Sleep, stress and gut health are some of the biggest issues affecting people today, according to Cork Nutritional Therapist Kate Conway, who believes many people are overlooking the simple foundations that can have the greatest impact on their overall health and wellbeing.
“If I could tell people one thing to focus on, it would be getting good quality sleep,” Kate tells All About Cork. “Sleep is crucial. If you’re not getting sufficient sleep, then your body is in a stress response and, of course, we know the effect that stress has on the body as well. It’s a domino effect.”
Originally from North Kerry and now living in Cork, Kate works as a Brand Educator with Terranova Nutrition while also running her own Nutritional Therapy practice and teaching Pilates. Her interest in health and nutrition developed while she was living in Australia and New Zealand, where she spent five years before returning home to Ireland.
Although she had initially planned to study while abroad, circumstances brought her home earlier than expected. By that stage, however, she had already developed a strong interest in nutrition and knew it was something she wanted to pursue professionally.
“My diet wasn’t great and I loved going out,” she says. “It was really when I was away in Australia and New Zealand that I found training and exercise. I got really into CrossFit and then nutrition came hand in hand with that. I started doing my own research and changing my diet to better support my training.”
As she began making changes to her nutrition, she noticed significant improvements in how she felt.
“The biggest thing for me was my energy,” she says. “I used to be dragging my feet throughout the day and the shift in that was huge. When I noticed how good I could actually feel, from waking up in the morning to going through the day with energy, it really made me want to learn more.”
She says it wasn’t just her energy levels that improved, but her overall wellbeing too.
“The knock-on effect was huge. Once I started feeling the benefits of those changes, I wanted to be able to show other people that even small changes can have such a big effect on your life overall.”
One of the biggest misconceptions Kate encounters is the belief that becoming healthier requires a complete lifestyle overhaul.
“I think people see it as this big life change, but it doesn’t have to be that dramatic,” she explains. “Even making small tweaks to your day-to-day routine can have such a great impact.”
When asked what changes Irish people could make to improve their wellbeing, she immediately returns to the importance of sleep.
“If I could give one bit of advice, especially to Irish people, it would be to really focus on getting good quality sleep because it has such a crucial effect on everything else.”
According to Kate, sleep is often overlooked despite playing a key role in physical and mental health.
“If you’re not getting sufficient sleep, your body is in a stress response and then, of course, we know the effect stress has on the body. It affects everything else.”
Another area she believes deserves more attention is gut health, which she says can have a significant influence on many aspects of wellbeing.
“So many issues and conditions stem from an imbalance within the gut or the digestive tract,” she says.
Kate believes many people have become so used to symptoms such as bloating, fatigue and digestive discomfort that they simply accept them as normal.
“Especially here in Ireland, we can sometimes have the attitude of just putting up with things, but so many issues stem from an imbalance in the gut bacteria.”
Addressing those imbalances can often have benefits far beyond digestion alone.
“Working on gut health can improve things like brain fog, fatigue and hormone imbalances. Again, it comes back to that domino effect.”
Much of Kate’s work focuses on women’s health, particularly conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis and fertility support.
Endometriosis is an area she feels particularly passionate about, not least because of the challenges many women face when trying to obtain a diagnosis.
“It can take up to ten years to get a diagnosis of endometriosis,” she says. “Women can have repeated visits to their doctor because they’re in pain and they’re often being told that it’s normal or that it’s just part of their cycle.”
She recalls recently speaking to a woman who had spent years seeking answers.
“She told me that at one of her appointments she was told to just go and have a baby. It’s really sad to see women struggling to get the support they need.”
While she stresses that medical intervention is important, Kate believes nutrition and lifestyle measures can also play a valuable supporting role.
“There are certainly things with diet and lifestyle that can help alongside medical intervention.”
One practical recommendation she makes is encouraging women to keep track of their symptoms.
“When I talk about tracking symptoms, I’m not just talking about cycle-related symptoms. I’m talking about things like pain, digestive issues, bowel movements, bloating, fatigue and brain fog. The more information you have, the better.”
When it comes to nutrition advice, there is one myth that Kate says she would love to see disappear.
“Restriction.”
She believes many people still think they need to eliminate entire food groups in order to be healthy.
“My biggest thing is people believing they have to cut out carbohydrates and that carbohydrates are the devil, or that fats are the devil. There is no good food and bad food.”
Instead, she points out that carbohydrates and fats both play essential roles in supporting the body.
“We need carbohydrates and we need fats. They’re essential for energy levels and brain function. If you’re involved in sport or training, carbohydrates are especially important.”
It’s a message that comes from personal experience.
“You name the diet, I’ve probably done it,” she laughs. “The no-carb diets, the fad diets, the starvation diets before holidays. I’ve done them all.”
Looking back, she says she wishes more people understood that healthy eating does not have to be restrictive.
“I wish people could see that you don’t have to be so restrictive. You can still enjoy your food, eat well every day and still feel good.”
Alongside diet and lifestyle changes, Kate says supplements can also play a role when used appropriately.
For people dealing with stress and poor sleep, she often recommends Terranova’s Magnesium Complex.
“Magnesium is one of the most important nutrients for supporting the nervous system during periods of stress and can also help promote relaxation and restful sleep.”
She also highlights Terranova’s Theanine Complex, which contains naturally occurring L-theanine from green tea.
“It promotes a sense of calm without causing drowsiness. I pair it with the magnesium complex and I sleep like a baby.”
Other products she regularly recommends include Terranova’s B Complex with Vitamin C, which supports energy production and nervous system function, and Holy Basil, also known as Tulsi.
“My absolute favourite for stressful times is Holy Basil,” she says.
Living in Ireland, Kate also believes many people could benefit from supplementing with Vitamin D.
“Vitamin D plays an important role in immune health, psychological wellbeing and overall vitality. Supplementation is certainly needed here in Ireland.”
She also points to Terranova Life Drink, a wholefood supplement containing organic plants, probiotics and digestive enzymes, which is designed to help bridge nutritional gaps for people who may struggle to meet their nutritional needs through diet alone.
Alongside her work as a Nutritional Therapist, Kate teaches Pilates in Cork, something she returned to after injuries forced her to step back from heavy strength training.
“I always thought about doing a PT course, but when I got back into Pilates I felt it fitted much better with my nutritional therapy work.”
She says Pilates can be particularly beneficial because it focuses on strength, mobility and the mind-body connection while also supporting nervous system regulation.
For Kate, however, the message that runs through all aspects of her work remains remarkably simple. Whether it’s nutrition, movement, sleep or supplements, she believes lasting improvements in health often begin with small, sustainable changes that people can realistically maintain over time.
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