Until I was 7 I lived in Suriname and then came to the Netherlands and lived in Rotterdam, Spijkenisse, The Hague and Rotterdam for my education and work. Since 03-03-2003 I am an independent entrepreneur in a dietician's practice where you can also do sports.
Can you introduce yourself? What is your name, where did you grow up and go to school?
Kathleen Paal. Until I was 7 I lived in Suriname and then came to the Netherlands and lived in Rotterdam, Spijkenisse, The Hague and Rotterdam for my education and work. Since 03-03-2003 I am an independent entrepreneur in a dietician's practice where you can also do sports.
Did you always want to be a dietician? What motivated you?
At the HAVO I had to make a choice for a vocational training. As a teenager you are very concerned with your appearance and then I chose this training. Fortunately, it turned out to be much broader than just healthy food. The psychological guidance, hormonal processes, dietetics, food science, cooking lessons, economics etc.
What do you like most about your job and what is the hardest?
The best part is working with my clients and referrers to find a solution that fits their situation and can therefore be maintained for longer. The most difficult part is the fickleness in politics, which has caused legal inequality in care for my clients in the past year. Fortunately, this has been reversed as of August 1.
When and why did you go curly?
As of 03-03-2003 I have chosen to go curly. I have always pressed, with a short period of straight afterwards. I got very tired of that because I could not combine it with sports. It also formed a symbolic transition from employee to entrepreneur. Which was also a conscious choice of mine.
Has your view on frizzy hair changed since you went frizzy?
You can do a surprising amount with frizzy hair. In addition to twisting it, which I do, I blow-dry and tong it very sporadically and soon I want to experiment with milk. Frizzy hair is also ideal for sports; after sports I don't have to wash my hair as I had to do with pressing and straightening.
As a dietician, what would you advise people who want healthy (frizzy) hair?
Healthy and tasty food. Try to move as much as possible and mental relaxation is also not an unnecessary luxury.
Do you think Surinamese people eat healthy in general? What is the biggest problem we have to overcome when it comes to food?
Portion sizes and too much fat and salt are topics I discuss with Surinamese and Antilleans during consultations. I myself have gone through a whole process with my diet. It is actually because of my husband who knows a lot about nutrition and pays a lot of attention to what he eats. We went to a nutritionist together who advised me to eat gluten-free. Since then I feel less bloated and I am hay fever free. Now I have even gone a step further and eat according to the Paleo or Cavemen diet. Have you heard of it? Very simply put, it means that you leave manufactured food out of your diet. In principle, you can eat meat and vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruits, basically everything except bread and such. What do you think of this?
Could it be that you have been gluten intolerant for years and that you suffered from bloating because of it? Yes, I think so too.
I have read about the Paleo diet principle. Are you allowed to have carbohydrates from potatoes, brown rice etc.? Preferably not. It is advised to avoid carbohydrates, I think with the exception of black rice. In my practice I give advice according to the Guidelines for Good Nutrition.
Do you have three tips for people who want to live healthier?
1. Try to eat regularly. This means that in addition to the 3 main meals, you may consume 3 small snacks; 2. Exercise is healthy for everyone. However, do not force it and only do what your body can handle and if necessary in consultation with your physiotherapist; 3. A healthy mind in a healthy body needs relaxation. Try to incorporate this despite all the daily stress and hecticness.
Going curly is a whole process. We are so used to relaxed and smooth hair that it is mentally quite difficult to make the transition. How was that for you and what did you learn from that process?
My new hairstyle is inspiring for those around me, for example my daughter says she always wants to stay natural. Do you want to say something to the frizzy hair family?
Wearing curly hair naturally has many advantages and is definitely worth a try. You can read more about Kathleen's practice via the following link: http://www.movedis.nl/