‘Our bodies are wired for healing...so here’s how to help them out’
‘My plan is all about the ebb and flow of life. Good health has to work for you and mustn’t feel like a chore’ YALDA ALAOUI
BY MARCH 2013, Yalda Alaoui could barely move. Having been diagnosed with two autoimmune disorders, a rare blood disorder and ulcerative colitis, she was jaundiced, needed blood transfusions and was in an out of hospital. But when doctors seemed unable to help her, the high-flying financier decided to use her trademark perseverance and find a solution herself.
Working with a haematologist, they worked out the two conditions had to be connected and that link was inflammation.
While inflammation is simply the body’s way of fighting infection, if it is constantly reacting that way then distressing symptoms can include exhaustion, weight problems and depression.
Chronic inflammation can have a devastating impact on the body. It can be exacerbated by a bad diet, smoking and obesity.
While there are drugs to treat it, lifestyle changes are often the best course of action, believes Yalda.
“It was terrible,” she said. “My immune system was attacking the body thinking there was a virus, all the time.
“It attacked the lining of my bowel and destroyed my red blood cells. I was an acute case and my doctors were baffled.
“I thought to myself, I have to fix this. I have two masters degrees in finance, research is not something I am scared of.
“Our body is wired for healing – it wants to fix us if given the right tools to do it.
“Obviously I had so much inflammation that I had developed two illnesses.
“For me it became obvious that an anti-inflammatory lifestyle was going to be the thing – not only to save me from these illnesses but to prevent others developing.”
The mother-of-two changed her lifestyle, eating a diet rich in fish and poultry and low-sugar fruits, and started doing lowintensity exercises.
She was medication-free by 2015.
Her recovery seemed almost miraculous and she was keen to return to her life – but when she went back to her finance career she realised she wanted to share what she had found with others.
Since then Yalda, 43, has built a strong social media presence, trained as a Naturopathic Nutritionist with a foundation in Biomedicine, and in 2018 launched a programme called Eat, Burn, Sleep that aims to help others benefit from what she found. It now has 5,000 subscribers.
“Every disease you can think of is connected to chronic inflammation, from cancer to diabetes to arthritis.
“It became obvious that an anti-inflammatory diet could help not just me, but so many other people. You can’t outsource health – you have to work at it, the same way we work at so many things in our life.
“I am passionate about Eat, Burn, Sleep and I know so many people could benefit.”
EAT
YALDA’S lifestyle isn’t all kale and yoga. She swears by an 80/20 approach, saying that it is about “damage limitation, rather than perfection”. Be good most of the time, but you can and should still have those little treats that make life enjoyable for you.
The eat portion of the programme is the most important.what we put into our body is absolutely vital to our health and wellbeing. Yalda’s approach centres on whole foods rather than supplements, which “can be taxing on the body” if used the wrong way, and while weight loss isn’t the goal for everyone who joins, it is often a side effect.
“I am a firm believer that nutrients are best absorbed through foods, not supplements – this is the best way to improve your gut bacteria. People now are fed but undernourished, we often don’t know or understand what is in our foods and consume empty calories.”
She teaches people to go back to basics, incorporating carbs, proteins and plenty of vegetables in a simple diet that avoids additives, emulsifiers and thickeners that are linked to metabolic syndrome and obesity.
Foods are listed with a traffic light system based on their usefulness to the body, but if you want to have a glass of wine or a burger at the weekend “it is important not to feel deprived”.
“Generally people will see their bloating disappear in three to four days, and they will stop getting those blood sugar spikes that cause craving. By the seventh day they will feel amazing. I’m so proud of the results people who follow this can get.
“We have testimonials from people who have had irritable bowel syndrome, psoriasis and even fertility issues.”
Importantly, as a busy working mum, she wants recipes that fit into modern lifestyles and won’t break the bank. She says your diet “has to fit into your life, you don’t have to change your life around it”.
She adds: “Recipes can be as cheap as a few pounds per person, and we want to make sure that if you’re caught in a hurry on the road you can go to a garage and make a good choice, without resorting to something that is bad for you.”
BURN
THE second branch of Yalda’s plan is the burn section, which aims to explain the best ways to move your body without exacerbating any existing or potential health issues. It focuses on anti-inflammatory movement, and avoids anything too hard such as the super popular High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
“So many fashionable exercises are too much and super inflammatory. I was going to the gym and even some pilates or yoga teachers would push me too far. I’d end up doing too many forwards bends.they often think more is best, but that is not true when it comes to reducing inflammation.”
Instead, Yalda’s method aims to strengthen the body and looks at mid-muscle connection – because “having a strong core is important for a good digestive system”.
She also argues for low-impact exercise such as swimming or even walking, which she says is the best form of activity.
Exercise doesn’t have to be taxing, or a chore, and you do not have to join an expensive gym to make a difference.
“I don’t have time in my life to spend hours in the gym, like many people, especially those with a family. I tell people to aim for three times a week and you can do it in your bedroom. I do mine in my pyjamas. My plan is all about the ebb and flow of life. Good health has to work for you and mustn’t feel like a chore.”
SLEEP
WE all know the importance of rest, and yet we all also know how difficult it can be to ensure we are fully rejuvenated each night. Yalda says it “is crucial to repair, hormonal balance, hunger regulation, memory, and immune system function”, and is vital for the success of her programme. While many diets recommend zero carbohydrates in the evening, she recommends a moderate carb intake to promote an insulin spike that will help increase serotonin and melatonin, the chemical the body produces to go to sleep. Mental health can also affect one’s sleep and Yalda argues that mindfulness is crucial to improving physical health.
“Mental wellness is the most interesting art because the brain is our most powerful organ. The brain can bring you back to life or kill you. There is a connection between mental health and physical health.
“There is a strong brain-gut connection. The way you eat influences your thoughts and thoughts influence your tummy. When you’re nervous you can get a funny tummy.
“I calm the mind down. It is important to create a sense of peace, and one of the ways I do this is by encouraging meditation.
“It doesn’t have to be for long, there’s no way I can do it for 20 minutes, and you don’t have to be sitting in a certain position.
“I do it for a few minutes in bed as I’m lying down going to sleep or when I wake up. I focus on realising things, and a lot focus on their goals, what they want to achieve. People who do this often find it easier to stick to the programme.”