HE LIKES PIZZA AND ONLY TAKES SUPPLEMENTS IF HE’S NOT WELL

Sheena Tanna-Shah, 37, is a rapid transformational therapy practitioner and author of Perfectly Imperfect Mum. Her husband Piyus Tanna, 38, is an optometrist. They have two daughters aged nine and seven and live in Northampton

SHEENA:

From childhood I struggled with anxiety and depression, and I hit rock bottom at 18. With support, I’d been doing much better, but then, as a mum, I found myself battling with fatigue and anxiety. I didn’t want to be the kind of mum who was sitting on the livingroom carpet, crying.

Hiring a personal trainer, who got me into nutrition, helped me through it. I’d known that bingeing on biscuits wasn’t helping, and when I changed my diet for the better I started to feel cleansed and full of energy. My diet is mainly plant-based. I try to ensure that everything is organic and, if possible, direct from farms like Riverford. I have natural supplements coming out of my ears, including acai, sea kelp, turmeric, reishi mushroom, vitamin B12 and dandelion root. I drink juice cleanses made with coriander, fennel and cumin in warm water, and make my own chocolate with 100 per cent cacao powder. If we’re out and the kids want an ice cream, they can have it. I’d never want them to feel deprived.

Piyus isn’t into healthy eating in the way I am. He loves pizza and ice cream, and only takes supplements if he’s not feeling well. Eating out as a family can be tricky – it takes a bit of research to find somewhere we’ll all enjoy. But it’s worth the effort. Nourishing myself properly has transformed my life.

PIYUS:

Sheena is far more serious about eating healthily than I am, but then I haven’t had the health issues she’s had. I definitely eat more junk food than she does, but we do make sure we eat together as a family. We’ll have things like a beanbased curry that Sheena makes. She might have bulgur wheat with it, while the kids and I have chapatis. When I cook – which is less often than Sheena – I’ll go all-out and make a three- or fourcourse meal.

I suppose I’m sceptical about food fads and so much is about marketing. Turmeric lattes are the big thing right now, but turmeric in milk – “golden milk” – is used as a natural remedy in our Indian culture and I’ve been having that since I was a kid!

I think I’m fairly healthy. I’m just not that strict with myself when it comes to food. I play football and if I fancy some popcorn I’ll have it without guilt. It’s all about balance.

When I changed my diet for the better I started to feel cleansed and full of energy