FQ’s resident nutritional therapist, single father Dan Davis
Dan found a passion for nutrition after reaching a life-threatening weight of 25.5 stones. He had no idea his eating habits aggravated his attacks of gout, sleeping disorder and lack of energy, so he lived a substandard life, in pain and constantly drained of energy. The biggest fear, leaving his son fatherless.
A lucky break saw him appear on Channel 5’s ‘Diet Doctors-Inside and Out’. He was, at the time, the youngest and heaviest person to appear on the series. He made a vow to the TV staff that he would lose the most in the three months of filming, a promise he kept, losing 2.5 stone. Dan Davis
My own diet was a gluttonous mix of take away and convenience food, from petrol stations and mini marts. But in all the time I was eating this rubbish, I would do my best to make sure my baby son was eating as best as I could. When I stop and think about these times, I realise that I, as any decent father will do, was putting my son’s well being before mine. But here’s the reasoning that woke me up to making the life changes that bring me here today: If I’d carried on the way I was going, which I have no doubt was an early death, I wouldn’t be around to care for my boy in any case.
Fruit kebabs make a simple desert or snack. Thread chunks of apple, pineapple, mango, red grapes and kiwi fruit onto some skewers and let the kids, or yourselves, dip them into plain natural yoghurt with a little honey stirred in. As well as being tasty, the kiwi is packed with vitamin C, the red grape skins are loaded with immunity boosting anti-oxidants, pineapple has compounds that aid digestion and inflammation from sinus problems and sore throats, mango contains nutrients important for skin, lung and gut health and apples are a great source of fibre and pectin to help keep a smooth and regular digestive path. Get the kids involved with prep too!
