may mean that you are a slow caffeine metaboliser and you might experience increased anxiety levels and hypertension if you drink more than a cup or two per day.


If you have a variation on ADORA2A you will likely be more prone to caffeine related sleep disturbances.


I am a slow caffeine metaboliser but I do drink a cup of coffee most days. I am super excited about this coffee! It has the antioxidant power of 12 punnets of blueberries, is rich in niacin which is necessary for DNA repair and energy production and it is free from pesticides, mycotoxins and heavy metals. It is so important to choose high quality beans if you 💓 your coffee as much as I do!