Latest articles on Nutrition

You’re constantly hungry and your moods seem to only come in two types: irritable or angry (or ‘hangry’ as I like to refer to it as). You often wake up feeling groggy, and a little bit ‘hungover’ despite a full nine hours sleep the night before… and all with zero alcohol involved. Sound familiar? Many of the women I meet in my clinic report experiencing similar complaints and although these symptoms can be completely different, there may be one common...

“All disease begins in the gut.” - Hippocrates of Kos (c. 460 – c. 370 BC) knew that gut health was key to your overall health and many diseases and seemingly unconnected symptoms you may have, and this was over two centuries ago. Luckily, we now have the technology and scientific knowledge to address an unhealthy gut microbiome and to implement dietary steps to improve the balance of your microbiome and ultimately your health.  Symptoms and...

Cutting back on meat and dairy is one of the ways many of us are looking to start healthier habits. Flexitarianism is on the rise, with more and more British meat-eaters buying vegan and vegetarian products as part of their weekly shop. 40% of us now spend over £25 each week on meat-free alternatives, thanks to our growing awareness of the health and environmental impacts eating meat can have. What is flexitarianism? A flexitarian diet, also known as ‘casual vegetarianism’ has become an...

About stomach acid Stomach acid, gastric acid, hydrochloric acid – these all refer to the acid that is naturally produced by the cells lining the stomach. Too frequently, stomach acid tends to get a bad press as it is considered to be the cause of many digestive symptoms; and consequently, medications that suppress its secretion are prescribed by the medical profession. This article demonstrates why we need stomach acid, why very often you may have too little rather than too much, the...

Until around 1900, heart disease was so rare that doctors would congregate by the bed of a sufferer to learn about this unusual condition. Yes, genes are relevant, and stress, but genes haven’t changed much in a century, and life was always stressful. So what has changed, and what can we do about it? Milk sugar causes heart attacks One change is refrigeration. In the past, milk tended to be converted to butter and cheese, as those kept well. With refrigeration, milk kept well....

The gut barrier is our greatest physical barrier. It separates us from the outside world, covering a space of 400m² and requiring 40% of our energy. Its mission is to protect us from toxins and micro-organisms while allowing the passage of nutrients through it. Among the cells of our gut are the tight junctions or narrow junctions; these are one of the main mechanisms of regulation of the passage of substances into our interior (1). Intestinal permeability The tight junctions are not...

The connection between the food that we eat and the development of heart disease, obesity and diabetes is obvious to most people. The connection between the food we eat, lifestyle choices and the development or worsening of anxiety is less well-known.  Studies are yet to elicit and pin-down specific links and causation but, clinically, the results of personalised nutrition programmes on anxiety are positive. Here are six key nutritional influences on anxiety: Blood sugar balance If you...