People
Fuel your body with Kyrin Hall
Kyrin Hall, PhD, Therapeutic Nutrition, is a provider of nutrition and yoga therapy for individuals wanting to improve their health through lifestyle and dietary choices. Her clients include corporations, celebrities, professional athletes and private individuals.
Tell us a bit about yourself Kyrin?
I’m a licensed Health Consultant in Amsterdam. I use clinical nutrition, orthomolecular therapies and comprehensive laboratory testing to determine underlying causes of a client’s condition. My consultations are covered under the health insurance policies in the Netherlands.
What energy issues do people typically have and how do you help them handle these?
The four energy related issues I see most often are:
- Tiredness, usually due to imbalanced blood sugar levels. Often the client is tired in the mid afternoon between 2-4pm, reaches for a stimulant (coffee, chocolate) to get an energy boost. This can be fixed nutritionally, by adjusting quantity, quality and time that a meal is eaten.
- Stress, often adrenal stress. I normally do a laboratory test to determine Cortisol and DHEA levels. I then support with orthomolecular medicines, lifestyle (stress reduction) and nutritional advice.
- Burn-out, usually the last phase on the stress continuum. These clients often find it increasingly difficult to get out of bed in the morning. I usually start with a similar protocol to dealing with stress, but burn-out requires a more detailed and guided plan.
- Digestive issues. Often the body is not absorbing adequate nutrients from the food because of an impaired digestive system. This can cause feelings of lethargy. A stool analysis can help to determine the underlying cause. Nutritionally I would look at hydration and the amount of fibre in the diet among other factors.
What role does nutrition play in managing energy?
The food we eat can transform the way we feel. I don’t believe in diets. I believe each person must find the right balance. Healthy eating habits to fit their lifestyle. Eating complete meals with the right mixture of fruits and vegetables, carbohydrates, proteins and fats to best support energy levels.
How can you fuel your body for a busy day ahead?
Breakfast is key. Include slow burning carbohydrates to help maintain energy levels. The following are all great starters to the day:
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Poached egg on dark rye bread
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Porridge with nuts, seeds and seasonal fruits
- Protein shake
How can I deal with my mid-afternoon dip?
Plan ahead. Eat before you have the dip. On average people have a mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon dip. Plan to have a snack at 10.30am and 3.30pm.
How do you manage your own energy levels?
I love food. I really enjoy eating good food. I organize my timetable to get my favourite foods that are in season and locally grown. It is therefore a pleasure to prepare my meals. I also always have a snack in my bag.
Finally, what are your top three tips for managing energy?
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Eat regularly and often to fuel the body. Every 3 to 4 hours
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Eat fewer highly processed foods (cakes, white bread, sugar, coco cola…) These are energy robbers.
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Laugh plenty.
To find out more about Kyrin’s range of nutritional health services visit her website at www.kyrinhall.com.
[July 2011]
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