I nurture my body from the INSIDE OUT'

Strictly's Tess Daly talks diet, exercise and the healing power of food

- WORDS: STEPHEN LENG

Around this time of year, Tess Daly is on our screens every week, hosting one of the biggest TV shows in the country - Strictly Come Dancing on a Saturday night. So it's no surprise that the former model takes how she looks and feels very seriously - and for her, food is a top priority to keep herself in check.

'I've always been fascinated by the power of food to harm or heal,' Tess says. 'I first got into the idea of food as medicine when I was in New York in the late 90s, and I discovered a book called The Food Pharmacy. It talked about the medicinal properties of food and how certain foods can reduce inflammation, and it was a revelation to me that you could kind of heal yourself from the inside out by eating foods such as garlic and ginger, which are antiviral, antifungal and anti-inflammatory.'

However it was only when Tess, 56 - who has daughters Phoebe, 20, and Amber, 16, with husband Vernon Kay - became a mother that she began putting her knowledge into practice. 'Suddenly you realise you need to look after yourself because you're more important than you used to be when it was just you on your own. You realise you have to be strong and healthy.'

Meal planning