An ancestral or traditional diet focuses on eating whole, nutrient-dense foods similar to those consumed by our ancestors, emphasising foods that are minimally processed and closer to their natural state. Adopting an ancestral diet during the postpartum period can be incredibly beneficial, as it naturally includes many of the nutrients needed for recovery after childbirth, supports breastfeeding, and helps balance hormones.

The fascinating dialogue between our muscles and brain is an area of scientific inquiry that has revealed intricate connections pivotal for our overall health, performance, and wellbeing. This crosstalk, a complex biochemical exchange, highlights the body's remarkable capacity for integration and adaptation. Understanding the mechanisms behind this dialogue not only sheds light on the holistic nature of human physiology but also opens new avenues for enhancing physical and cognitive health.

Ever wondered why when you start eating snacks like Doritos or popcorn you can’t stop going back for more? Let me reassure you it’s got absolutely NOTHING to do with your willpower and everything to do with the evil science of food engineering, which literally hijacks the brain and leaves you feeling unfulfilled.

Whilst there are incredible benefits of intermittent fasting on factors, such as reducing weight and improving insulin sensitivity, and therefore preventing diabetes, fasting can have a negative impact on the delicate web of hormones in women.

While researchers continue to explore various aspects of long COVID, one intriguing avenue of investigation is the role of the gut microbiome in shaping the trajectory of this condition. In this blog post, I delve into the fascinating interplay between the gut microbiome and long COVID, exploring how disruptions in this microbial community may contribute to symptoms and potential strategies for restoration.

The root cause of autoimmunity is a complex and multifactorial issue that is not fully understood. Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system, which is designed to protect the body from foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria, mistakenly targets and attacks the body's own tissues and organs. While the exact cause of autoimmunity varies depending on the specific autoimmune disease, several factors are believed to contribute to its development:

Functional medicine is an approach to healthcare that focuses on addressing the underlying causes of illness rather than just treating the symptoms. When applied to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), functional medicine aims to understand the unique factors contributing to an individual's IBS and develop a personalised treatment plan.

The practice of intermittent fasting has long been in mainstream knowledge and one of the most common questions I get in my educational work is ‘does intermittent fasting really work?’…

My answer is, yes, it can be pretty miraculous actually in supporting healthy weight loss, improving blood sugar regulation, digestion, energy levels and brain health. However there are some caveats that I believe are important to highlight (see the end of this article).

The brain is an EXTREMELY energy hungry organ. Despite the fact that it weighs a mere 1.5kg (on average), it takes up at least 25% of the overall body’s energy requirements - that’s massive. It’s no surprise, therefore, that energy deficits in the brain drive the development of mental health conditions and cognitive health diseases.

IBS stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and encompasses a vast number of symptoms - bloating, cramping, diarrhoea, constipation, wind, pain, indigestion, acid reflux, nausea. Just like the number of symptoms, there are a large number of reasons why anyone can suffer with any of the above complaints, and this is where conventional medicine is lacking - its solutions are rarely tailored to any of the root cause of these symptoms, and instead mask them and often perpetuate them.

Methylation is an incredibly complex biochemical process that plays a ubiquitous role in the body’s maintenance. In very layman terms, it turns nutrients from the food that you eat into a type of fuel that your body uses to catalyse enzymes, which are involved in everything from mood regulation, fertility, detoxification of toxins and hormones, energy production, and vascular health.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) isn’t just a case of the winter blues (although the information shared here will definitely help in any case). It is a condition that affects up to 3% of the population and is 4 times higher in women than men. It can commonly lead to suicide ideation and severe depression, with feelings of hopelessness, increase or loss of appetite, over or under sleeping, as well as loss of interest in sex.

Whilst we’re constantly told that we should be aiming for 8 hours of solid kip a night, many of us can only dream of having consistent restful nights of sleep. With as many as 16 million UK adults having trouble either getting to sleep or staying asleep every single night, it’s safe to say that we are in a sleep deprivation epidemic

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of being interviewed and featured on Julie Bjelland’s podcast, where I got to introduce my work and why I’m so passionate about what I do with her community. Julie is a psychotherapist that specialises in supporting Highly Sensitive People. These are people who have a sensory processing sensitivity trait that 20% of the population have, and I have come to learn that I also have.

Omega 3 fatty acids, which are found readily available in oily fish such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel, have been heralded for many years for their therapeutic impact on the brain.

The Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) is effectively our brain’s own ‘policing system’, a physical barrier that separates our blood circulation from the central nervous system. The deterioration of this highly intelligent barrier has been linked to many neurological conditions, one of which is Alzheimer’s, the most common form of Dementia (1).

In particular, having a dysregulated CAR - meaning it is either too high or too low - can lead to symptoms of depression, anxiety, affective disorders, chronic fatigue and increase risk of autoimmunity. This is because CAR has a unique ability to regular inflammation, blood sugar, as well as memory and recall due to the fact that the hippocampus is so tied in with CAR. It also plays a role in infection regulation and so can have far-reaching effects on the body’s resilience to viruses and bacteria.

Nutrient therapy for schizophrenia, and other mental health disorders, is an area that is poorly understood. However, health practitioners adopting this strategy as a method to help improve symptoms associated to mental health disorders, as well as reducing side effects of medication, have had positive results. This type of strategy aims to target the underlying drivers of symptoms, such as poor methylation, severe oxidative stress and atypical immune-mediated responses.

Glutathione has been labelled as the mother of all antioxidants and the ultimate free radical quencher and detoxifier. We produce this molecule endogenously, primarily in the liver, using the precursor amino acids cysteine, glutamine and glycine, which come from the food that we eat. Research shows that as we increase in age our levels of glutathione gradually go down and deficiency of this antioxidant has been associated with Alzheimer’s and depression, as well as other chronic illnesses such as cancer.

A leading theory looks at serotonin production and how levels of this neurotransmitter in the body are significantly affected by the amount of available sunshine. Research shows that exposure to sunshine has an impact on the binding-capacity of serotonin to receptor sites in the brain, which essentially allows serotonin to work its magic, leading to feelings of contentment and happiness.