So, without further ado, allow me to introduce ‘The Food Medic for life’

As a doctor, a personal trainer, and a huge foodie. Food is important to me on so many levels and I fully appreciate its value in terms of the energy it provides and the health benefits it offers us. However, food may be fuel – but its so much more!

Food is; family, it’s friends, it’s comfort, it’s home, it’s tradition, it’s life giving, it’s celebration, it’s therapeutic, it’s love, it’s health. Let’s not forget that.

What this book will give you?

To reflect the pattern of our busy lives, this book is split into two sections;

The first section ‘Fuel Up’ is designed to suit the hectic, busy days in your life where you need quick and easy recipes that will give you the fuel that you need to power through the working week, without spending hours in the kitchen. Expect portable breakfasts, fork-free-lunches, energy-boosting snacks, and batch cook dinners. This will help you cut down time in the kitchen so that you can spend your evenings unwinding after work and resting for the day ahead.

The second section ‘Power down’ of the book is designed for the weekends, days off, and holidays when you have a little more time to enjoy and rediscover a love of food. I want you to not only be conscious of the type of food that you eat, but how you cook and prepare it, how you eat it, and who you share it with. Here you will find lazy brunches, comforting family dinners, traditional breads, celebratory cakes and tea-time treats.

In addition to the 115 recipes, you will find:

• My everyday shopping list and store cupboard staples – 5 of which I’ve selected as my ‘heroes’ and have given you 10 different recipe ideas for each of them.

• A key for special dietary requirements including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, low sugar, low salt, the fibre content, and meals under 30 minutes.

• ‘Meal prep hacks’ and tips on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle when you’re busy.

• No recipe recipes for quick snacks when you simply do not have the time to cook or bake.

• Nutritional advice including the basics of nutrition, how to meet your 5 a day, lunchbox tips for kids, and special nutritional requirements for vegan and vegetarians.

• Medical and nutritional hacks throughout the book with explanations of common lifestyle related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and irritable bowel disease, and practical tips and tricks on how to stay healthy and get the most from your diet.

• Common nutritional myths busted – “Is red meat bad for me?” , “Is dark chocolate healthy?”, “Is a sweet potato healthier than a white potato?”– and replaced with evidence based advice.

• The importance of rest including; sleep hacks and an introduction to mindfulness and meditation.

What you won’t find in this book:

• Difficult to follow, time-consuming recipes which long lists of glorified ‘superfood’ ingredients that you have to source from a niche supermarket or foreign country.

• A restrictive set of dietary rules, health fads or extreme diets.

• The cure to cancer or the answer to world peace.