INTERVIEW: REBECCA GAWTHORNE - NOURISH NATURALLY

You’re such an inspiring advocate in the health & wellness industry, what led you to study in this field?

Thank you so much. I’ve always loved listening to and helping people, and I knew I wanted a career doing this. In school I was encouraged to explore options in health and behavioural sciences and this led me to study a Bachelor of nutrition & dietetics at university. 

Having experience in the industry for so many years, you would have seen a lot of ‘trends’ and ‘superfoods’ come and go… Tell us about one that’s become a non-negotiable for you.

One “trend” that is non-negotiable for me is plant based eating. Now this doesn’t mean plant exclusive or only eating plants. But it means a diet “based on plants.” So including lots of veggies, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs & spices in our eating. 

Plant based eating is one of the trends that is actually really beneficial for our health, the planet and our hip pockets. It’s how I chose to eat even before it was a trend and its a trend that I hope stays around. 

Being an accredited dietician and nutritionist, what’s your philosophy around food?

My food philosophy is Nourish Not Restrict. I believe that health is about nourishment, not restriction; about choosing to nourish your body, not deprive it. I want to help you fuel your body with lots of healthy foods to energise and thrive, while still enjoying the foods you love with balance.  

We love your focus on educating people about the importance of gut health, can you share some of your wisdom on this?

Our gut health plays a vital role in our overall health and well-being. Research has linked good gut health to improved mood, a stronger immune system, reduced inflammation, more energy, healthier skin and reduced risk of chronic diseases. 

My top tips for looking after our gut health are:

• Eat a wide variety of plant based foods each day - plant foods include veggies, fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs & spices. The more varied your plant food intake, the better for your gut health! 
• Include foods rich in prebiotics & probiotics
• Slow your eating & chew your food well 
• Drink water & stay hydrated 
• Move your body & manage stress 
• Address any gut health issues with your healthcare professional 

Our community loves learning about foods that elevate their skin health, do you have a favourite food for glowing skin?

What we eat can affect the health of our skin. While there is no one food that will “cure” all your skin problems, modifying your diet to regularly include certain skin-nourishing foods may help with elevating our skin health. Some of my favourite foods for glowing skin include:

• Foods rich in healthy fats like avocado, extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds.
• Antioxidant rich foods - especially those rich in Vitamin C - like berries, citrus, kiwi, turmeric, broccoli and other leafy greens.
• Foods rich in zinc like beans, pumpkin seeds and almonds.
• Pre and probiotic rich foods like garlic, asparagus and yoghurt.
• Water  

Paint a picture of your daily self-care ritual for us… Are you a morning or evening girl?

I’m definitely an early morning person. I usually start my day with some exercise before my 3 year old wakes up. For me, exercise is a big part of my self-care ritual. It energises me for the day and makes me feel good. I then have a nourishing breakfast and a coffee, which again are both part of my self-care ritual. Choosing to feed my body healthy foods that makes me feel good is part of how I care for myself. And then spending quality time with my son outdoors (without my phone) is another part of my self-care ritual. Before bed I also try to spend a few minutes doing my skin care routine, with my favourite Retreatment Botanics of course. 

We love your latest cookbook ‘Salads In The Sun’, do you have a favourite recipe from it that you would like to share? 

Thank you so much! I love salads because they are so easy, nourishing & delicious! Here is my Minty Pink CousCous Salad recipe. It’s one of my favourites from my book and I hope you enjoy it too.

Minty Pink CousCous Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup pearl couscous
• 400g (1 tin) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup coriander, finely chopped
• 6 Medjool dates, pitted and diced
• Seeds of 1 large pomegranate
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 100g feta, crumbled

METHOD:

1. In a large pot, bring 1 cup of water to the boil. Add couscous and reduce to simmer. Cook for approximately 7 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and the couscous is cooked through.
   
   
2. Transfer couscous to a large salad bowl. Add chickpeas, mint, coriander, dates and pomegranate.
   
   
3. To make the dressing, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice in a small bowl. Drizzle over salad and top with feta. Toss to combine and enjoy.

Last, but not least… Are you ready to decide on your favourite Retreatment Botanics product?!

That’s not an easy one to answer! I’ve been including the Radiance Cream Cleanser and Ageless AHA Glow Concentrate in my daily skin routine and absolutely loving the glow they are giving my skin. But if I had to choose I’d say the Instant Glow Face Masque. I’ve been using it weekly and my skin always feels so smooth and bright instantly after using it.