Raising Healthy Mothers

How many toys do children really need? Is independent play a good thing? What effect does screentime have on our children?

This and many more questions came up during this week's episode on Raising Healthy Mothers when I chatted to Alexis Ralphs of 100 Toys, ex-primary school teacher, turned stay-at-home-dad, turned toy seller, turned course creator.

I was curious to know how imporant play is as a means to learn and develop in preparation for school, which prompted me to invite Alexis onto the podcast. In the we covered so much more. We discussed...

• How screentime affects children's play – and why they get so argumentative after watching TV
• Whether children actually need toys at all, and what we can do to foster creativity
• The importance of independence play
• Challenging toys vs entertaining toys, and why noisy, light up toys should be thrown in the bin
• How play prepares our children for school

One thing that shone through is Alexis's deep-seated belief in the importance of simple play, making me feel that we have over-complicated play, most likely contributing to parental burnout as they try and keep up with the latest crazes. Reining back and just using what we have around the house helps our children play for longer... and stay younger for longer too.

I loved that Alexis was honest and open about his challenges in play and parenting, despite his background as a teacher and a parent of 4 pre-tweens. It reminded me that no matter how experienced or knowledgeable you are, life is never straightforward as a parent!

Connect with Alexis:

Website | Instagram

Learn more about his courses:

The Good Old Days

You can use the code TASHA on checkout to get 10% off any courses, including the bundle offer of 3, and there's a special offer for all 3 courses for £49 here, which you can still get 10% off using my code.

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tashadcruz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tashadcruznutrition
Website: https://tashadcruz.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcast.

Want more energy and motivation? To get yourself on the way to springing out of bed in the mornings, download my free guide: Ten Daily Strategies to Unlock More Energy.

#raisinghealthymothers

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.

• Walking the fine line between setting boundaries in our relationships and accepting wisdom and knowledge from those who have mothered before us
• Martyrdom in motherhood and patriarchy, causing guilt and shame around our basic need for time alone
• How mothers take on the experience of generations of mothers to keep them imprisoned in martyrdom – and the strength it takes to break free
• Finding your own community of support in motherhood and the vulnerability of seeking help
• How supporting your children to take responsibility as a member of the family and learning to set boundaries contributes to easing the pressure of motherhood

• Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne
• The Mindful Mama Regulation Workbook
• Rejuvenation Morning Rituals for Mamas

How much do you talk to your children about where food comes from? This was a question I hadn't thought about much until someone posed a question about separating the imagery of an idyllic farm in the books we read to our children from the realities of animal husbandry.

It got me thinking hard - because as a passionate sustainable meat advocate, I care deeply about my meat.

Where does meat comes from? How is it reared? How has it been treated? Is it healthy to eat? How much should we eat? How is it produced? Is it bad for the environment? These are all questions I have thought about, changed my mind about and grappled with over the years. It is a question that has been close to my heart ever since my Paleo days, when I started becoming interested in food.

So in this episode on Raising Healthy Mothers I'm tackling the issue of how to talk to our children about meat – and realise in the process that it's very little to do with the meat itself and much more to do with our values and what we want our family to value. I discuss...

• The environmental impact of vegan food in agriculture and why it's important to have that conversation too.

• What's really important when it comes to choosing meat, and how to balance different priorities of cost and values

• How I talk to my children about eating meat – and why it's become difficult since moving out of London

• What sustainable animal farming means to me, and the hierarchy of importance according to my personal values

• The wider question of whether sustainable farming can feed the world

• The question of privilege in having a choice about the meat we choose to eat – and whether the choices you might feel forced to make is a short-term one.

This is one of those episodes that might ruffle some feathers as I'm sure many people out there have a different opinion to me. If you do have an opposing view point then I'd love to hear from you – and if you agree with me then let me know too!

Other podcast episodes I refer to:

• {10.4} What the heck is ultra-processed food and what should I do about it?

• {8.4} Eating well on a budget: 6 steps to feed your family without. breaking the bank

• {7.5} Should I continue being vegan?

• {3.3} How to optimise a plant-based diet in motherhood

Recommended Instagram account on sustainable farming: @sustainabledish

I expect this podcast will spark debate so if you have something to add, I'd love to hear from you! DM me on Instagram @tashadcruz or send me an email on tasha@tashadcruz.com with your thoughts and insights into talking about meat with our children.

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tashadcruz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tashadcruznutrition
Website: https://tashadcruz.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcast.

Want more energy and motivation? To get yourself on the way to springing out of bed in the mornings, download my free guide: Ten Daily Strategies to Unlock More Energy.

#raisinghealthymothers

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.

I recently ran a survey on my mailing list to find out what the main struggles are with low energy in motherhood.

The results didn't surprise me - the no.1 issue that comes up is TIME.

Getting to bed early enough, fitting in the activities, procrastination.

And many who did the survey reported these all had a knock on effect on how much they were able to look after themselves. Eating enough, sleeping enough, exercising and seeing friends.

Anxiety came up a lot too - which of course is hugely driven by lack of sleep, lack of nutritious food, lack of good quality relationships.

It's a huge vicious cycle.

So this week on Raising Healthy Mothers I am looking at lack of time in motherhood, reflecting on how we think about our time and how we sub-consciously choose our priorities within the language we use when talking about what we feel we can or can't do.

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tashadcruz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tashadcruznutrition
Website: https://tashadcruz.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcast.

Want more energy and motivation? To get yourself on the way to springing out of bed in the mornings, download my free guide: Ten Daily Strategies to Unlock More Energy.

#raisinghealthymothers

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.

• The three toxic lies keeping you stuck in a cycle of stress, overwhelm and burnout
• Why these lies are so unhelpful
• How to break free of them

How much choice do you really have over what you eat and what you buy for food? Although I've always had an awareness of the importance of eating food tha thas been minimally processed, ideally cooked from scratch, I hadn't considered the role that marketing, advertising and packaging plays in making a food impossible to resist and stop consuming. 

In this episode of Raising Healthy Mothers I take a fresh look at ultra processed food thorugh the lens of the intention of the food as well as the ingredients in it that make it ultra processed. 

In the episode I talk about...

• What is a UPF?
• How to recognise and spot a UPF
• The top 3 UPF shockers you're probably buying on a regular basis
• How to reduce UPF without losing your mind
• Why you shouldn't become obsessive about it

Almost 10 years ago I bought my first Fitbit. I bought it because I wanted to track whether I was doing 10k steps a day. It worked really well - I would often find myself heading out for an extra walk at lunchtime.

But I found all the options for tracking overwhelming, and I especially found the sleep information disturbing. I would sometimes wake up feeling like I'd had an amazing night's sleep, check my Fitbit, only to be told  I'd had only actually had 30 minutes of restful sleep.

10 years on and the options for tracking is phenomenal. Even without buying any fancy equipment - your phone alone can tell you a lot about how you are supposed to be doing with your health. And there's more and more gamification in completing your health data, making it even more compulsive.

But is all this information a good thing? Does it actually help? Is all this tracking making us healthier? Is it empowering to know so much about yourself...or do you end up feeling enslaved?

In this episode I discuss this very question - and realise that it’s really not black and white at all! I talk about…

• The Zoe programme and what I think about it

• How tracking can lead to obsession and more anxiety around our health

• The problem with tracking only one aspect of your health

• What I tell my clients not to track

• How our children can inspire us to be instinctive in how we treat our bodies

• What you could track to gain clues into your wellbeing

I am opening up space for two 1:1 clients on a 3 month programme from February. Over the 3 months we’ll take a deep dive into your health challenges and make a plan together to get you out the other side with oodles of energy. To talk through whether it’s right for you, book in for a chat here.

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tashadcruz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tashadcruznutrition
Website: https://tashadcruz.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcast.

Want more energy and motivation? To get yourself on the way to springing out of bed in the mornings, download my free guide: Ten Daily Strategies to Unlock More Energy.

#raisinghealthymothers

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.

Children have the incredible power to help us step into the here and now. They very much live in the moment, often have an instinctive need to be in nature and are excellent at knowing how much food and sleep they personally need - with little consideration for what you, the parent, need.

In this week's episode of Raising Healthy Mothers I have a fascinating conversation on why we often start instinctively tuning in to nature and the seasons of the year when we become mothers, and why it can help us parent more effectively.

This ended up being a wide-ranging conversation where we discussed...

• Why the start of the year isn't great for resolutions but is a wonderful time for intentions

• Winter as a time for introspection, meditation and contemplation

• The periods of our lives where we need more rest – and when to let go of a morning routine

• How to embrace the dark of winter by allowing ourselves to take it slow

• Why embracing the seasonality of food helps to remain in alignment with our natural rhythms

Sometimes the interviews I do on this podcast feel like I'm having a cosy cup of tea with a kindred spirit while you get to listen in. This was one of those conversation, and I hope you found as much wisdom and comfort from it as I did!

Resources mentioned:

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May

Find Aja:

Website | Instagram

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tashadcruz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tashadcruznutrition
Website: https://tashadcruz.com/podcast

Want more energy and motivation? To get yourself on the way to springing out of bed in the mornings, download my free guide: Ten Daily Strategies to Unlock More Energy.

#raisinghealthymothers

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.

Welcome back to Raising Healthy Mothers for Season 10!

Breakfast is often touted as the most important meal of the day. Yet it's also usually the meal we put the least amount of thought into.

It's obvious why – there's usually not much time and there are places to get to, so convenience wins every time.

And for fussy eaters, it's often thier moment to shine. Becuase they get the same, predictable meal most days. It's usually always the same colour, the same texture and the same taste. It's reliably...bland.

Like all other meals of the day, breakfast should be a source of quality nutrients and energy to fuel your child's day – especially if they're off to school where they need to use their brain. So in this episode I offer ideas on gently un-beiging your fussy eater's breakfast. I discuss...

• Why it's probably not your fault if your child is a fussy eater
• 4 top tips to introduce more nutrients and variety into the food they already eat
• How to talk about food positively in a way that gets them trying new food
• Why I discuss poo with my fussy eater

If you'd like to get more help with fussy eating, take the pressure off yourself and bring some peace back to dinner time, my workshop How to Feed Your Fussy Eater is half price this week using code BLACKFRIDAY. Learn more and purchase here: https://tashadcruz.podia.com/how-to-feed-your-fussy-eater

Hurry – sale ends on Monday 27 November 2023!

Want more energy and motivation? To get yourself on the way to springing out of bed in the mornings, download my free guide: Ten Daily Strategies to Unlock More Energy.

#raisinghealthymothers

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.

This week's guest on Raising Healthy Mothers is someone who exudes enthusiasm and excitement for her passion - gardening. And not just for the aesthetic beauty that having a joyful garden brings but for the mindful, thoughtful activity of being out in nature, being in the moment with the job that you're doing, and tending to the garden in the way that we have been connecting with nature throughout our history as a species.

Kendall Platt is the Mindful Gardening Coach and she helps women take time out of their busy lives to quieten their minds whilst creating a garden that sets their heart on fire and creating joy with the flowers that they grow.

And as a mum of two girls she recognises how much mums have to do and how busy their minds are – and she uses nature as a means to calm the mind and reduce the anxiety – rather than add to the overwhelm

Over the course of this episode we discussed…

• How to fit gardening into a busy mums life – whether you work or are a stay at home mum

• Why being connected to nature is good for you – especially for women to get into a flow with our natural cycles

• How to make gardening manageable, 5 minutes at a time

• Dealing with grief and coming to terms with trauma through gardening

• Why gardening is good for our kids, and how to accept them into our space without wrecking it

One thing that really struck a chord with me was how manageable Kendall made gardening seem. With almost everything in life we can choose to allow it to overwhelm us, or we can choose to do small bits of it at a time, noticing the difference we are making and finding joy and satisfaction in that.

Connect with Kendall:

Website | Subscribe to Kendall's Substack: The Seed | Instagram | Join her online Mindful Christmas Wreath Making masterclass here

Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcast.

Want more energy and motivation? To get yourself on the way to springing out of bed in the mornings, download my free guide: Ten Daily Strategies to Unlock More Energy.

#raisinghealthymothers

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.

This week's guest on Raising Healthy Mothers is one of those wise mothers of teens from whom I can look up to and learn from. She emanates absolute calm and confidence when it comes to parenting – two qualities I know I strive hard for!

Maija Tweeddale is a nutritionist helping parents create nutrition and lifestyle habits that stick so they can have the energy and good mood they need for a family life without drama. As a mum of three she knows the juggling act of family life, and has experienced all the different directions a parent can be pulled in, often at the same time! And so she truly understands the importance of having the energy, mood and vitality to keep the family machine well-oiled and running smoothly.

During our chat we discussed…

• Why eating together as a family lays the foundation of a healthy attitude to eating

• The common health issues mums of older children have (hint: it’s very similar to those of young children!)

• The effect on changing hormones on your motherhood

• How to have the confidence to support yourself and your family

One thing that really struck a chord with me was the value she placed on role modelling a healthy approach to food and the importance of talking about food with her children – and how that has helped them grow to be confident eaters with a great attitude to eating and trying new food, and how that has spilled over into their interactions with their friends. She truly embodies the truth about how her work has an inter-generational impact.

Connect with Maija:

Website | Free guide: The diet and lifestyle secrets of calm, energetic mums who look great too | Instagram

Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcast.

Want more energy and motivation? To get yourself on the way to springing out of bed in the mornings, download my free guide: Ten Daily Strategies to Unlock More Energy.

#raisinghealthymothers

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.

Today I'm tackling a common question that comes up every time I run a breastfeeding course.

It's usually something like this: 'when can I start expressing so my partner can take over some of the feeds and bond with the baby too?'

I find this a difficult question because two questions come up for me in return:

• Why does your partner feel like feeding them is the only way to bond with them?

• Is it really going to be a break for YOU to express?

There are so many ways a partner can bond with a new baby and give mum a break. In fact I would say it’s imperative that partners take on most of all the other things that baby needs so that mum can focus on what SHE needs to do to establish breastfeeding – to be relaxed, to be well-fed and to be well-rested.

So in this episode I give you a list of 17 things a partner can do to bond with baby and take over household responsibility, to give mum a break.

On Thursday 2 November at 8pm GMT I’m running a free webinar: Breastfeeding Revisited: Second-Time Success Secrets. During the webinar I’m discussing how to prepare for breastfeeding your second child. It will be recorded so if you can’t make it live you can watch the replay. Sign up here.

Connect with me:

Instagram | Facebook | Website

Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcast.

Want more energy and motivation? To get yourself on the way to springing out of bed in the mornings, download my free guide: Ten Things You're Doing Everyday to Sabotage Your Energy.

#raisinghealthymothers

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.

I recently ran a poll asking mums what their biggest worry was about breastfeeding for a second time. The unanimous response was around managing tiredness and exhaustion of breastfeeding while caring for an older child as well.

I totally get it. The first time round it hits you like a tonne of bricks - how dependent this tiny creature is on you - and how they don't seem to have a clue when is the appropriate time to sleep.

There is no other way to describe it.

It's exhausting.

But second time round - not only do you have to work out how to keep your new baby alive, you also have to pay attention to your eldest child.

I'm not going to sugar coat it. It is exhausting.

So in this episode I'm going to talk about that exhaustion. I’m covering…

• 3 reasons why it might not be as exhausting as you think

• 6 ways to muddle through the exhaustion

• Why it’s not just about lack of sleep and physical exhaustion

• How mindful breastfeeding plays a part

On Thursday 2 November at 8pm GMT I’m running a free webinar: Breastfeeding Revisited: Second-Time Success Secrets. During the webinar I’m going to walk you through the steps to unpick your previous breastfeeding experience and contemplate what you can do differently this time round. It will be recorded so if you can’t make it live you can watch the replay. Sign up here.

Connect with me:

Instagram | Facebook | Website

Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcast.

#raisinghealthymothers

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.

This week I’m celebrating 100 episodes on Raising Healthy Mothers! And this time I’m in the interviewee chair. My husband puts me on the spot this time. We talk about…

• How I became a nutritional therapist

• How my thinking around nutrition has changed

• How I approach motherhood wellbeing

• What strings I’ve added to my bow to support mothers

• My top myth busting and tips on breastfeeding, perinatal nutrition and slings

• And most importantly - what my favourite Malaysian food is.

This is a fun episode celebrating something I’m super proud of! Here’s to the next 100 episodes. Thank you so much for being part of the journey with me.

Connect with me:

Instagram | Facebook | Website

Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcast.

Want more energy and motivation? To get yourself on the way to springing out of bed in the mornings, download my free guide: Ten Daily Strategies to Unlock More Energy.

#raisinghealthymothers

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.

When was the last time you stood up and just...walked out of a room. Without looking back to check everyone's OK? Without making sure the kids were safe, had what they needed, weren't going to ask for something the minute you'd got comfy on the loo?

During my conversation with Kate on this week's episode I realises how easy it is to feel trapped and suffocated in motherhood. And yet, how we can also take the opportunity to change our focus, become someone different, embrace the new strengths and let go of what used to define us.

This was a fascinating conversation about self-belief, confidence and the courage to choose a new way of being within motherhood. We talked about:

• How adverse events - divorce, injury, trauma and an enforced break - can be a blessing in disguise, allowing us to try a new way of being

• Feeling failure and the disappointment of motherhood not living up to our expectations - and how to flip the mindset to one of growth

• The importance of self-love and internal validation

• The power negative self-talk has over us, and how to break it

• The newness of the postpartum body and how the lack of support for healing and recovery drives body image issues

• How to thrive in motherhood - and why that comes back to freedom

As always I came away inspired and motivated to continue working on a mindset of being comfortable in my own skin as a mother.

Connect with Kate:

Instagram (Club Thrive) | Instagram (personal) | Podcast | Website

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tashadcruz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tashadcruznutrition
Website: https://tashadcruz.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcast.

Want more energy and motivation? To get yourself on the way to springing out of bed in the mornings, download my free guide: Ten Things You're Doing Everyday to Sabotage Your Energy.

#raisinghealthymothers

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.

This episode has been a long time coming. This month marks 5 years since I started specialising in motherhood. And this episode is the culmination of everything I've learned so far in the journey.

When I started out I focused mainly on nutrition and diet. But while the information I had about a healthy pregnancy, postpartum recovery and replenished motherhood was sound and had the potential to be life-changing, the actual reality of making those changes was much harder.

I've found it hard, and so have my clients:

• We'd talk about a more nutritious breakfast but realised they could barely keep their eyes open first thing in the morning to start scrambling eggs

• We'd add in supplements but their brain fog was so bad they forgot to take them

• We'd discuss mindful eating but they were so caught up in their toddler's fussy eating they could barely sit down to eat

There was a huge gap between what was ideal pregnancy and motherhood nutrition - and what was actually attainable for a mother living a real motherhood with a small or non-existent village.

I quickly noticed that helping people them with just their diet wasn't rewarding for them or me. That there was so much more to health and wellbeing that was getting in the way of them being able to make those dietary changes.

So over the years I've developed my 5-pillar Motherhood RESET Method that encompasses much more than nutrition and diet. And in this episode I'm diving deep into each pillar and what they mean for a nourished motherhood:

• How harnessing your rhythms of your day, month and year helps to manage the natural ebbs and flows of energy - without changing anything else

• The two parts to eating that make you feel energised and well-nourished – without using fancy ingredients

• The two questions to ask about sleep - that has nothing to do with your children's sleep

• Why movement and exercise are so key in motherhood - for your lifelong health

• How prioritising time for you underpins all the pillars - and why it's often the most elusive for mothers

I end the episode with a short assessment for you to pinpoint exactly which pillar you need to work on - because it's different for everyone.

To download my free guide 10 Daily Strategies to Unlock More Energy (even if you have a toddler!), click here. I take you from morning to night with some of those small steps that can snowball over time.

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tashadcruz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tashadcruznutrition
Website: https://tashadcruz.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcast. 

#raisinghealthymothers

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.