Season 6, Episode 03: Culture, Carbohydrates & Children: Rethinking Healthy Eating with Salma Mehar
In this special episode of the Diapoint podcast, Salma Mehar, UK Specialist Registered Dietitian (RD) & Founder of Nutrition Ed, joins Pamela Durant, Founder of Diapoint, to discuss her new healthy plate for children—an initiative debuting in the region with Diapoint!
The conversation explores food as an integral part of culture, examines what it really means to eat healthy, and demystifies the difference between good and “bad” carbs. Salma and Pam delve into the search for the best diet, the dangers of ultra-processed foods, and why typical children’s menus often miss the mark on nutrition. The episode also covers practical guidance on portion control and offers realistic strategies for parents and families to make healthier choices that fit their lifestyle and cultural context.
You will come away informed and inspired to rethink “healthy eating” not as rigid rules, but as an evolving, culturally relevant journey for children and families.
Salma Mehar, RD, has over 20 years of experience as a specialist registered dietitian for the UK’s NHS. Her varied career has involved working with communities, particularly ethnic communities, improving health conditions, designing health interventions, and promoting health. Using her knowledge of several languages and cultures, she works with researchers, charities, and health app developers to improve the health of adults and children.
Salma created Nutrition Ed. and co-designed its products and resources to address the issues surrounding childhood obesity, the growing number of type 2 diabetes cases in children, and oral health issues in children. Salma believes good nutrition goes beyond physical benefits and impacts wellbeing, mental health, and educational outcomes.
Frustrated by the lack of effectiveness of many interventions, Salma wants to take action to support children from families struggling against health barriers and those who feel unable to apply health messages to their cultural diets and lifestyles.
Salma has an undergraduate degree in Nutrition Dietetics from North London University and a postgraduate diploma from Warwick University. She completed the NHS’s Mary Seacole Leadership programme, is an advisor on many advisory panels, and has appeared on television and radio. She has won several awards, one for her work as the co-author of Carbs and Cals’s World Foods.
Show Notes and Links
Disclaimer: It should go without saying that the Diapoint podcast is not intended as or should not be used as personal medical advice. You will hear us interview medical experts and others, but please always always ask your qualified doctor, diabetes team or other expert about your health. What works for one person does not always work for another person. What you should always do when you discover any new health information is ask YOUR doctor about it. This information should empower you to have a discussion with your healthcare providers about it. Diapoint, our guests, sponsors and business partners are not here to replace that advice. Living a full, healthy life means taking the proper medical advice from your qualified physicians, diabetes team or other healthcare providers.
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About Dia-Logue: The Diapoint Podcast and Pamela Durant
Pam Durant is a diabetes thought leader, entrepreneur, healthcare expert and wellness coach. She is the Founder and Managing Director of Diapoint – The Place for People Touched By Diabetes.
Her successful healthcare management career was turned upside down when her 20-month-old son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes over a decade ago. Not only did this challenge Pam as a parent, it also challenged everything that she believed and understood about healthcare and the provider-patient relationship. As she went on to tackle the steep learning curve of diabetes to support her son to grow and thrive with this condition, she soon realized the great need for change in healthcare and in diabetes management.
She was inspired to create Diapoint, a company that focuses on people with diabetes through events, education, advocacy and products to support them.
She also supports clients with her Wellness and Lifestyle Medicine Coaching at pameladurant.com.
If you are interested in appearing as a guest, please email us at info@diapointme.com. We would love to hear your story and your connection to diabetes.
For more information about our work visit us at diapointme.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @DiapointME.
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