What is one major reason why some people eat consistently well and others don't? Food preparation. Eating well consistently will help improve our overall health. It's especially important to eat nutritious food when you're struggling with a health condition like endometriosis, SIBO or leaky gut.It might seem time consuming, complicated and exhausting if you have a chronic illness - I get it. I've found though that preparing food in advance makes life easier. I know for myself if I don't eat well (home-made food) majority of the time I feel it; I'm more tired, don't sleep as well, don't handle stress as well and have more reactions to food.My meal prep is usually done on a Sunday or Monday depending on what I have on and I keep it as simple as possible.

1. Plan ahead. What day of the week are you going to dedicate a couple of hours to shopping and food prep?

2. Create a meal plan for the week. Before you write a shopping list, think about the events you have on. Make a list of what you want to eat and when and roughly how many days of leftovers you can get out of a meal. Choose recipes that are not too complex and that you'll get a few meals out of - using a slow cooker is a great way to do this. I'll share some recipes I like to make further down.

3. Create a shopping list. You may need to freeze some ingredients (such as fresh fish). Also include fresh ingredients you don't need to cook such as salad ingredients like cucumber, lettuce and fruit (frozen berries are great for smoothies). Don't forget to maintain enough kitchen staples such as olive oil, olives, smoked salmon and nut butters (such as almond butter).

4. Once you have your groceries, spend a few hours preparing your food. Here are some general ideas to inspire you:

   • A batch of stock or bone broth in the slow cooker (for soups and to drink)

   • Roast or bake vegetables such as pumpkin, capsicum and cauliflower

   • Roast a whole chicken or another protein

   • A curry or soup in the slow cooker

   • Slow cooked casserole or stew

   • Whip up a stir fry

   • Boil some eggs

   • Frittata

   • Make a healthy lasagne such as a Paleo style or one using brown rice pasta

   • Cook some grains and store them in the fridge (quinoa, buckwheat, rice)

   • Make some bircher muesli, granola or porridge and store it in the fridge

   • Have ingredients ready to make a quick and filling smoothie (such as nut butter, cacao, cooked pumpkin, avocado, berries, banana and a quality protein powder)

   • Snacks such as protein balls are awesome for an afternoon snack

   • Nuts and seeds are also great, a handful should be enough as a quick snack