Opera singer, Sophie Salvesani, 24, shares her day on a plate.
9.30am
Sophie Salvesani.
A breakfast of cereal with low-fat strawberry yoghurt, followed by scrambled eggs, bacon and a piece of toast. With a concert at 2.30pm, a big breakfast is essential as I most likely won't eat lunch.
11am After concert preparation including ironing gowns, applying make-up and styling my hair, I leave the concert venue to meet friends for lunch. I don't eat at this time as it can interfere with my voice.
4pm Concert concludes. I attend the post-concert wine and nibbles celebration during which I enjoy a glass of champagne and two small meat and cheese sandwiches.
6pm Dinner with friends at a local hotel consists of homemade gnocci with mushrooms, fontina cheese and pangrattato, plus a glass of rosé.
Dr Joanna McMillan says …
Top marks for… Tailoring the timing of your meals to suit your body's needs. A big breakfast is a good idea to keep you fuelled for the day and give you plenty of energy to perform without feeling full and uncomfortable on stage.
If you keep eating like this you'll… Fail to fuel a healthy and diverse microbiome, which can have far-reaching implications for both physical and mental health. The only vegetables on this day were the mushrooms at dinner, and you had no fruit, nuts, seeds or legumes and very few wholegrains. These foods provide the diversity of fibre types that fuel your microbiome, while also supplying a vast array of nutrients and protective plant compounds.
Why don't you try… Whipping up a vegetable-based smoothie for morning tea, or adding vegies and beans to your eggs at breakfast. Check that your cereal is high in fibre and add berries and a handful of nuts. Choose wholegrain bread whenever possible and always order a side of salad or vegies when eating out.
Sophie Salvesani plays Maria in Opera Australia's West Side Story; westsidestory.com.au. Playing at the Art Centre Melbourne from April 6-28, and the Sydney Opera House from August 16- October 6.
This article appears in Sunday Life magazine within the Sun-Herald and the Sunday Age on sale March 31.
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