Nourish yourself during the winter months

In January and February, Daylesford welcomes Jane Clarke, Cordon Bleu cook and one of Britain’s leading nutritionists, giving advice from her book ‘Nourish’ about nourishing our bodies throughout our lifetime – this is especially important during the winter months of January and February.

Jane stresses the important foods to eat at each of life’s stages - in a simple, interesting, and easy-to-understand way. We love Jane’s ideas and philosophy about food: above all that if we are to nourish our bodies throughout our lifetime, that food has to be delicious.

Watch our video's of Jane Clarke offering lots of tips on all the best foods during the winter months...

1. In your prime
Jane talks about what is happening in our bodies in our 20s, 30s and 40s, and talks about three key things you should be doing: focussing on fibre, on iron, and on drinking lots of water every day. In addition, she mentions Cholesterol busting tips, and the best dishes for getting lots of iron and fibre: whole grain bread, dark greens, Cavelo Nero, root ginger, herbal teas, and oily fish.

Watch the video...click here...

2. Nurturing a new life
When you’re about to have baby, it’s important to prepare your body for pregnancy, and then to continue to nurture it, once the baby has arrived. Jane discusses how to look after yourself when you are exhausted, and also gives some handy tips for Dads-to-be.

Finally, you’ll hear about the best foods to eat to help conceive and when pregnant: seasonal fruit and vegetables, pasturised hard cheeses, greens, runner beans, tomatoes, and hummus.

Watch the video...click here...

3. Caring for children
Jane describes how when caring for Children, good eating habits and an interest in food are instilled at an early age.

You should give your child the best start to the day with a good breakfast, which consists of slow release energy. There are also some great tips for packed lunches – there’s life beyond the sandwich! And some great snacks for kids.

Watch the video...click here...

4. The middle years
Jane discusses what are ‘the middle years’ – and what happens to our bodies as we hit our 50s and 60s. She discusses the foods that are spot on for the middle years, the benefits of exercise, and to watch what we eat and drink. The key foods which she discusses are Parmesan, Greek yoghurt, lentils, beans, pulses, butternut squash, and pumpkin.

Watch the video...click here...

5. Teenage needs
It’s important to take time to eat as a family (it’s a great way to spend a bit of each day together, and great discussions can happen over a meal). Jane describes how one way to connect with your teenager is to teach them to cook, and she also has a few words on eating disorders, from anorexia to obesity. Finally, at a time when obesity has become a serious issue, she gives some tips to make sure children don’t become obese. The main foods she covers are sausages, whole chicken (to make chicken pie), and chocolate.

Watch the video...click here...

6. Looking after the older generation
Jane describes how, as we enter our late 60s and 70s, our bodies, along with the way we eat and the lifestyle we lead, tend to change significantly. She covers the importance of having a well stocked freezer and larder (a decreasing of mobility makes shopping harder), and recommends Daylesford meals which can be frozen, as well as store cupboard essentials. In terms of key foods, she covers the importance of vegetables (fibre), vitamins, drinking water and seasonal fruit, and vegetables.

Watch the video...click here...

For some of our favourite nutritional, winter recipes...click here...