Unwanted, and unhelpful, advice can range from irritating to triggering, so we’ve gathered together some tips to help you handle it

Have you ever noticed how often people offer unsolicited diet and nutrition advice?

At work, celebrating a birthday with cake? Someone chimes in with their thoughts on the matter. Let someone know you’re feeling tired? Before you know it, they’ve given you a list of supplements as long as your arm. You didn’t ask, and yet, here they are, telling you anyway.

As a nutrition counsellor, exploring these situations is a regular occurrence for me in the clinic. I work predominantly with individuals restoring their relationship to food, their body, and themselves. Navigating these kinds of situations can be a minefield, especially when you are moving away from diet culture, and restoring your relationship with food. There’s no perfect way to respond, but the following are a few tips on how to navigate it...

Silence is powerful

Responding, or even engaging in conversations about food and nutrition, can feel draining at times – especially if you are navigating your own relationship with food. Even if you want to respond, sometimes, silence can be the most powerful tool you can use.

For some people, diet culture is so deeply entrenched, that regardless of what you say, it’s not going to change their mind. Opting for silence can indicate your disinterest in them, allowing you to save your energy for more important things in your life.

Them: I’ve heard we should all be making sandwiches out of lettuce leaves!

You: Stares into the distance and thinks about the cute cat you saw on the way to work this morning.

Make your response a neutral one

This is a great tool for situations when your mind is racing, and you don’t know what to say. Or when you’re trying to think of an apt comeback that you’ll look back on with reverence, but can’t quite find the words. Go for the most neutral thing you can think of, I like a simple ‘OK’, or ‘Mmhmm’. I think of this like sending the thumbs-up emoji – a very simple way of expressing ‘I’ve heard you, but this is the end of this conversation!’

Tell them what you really think

You may have to pick your audience here, but – if you’re feeling bold – you can try telling them what you think of their comment. Diet and nutrition advice is so sneaky that there is a silent, but a very present, expectation of how you will respond. Telling someone directly you don’t like what they’ve said can disrupt the flow, and turn that expectation on its head. This can be a very clear way of indicating how little interest you have in any nutrition or diet advice.

Try: ‘Thank you, but I wasn’t asking for advice.’

Lay down a boundary

Boundaries – an oldie, but a goodie. A boundary is a very clear line drawn in the sand that tells someone what you need. How you set down your boundary may depend on who is saying it, what context you’re in, and how often this topic has come up. It may be something which needs to be reiterated and rephrased to effectively comm

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! Good morning, good morning, good morning!! The weather this week has been glorious with another 70 degree day here in Ohio. I realize it’s a false hint of spring, but I am basking in it while I can. 

It won’t be nearly so warm today, but there’s no rain in the forecast, so I’m hoping to get out for a long walk or hike. Local friends, where are your favorite walks and easy hikes in the Columbus area?

ON THE BLOG this week: Fresh strawberries tucked into light and fluffy pancakes create the loveliest Strawberry Pancakes you can imagine. If you happen to have some berries on hand, you have the potential for a breakfast that is certain to make you grin today.

Tender chicken and sweet corn are combined in a creamy chicken corn soup with just enough heat to warm your mouth without setting it on fire.

Steaming hot biscuits topped with melted butter have proven irresistible to every member of my family. I’ve made this easy drop biscuit recipe at least half a dozen times over the past few months. It just doesn’t get old.

Crispy, toasty, and ever so slightly cheesy, I can make an entire meal out of this garlic parmesan roasted broccoli.

Saucy BBQ pork tucked into melted cheese in a buttery crisp tortilla? That’s something I can’t possibly resist. This pulled pork quesadilla is a quick and easy way to get a hearty meal on the table, even on the busiest of weeknights.

Crisp, tart, slightly sweet, and always fragrant, the classic mojito is a cocktail that I never get tired of sipping.

Bite-size potatoes and Brussels sprouts are roasted with spicy sausage and plenty of cheese to create an irresistible dinner.

Sticky Asian Meatballs are sweet and a little bit spicy. I typically serve these meatballs over rice, with some steamed or roasted vegetables on the side. However, they work great as a party appetizer too.

Have you tried the Sweet Kale Salad at Costco? It starts with shredded kale, thinly sliced Brussels sprouts, and a generous handful of broccoli matchsticks. The greens are topped with sweet cranberries and salty pepitas before being tossed in a tangy sweet poppyseed dressing. The awesomeness of the salad can not be overstated and now you can make it at home!

What I’m CRAVING: Have you tried Read more

Kassandra Reinhardt, the face behind popular YouTube channel, Yoga with Kassandra, tells us of her journey into yoga, the importance of practice and why bitesize might be better

Whether you’re a regular yogi or are just starting out, it’s likely you’ll be familiar with Kassandra Reinhardt - or at least her YouTube channel, Yoga with Kassandra.

As one of the first instructors to embrace online teaching, Kassandra is on a mission to help others feel great through yoga, and with over 230 million views, it’s clear the bitesize, accessible approach is resonating. So what’s next for Kassandra and her +2 million community?

Hi Kassandra, when did your yoga journey begin?

I started yoga at 18 years old without knowing much about it. I grew up doing ballet and always struggled with my flexibility, so a friend suggested I try yoga. I took a few drop-in classes here and there, and eventually found a teacher and a style that I really resonated with. I liked how yoga placed no emphasis on the way I looked, and instead focused on mindfulness and personal growth. I ended up leaving the world of dance and completely immersing myself in yoga.

Once I understood the richness of this spiritual practice, I knew I wanted to dive deeper and learn more. After a few years of practicing, I took my first teacher training and haven’t looked back since.

Remember that this is a practice about embracing the journey, there is no destination

Tell us more about your bitesize approach to yoga

I’ve always believed that doing a little bit of yoga every day is more powerful and effective than doing a one-hour session once a week. Longer sessions on the mat are really wonderful, but not always realistic to fit into people’s daily lives, so I wanted to give students permission to embrace a “less is more” philosophy.

Our yoga practice is so much more than poses we do on our yoga mat, it’s also in the way we treat ourselves and others, and how we show up in the world.

By spending a little bit of time every day moving mindfully with our breath, we can remind ourselves of what matters and come back to our center.

Can anyone practice yoga?

In the west, we’ve come to think of yoga as a strictly physical practice, but it also encompasses breathwork, meditation, ethics and philosophy. If you can breathe, you can do yoga!

If movement isn’t accessible for people for any reason, practicing pranayama or breath control is an excellent place to start, as is meditation. For those interested in asana or yoga poses as a beginner, I always recommend starting off slow.

We’re lucky to live in a day and age where so much is accessible to us for free on the internet, so I’m confident that there’s an online yoga class out there for everyone. Search for ‘beginner-friendly yoga classes’ and remember that this is a practice about embracing the journey, there is no destination.

Props are a great way to make yoga poses more accessible, but beginners practicing at home often don’t have any. Instead, you can substitute traditional props like blocks, bolsters and straps with household items such as thick books, dense cushions and blankets and belts.

I liked how yoga placed no emphasis on the way I

Hi hi! Happy weekend and happy Rodeo break to my Arizona friends! (Rodeo is a big thing out here; in February, there’s always a 2-day break from school.) What do you have going on this weekend? We’re *supposed* to head to Mt. Lemmon to play in the snow, but as of right now the roads are closed. Fingers crossed we can make it up there.

I’ve been wanting to share some pics from Trevor’s wedding last weekend! He got married last year (they eloped in Vegas!) and it was time for their big wedding celebration with the fam. It was held at a local residence on an exquisite property, which felt more like a botanical garden than someone’s actual home. It was so beautiful!!

The Pilot was the officiant and crushed it, of course. The ceremony was heartfelt, humorous in just the right spots, and personalized for them. Their vows were so beautiful, too.

They had a Photo Booth, a DJ (who played a Selena mix that just set my soul freeeeeee), and dinner was catered by Seis Kitchen.

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We've gathered together some positive news from the past month to break through the noise and show you there's good in the world

1. Write on time

Two transatlantic pen pals, who have been messaging since 1938, celebrated their 100th birthdays with their first video call. The milestone moment saw the lifelong friends, Geoff from Devon and Celesta from Texas, embrace modern technology. But their story spans not just an ocean, but the Second World War, the Civil Rights Movement, and economic struggles. Through it all, they kept in touch – and plan to continue doing so!

2. The future is… terracotta?

The 3.5 million tourists who visit the Pompeii ruins each year have a lot to marvel at, but some things that might have gone unnoticed are the roof tiles of the House of Cerere building. And there’s really no reason to suspect them. The terracotta tiles look exactly like the ones that would have been used by the Romans, with one key difference: they’re solar panels.

These invisible solar panels are made by small family business Dyaqua. The idea for the tiles came from father and visionary Giovanni Batista, who wanted to create a solar panel that blended in with its environment, without affecting the historical features of buildings. The result: tiles with a polymer compound that can be made to look like stone, wood, concrete, or brick – and which allow the sun’s rays to filter through.

Currently, Dyaqua mainly supplies historic buildings, where retaining the external historical features, while finding new ways to be sustainable, is of the utmost importance. But their work opens the door to new opportunities, challenging others to think differently about sustainable solutions.

3. A bold & brilliant breakthrough

A new drug developed to tackle Alzheimer’s is being hailed the ‘beginning of the end’ in the search for effective treatments. Clinical trials have found that Lecanemab, which targets a protein that builds up in the brains of those with Alzheimer’s, can slow down memory decline by as much as 27%. While there’s still a way to go, it’s a positive sign that scientists are on the right path, and life-changing treatments could be on the horizon.

4. Artist’s childhood toy rides again

Whether it’s a hand-knitted blanket or an old toy, most of us will have something lying around that brings back fond childhood memories, and a sense of comfort in our times of need. For contemporary artist Paul Robinson – better known as LUAP – this was a pink bear, and it’s an image that has become central in his artwork today.

During a challenging time in his life, Paul sought therapy to help him overcome loneliness. “I’ve always tried mixing with people, but felt awkward whilst being around people,” he tells Happiful. “The exception is when I’m working or exploring the outdoors. Then everything becomes easier and makes sense.”

It was during his time in therapy