Gluten, found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, and some other grains, is a protein which has an elastic-like quality to it. Think of kneading bread; gluten can be difficult to digest due to its structural makeup. The body has to work hard to break it down so it can be digested and absorbed without causing issues. A number of people have trouble digesting gluten, so let's look at some of the reasons why. Coeliac disease Coeliac disease is a condition close to my heart. Over the years I've...
Menopause is a hot topic these last few months, and I am delighted to hear it getting the attention it deserves. The menopause is a natural stage of life that all women will go through. It is not a disease or a disorder, and in many culture’s it is a time in a women’s life to be celebrated as a beautiful transition to a new stage of life. That being said, the effects can be very real and do need to be considered. Perimenopause can be a time of complete hormonal...
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that originated from China in 220 BC, over 2000 years ago, as a health drink for its detoxifying and energising properties. It was taken from China into Japan and used as a digestive cure for the Emperor by his physician Kombu, and this is where the name started. Today, it is touted as a health drink and is growing massively in popularity. Let’s look at the studies behind it... What’s in kombucha and why is it good for us? When brewed, kombucha...
What is PCOS? Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is possibly the most common hormonal imbalance in women of reproductive age. It is thought to affect between 6-10% of this age group and as many as 70% of those with the condition remain undiagnosed. This is because there are differing medical opinions on the diagnostic criteria. The predominant hormone disruption seen in PCOS is higher than normal levels of androgen (male) hormones in women. Androgens are hormones such as testosterone and DHEA...
When partaking in endurance sports, we need to ensure we have the following boxes ticked:
Ensuring hydration Providing adequate energy Sustaining motivation Recovering from training and competition.
Ensuring hydration Normally, the first limiting factor in endurance sports is hydration, especially in hot weather. We need to take on board enough water to keep our muscles, joints, and brain all working optimally. When we are dehydrated and have lost more than around 4% of our body...
Are food intolerances real? Should you do an intolerance test? The answer to this question isn't always that straight forward. The most important point to remember is that food intolerances tend to be a digestion problem - not a food problem. Often, reactions are symptoms due to an inability to digest compounds found in the food, and the compounds involved can be numerous: fibre and fodmaps, fructose, oxalates, salicylates, lectins, or aggravation of gut inflammation. Or, the food in question...
Following a vegan diet in sport is becoming increasingly popular, partly due to the successes achieved by high profile vegan athletes, such as ultra-runner Scott Jurek, elite marathon runner Fiona Oakes, and triathlete Brendan Brazier. As with many controversies in sports nutrition, when it comes to athletic success on a vegan diet, the answers are not as obvious as you might think. Vegan athletes exclude all foods derived from animals, namely meat, eggs, dairy products, or foods containing...
Fat in your diet has been unfairly blamed for many health conditions, when in fact you can only obtain fat-soluble vitamins from fatty foods. Indeed, the dried weight of your brain is around 60% fat, so how can fat be that bad? Like most things in life, it depends what you mean by fat. Fats come in many different guises, such as fats from animal products, which tend to be hard and fat from plants, such as olive oil, that are liquids. You can also obtain fats from nuts and seeds and you...
Optimising your nutrition both before and during pregnancy will not only give your baby the best start in life but research suggests a healthy pregnancy diet also has long lasting effects that go well into childhood. Here are just a few key steps to supporting your reproductive health throughout all stages of pregnancy and beyond. Preconception If you are thinking about trying for a baby, it is vital to maintain good levels of a wide range of nutrients including vitamin D and folate. Vitamin...
Carb-loading is a term you’re likely to have heard before, but what does it mean? Do we really need to jump on the carb-bandwagon in order to excel, or is it just another diet myth? Should you really have an 'all-you-can-eat' pasta dinner the night before the marathon? The science
“Our body stores carbs in the form of glycogen in our muscles and liver. When we workout, our body needs energy. The easiest accessible way for the body to regain this energy is through our glycogen stores -...
Get our free monthly e-magazine straight to your inbox
Find out more at happiful.com
