A DEGREE lecturer from East Sussex College has released her first book that will help others become healthier, understand nutrition, and cook delicious food.

Kirsten Chick is a nutritional therapist with almost two decades of experience in helping people with their dietary needs. She started writing her new book, Nutrition Brought to Life, five years ago and is now selling it worldwide.

The book is a practical and personal guide to nutrition that aims to give clear tips on how to improve diet and bring the science behind food to life. It will provide a thorough grounding in nourishment and is complemented by 50 easy-to-follow and delicious recipes.

Kirsten said, “Whether you’re a nutritional expert, a student learning your profession, or a complete novice, you’ll be able to pick up this book and explore new ways of eating and thinking about food, as well as cooking my favourite recipes.

“It covers the fundamentals of nutrition, mindful eating, and our relationship with food. Nutrition is not just about what food to put on your plate, but how well you digest, absorb and use it. It’s about how food makes you feel, physically, mentally and emotionally. Any nutritional approach should actually feel nourishing. If it feels stressful or punishing, then it’s counterproductive.”

It has been an interesting journey for Kirsten, who was balancing running her nutritional therapy business, teaching, and writing her book over the past few years.

“Since I was seven years old, I’ve dreamed of writing a book. I didn’t know my first book would take me five years to complete, but I feel a wonderful combination of relief, satisfaction, gratitude and pride now that it’s published.

“Making sure my facts were up to date was the most time-consuming part. I needed to make sure that the things I had written two years ago were still relevant and accurate! And then the global pandemic hit, which pushed my launch date back by three months, but that gave me more time to add even more recipes.”

When the book launched at the end of August 2020, it was an instant success and gathered some top reviews, including one from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

“When the first lockdown was lifted, I spent a couple of days at River Cottage in Devon, and although I didn’t meet Hugh, I left him a copy of my book. I had no idea if the book would ever make its way to him, but a few days later, I received a glowing review! 

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s review of Kirsten’s book: “I was really delighted to come across Nutrition Brought to Life by Kirsten Chick, which is clearly tuned in to the latest scientific evidence on diet, and also feels inspiring, compassionate and achievable for the reader. It’s a book that I’m sure would be really helpful for a lot of people.”

Kirsten’s book has an RRP of £20 and is available to buy online at Amazon and Waterstones, with signed copies available from Alchimia Publishing. 

You can find out more about Kirsten’s work on her website: https://connectwithnutrition.co.uk/ and join her on the Complementary Healthcare foundation degree, which starts in September 2021. Applications are now open and can be completed on UCAS or directly to the college. Please visit www.escdegrees.co.uk for more information.