I have been privileged to have been able to help many people over the last few months with all sorts of issues.

One of these is a problematic relationship with food, where the person is constantly on the roller coaster ride of dieting then bingeing, and so it goes on. This issue has been exacerbated by Covid and lockdown, as many of us are confined to our homes, where food is all too accessible.

This is definitely an issue close to my own heart as I have myself had a problem with weight management at various times in my life. I do have a tendency to put on weight easily and for those who say that ‘it’s just a case of eating less and exercising more’ are vastly oversimplifying the problem.

I have just finished reading Gary Taubes’ latest book ‘The Case for Keto’ and in it he argues very strongly that there are some of us who are extremely carbohydrate sensitive. For these people, even eating what would normally be termed a healthy diet of lots and fruits and vegetables just puts too much sugar into their systems which causes heightened insulin levels. High insulin invariably leads to weight gain. The only way of correcting this is to eat a very low carb diet. This tends to keep sugar levels balanced and steady and is now recommended for people who have diabetes, or who may even be in the pre-diabetic range. Dr David Unwin is a British GP who strongly recommends this way of eating and he is now advising GPs throughout the country.

When clients come to me wanting to lose weight, I do not advise them to go on a particular diet but instead to really listen to their own bodies. For me I am aware now that my own body thrives on a low carb diet with meat, cheese, butter and vegetables but little fruit. I have found that this type of eating means that I have lots of energy, I am mentally much sharper and I do not feel so hungry. For somebody else it may well be that they feel better on a mostly plant diet. Whichever way of eating is best for you I do advise steering away from processed foods.

Hypnotherapy can help you to begin to be kind to yourself and your own body and be aware of feeding it in a way which feels good for you. It gives you a calmness and serenity around food and you find that you are naturally drawn to those foods which nourish you as an individual.