Last week, Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief at The Huffington Post, landed on our pink sandy shores. She spoke to a packed ballroom at the Fairmont Southampton about her latest book, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-being, Wisdom and Wonder.

She was fabulous. Of course she was. Full of dry humour and compassion, too. Her philosophy of “no brilliant jerks allowed here” has surely been integral to her success. There is no hierarchy among those who write for The Huffington Post. As she said, “You can be President Obama or Hillary Clinton ... or a homeless student with something interesting to say.”

It’s led to a breadth and depth of opinion writing that has given web news a refreshing lift. As for the homeless student, Harvard University read that particular piece, gave him a place, and he’s now completing his third year. How’s that for warm and fuzzy?

Some of Arianna’s funniest anecdotes revolved around her mother, who had a wonderful disregard for hierarchy too, famously introducing the plumber to the British Prime Minister so they could hash things out. And it seems she also had no time for good old-fashioned calories either: “She really believed that if you didn’t eat every 20 minutes, something terrible would happen to you.” I am pretty sure this Greek matriarch would have been Belle’s best friend; my littlest is never happier than when she has a snack, preferably one in each hand.

The number of interesting pieces on Huffington Post makes it a very difficult site to leave. One click leads to another and another and another. Compared to some other options, at least you end up well-educated. It’s never a great feeling when you realise you’ve lost hours of your life to celebrity gossip and funny cat videos (though there’s a lot to be said for the occasional funny cat video).

But just as with all good things, a little balance is key. Have you ever read so many opinion pieces you wonder what your own opinion actually is? As you know, my mind was swirling with the Food Babe vs Science Babe debate last week. I was determined to keep an open mind, but ultimately it was hard to stay connected to my own perspective.

Sometimes a cleverly constructed comment or argument can make you doubt something you innately know to be true. It reminded me of something I once read: “Listen to others, but don’t lose your own voice.” I printed it for the girls’ bedroom wall and I should probably put it on mine, too.

But back to Arianna’s mother, who I can’t help wishing I had met. There are more insights and stories in an online piece by Arianna herself last year, This Mother’s Day: Remembering my Mother, and in her book Thrive.

We are told of a woman who was simultaneously blunt and exceptionally loving, who nourished her daughters’ bodies with good food, and their souls with pearls of wisdom. I know many matriarchs in Bermuda who do this too — except our downfall is that a lot of the food they make for others isn’t exactly nourishing now is it? You knew I had to bring it up sometime!

One of my Nutrifit clients was telling a story in class the other day that relates to this. She said she spent 21 years being encouraged to eat everything put in front of her. Then at 22 years old, when her mother was suddenly concerned with her weight, she remarked to her daughter: “You don’t have to finish everything you know!”

The thing is, you are not allowed to criticise someone for the habits that you yourself spent decades instilling. You are allowed to serve smaller portions and healthier options, of course.

There’s no doubt that chocolate cake has a feel-good factor — especially if it is baked from scratch, made with love and shared with friends or family. But given Bermuda’s current health climate, if we really want to look after others, we need to make healthy options most of the time.

We have celebration after celebration these days and every single one of those occasions comes hand in hand with unhealthy staples. It’s a bittersweet blow for those who are trying to live healthier lives. So if you really want to nurture your loved ones, you have to aim to nourish them, too.

If you are unsure where to start, try www.100daysofrealfood.com or www.cleaneatingmag.com for some amazing recipe makeovers. For more comprehensive support and education, join me for my seven-week Nutrifit programme, starting on May 5 (details at www.natural.bm). Arianna Huffington’s book is available from Bermuda Bookstore on Queen Street and there are lots of healthy living tips online at The Huffington Post too: www.huffingtonpost.com. Have a great weekend one and all!

• The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details, please go to www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda.