NEVAL HAS BEEN WORKING ON HEALTHY LIFE STYLE, BLENDING EXPERTISE IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF INTEREST. SHE'S AN ATHLETE, SPORTS INSTRUCTOR, AROMATHERAPIST AND FUNCTIONAL KITCHEN CHEF. “EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL HAS ITS OWN CROWN IN MY KITCHEN," SHE SAYS, AND SHE SHARES HER NUTRITION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A BETTER LIFE QUALITY.
WHAT ARE “MUST HAVES” IN OUR LIVES FOR A BETTER LIFE QUALITY?
For a healthy life, soul and body must be in harmony. From time to time, our bodies may lack vitamins, minerals, and we may try replacing the deficiencies with the supplements. In the same manner, we need to understand and nurture our emotions, and strive for our peace and happiness. This attitude should not be for one season, it must be a lifestyle, we have to have priorities for a quality life. Real food is sustainable, and an abundant variety of vegetables and healthy oils that we' consume is so crucial.
WHAT IS AROMATHERAPY? WHAT DOES AROMATHERAPIST DO?
Aromatherapy is called to use oils derived from the roots, leaves and flowers of plants to prevent and treat diseases. I'm from Diyarbakır, and in Eastern culture, herbal medicine is very common. When I was a kid, my grandmother made herbal medications. She was actually the first aromatherapist I've ever seen in my life. Now I smell and taste some of the blends that I make, a lot like the ones I drank when I was a kid. Aromatherapy can be used for both physical and mental health. The purpose of aromatherapy is to make people feel better about themselves, to relax their nerves and to regenerate their skin.
WHAT IS THE LOCATION OF THE EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL IN AROMATHERAPY? HOW SHOULD IT BE USED?
Extra Virgin Olive oil is a very strong and natural antioxidant. It has a major role in preventing inflammation, thanks to Oleic acid, linoleic acid and vitamin E-rich antioxidants. It can be used for rash, itching, e.t.c. We can consume it, we can use it on our skin, and we can include it in a lot of prescriptions for hair health. Extra Virgin Olive oil is also extremely reliable and useful to dilute volatile oils applied to the skin for reasons such as releasing muscle tension, reducing stress, increasing energy, etc. Volatile oils are very dense and can cause irritation when applied directly to the skin. Extra Virgin Olive oil is added at a certain rate to volatile oil and increases its benefit by “carrying it”. The reason that olive oil is an ideal carrier is because it softens the skin, imprisons moisture and fights octidative damage.
WHAT IS FUNCTIONAL NUTRITION AND FUNCTIONAL CUISINE? CAN YOU TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OTHER TYPES OF NUTRITION?
Functional Nutrition and Functional Kitchen is a nutritional concept developed to support healthy life, which provides physiological benefits to our body, reduces the risk of chronic disease, improves the immune system, retards ageing, has positive effects on our soul, mind and body. The feature that separates functional cuisine from other kitchens is that, it adopts a principle for maintaining gut health. Includes a feeding protocol for supporting, protecting and strengthening the intestinal fluorine.
WHAT IS THE LOCATION AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL IN THE FUNCTIONAL KITCHEN?
In the functional kitchen, extra virgin olive oil is a jewel in the crown. Because of the high antioxidant that supports intestinal health, it has a wide range of uses that can used in each meal. We can also use olive oil in desserts, meals, children and baby menus. It is recommended that, best way to consume olive oil is without exposure to high heat when cooking. I use a lot, while preparing legume mezes and appetizers. Also I prepare uncooked (raw) deserts with it. After cooling the cooked vegetables and rice, I add it while serving as a dressing.
HOW DO YOU FEED YOURSELF AS YOU ARE AN ATHLETE? HOW DO YOU CONSUME EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL?
I have a diet that fits me well. Where ever I travel in the world, I don’t have any trouble with food. I eat vegetables, dried-fruits, and oil. I drink olive oil in the morning before I eat vegetables and greens. After my morning sport, I eat breakfast rich in protein and vegetables, low carbs and famous almond-coconut bread I make myself. I am careful to get enough protein during the day. I barely have any sugary food in my life. I make my own desserts and snacks. I try to add a bowl of green salad to my meal every day.
In 2018, I started drinking olive oil routinely in the morning, and it was very helpful. I often include healthy recipes with olive oil in my Nevallina Kitchen account on Instagram. Before I go for a run or when I'm going to work out, I'm drinking 1 full tablespoons of olive oil, extra to give me energy. I buy some supplements I use with olive oil (vitamins that melt in oil). Sometimes I make special cure treatments with olive oil. I use olive oil in my cure treatments a lot that I apply in aromatherapy.
HOW DO YOU RECOMMEND USING EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL IN THE SPORTS NUTRITION?
The food we eat should feed our cells as well as feeding our bodies. We must consume "whole food". What does that mean? Eating vegetables and fruits during their season, without too much cooking, without frying, from the ground to our plate, with no sauce or additives; it is the cleanest way to eat.Because extreme sports may cause inflammatory, a nutrition program that supports gut health should be adopted, with protein-rich herbs and saturated fats, clean, healthy meals enriched with lots of spices. Of course, our meals must have olive oil in them. I don't think that there is a better nutrient than olive oil to improve nutritional value, flavor and benefit of food.
YOU ALSO WORK ON CHILDREN NUTRITION. WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST MISTAKES THAT WE MAKE IN CHILDREN NUTRITION?
Since I worked as a gym teacher, I've been doing sports and nutrition workshops for children. I've seen a lot of unhealthy products in schools, especially in the cafeteria. I told parents to put their kids in the kitchen and give everyone the same products and prepare meals from their imagination. They made a lot of different foods from a few simple ingredients. That's when I realised that most parents don't let kids use their imaginations. I think they should insist on feeding their children with healthy food. Children, who are into unhealthy foods, can be offered with similar foods, with healthier ingredients. So they can change their diet. I taught parents how to make practical children's menus in workshops between 2019-2021 with children and adults together. Parents said they don’t need to control or prohibit food that their children love eating after they started preparing meals together. For example, a child that loves hamburger can be served with almond-flour burger bread that is baked at home and make homemade ketchup and mayonnaise to create a beautiful, healthy hamburger. All of these recipes are in my Nevallina Kitchen account for free.
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL IN CHILDREN’S NUTRITION?
Extra Virgin olive oil is unadditive and natural, so it can be included in kid's menus. It can be used when massaging babies. For the strengthening of the immune system, protection from diseases, a strong and healthy intestinal fluoride, it is necessary to start eating healthy at a very young age. The ingredients in the olive oil support immunity, helping with a strong intestinal fluorine. Therefore, it can be used for children meals every day.
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NEVAL GÖRDÜK
Born in Diyarbakır, graduated from Dicle university physical Education and Sports Teaching. She was a Physical Education teacher for 10 years. She participated in many races in Turkey and around the world as a runner and a triathlete. She specializes in sports nutrition. She coached the triathlon national team with nutrition and force. She worked with Adidas Turkey, Asics Turkey as a running and force coach. She is still an athlete of Under Armour, Turkey. She is the Functional Nutrition and Kitchen Supervisor in the Academy of Culinary Arts (MSA). She is preparing TV programs as a sportswoman's chief athlete in Sporttv App - Sporttv, for Franke’s Turkish Cuisine. She studied Aromatherapy at Altınbaş University. As an aromatherapist, she prepares prescriptions and menus for children and adults with autoimmune diseases. She works on children nutrition, she organizes kids exercise programs and workshops.
Instagram: Neval Gördük @nevallina
Instagram: Nevallina Kitchen @nevallinakitchen
E-posta: nevallina@gmail.com