Lola Berry’s positivity and excitement about healthy, whole foods is infectious. Rescu. caught up with Lola Berry, Celebrity Nutritionist, to find out about what her daily diet looks like, the impact food has on positivity, and the best foods that make you feel happy. That’s right, not only can the foods you eat impact how you look physically, but also how you feel mentally.
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RESCU: Tell us a little bit about how you came to be so passionate about good food.
Lola Berry: I was honestly so unhealthy, I was a DJ and partying so much, and one day I decided to go on a summertime detox. I felt so good, I thought ‘wow, food can really impact the way we feel’ and I was blown away. I was reading about super foods in my spare time, how blueberries can cross the blood-brain-barrier and really quirky stuff.
Then I started studying and one day I woke up and thought… ‘I’m going to be the Steve Irwin of fruits and veggies!’ So I saved up and bought a video camera – So that’s kind of how it all started in a nutshell.
RESCU: How big a role does health and nutrition have in helping us have a happy and successful life?
Lola Berry: It’s huge. If you want to be on your A-game, then you need to make health a priority. It’s that simple.
The way we choose to nourish ourselves directly impacts every aspect of our lives, and once you come to terms with that, you start looking at food differently.
Every time I eat now I think, ‘how will this nourish my body?’
RESCU: Was there a moment when you realised how much food affects the way we feel?
Lola Berry: Yes, there’s been a few, but a big one was during my first year of uni when I was studying nutrition. The teacher said, ‘try going off dairy and just listen to your body, see how you feel.’ I thought ‘ok, I’m here doing a nutrition degree. I’m going to be asking people to cut dairy one day, so I’ll try it.’ And I did just that. I listened to my body for the first time and I was blown away. I had no idea that I’d just become used to feeling tired and bloated and I’d considered it normal. As soon as I cut dairy out I had so much energy, and I was clear, and I didn’t look 5 months pregnant. That was one moment I was totally sold. And I learnt the concept of listening to your body.
RESCU: What does your daily diet look like?
Lola Berry: It changes lots, but at the moment it’s chai pod with almond milk and berries for brekkie. The Eat Fit Food gang have me addicted to raw cacao balls so I’ve been using them for my morning tea snack.
Then lunch is some kind of quinoa or sweet spud salad with avocado, dinner is normally crispy salmon cooked in coconut oil with lime juice and chillies added at the end. Then I make a huge avo, capsicum, olive, martie (tomato), basil and corri (coriander) salad and I drown it in olive oil – all about the good fats.
Then if I need a cheeky treat – which I normally do – I always have my raw cakes from the 20/20 diet cookbook cut up in slices and stored in the freezer. I’m going through an “epic raw banoffee pie” phase but last month it was raw pumpkin and pecan pie – so I always had a mad stash of that in the freezer.
RESCU: How big an impact does what we eat have on our mood?
Lola Berry: It’s massive, I mean 90% of your serotonin receptors are actually in your gut, so if your digestion is out of whack then it’s fair to say your mood will be lowered too – there’s a huge, huge correlation. I know if I’ve eaten something my body is reactive to I’m in a flat mood for about 24 hours. It’s gross!
That said, food also has an amazing impact on your mood – good fats, whole foods, staying hydrated, all tricks to keeping your mind healthy and firing.
RESCU: What are the top foods you would recommend to help us feel more positive and energised?
Lola Berry: good fats – so avos, raw nuts and seeds, oily fish, coconut oil, olive oil – these are all so ace for brain health, cognitive function and even support memory.
Blueberries – as I mentioned they can cross the blood-brain-barrier so they’re great if you need a quick hit of energy.
Water – one of the first signs of dehydration is being grumpy.
Smile, it really changes your mood.
RESCU: Are there any foods that you feel contribute to negativity and lower mood levels?
Lola Berry: Yes, refined foods, junk foods, and heavy processed packed junk. If you pick up a packet and it feels like you’re in Year 12 chemistry class with all the ingredients, numbers and baddies in there, then pop it down. It will not nourish your body. If you’re buying something from a packet there should be no more than five ingredients and you should understand what they all are. Not crazy hyphenated chemical science words.
RESCU: What are your top three tips for leading a happy and healthy life?
Lola Berry:
Be mindful – so be present when you eat and live, appreciate the moments
Honour your health – food is here to nourish you and share with the people you love.
Be around people who inspire you, who love you for who you are, but empower you to be the best version of you.
Feature image via pinterest