Pretty much every morning I wake up, clap my hands and wonder what I might eat for breakfast.

I am a foodie, in love with the changing seasons that bring rhubarb in February, asparagus in May and plums in August, and I’m endlessly fascinated by the diverse flavours of food from around the world. I am not a trained chef and yet I have always cooked, devouring recipe books greedily as soon as I could read. From my teenage years in a rural commune, where I learnt to make great pots of spicy dal and bake show-stopping birthday cakes, to more recent holidays in Italy where the vegetables were so good they only needed a slick of olive oil to sing, cooking and eating have been at the centre of my life.

Food took on a different meaning for a while when I was diagnosed with coeliac disease, becoming a source of anxiety and often disappointment; restaurants were fraught with danger, and old favourites, like crusty bread, were off the menu. I could have sulked and pined for what I was missing, but I chose instead to embrace the new challenge and celebrate the wonderful things that I could still safely and joyfully eat. I learnt about the mysterious business of what goes on in the gut, and that what I eat, how I live and my emotional state all have a profound influence on my health.

Eating is such an integral part of our lives and an opportunity for each of us to comfort, delight and nourish, that I have made it my mission to help others discover how delicious it can be to take care of your gut. Whether you come on one of my courses, read one of my books or just pick up a few tips from this website, I wish you good health and a happy belly!