In the LOOP with musician and nutritionist Clare Carrick
Clare Carrick is a professional violinist, qualified nutritionist, and the founder of LOOP – an online nutrition clinic. She’s passionate about “the positive effect that diet can have on our mental, gut and brain health”. Between regular performances with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and running her own nutrition consultancy, Clare is raising two daughters in Melbourne/Naarm with her husband, audio engineer Lachlan Carrick.
Georgia spoke to Clare about her journey into motherhood, what prompted her career pivot from music to nutrition, and the science behind the “nervous pre-gig poo”. Clare also shares her Top 3 tips for working mothers who want to improve their mood and energy levels (yes, please!)
Georgia: Clare, you and I go back a few years now – but for Mother Lode readers who haven’t met you yet, tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi! I’m Clare, I’m a nutritionist, professional violinist and mum to two girls. I started playing violin when I was 6, and have studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, as well as in Freiburg (Germany) and Manchester (UK).
After a few years gigging regularly with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria, I began to realise that I wanted something else in my life. I had met my husband years before, when I was booked to play in singer-songwriter Lior’s string quartet... Lachlan and I were starting to think about having kids, and honestly, I had no idea how we could make a family work with two freelancing musician parents! So I started studying nutrition, which had always been an important part of my life. At first I was searching for an additional career that might offer more financial stability and kid-friendly work hours... But I completely fell in love with nutrition science, and can now say I’m even more passionate about my work with LOOP than I have ever been about music. I still love performing with Lior and the MSO. But helping people to nourish their gut health, support their mental health, and live a more fulfilling and energetic life... I am literally smiling just thinking about it.
How did LOOP come about?
For the final subject of my Bachelor of Health Sciences I did an internship in the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University [founded by Professor Felice Jacka]. They specialise in the effect that diet has on mental health – and honestly, I haven’t looked back. I launched LOOP in 2020 after seeing first-hand the positive impact food can have on our mood and energy levels. Also, I want to fight society’s obsession with weight as a measure of health and worth! At the moment I see clients 1-on-1 in my virtual clinic. I am developing some future programs that will focus specifically on supporting new mums to rediscover their energy and stabilise their moods using an anti-inflammatory, wholefood diet and a holistic lifestyle approach.
And what specific health issues do you tend to see in your clients who are mothers?
A lack of energy, plus gut issues, anxiety, and feeling like they’ve ‘lost themselves’.
Why do you think that is?
We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be The Best Mums We Can Be, and sometimes we forget this involves taking care of ourselves too! Anxiety can increase gut irritation, which can lower nutrient absorption, leading to further health issues... So it is super important to address any chronic, pathological anxiety issues with a mental health plan through your GP, as well as dietary support. But it certainly doesn’t help that our society glorifies ‘being busy’. I see so many mums trying to manage parenting, work, socialising, organising their house... the balance is just not there.
...And when you throw a creative practice into the mix, things can get even more hectic!
Exactly. Freelancers grapple with a lack of routine, and this can effect how and what they eat. That’s why a big part of my job as a nutritionist is finding practical solutions for eating healthfully. It’s not enough for me to just hand over a list of foods to include or cut out. It’s working together to approach lifestyle changes holistically, looking at a client’s diet but also their stress triggers, exercise routine, sleep habits... Sometimes just a little bit of planning ahead with snacks can make a big difference to energy levels and moods.
Speaking of planning ahead, what were your expectations of motherhood and creative work, before you had kids?
Oh, I was the classic “I am not going to change at all when I have kids” person! Unfortunately my first daughter had other ideas and wouldn’t take a bottle – even of expressed milk! She cluster-fed from about 6-9pm every night, so I couldn’t do evening gigs for a very long time. I did one week of MSO rehearsals when she was 3 months old, and my parents had to bring her in every 90 minutes for a feed. I struggled with my sense of self after that... I thought I would never feel confident to work again, but I gradually came through it. With my second daughter, now 2 years old, I put a lot less pressure on myself to get straight back into work. I also think I had discovered who I was as a mother by then, so it wasn’t as much of a shift. But there certainly have many dark days when I’ve questioned, “How do people actually do this?”. The system is not set up for mums.
Earlier you mentioned anxiety as a common issue for your clients who are mothers. How does this relate to nutrition? Is it true that our gut “talks” to our brain?
Absolutely! It’s quite amazing! The gut and brain have constant, two-way communications via the vagus nerve that extends from the base of the brainstem, through the neck and down into the abdomen. Most of us have noticed that our brain “talks” to our our guts –
– Oh yes, like when you get ‘butterflies’, or the dreaded pre-gig “nervous poo”...
...That’s right, but there is now a growing body of evidence to suggest that the health of our gut can effect our brain – how we think, and feel. It’s a developing field of research but there is already strong evidence that nourishing our gut bugs (our microbes) with a healthy, wholefood diet can reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Given that about 1 in 2 people will experience mental ill-health in their lifetime, this is an area of nutrition I am extremely passionate about, and I’m excited to see it get more airplay. [Read more about the gut/brain axis on Clare’s blog.]
So what’s one nutrition misconception you’d like to see get less airplay? What diet myth do you want to fire into the sun?
That you have to cut out major food groups to be healthy. This myth needs to go! Also, the Carnivore Diet. I have absolutely no idea how this one even got off the ground, but if you want to piss off your gut microbes, this is the diet for you!
Is there a catch-all dietary plan that you would recommend for mothers?
Any diet that focuses on wholefoods; lots and lots of different plant foods (like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes), some seafoods, extra virgin olive oil, a bit of dairy, some lean meats, minimal ultra-processed foods, and only a little alcohol, preferably just red wine... This is typically called a Mediterranean diet, but it can look very different in different cultures and still be just as great.
Okay, let’s imagine you’re on tour. You’ve left your two small kids at home do a short run of interstate shows. You’re massively sleep-deprived from 4+ years of raising small people, and also exhausted from all the preparation that’s gone into these upcoming shows. The tour manager says there isn’t time to stop at the supermarket after picking up the hire car. Your tour group now pulls into a service station with a fast-food chain attached. What would you recommend this mum buys for lunch?
At the service station, I would check out the sandwich or wrap selection first. Go for one that has some protein (chicken/tofu/egg) and some kind of vegetable, with wholegrain bread if possible! Some unsalted nuts, plain yoghurt, a piece of fruit if possible, some water, plain milk or kombucha. Coffee if it’s bearable! At the fast food chain... McCafe actually have some pretty reasonable choices now. I’d recommend steering clear of the sweet options you might be craving for energy, as these will just give you a massive sugar crash later. Opt for something with protein (Grilled chicken/fish burger, salad or wrap), and drink lots of water.
Back at home, what are a couple of easy changes or additions that tired, time-poor mothers could make to their diet to improve their mood and energy levels?
My top 3 tips would be...
Increase your plant diversity – aim for 30 different plant foods a week (includes fruit, veg, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes).
Don’t cut carbs! Carbohydrates are our energy-givers, and include some of our gut microbes’ favourite foods. They have unfortunately really copped it in the diet world recently. Instead of cutting them out entirely, aim for good quality, complex carbs like whole grain sourdough, potatoes, wholemeal pasta, quinoa, and brown rice.
Try to balance your meals with a mix of complex carbs, good-quality protein, and healthy fats. This will help you avoid sugar spikes and crashes, keep you full for longer, and help avoid the dreaded “hangries”! It can be as simple as adding a spoon of natural peanut butter to your apple slices, or some avocado to your sandwich.
Adding peanut butter to things – you are speaking my love language! Hey... thanks for your time with us, Clare.
My pleasure!