Question: I have three meals daily, with two main meals and one snack. I track my calories and believe I’m at a healthy weight for my height. Can you advise?

There is a common belief that consuming the bulk of daily calories in the morning optimizes weight loss by burning calories more efficiently and quickly. But we have more evidence to suggest whether a person eats their largest meal early or late in the day does not affect the way their body metabolizes calories. However, people who ate their largest meal in the morning did report feeling less hungry later in the day, which could foster easier weight loss in the real world. So energy expenditures and total weight loss were the same for the morning-loaded and evening-loaded diets. The participants reported that their appetites were better controlled on the days they ate a bigger breakfast and that they felt satiated throughout the rest of the day which can be useful for certain people.

More important is to try to have three consistent meals to keep huger at bay. If you’re skipping meals (or having just a snack) chances are you are most likely overeating at other meals. Balancing fullness and hunger will alow you to have a better relationship with food and it will improve digestion. To start introducing a meal at lunch I recommend something simple, easy to digest and nutritious.

Smoothies are a great way to get nutrient dense foods in a meal. Add green veggies like spinach or kale, berries, even spices like ginger and healthy fats like flax or chia. Serve it in a bowl and eat it with a spoon to get more in tune with eating. You can also try veggie soups which are easy to digest like smoothies. Once your body is used to more food at that time you can try adding heartier protein and starches.

Question: I’m getting to the end of 2 years of breastfeeding my 2 year old and I’m really confused about the best milk to transition him on to. He eats good wholesome meals 3 times a day but then I don’t know how good an idea it would be to give him cows milk, even though we do get a unhomogeonised free range Cows milk from local farmers in my local supermarket here in Scotland UK it’s not always available. What do you think?

Weaning is a very important time as it introduces infants to a variety of new foods. These early experiences have a strong effect on eating habits which persist into adulthood. Introduce only one new food at a time and start with single ingredients. Your dietitian can provide you with a list of foods to introduce and start with small amounts of each food first and increase the amount of food if no reaction occurs. Try to introduce new foods earlier during the day, so that you can observe any possible reactions and get advice if necessary. Milk proteins should be introduced to children with solids from around 6-12 months of age. As one of the most prominent allergy-causing foods in infants, early exposure to cow’s milk is useful to prevent an allergy developing. You can start with plain yogurt and whole milk. Both are safe options as your baby starts eating solids.

Be sure that they are free of any additives. Start with plain whole-milk yogurt which can be easily digested and move into little amounts of whole milk. You can try sneaking tiny amounts of milk into your child’s everyday foods, like mixing in oatmeal, blending in a smoothie, or mixing in soups, mashed potatoes. To help with the transition, you can try mixing it into a more familiar milk, like breastmilk, and let them drink from a bottle. Cow’s milk is a widely used ingredient, so early exposure is important to minimize future allergies. Soy, hemp, oat, coconut or other milk alternative may be used as a main milk drink after two years of age, the choice may depend on your child’s nutritional status. Always try to choose a brand that is fortified with calcium where possible. Rice milk is reccommended due to low nutritional value.

Question: I’m dealing with Tinea Versicolor. They say it’s an overgrowth of fungus on the skin due to candida overgrowth. It takes the pigment out of the skin and makes white spots all over the skin. Wondering what kind of recommendations you have for this specific condition?

Tinea Versicolor is a common fungal infection of the skin. The fungus interferes with the normal pigmentation of the skin, resulting in small, discolored patches. These patches may be lighter or darker in color than the surrounding skin and most commonly affect the trunk and shoulders. Antifungal creams, lotions, or shampoos can help treat tinea versicolor. But it is important to remember that even after eliminating the fungal infection, discoloration of this skin may persist for several weeks to months depending on sun exposure, before returning to normal. You can try natural treatments like Naturasil Tinea Versicolor Liquid Treatment which is an all-natural medicine that heals your skin outbreak from the outside absorbing deeply into your skin assisting in the relief of the common spots of Tinea Versicolor including Candida & Onychomycosis. Naturasil also carries a soap, they use no chemicals just natural plant extracts and organic sulfur, and is applied directly to the skin to help eliminate unwanted bacteria.

You can apply the treatment 2-3 times a day until the spots have cleared and use the soap to shower. Always keep the affected areas clean and dry it off completely. You can get in the sun afterward to bring the coloration back to your skin. If you have Candida in your skin, you are most likely to have intestinal candidiasis as well. The most effective treatment includes a combination of low-sugar diet, probiotics, and antifungals. CanXida Remove and Restore are an effective treatment protocol to eliminate yeast overgrowth.

Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided here is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.