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A dietitian shares how she shapes her days to support her health and wellness
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From prioritising regular, balanced meals to adding movement into her day, Orla Walsh has lots of simple ideas to boost your wellness everyday (including a healthy, delicious apple scone recipe!).
Orla Walsh is a dietitian, and founder of Orla Walsh Nutrition, one of Ireland’s leading and most trusted general dietitian and nutritionist practices. Alongside this, she is a mum to three kids, and so knows the challenges of balancing work, family, and your own health. Here’s how she approaches it.
How does your daily routine support your overall wellness?
My daily routine is always changing, as I need to consider my three kids, my dog, and my work! We wake at the same time every day, and I know it sounds like a laborious thing to do, but we all eat the same breakfast together as a family at the kitchen table. Each meal will be based around wholegrain carbs, protein, fats and fruit or veg. I love change, in all walks of life, so I do change what I eat at mealtimes regularly. Some mornings we’ll have overnight oats made with oats, yoghurt, milk, seeds and fruit, others it will be porridge bread with peanut butter and banana, while on weekends it may be brown bread with eggs and baked tomatoes and mushrooms.
I walk the kids to school and creche with the dog and run home. The dog has to be walked, they have to get to school, and I need my cardio, so it’s an efficient way of achieving all three. A few days a week, I’ll do some strength work before I start my working day.
I prepare everyone’s breakfast and lunch in the evening time, which has been a game changer for me, as it means I’m far more consistent with my fruit and vegetable intake at both of those meals. Lunch may be leftovers or omelettes if working from home, but if I’m at my clinic, I tend to lean into salads – for example, chickpeas with fresh pesto, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper and mozzarella. I base my meals around whole foods, but they are also quick to make.
I walk at lunch time for at least 10 minutes each day, as it helps with concentration levels in the afternoon. I also suffer from chronic migraine, so the walk helps manage it.
In the evening, we have dinner together as a family. My youngest goes to bed quite soon after, while my eldest two may have activities in the evening time, or homework. By the time they’re down to bed, it’s about food prep for the next day and winding down before bed. This usually includes yoghurt, fruit and nuts as well as a cup of peppermint tea! We eat dinner early, so I need a nighttime snack. The fruit I choose is kiwis, as they can help with sleep and digestion, while the peppermint is good for digestion. I usually choose a functional yoghurt at this time, knowing that I’m supporting my gut, as calcium contributes to the normal function of digestive enzymes. I vary the nuts as they all have something special to offer.
I try to go to bed at a similar time most days of the week so that my sleep is consistent. I have suffered with insomnia in the past, due to the common cocktail of hormones and the mental load of motherhood. Insufficient sleep impacts every part of our body, including our gut. I appreciate how boring I may sound, but with young kids and a business to run, I’m leaning into the season of life that I’m in. Managing my health in these years, especially as I navigate perimenopause, is a huge focus of mine. The better my physical and mental health are, the better I can support my social health too!
What are some of the key components in looking after our day-to-day health?
I find that people focus too much on minor details, pulling their focus away from the big picture. When it comes to our diet and lifestyle, good enough is good enough. Perfection doesn’t exist, and even if it did, the juice wouldn’t be worth the squeeze. Instead, we all need to figure out how we can be consistently healthier, and that starts with habit-forming. With all my years in the clinic behind me, I can say with confidence that if you truly want to change, focusing on one small step at a time and being patient are the cornerstones. Ask yourself, “Where do I want to be this time next year?” rather than focusing on tomorrow or next week. My motivation is my kids. If I want them to live healthy lives, I need to show them what that looks like and how it’s achieved. Monkey see, monkey do.
Apple scones
Ingredients
- 2 pots of Activia cereal yoghurt
- 1 jumbo egg
- 200g oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 45g flaxseed
- 1 apple, chopped
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 40g peanut butter
Nutrition
(per scone)
202kcal, 7.3g protein, 4.8g fibre, fat 8.3g, saturated fat 1.8g, 24g carbohydrate, of which sugars 5.1g, salt 0.55g
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line a baking tray with parchment.
- Place the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Next, crumble in the peanut butter.
- Then add the yoghurt, egg, and stir until well combined.
- Divide the mixture into eight and roll each into a scone shape in your hands.
- Place on the tray and transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Ovens may vary!
- Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool before eating. Suitable for freezing.
For more information and recipes, visit Activia online.
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