Inside out

Nutritionally-balanced food-delivery service founder Jennifer Irvine shares her tips for helping patients on their weight-loss journey this new year

This January, like every new year, you will see an increase in the number of your patients wanting to discuss their weight management with you. After a busy and perhaps lazy holiday season on top of last year’s lockdown weight gain, they will be feeling bloated and motivated to make a change.

As aesthetic practitioners you are experts in working from the outside in. But if you’re considering expanding the services you offer to patients by working a little more from the inside out, this is where nutrition and diet come in. There’s no simple injection to instantly reduce your patient’s gut and help them to have a healthy metabolism – this takes time. But you can help them to feel confident, empowered, and informed. Your goal is to sensibly educate them.

I founded the Pure Package in 2003 through a desire to help busy people ensure that their nutritional needs were met to the highest standard. Since then, we have helped thousands of individuals to manage their weight by providing healthy, balanced meals. Our award-winning team of chefs and experienced nutritionists combine science and research with innovative cooking to create balanced meals that help our clients feel energised and happy in their bodies. As experts in this field, I’m glad to share our tips with you to pass on to your patients wishing to address their weight, or to spark your inspiration to introduce a more comprehensive weight-management programme into your clinic.

THE RULE OF PALM

At The Pure Package, many of our clients tell us they eat the right thing, just too much of it. The key to achieving a healthy body size and strong energy levels is to recognise that how much we eat is just as important as what we eat. The Rule of Palm is a straightforward method for determining how much we should be eating for optimal health. Your client’s meals should consist of three key components: protein, complex carbohydrates, and fruit and vegetables. For a balanced meal, we should fill our plates using this formula; an easyto-remember approach to eating and portion control:

• One palm-sized portion of protein

• One palm-sized portion of complex carbohydrates

• Two palm-sized portions of vegetables or fruit

“If you’re considering expanding the services you offer to patients by working a little more from the inside out, this is where nutrition and diet come in”

A BALANCED DIET

A healthy gut is a remarkable piece of biological equipment and by looking after it, we can radically improve our overall health and wellbeing. I recommend a diet that is rich in prebiotics, probiotics and fibre to keep the digestive system in good shape. Our philosophy at The Pure Package doesn’t neglect any food groups – we believe that a diet made up of healthy fats, lean proteins and complex carbohydrates is the key to balanced, happy, healthy, longterm weight-loss results and weight management.

Carbohydrates can be defined as organic compounds in plants that are broken down when digested and converted into glucose, which the body uses for energy. However, not all carbohydrates are nutritionally equal and for a healthy diet we need to consume more “complex” carbohydrates; those that release their energy more slowly and keep us feeling fuller for longer. Complex carbohydrates are found in wholegrains, vegetables and legumes (beans and lentils). “Simple” carbohydrates, such as white bread, white rice and sugar, which are converted to glucose and released into the bloodstream quickly, are best avoided as they can cause a rise and fall in the blood sugar levels, leading to fluctuating energy, cravings, and ultimately, weight gain.

Protein is crucial for our health and wellbeing. Consuming lean protein such as poultry, venison, fish, nuts, pulses and tofu enables us to build, replenish and repair tissue and organs. These foods contain all the essential amino acids we need that our bodies cannot produce.

Fats are a food group we’ve been taught to avoid, but not all of them are bad. In fact, they are absolutely key to good health as they contain omega-6 and omega-3. Each day we should consume a thumb-sized portion of essential fats by eating foods or oils such as vegetable oils, meat, eggs, avocados, nuts and whole grains, oily fish, soybeans, and nuts and seeds – particularly flax seeds and walnuts.

Eat the rainbow

Eating a variety of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables helps to support gut health, ward off illness and prevent premature ageing. Encourage your patients to fill their shopping basket with a rainbow of fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Red – berries contain high levels of anthocyanins, which are thought to be effective in fighting certain illnesses, bacterial infections and neurological diseases.

• Orange – carrots, oranges, squashes and sweet potatoes are high in carotenoids, crucial for maintaining a good immune system and supporting cell repair and healthy vision.

• Yellow – corn, pineapple and squashes contain large amounts of bioflavonoids, which fight infection and reduce inflammation.

• Green – broccoli, cabbage and spinach contain nutrients including lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin, folic acid and glucosinolates, all of which have been associated with lowering the risk of some illnesses.

• Blue and purple – blueberries, blackberries, grapes and purple sprouting broccoli are extremely high in antioxidants, promote healthy blood, and are thought to have anti-ageing properties.

Applying these tips and cooking from scratch with fresh and seasonal produce is always going to be the best thing for us, but with busy lives this can sometimes feel like an impossible task. Companies such as The Pure Package and its sibling Balance Box which is delivered nationwide, can help your clients reach their goals with healthy, nutritionally-balanced meals, delivered straight to the door. As we’re based in the heart of New Covent Garden Market in London, we are blessed to have access to the very best seasonal produce which we turn into delicious meals that look good and taste great. By working from the inside, our clients see fantastic results on the outside which could seriously support the outcomes of your aesthetic treatments, helping patients on a holistic, healthy journey.