Meet Ilona

“I came to see Ilona Madden in order to improve my diet, nutrition and overall health. I was also struggling with recurrent fungal infections and dry skin. I used to eat a lot of sugary foods, especially snacks and was struggling to give them up. Working with Ilona was very easy, and a very structured and enjoyable process. She encouraged me to try out new foods (especially nuts) and encouraged me to cook more from scratch, explaining various simple and quick cooking methods. Keeping a food diary during the whole time was also very helpful. I now feel very well and definitely have more energy. I have replaced sugary snacks with healthier ones and I now definitely have a much more balanced diet. The changes I made were introduced slowly and steadily which made the whole process very easy to follow. I now look more carefully at what I am eating and I have a better understanding of reading food labels. I now feel very confident that I’ll be able to stick to health guidelines, and I’m happy to keep meeting Ilona on a regular basis to stay on track. I can highly recommend working with Ilona to anyone who wants to learn more about healthy eating and lifestyle.”

Ilona Madden is passionate about nutrition and well being. Her approach is a holistic one which is refreshing to experience when sometimes we embark in a loss weighting exercise. We tend to focus only on counting how many kilos we have lost and this is where we might fail from the start. Ilona accompanies you in a new journey of discovery and learning, about the science of food, our bodies which are such amazing complex machines. Her knowledge is impressive, her kindness and care is second to none and the entire experience is life changing! If you are ready to embrace the change, whether it is for health reasons or weight loss, I highly recommend Ilona. Apart from accompanying and always encouraging you in the most positive way, she gives you the power, knowledge, tools and ultimately confidence to bring about the changes you desire in your life.

I contacted Ilona because I was concerned about my constant weight gain and low energy, my diet was very poor and I often suffered from indigestion. Luckily, I had no other health concerns. I was eating a lot of processed foods and drinking diet coke. I found Ilona’s programme excellent and very information, and it was easy to follow and very enjoyable. It made me re-think food in general. During the programme my energy improved drastically. I now have no indigestion issues anymore and my sleep has improved. What has changed is my approach to food. I feel more comfortable with my relationship with food now. I have realised it’s an ongoing process that involves reading and trying out new recipes and the one-to-one support from Ilona was very helpful. I now feel well, I’m sleeping better and have more energy. I feel very confident that I am able to stick to the new habits I have developed during the programme. Overall, I gained an interest in food and the effects it has on my body – physically and emotionally. I have gained a great understanding of nutrition and now put much more thought into what I am eating and why. I am also very interested now in learning where my food comes from and the effects each different food has on my body. Ilona is a great teacher – she has a very positive and non-judgmental approach in supporting me and I learned the importance my overall well-being and how I feel (not just how I look!).

I came to see Ilona because I was not happy with my health. I had no energy, was always tired, was not sleeping, and had IBS symptoms. I loved the programme because it was highly informative and Ilona was very supportive. The programme was easy to follow and enjoyable. Ilona was so supportive and there was no judgement if I had a bad day or week. She answered any queries I had and was great at sending me information on recipes, links to exercises etc. I am feeling a lot better. My attitude and knowledge towards food and my overall health have changed. I feel a lot more equipped to cook healthier meals and to deal with any IBS flare-ups. My energy increased so much. I was sleeping better. My nails grew stronger. My mood was so much better. I realised I could still have nice meals but just smarter ways of cooking them. My mood really lifted because I wasn’t as tired all the time. Halfway through my programme with Ilona, I found out I was pregnant. Ilona was so supportive. She helped me tweak my diet so both myself and baby were getting all the right nutrients. I was on supplements Illona had recommended for my IBS symptoms and a multivitamin. I had to stop taking them which I was extremely anxious about as they had really helped control the IBS symptoms and increased my energy etc. Ilona was so helpful in giving me alternative tips and ideas to help with the symptoms, certain foods, teas, meditation links etc. This is my second pregnancy, and I am so happy I was with Illona when I got pregnant. I was so much healthier and happier with my body and health going into this pregnancy and it really helped keep me on track during the pregnancy.  I gained so much weight and my diet was bad with my first pregnancy compared to this one. I would recommend Ilona’s programme to anyone. She is so supportive. Knowledgeable and non-judgmental. I always looked forward to our online sessions. It wasn’t just a nutritional talk; we always had a nice chat too and I always felt so good after it. I cannot wait to do another programme with her after I have the baby.

I joined Ilona’s January 4-week nutrition group course because I wanted to change a few things in my life to a positive. I wanted to learn new ways to express kindness towards myself. I wanted to get to know more people during the lockdown.  The way Ilona spoke and presented her PowerPoint presentations was excellent and it was quite easy for me to follow. Ilona brought in a lot of new ideas and things I didn’t know before, for example, all her information about blood sugar balancing.  I now have a better understanding of how carbohydrates, fats and proteins work together and influence our health, wellbeing and mind. I found out about what foods to avoid and learned about foods I’ve never eaten before.  I feel somehow calmer, more balanced since I changed some of my eating habits.  Weight loss has never been on my mind but the benefit I got from this course was feeling better with myself and that it is about mental health as well. 

I booked an 8-week programme with Ilona because I was feeling very unhappy in my body and struggled to stay healthy and know what was considered healthy. I also have many allergies which made it hard for me to know how to eat healthy and help my psoriasis. My main goal was to improve general health and gut health. I would have used to tend to eat a lot of pasta, lots of chocolate and goodies, and dairy (lots of cups of tea a day with sugar). In the past, I tried personal training in the gym but it didn’t work for me greatly.  I found the programme amazing. It really helped me get on the right track and keep me motivated. It was easy at times and hard at times. At the start it was harder but once I got used to it, it actually was fine. I started eating veg with all meals and stopped eating all dairy mainly. The process was very enjoyable. Helped me feel so much better in myself! I thought it would be hard to not have dairy, especially cause I drank so much tea but now it’s so easy to not have any. I have lost over a stone in weight now and I’m starting to feel so much better in myself. My skin has improved so much and I’m not feeling sluggish and bloated all the time. All I did was just following Ilona’s guidelines and input. When I realised what I was doing was actually causing harm to my body, I now listen to my body and know what causes things, e.g. if I eat dairy now I know I am going to have an upset stomach, so I just avoid it. I am feeling amazing now. I still have some weight to lose but I am in no rush. I have changed my lifestyle so it will not be a quick fix, just healthy choices. I am fairly confident I will stick to this new lifestyle in the future. I might find it hard at times but it just takes going straight back into it again to get me back up and running. I would just like to say thank you so much to Ilona for all your help. Without you, I would not have the confidence I have today. I feel great both mentally and physically and that’s thanks to all your help.

“I was interested in learning more about healthy eating, nutrition and gut health. I also wanted to confirm from my own research on the internet if I was going at it correctly.  Ilona’s 4-week class did validate this and more. Having a live online face to face explanation of nutrition etc… was just ideal. The presentations were clear and easy to understand. Although I took notes, receiving the slides and recordings were also very helpful. In addition, it made the first 4 weeks of January fly by 😉 Since Ilona’s online course, (which I would highly recommend) I have applied many suggestions to my everyday life at home.  For example, I am ensuring my family and I have a more variety of vegetables with our meals. I also have a better understanding of gut health. In addition, I am discussing with my family about implementing a “Gratitude Journal” which can have a big impact on one’s overall wellbeing. All this thanks to Ilona’s informative class.”

“I started working with Ilona because I realised my nighttime cravings and emotional eating was out of control. While I would eat quite a healthy diet during the day, in the evenings, I seemed to crave sweet, fatty (such as butter) and salty things. I know I want to be a healthy 80 year old and those habits weren’t serving me. I knew I was self-sabotaging and eating mindlessly. Ilona took a lot of time to listen and look into my past health history and my eating habits. Together, we created a nutrition and lifestyle plan that I could follow easily. I gained a good understanding of how food reacts in my body and visualising this helped me stick to the recommendations. After only one week, I could already notice how my energy levels were improving and that I felt less bloated. I love the food I’m eating and fasting for 14hours was easy and actually very enjoyable as I liked the feeling of my tummy being empty. Keeping a food diary is a great way of keeping myself accountable. After about 3 weeks, people were noticing the changes in my body and were commenting that I looked well. I also felt well and noticed a definite increase in my energy levels. I was back enjoying my weekends and didn’t need them to recover from the week’s work. Despite having a very busy schedule at work, I can now manage it and feel great and full of energy throughout the day. My life doesn’t feel like I am on a hamster wheel anymore.  I now feel compassion for my body rather than an intolerance of it! From someone who was often “hangry” when I didn’t eat, it is ok for me now to go through periods of feeling hungry while, for instance, cooking my dinner. There has definitely been a big “switch” that happened in the last 8 weeks. In the past, I would have struggled motivationally once I reached a weight loss goal, but now I know I just don’t want to go back to where I was. And I feel very confident that I am now equipped with a plan that I will stick to.  I also understand why we need support over a longer period and that one session is not sufficient to make lasting changes.”

I took part in Ilona’s 4-week Transformation group programme because I am aware that nutrition is such a core element of outlives that is often neglected. The course contained very informative and accessible presentations on a wide range of issues. I now have a better understanding of the importance of nutrition to general physical and mental well being.  

I took part in Ilona’s 4-week Transformation group programme because I have a great interest in food and especially the healing aspects of food. I am always looking to extend my knowledge and Ilona’s course was the perfect opportunity for this. Ilona has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to food, all aspects of it. She is an authority in this field. Her presentations were very clear and really got me engaged. I loved doing the homework which gave me an opportunity to have a think about my lifestyle and habits. This course should be part of the curriculum in secondary school, it will help a lot of people to lead a healthy life without medication. I’d highly recommend Ilona’s course. I have a great routine, with the help of Ilona’s program. This will help me to better manage what and when I eat. I feel great, I don’t have a slump in the middle of the day and I sleep very well too.

I signed up for Ilona Madden’s Nutrition Transformation Programme in January and was delighted with the extensive information and support that I received from the very first session to the last.  Ilona has a wealth of knowledge to share regarding nutrition and healthy living, and the course extends beyond the information on food to encompass lifestyle and mental health, thereby encouraging participants towards a holistic approach to health and nutrition. Every class came packed with resources and useful, practical information that can be drawn upon during the course and well after it finishes.  This course is a great investment for anyone who cares about living an energised, healthy life.  Thank you so much for a wonderful programme, Ilona.

“I joined Ilona’s New Year Transformation group course in January 2021 because I wanted to start the year off positively and invest in myself. I’m a visual learner and enjoyed the zoom presentations which were easy to understand. This enabled me to implement changes weekly. I thought Ilona explained well and the material that was covered was very interesting. It helped me focus on nutrition that MY body needs and thinking logical about food. I now have lots more energy and a better understanding about nutrition, healthy foods and vitamins. I am feeling positive about myself and happy to change my lifestyle going forward. I now understand that it’s not just about weight loss but also about a healthy mind, a healthy life and a healthy me.

I signed up for the “Nurture your mind and body” group programme with Ilona in July/Aug 2020 as I was struggling again with my weight, but I didn’t want to do a predetermined weight-loss- routine. I had tried various diets and was hardly eating anything but I was still not losing weight anymore. I was also struggling with a few other health issues. The programme was really enjoyable has really shown me how everything in our bodies is connected, and by understanding the scientific way of what food does in your bodies, really helped me to implement the advice. The 6 sessions helped to clarify so much for me – linking the food intake with insulin resistance, dementia, exercise etc. It all made so much sense. I noticed a huge improvement within the 6 weeks in my energy levels, digestive issues and overall wellbeing. However, I wanted to find out more about what is actually going on in my body, and as there has been diabetes in my family, I was really interested in doing the My DNA Health test. This test helped me understand many of my own symptoms and that indeed there is a genetic component to it. This test provided the most accurate description of me and I found it enlighting and confirming. The recommendations gave me the confidence to stick to the recommendations because they explained for me WHY I have to follow them. The alternative for me to is to face the ill- health and suffering that my late- Mum went through due to a lack of understanding of her health issues. Even though I knew there was possibly a genetic component, I wasn’t sure if it was relevant for me. I wouldn’t Having the genetic pre-disposition in black and white and having received the personalised nutrition and lifestyle plan makes me feel empowered that there is indeed something I can do myself and so it is easier to stick to the general guidelines. Ilona has been really great in explaining the test results and the recommendations to me in the initial consultation and the follow-up 4-weeks later. I now feel that I have a nutrition and lifestyle plan that I will actually stick to and that works for me. And I finally have been losing weight, which is an added bonus!

I heard about Ilona’s Brain Health Nutrition Programme through the golf club and was simply curious to find out more. I have found as I am getting older, the weight is creeping up slowly and bad habits are setting in more and more. I am concerned about my future health, as I would love to continue doing the things I love to do as I am getting older. I thoroughly enjoyed the 6 online classes, and it was great that I could catch up on the recording when I missed a class. The classes covered all aspects of nutrition, the impact of the various foods on your body, gut health, exercise, sleep and stress, and all of that was new to me. I had never really paid much attention to my diet. I am definitely much more conscious now about what I eat, I don’t have as many sweet things anymore, but also don’t miss them. I am much more careful about what foods I actually buy. I’m eating more fish and trying out more new recipes. I’ve also realised the need to do more planning if I want to stay on top of things. I am going over the notes now step by step and will continue to gradually introduce healthier and healthier habits every week. I can only highly recommend Ilona’s Nutrition Group programme, but also her one-to-one consultations (2 of them were included in this programme), where she gives very specific and personalised advice. I’ve already recommended the programme to my daughter who has started working with Ilona now.

I contacted Ilona in July because I was feeling the effects of the lockdown and COVID Regulations were pulling me down. I had explored various other avenues but thought that nutrition might be another possible approach. When I heard about Ilona’s group programme specifically for Brain Health and mental wellbeing, I thought this is the ideal opportunity. I thoroughly enjoyed each of the 6 classes which were conducted via zoom and found them very informative and interesting. I followed the advice one step at a time. The Course has highlighted the need for increasing my intake of vegetables in particular, as well as other aspects of health and nutrition. Ilona is a brilliant presenter and delivered a course that excelled in both its depth and breadth. After the 6 weeks, I am definitely feeling much better and more in control. I have a much better understanding of how what we eat can affect how we feel. I can highly recommend Ilona’s Brain Health group course, or a one-to-one programme.

Going to Ilona and her company Right Food 4U was possibly the best thing I could ever have done! Ilona has helped me to change my eating habits which has not only helped me to get my sense of smell and taste back but it has also made me feel great! Ilona is a fantastic role model, her advice is practical and effective and investing in myself and my body has been the best investment that I could have ever made! Thank you Ilona!

Loving the recipes and my partner (that doesn’t eat veg) loves them too. The mushroom lasagne went down really well with my vegan friend. The Moroccan chicken was delicious and the lamb & chickpea curry is amazing. I made double the quantity for the freezer. I find the 16 hour fasting easy to do and usually only have 2 main meals and 1-2 snacks. I’ve lost 5lbs, am not as exhausted, my thinking is much clearer and I’m walking briskly for 40 min a day too! (1.5 weeks into the online program)

I am really enjoying the New Year New You programme with Ilona. I find that the combination of recipes and food tips, scientific information, practical targeted advice and motivational tips make it easy to change my eating habits in the long term. I have changed the way that I eat, and even more important, I am changing my attitude to food and nutrition. I am also enjoying my food, never have to feel hungry, and, with a little bit of planning, can make healthy eating fit into my super-busy life. I have lost kilos and centimetres and feel great. What’s not to like!

I would highly recommend Ilona Madden’s nutritional guidance. She was very helpful and provided me a lot of information. I am vegan and she took that into consideration and helped me to improve my digestion and energy levels a lot, for which I am very grateful. She made sure to follow up and see how I was getting on and to offer me any further help & tips necessary. Ilona has a professional manner, a lovely energy and a kind approach to dealing with clients!

I came to see Ilona for a 20 min free chat, as I have high cholesterol but cannot tolerate the medication. I knew I had to do something regarding my diet, I just didn’t know where to start. I signed up for a nine week programme.  At the first session Ilona suggested a few small changes for each meal, which I applied.  After the first two weeks I had already noticed a big change in my energy levels which motivated me to pursue a lot of things that I  had kept putting on hold. Ilona always gave practical tips and recipes which were always easy to carry out. I never felt hungry or deprived during the whole programme. I also managed to get rid of my cravings for crisps and cheese, which wasn’t even difficult. I  feel so much better now that my energy levels and sleep pattern have improved far beyond my expectations. I would highly recommend Ilona she really listens and her suggestions are doable.

I had been looking for a Nutritionist online to help me with the complex digestive issues I was experiencing and I came across Ilona on her facebook page. The name Eat Right for You really resonated with me as I felt I needed a plan specifically for my needs and issues with food and digestion. I had seen a Nutritionist before but didn’t feel I got enough advice specifically for my needs and I was still having digestive issues. Ilona was great and took plenty of time to listen, as I have a lot of health conditions. She then took plenty of time to explain to me what was going on in my body and this helped me to understand what she was suggesting for me to do. As I am very busy I didn’t have much time to implement all of her recommendations, but we just went back over everything and focused on a few small things to begin with. Ilona made sure that I was happy with all her suggestions first before she wrote a clear plan which I could follow. Some of the recommendations were so simple but made a huge difference, for example to do my shopping on-line. This helped me so much as I didn’t have the time or energy to get the supermarket shop every week. She also suggested cooking big batches and freezing them so I could have something healthy and tasty when I came in from work rather than grabbing something unhealthy when I was tired and didn’t have the energy to cook. I have definitely much more energy and less digestive issues. Ilona gave me a very clear and structured diet which I am now following and it is definitely helping to heal my gut problems although I know it will take more time. She gave me lots of tips to try different ways of helping my digestion after researching which supplements I could take and working on helping to eat more mindfully. Ilona was so patient and supportive, and she also always responded when I had questions in between our session. She was so supportive and motivating throughout the whole time, especially when I felt like quitting because a lot of things were happening in my life. There are still a lot of health issues that I need to tackle, but I’m happy for now to stick to this routine for the next 3 months. I am so happy I found Ilona, as she really made a difference to my life. 

Last year I took part in Ilona’s 4-week Healthy Eating and Lifestyle group. I am struggling my whole life with food allergies and learned a lot of new information to make better choices and influence my daily life. It was a small group, which made it easy to ask questions and go into more details. Ilona was very supportive of all of us and her up to date knowledge was a huge help. I didn’t hesitate to join her online program this January, with even more information and recipes to get into healthy habits and to try new things. It was good to see how we got into the spirit of sharing our experience about cooking and planning ahead. Again Ilona was there to support us all the way and to give us information and answer questions.  I can highly recommend Ilona’s courses and will keep working with her in the future.

Just finished Ilona’s 4 week course.  Really enjoyed this from the very start when she took us through what exactly each food group does and how these work with (or against) our internal organs. Ilona explained this is a very interesting, sometimes humorous way. She encouraged the group to engage with her and each other. Each week she built on the information she provided. We were given recipes and handouts of the important things, in case we forgot.  The course finished with a trip to the supermarket where we closely examined all the food labels, myths around “Nutritional” food items on the shelves and dispelled any illusions around “Fat Free” options. I cannot recommend this highly enough, not just for those needing to lose weight, it’s for anyone looking for a healthier lifestyle.  Well done Ilona and many thanks.

Ilona is such a well informed and passionate nutritional therapist. She has given me such detailed and individualised advice that is tailored to my personal concerns and recommended specific brands and bargains where I can get the best bang for my buck. I have been so impressed by her knowledge and implementation of that knowledge and I would highly recommend her services.

One morning whilst at work, I saw an advertisement in the local community centre for a talk free talk on in Bray Library on the 8th March 2019 from 11-12 and the heading was “Are you addicted to Sugar”.  I thought yes I will go along to that and see what’s this about. Once I heard Ilona’s talk at the library I could tick every box and went yes I am addicted and thought need to do something about this as I am also Type 2 diabetic with very poor sugar control. I took part in her 2-week sugar-free challenge with a small group of 5 other people. Once I knew I was seriously addicted to sugar I knew the only way for me to begin was to go “cold turkey” and not have any sugar at all.  And it actually worked for me. Before, I used to go into Deals on my lunch break and buy the large bag of red toffets and have them almost gone before I returned to work and if they didn’t have them the disappointment was too much so I would just buy whatever large bag of sweets they had. Today I can walk into the shop and not even think about buying them and if I see them there (which of course they are always there now) I think I don’t need you anymore and it doesn’t bother me. Having been in every weight loss programme around over the last 30 years I loved the fact that this little group had no weigh-in or calorie counting and I have managed to lose weight.  Even though I don’t weigh myself I know I have lost weight as my clothes are too big and I was able to buy a new pair of jeans the other day in a size I haven’t been able to fit in since before I was pregnant (which is a long time ago). However, for me the best of all is that for the last number of years my blood sugar levels have always been high 12-16 have now reached the lowest level 6 which is within range and I feel like a new woman with a zest for life again and the energy to match it. I would highly recommend Ilona because she actually listens to you and makes you feel very comfortable and that it is never too late to regain control over your body and what you put into it.

Over the last few years, although I have had a fairly healthy diet and exercise regime, I have been struggling with losing a few kilos that I felt I could do with losing. I had tried upping my exercise routine, reducing my calorie intake etc. but wasn’t really making any progress. A couple of months ago I met Ilona and started on her nutrition plan and the results have been fantastic! In two months I have lost 9 pounds weight (4kgs) and reduced my tummy by about 8cm’s. What has been even more impressive to me has been the fact that, with Ilona’s guidance, I have actually been eating more for my breakfast and lunch than I was, and roughly the same amount for my dinner! The changes were slight and tailored to my needs and have been easy to implement due to Ilona’s excellent ongoing contact emails and follow up meetings. By making these changes I have easily been able to reduce my ‘snacking’ or ‘grazing‘ that used to be my main downfall. I am happy to recommend Ilona’s programme to anyone who is serious about wanting to improve their health/lose weight.

I attended one of Ilona’s courses last year and spoke highly of this at the time. I am happy to report one year later I am still avoiding (99%) sugar in my diet. I know Ilona is in hand to provide advice and that important encouragement. It’s easy do complete a course. Walk away. And then slowly slip back to your old habits. Not with Ilona around to help you stay on track. Well done Ilona!

After years of feeling constantly fatigued, struggling to lose weight and being constantly stressed, I decided to take action.  I met Ilona at a business group we were both members of and decided to give her a call, most definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made. I went in with a certain amount of trepidation, but Ilona was very reassuring and took time to find out not only about my eating habits, but also about my lifestyle and health, and devised an achievable plan. She is very knowledgeable not just on nutrition but on general health issues. I found her non-judgmental, she also delivered her points clearly and concisely. I took on board Ilona’s advice and with her support and encouragement, I knew I could achieve my goal. Five months later I feel more energised, nourished, and able to cope with stress. I am back exercising, I am losing weight, starting to enjoy hobbies and life again, my sparkle is slowly but surely coming back.  My biggest takeaway from the program is the influence food has on your general wellbeing. While that sounds obvious, so many of us ignore it and this program made me think about what I was eating and the impact on my health. I would have no hesitation in recommending Ilona to anyone who wants to improve their health through nutrition and lifestyle. Ilona’s support and encouragement were invaluable, money well invested as far as I am concerned.

After a period of stress and ill health, I had arrived at a place where I had lost my love of food, my joy of cooking and was lacking energy, motivation and a way forward – and as a result, was low and probably depressed. I was recommended to go to Illona – and after 8 weeks I feel like a different person. I’m back cooking daily, I’ve more energy now to exercise, which is helping my mood, and my joy of cooking and food has returned. Ilona is caring, thoughtful and generous with her knowledge – always making you feel at ease and finding the positive in every small step you take forward. I couldn’t recommend her highly enough.