Lorraine's Lolly will lick you into shape

Lorraine Cunningham launches Nutritious Lolly in January

Lorraine Cunningham, of Dirleton in East Lothian, launched her new company – Nutritious Lolly – to offer easy-to-follow actionable nutrition advice that fits around busy lifestyles.

But her new company only came about after years of struggling with her own health.

Lorraine, 37, had a stressful middle management role in a corporate environment which lead to acute irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in her late twenties. The condition was so debilitating it became clear that she would have to make changes in her life to improve her health.

Lorraine said: “I had a really stressful role in my previous career and slowly but surely it started to get to the point that it was making me incredibly unwell.

“IBS is an acute illness and very quickly it can have a profound effect on your life. The shocking thing is that one in five people in the UK will suffer from it at some stage in their lives yet most people don’t like to talk about it, probably because of embarrassment.

“The traditional ways used to treat IBS didn’t really work for me and, from my own research, I discovered quite quickly just how incredibly important good nutrition is, in not only improving conditions like IBS, but in maintaining your general health.”

IBS and its related symptoms cost the NHS £1.2 billion in 2012-2013. Poor diet and stress are often cited as the main causes.

The condition is most common in women aged between 20 and 30, although it can strike anyone at any time.

Lorraine said: “I always tell people that your digestive system is sort of like the powerhouse of your body and if you don’t look after it, your health is going to suffer in all sorts of ways. That’s why good, easy-to-follow nutrition is the foundation for the Nutritious Lolly 6-Week Whole-Body Plan.”

Lorraine has helped hundreds of people with health and nutrition over the years, including elite athletes such as Scottish amateur boxing champion Iain Trotter, who has just signed his first professional contract.

Iain credits Lorraine with much of his success.

He said: “My coach and I had to trust in Lolly that my weight would be spot on for every fight. I had more energy for training, better recovery and always felt I could go an extra round.

“I knew the importance of nutrition in my regime but some of the changes Lolly made to my diet have made a huge difference.”

Known to her friends as Lolly, hence the company name, she has been working on the new brand with web developers, marketing and business advisers over the last year and plans to launch the new venture officially on January 9.