Optimum Nutrition

Catherine Jeans is an experienced nutritional therapist, and founder of The Family Nutrition Expert, based in Norwich. Jeans graduated from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition and has since lectured for ION and runs her own private practice which has helped over 2,000 clients from around the world.

Through her online nutrition courses, private coaching programmes, and live workshops her aim is to educate and inspire families to live a healthy, happy way, every day.

Jeans holds professional certificates in NLP and life coaching, as well as being a YTT200 hour Functional Yoga Teacher. She is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and registered with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council, the UK regulator for complementary health care practitioners.

Racing the Rainbow, Jeans’ first children’s book, co-written with Rachel Holmes, presents healthy ways of eating in a fun and engaging way. Packed with facts, activities, and easy recipes, this fun-fuelled publication aims to feed a child’s imagination. Available on Amazon.

Interested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more.

Catherine Sharman is a nutritional therapist and founder of Après, formerly a hit London restaurant and now a healthy ready-meal company. In this episode, Catherine explains how she uses the principles of functional eating – a concept instilled in her while studying at ION – in her food, making little changes to food she loves in order to better support health. Joined by host Hatty Willmoth, a journalist and Communications Officer at ION, Catherine starts by explaining her long professional journey before turning to functional eating. Catherine is adamant that healthy food does not have to be boring. On the contrary, she says, the key to a sustainably healthy diet is eating beautiful, nourishing food that you love; joyful food that just so happens to be healthy. So, what's the difference between a regular chicken satay dish and Catherine’s? What sets apart a 'functional' shepherd's pie from any old version? And what can fish-and-chip lovers do to improve their meal of choice?

If you enjoyed this episode, follow us on social media at @ion_nutrition, follow Après at @apresfoodco, and take a look at their website (www.apresfood.com) for more information.

Interested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more.

Dr Kirstie Lawton is a nutritional therapy practitioner and ION lecturer who specialises in paediatric nutrition, i.e. nutrition for children. In this episode of the Optimum Nutrition podcast, Kirstie addresses common questions and misconceptions about how best to support a child’s health with nutrition, particularly focusing on how to help them develop a healthy relationship with food that will serve them for life. In conversation with host Hatty Willmoth, a journalist and communications officer, this episode tries to shed light on some difficult conundrums that parents might face. Is it ever okay to put a child on a diet? Should children be allowed to snack? What is the best way to handle picky eating? And should any foods be off-limits for children?

This episode was recorded during a busy day in the office, so there is some background noise. Apologies!

If you enjoyed this episode, follow us on social media at @ion_nutrition and Kirstie at @drkirstielawton.

Interested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more.

Giulietta Durante is a menstrual cycle nutritionist, registered nutritional therapy practitioner, and podcaster who lives and breathes her specialist subject: the menstrual cycle. In this episode, Giulietta explores why she feels it’s so empowering to embrace every phase of the menstrual cycle, with all the challenges and opportunities each brings. Joined by host Hatty Willmoth, a journalist and communications officer at ION, she addresses the misconception that we should aim to feel the same every day, arguing that we should build fluidity into our diet and lifestyles. How can we adapt what we eat to support our bodies throughout the cycle? What does it mean to be a cyclical being living in a linear world? How can we embrace our periods?

If you enjoyed this episode, follow us on social media at @ion_nutrition and follow Giulietta at @hormones_in_harmony too.

Interested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more. 

Layla Gordon is a nutritional therapy practitioner based in Poole, Dorset, who graduated from ION back in 2021. In this episode of the Optimum Nutrition podcast, Layla explains healthy fats in conversation with host Hatty Willmoth, a journalist and communications officer. Together they explore the different types of fats and how they interact with every cell in the body. Starting with the basics, this episode asks, is fat bad? Does eating more omega fats mean better health? How can vegans get enough omega-3? It also covers beneficial foods, supplementation and functional testing.

If you enjoyed this episode, follow us on social media at @ion_nutrition and Layla at @laylagordonnutrition.

Interested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more. 

Amy Pamment is a nutritional therapy practitioner and ION lecturer who specialises in chronic fatigue syndrome, children’s health and neurodiversity. In this episode of the recently relaunched Optimum Nutrition podcast, Amy discusses her own experience with chronic fatigue syndrome, and the steps she took to get well, as well as CFS more generally. Hosted by journalist and communications officer Hatty Willmoth, this episode tries to get to the bottom of what CFS actually is; a condition with no single cause and no single cure, that looks different for each person. Why do doctors struggle to address CFS? Why is it so difficult to treat? And how can tools used by nutritional therapists, such as functional testing and nutrigenomics, help?

This episode discusses psychological trauma. Listener discretion is advised.

If you enjoyed this episode, follow us on social media at @ion_nutrition.

Interested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more. 

Sam Feltham is the founder and director of the Public Health Collaboration (PHC), a charity dedicated to improving public health and saving the NHS money through better lifestyle information. The PHC largely focuses on tackling the UK’s diabetes crisis by promoting ‘real food, low carb’ lifestyles. In this episode of the recently relaunched Optimum Nutrition podcast, Sam Feltham discusses carbohydrates with journalist Hatty Willmoth, exploring the link between carbs, blood sugars, and health. What is a carbohydrate? How do fluctuating blood sugars affect the way we feel? And why do factors such as fibre content, time of day, and age make a difference?

If you enjoyed this episode, follow us on social media at @ion_nutrition.

You can also find out more about the PHC at www.phcuk.org and contribute to The Lifestyle’s Club’s study with the University of Surrey at www.gofundme.com/tlcstudy

Interested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more.

Katie Shore is a nutritional therapy practitioner and ION lecturer who specialises in fertility, pregnancy, and women’s reproductive health. In this episode of the recently relaunched Optimum Nutrition podcast, Katie focuses on fertility. She busts myths and addresses misconceptions about why it might be more difficult for some people to get pregnant, joined by host Hatty Willmoth, a journalist and communications officer at ION. Is it true that a woman’s fertility drops off a cliff when she turns 35? Are conditions such as PCOS and endometriosis mean you just won’t have kids? Should overweight women prioritise getting slimmer before trying for a baby? Which supplements make a difference? And what role do lifestyle factors, like stress and pollutants, play?

This episode includes references to female anatomy and discussion of heavier themes such as trauma and baby loss. Listener discretion is advised.

If you enjoyed this episode, follow us on social media at @ion_nutrition and follow Katie at @katie_intuitivewellbeing too.

Interested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more.

Jenny Tschiesche is perhaps best known for her bestselling air-fryer cookbooks, but before that she was known primarily as a lunch guru - which is why she's called the Lunchbox Doctor. In the first episode of a brand new series of the Optimum Nutrition podcast, journalist Hatty Willmoth talks to Jenny about lunches. Do we undervalue lunch in Britain? Should we learn to give the midday meal a little more thought - and even think outside the box? What makes a great lunch nutritionally? And how can parents best cope with making lunchboxes for picky eaters, under time and budget constraints?

To start the episode off, Jenny also explains her journey into nutrition, including how she found her time at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION).

If you enjoyed this episode, follow us on social media at @ion_nutrition and follow Jenny @jennytschiesche too.

Interested in learning about nutrition yourself? Check out www.ion.ac.uk to find out more.

Dr Alex Richardson discusses the role of nutrition and diet in ADHD; from conception through to adulthood. As well as unpacking what we mean by the label ‘ADHD’, she explains why the condition often overlaps with other neurological conditions. She also discusses her research into omega-3 fats and brain development, as well as other nutrients that may help to manage symptoms of ADHD, and foods that should be avoided.