Good nutrition is an important part of keeping well, but we know it’s not always easy to get right. The PHA UK’s Shaun Clayton, who is also a certified nutritionist, offers some nuggets of advice…

With PH you can have good days and bad ones and often cooking can be the last thing on our minds during those bad days. Something like batch cooking on the good days can really help. It sounds simple but knowing that you have a hearty stew sat in the freezer ready to go may just make the day that bit easier and gives you one less thing to think about.

We often hear about how we should cook using ‘organic’ produce or how ‘fresh’ vegetables are best. Whilst there is a small amount of truth in this, the evidence shows that frozen vegetables are just as good. They still contain all the vitamins and minerals to aid a healthy diet but at a fraction of the cost of their organic counterparts.

Certain medications can cause nasty side effects which makes it hard to gain weight. Simple changes like adding more olive oil to your cooking can add extra calories without having to give it too much thought. These extra calories could help you gain weight healthily quite quickly.

‘What if’ statements are something I’ll talk about more in depth in the future. But for now, it’s always handy to ‘plan’ for things. So, for example “what if I’m going to be an inpatient for a few days, is there anything I can pack to take with me that match my nutritional goals?”.

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of small changes. Don’t put undue pressure on yourself to get your diet perfect. Good in this case is great! And making a few small changes can make a huge difference.