A SWINDON nutritionist has given her expert advice to anyone wishing to improve their diet this winter.

Alison Aldred has made it her mission to help people overcome their ailments by thinking about the food they eat on a daily basis.

Her aim is to try to get people to realise that diet is the key to health and can cure all kinds of illnesses.

Alison, who has made a living offering nutrition advice for the past three years, said: “We tend to go for comfort food and things to warm us up at this time of year.

“One thing you can do is make a big batch of hearty soup and freeze it so you have plenty of ready meals on hand and ready to go.

“A lot of green and leafy vegetables, such as Italian black cabbage, which contains a lot of vitamins and minerals, are what people should be aiming for.

“One quick and easy way for family meals to be healthier is to use a slow cooker. If you get into the habit of putting it on in the morning before work, then you know you will have a good, hearty meal waiting for you when you get home.

“Shitiki mushrooms are great, too. You should buy them and leave them on the window sill for a few hours to increase the vitamin D content.”

Alison, 46, who lives in central Swindon, runs a business called Nutritionali-Healthy, and the reason she is so passionate about the healing qualities of food is because they have previously helped her.

She used to suffer from crippling asthma, but thanks to her own education in nutritional therapy, she no longer struggles with her breathing.

Alison said: “It’s all about making the right dietary and lifestyle choices to improve how you feel and look. You may have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, inflammatory arthritis, or irritable bowel syndrome and wonder if this is how you will feel for the rest of your life.

“But it doesn't have to be like this. You can make a positive decision for your future health.

"I see people of all ages and backgrounds and I love seeing the positive changes in people. Food really can heal us and too many people are eating things that are making them ill without realising it."

For more information on Ali's services, call her on 07890 968 216 or visit her website: http://www.nutritionali-healthy.com.