What prompted you to quit a corporate career to become a nutritionist?
I always wanted to study medicine but when I began nutritional medicine it was the perfect combination of my love of food and medicine. I had my three children and I was ready for a deeper purpose within my career.
What’s your health philosophy, in a nutshell?
Moderation! There is no diet in the world that will work as well as moderation - extremes do not work but ‘a healthy view’ does. My absolute belief is that wellness is a four-pronged approach - nutrition, exercise, sleep and connection are the necessary ingredients in preventative wellness.
And how do hormones fit in?
My new book, The Healthy Hormone Diet, provides a 28 day plan on how to rebalance hormones naturally. Too many people are exhausted, lack energy and are gaining weight and it might just be their hormones.
If you wake up feeling tired every day even though you’ve had enough sleep, or have trouble losing or maintaining weight even though you watch what you eat, or go to bed feeling tired but wired and unable to sleep, these are signs your hormones are out of whack.
Another indication is if weight accumulates in your tummy area. If you feel hungry all the time, moody and anxious for no particular reason, this suggests imbalanced hormones. You may have cortisol overload from poor food choices and stress. A sluggish thyroid could hijack your weight. Elevated insulin levels could lead to increased testosterone that contributes to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which affects fertility. Excess oestrogen could cause heavy periods or cystic breasts. Hormones play a significant role.
Good nutrition affects every cell and hormone in our body. The stress hormone, cortisol, plays a role in weight, sleep and libido. It can become out of whack from sugar consumption and too much caffeine and alcohol.
The thyroid, our metabolic hormone, is linked to energy, weight and brain function. It’s affected by sugar and diets that are low in essential nutrients such as iodine, selenium, iron and B vitamins. If you have a compromised thyroid, you need to avoid inflammatory foods such as gluten and sometimes dairy.
Oestrogen is a protective hormone found in women and men. For women, oestrogen protects the brain, helps anti- ageing and fertility. Its function is influenced by the state of our liver and digestion and how well these organs clear out toxins from sugar and processed foods.
The hunger hormone, leptin, signals to our brain when we’ve had enough to eat. It’s affected by too much sugar, especially fructose, and poor sleep. People who consume excess sugar feel tired but wired.
Testosterone is the hormone of vitality in both men and women. It’s influenced by sugar, alcohol, sleep, vitamin D and zinc.
Serotonin is the happy hormone with 85 per cent created in our gut. Hidden sugars, poor carbohydrate choices and artificial sweeteners contribute to poor gut health. It makes sense that when we eat clean, real food and the gut is healthy, you feel better thanks to serotonin.
There are a million and one diets and eating plans out there, and many of them directly contradict each other. Who do we believe?
Diets are often fad and short lived. There are elements of some diets that are worth considering but this is based on a personal health history and their biochemistry.
I think it is important to be taking advice from qualified nutritionists who work from both an evidence-based research perspective but also have clinical experience. Meeting the needs of your patient, in your practice and feeling their emotions, overall wellbeing and watching their nutritional transformation.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing people in the workplace today?
Stress and the ‘tired but wired’ employee. Both are affected by many things but good nutrition can underpin and improve both of them. A stressed person who is tired is not productive, energised and kicking goals. I think a bit of corporate wellness education can improve productivity and profitability 50 fold! And the good news it doesn’t have to be extreme… it can include coffee and wine!
What is the one most significant thing thing people can do to improve their wellbeing?
Remember one thing…
Everything you excel at in life has taken a bit of time and planning. Why not take a little bit of time and planning for your nutrition which underpins every aspect of your physical and mental health? Because you cannot buy back your health once it goes sideways and you cannot do anything without good health!
Michele Chevalley Hedge sought a deeper purpose in her career. She's now helping people withstand the rigors of modern life as a nutritionist, author and corporate wellbeing speaker.
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