Hannah Dolan is a dynamic food innovator with a passion for creating nutritious, trend-setting meals. As Head of Food at Nursery Kitchen, she’s revolutionising children's nutrition, ensuring young minds grow with wholesome, delicious food. Previously, at Potage, she streamlined operations and elevated product quality, driving higher customer satisfaction.Her six-year tenure at Pret A Manger saw her rise to Head of Global Food Innovation, where she spearheaded bestselling product launches, expanded Veggie Pret and introduced Pret's first vegan bakery range, boosting sales by 60%. She also laid the groundwork for Pret’s consumer packaged goods and evening menu expansion.Earlier in her career, Hannah honed her skills as a food developer at Bakkavor, and Abergavenny Fine Foods, leading major NPD projects across UK retailers. In this conversation she talks to journalist, Hatty Willmoth, about:Innovation in children’s food.Educating children on food, flavours and textures.Calling on government and early years to set stronger nutrition standards and overcome barriers to great food in the early years.https://nurserykitchen.co.uk/
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Transforming lives through nutrition with Kate Cook
In our latest episode we chat to Kate Cook, a trailblazer in health and nutrition, with over 20 years of expertise transforming lives and workplaces. As a nutrition and wellness expert, author and keynote speaker, Kate has worked with more than 7,000 clients, including corporate giants like JP Morgan and Pret a Manger, to create healthier, happier teams.Her journey began in her late twenties, leaving the art world to pursue nutritional therapy and founding The Nutrition Network to unite practitioners. With a Master’s degree in Anthropology of Food, Kate views nutrition as both science and soul, championing its transformative power.A TEDx speaker and author of seven books, Kate leads a movement proving age is no barrier to wisdom, energy, or impact. Her work continues to redefine wellness in businesses and beyond.In this candid episode she reflects on her career, how to be sensational at 60, and why the personal touch matters more than ever. https://katecook.biz/If you enjoyed this episode, follow us on social media at @ion_nutritionInterested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more.
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Fuel your run by eating smart with Janie Perry
Welcome to our latest episode where we dive into the world of marathon running and sports nutrition with nutritional therapist Janie Perry. From solicitor to a 20-time marathon runner, Janie transformed her career and life, now dedicating herself to offering holistic and sustainable solutions for weight management and sports nutrition. Janie shares her journey and her mission to help women achieve health, energy, and happiness through nutritional therapy and homeopathy. Topics we explore include: The vital role of carbohydrates in marathon training and performance. Why women need to be more mindful of low-carb diets. Balancing carbs, protein, and healthy fats during training. https://www.janieperry.co.uk/ If you enjoyed this episode, follow us on social media at @ion_nutritionInterested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more.
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Obesity and living your best life with Dr Natascha Van Zyl
In this latest episode we delve into the world of obesity with our guest, Dr Natascha (Tasch) Van Zyl, who has dedicated her career to helping individuals living with obesity achieve their best lives. According to Tasch, it’s not just about losing weight or fitting into a smaller frame, but about maximising health outcomes through sustainable lifestyle changes. With a focus on compassion, care, and acceptance, she explores how to support those with health conditions by working within their possibilities and reducing stigma through open, honest conversations. Tune in as we discuss the challenges and triumphs in the journey towards better health and wellbeing. Tasch is a health psychologist and lifestyle medicine specialist who combines her skills in a person-centred and goal-focused approach to support clients in achieving their goals.She is a Senior Teaching Fellow in Health Psychology at the University of Portsmouth. Previously, she headed the Graduate Diploma in Integrative Functional Nutrition, led year six of the Nutritional Practice qualification (BSc), and led the Behaviour Change Module (BSc & Grad Dip) at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION). Tasch writes articles for healthcare publications and academic journals, and hosts her own radio show called Health Naturally.www.drnataschavanzyl.comIf you enjoyed this episode, follow us on social media at @ion_nutritionInterested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more.
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Autoimmunity and autoimmune conditions with VJ Hamilton
In the second episode of our third series ION graduate VJ Hamilton, aka The Autoimmunity Nutritionist, discusses her career shift from chartered accountant to nutritional therapy. She reflects on her journey of self-discovery and how she turned to nutrition after suffering with chronic fatigue and alopecia. VJ has lived symptom free for more than eight years. VJ Hamilton is a Registered Nutritionist (BANT) and an expert in autoimmune disease. VJ combines her knowledge from her medical science degree in Biochemistry & Immunology with Nutritional Therapy to offer a thorough and personalised approach to support her clients based on the most current scientific research. VJ runs a virtual and in-person nutritional therapy and functional medicine practice, The Autoimmunity Nutritionist, specialising in gut skin and immune health. If you enjoyed this episode, follow us on social media at @ion_nutritionInterested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more.
The Optimum Nutrition podcast is a weekly interview series brought to you by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION) - one of Europe’s longest established nutritional therapy training providers. Each episode, we explore a new topic within the world of nutrition with an expert guest, touching on their food and health journeys, and addressing common myths and misconceptions. Together, we’ll discover how powerful food can be for our health and happiness. We’ll find out how a ‘healthy diet’ looks different for everyone. And, because food is so personal, with each guest we’ll talk a bit about what food means to them.
UK