Latest articles on Nutrition

Aim for more fibre in your diet – peristalsis is stimulated in the bowel by the activation of stretch receptors in the walls of the intestine. This then encourages the action of peristalsis and the movement of food and waste material through the gastrointestinal tract. The dietary fibre swells as water is drawn into the bowel, so stimulating the receptors and resulting in peristaltic contractions thus helping to soften and regulate bowel movements. Adding different sources of soluble...

Numerous studies have shown the many benefits that high-fibre foods can have on our health. Not only do they keep our digestive system in working order and help us to maintain a healthy weight, but they’re also thought to reduce the risk of cancer, heart attack and high blood pressure - as well as helping us to stay feeling full.

This is all wonderful, however, it’s thought that in the UK the average adult only reaches around 18g of fibre per day. When, in fact, Government guidelines...

What do we mean by constipation? Constipation: Infrequent and frequently incomplete bowel movements. (1) Well if you suffer from bloating, hard stools, bowel movements that are few and far between (i.e. stools are not passed every day), and you experience pain on passing, then you will probably be well aware that you suffer from constipation. Why do we suffer? Often we just don't drink enough liquid, and by liquid we mean water, which helps to keep the matter soft and moving along the...

This article won't discuss coeliac disease or wheat allergy 1. An overview The word gluten comes from a Latin word meaning “glue”. Gluten’s adhesive and binding properties give bread and cakes their spongy texture. Gluten is a complex protein structure mainly made up of glutenin and gliadin, which in presence of water becomes elastic.  From an evolutionary point of view, grains were introduced 10.000 years ago, which might not be a sufficient time for humans to have...

When was the last time you felt really great and didn’t have any bloating, heartburn, constipation or diarrhoea? Are your digestive symptoms affecting the way you feel about yourself and your mood?  Have you already been to your GP* and been told that you have IBS and don’t know what to do about it, or have been told to go on a FODMAP diet but given up because it’s so complicated? The good news is that there is something you can do, with the help of a registered...

Inflammation is the result of a process by which the body's white blood cells and substances they produce try and protect us from infection by foreign organisms, such as bacteria and viruses. It is the body’s defence system and is known as the immune system. Sometimes inflammation can become chronic, especially if obesity is present and a poor diet is being consumed. Pollution may also lead to chronic inflammation. Many major diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis,...

What is anxiety?Anxiety is defined as "a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome." We all suffer from anxiety from time to time, remember your first date, driving test, or pre exam nerves. Those butterflies in your stomach, frequent visits to the bathroom, all of which we experience generally prior to the event, but hopefully once we are in the moment the nerves disappear.  Anxiety develops into a problem when it becomes a perpetual state. It...

Symptoms are not necessarily connected to the location they are associated with. So, if you have asthma or eczema, the root cause may not be located in your lungs or skin. Most symptoms originate from a systemic imbalance and, often, that imbalance will be in the gut/gastrointestinal tract. This can even be true for those with no obvious digestive problems. If you do have obvious digestive symptoms such as reflux, gas, bloating, constipation and/or diarrhoea it is likely you may have got a...