We all like to have a bit of Christmas cheer and we don’t want to be a party pooper on the day. Life is for living after all! But there are a few easy things that we can do that can help us feel better and minimise the impact of our indulgences during the holidays, so we don’t get to January and wonder what went horribly wrong.

I’m excited to announce the launch of my new nutrition business Happy Green Sprout. I’m passionate about helping people to understand the way that food and lifestyle can change how they feel, so they can live a better life. You don’t have to change everything in your life to feel better, small incremental changes can make a big difference to your health.

Nutrient density refers to the concentration of micronutrients - otherwise known as vitamins and minerals as well as phytochemicals, essential fatty acids and essential amino acids - per calorie of food. The typical Western diet is generally high in energy but nutrient poor.

Wondering how to improve the nutritional value of food without any extra effort? All this hack takes is 10 minutes forethought. TLDR: The short answer is that you should always chop your garlic 10 minutes before you are going to fry/bake or sauté your garlic.

The majority of people today eat a diet low in fat or high in rancid or hydrogenated fats. On a cellular level, why is a low-fat or “poor fat” diet detrimental to health? At a cellular level, lipids are the building blocks for both cellular membranes and hormones.

So to start with, what is cortisol? Cortisol is known as the fight or flight hormone, and is released by the adrenal glands in times of high stress and/or emergency. In Hunter-Gatherer times, the ‘fight or flight’ response was activated when fleeing from a dangerous situation, such as being chased by a wild animal.

Whilst the human body is very resilient, optimal hydration can make a real and significant difference to the body and its ability to perform. Not only does hydration have a significant impact on our ability to rid the body of toxins and excess salt, it can also affect our cognitive abilities and also our mood.

Hi, I’m Diane Cotterill and I live in Sydney on the Northern Beaches with my husband and two kids. I’m passionate about improving health through nutrition, eating whole foods and a variety of herbs and spices to maximize health and longevity, whilst having fun and enjoying life along the way.