Carrots, pilots and polar bears

"Eat your carrots—they'll help you see in the dark" is a refrain that many of us have grown up hearing at the dinner table, but was it a ruse to get us to eat an affordable, British-grown vegetable? In World War II, the British government appeared to believe in these vision-enhancing properties, as the British Royal Air Force circulated propaganda suggesting that their pilots had excellent night vision because they consumed large quantities of carrots. Dr Carrot, the “children’s best friend” and the “adviser of grown-ups” was co-opted to promote carrot eating to help people see during the blackouts. But [...]

By |2024-01-24T21:09:54+00:00January 24, 2024|Genetics, Immune health, Nutrigenomics, Nutrition, Testing, Vitamins|0 Comments
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What about the immune system?

Viruses are everywhere. There are an estimated 380 trillion viruses inhabiting our bodies (here's a very interesting article about the human virome). There is much talk about treating viral diseases, but generally in the mainstream media there is very little information on our own innate resources. Here is some information on how you can protect yourself. There are two aspects to not contracting symptoms of a virus. On the one hand it's about minimising exposure, but just as importantly, on the other hand it's about optimising our immune system. So how do you do that? IMMUNE SYSTEM 101 1) Get [...]

By |2023-08-24T11:58:53+01:00August 24, 2023|Gut microbiome, Immune health, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Supplements|0 Comments
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The Hidden Hero: Resistant Starch and the Gut-Boosting Bacteria

When it comes to gut health, we often hear about the importance of probiotics and fibre-rich foods. However, there's another unsung hero in the world of digestive health that deserves the spotlight - resistant starch. This often-overlooked component plays a vital role in feeding the good bacteria in your gut, leading to a myriad of health benefits. In this short read, we'll explore the wonders of resistant starch and its impact on the SCFA-producing bacteria that keep our digestive system happy and healthy. Resistant Starch: A Brief Overview Resistant starch is a unique type of starch that eludes digestion in [...]

By |2023-07-24T12:51:19+01:00July 24, 2023|Gut microbiome, Nutrition|0 Comments
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Going against the grain

While wheat bread is a staple in many people's diets, it can be problematical for health. Wheat, rye and barley contain gluten, a protein that can cause negative reactions in individuals with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. But even if you don't have a gluten intolerance, consuming large amounts of wheat flour, which breaks down to glucose, can impact your blood sugar balance and contribute to insulin resistance - a slippery slope towards weight gain and increased risk for diabetes and heart disease. The gluten in wheat bread can disrupt the gut microbiota and make your gut lining more permeable, [...]

By |2023-04-22T11:35:44+01:00April 22, 2023|Lifestyle, Nutrition|0 Comments
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New research on mind-boosting mushroom

Traditional Chinese Medicine and other traditional medicines, including our own, have used mushrooms medicinally since pre-history. Western researchers have studied some of these powerful adaptogens in more recent years, for their vast array of uses, and are confirming some of the age-old claims. One species that has been known for its potential mental health benefits is the lion's mane or hericium erinaceus mushroom. Recent research has demonstrated its ability to reduce the risk of depression and limit damage from Alzheimer's disease. An exciting new study by an international team of scientists published this week in the Journal of Neurochemistry highlights [...]

By |2023-02-20T19:52:12+00:00February 20, 2023|Lifestyle, Nutrition, Supplements|0 Comments
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Nurtural news – issue #2

In this issue: - Keeping your marbles: How to take action now to prevent dementia - A sprinkle of insight: the scoop on salt - Snack attack! Ten healthy snack ideas for guilt-free nibbles Keeping your marbles Nobody wants to lose their mind. But for women, dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease is now the no. 1 killer in England and Wales, and men aren’t far behind. “I’m getting old”, “I’m having a ‘senior moment’” – the language we use when we have memory lapses and momentary confusion is telling: popular culture would have us believe that dementia is a natural part [...]

By |2023-04-22T11:34:48+01:00February 10, 2023|Lifestyle, Newsletter, Nutrition|0 Comments
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Why am I so tired?

"But doctor, I'm getting 8 hours of sleep and I'm still waking up tired!" There's nothing more frustrating - the constant tiredness, the brain fog, the poor memory, the inability to form a coherent sentence, the joint pain, the breathlessness - only to be advised to try and get more sleep. Of course, lack of sleep, or good quality sleep, may well be a factor, and "sleep hygiene" - tricks and habits to set you up for a peaceful night of uninterrupted sleep - is a good place to start. But it's certainly not the end. Even if your [...]

By |2022-09-26T23:55:45+01:00September 26, 2022|Nutrition, Testing|0 Comments
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What to look for in a nutritional supplement

"Four out of five of the herbal supplements tested contained none of the labelled ingredients" The media love to pounce on findings that indicate supplements don't work, in order to decry the whole of the supplement industry. There is no doubt that, with such a confusing array of nutritional and herbal supplements available online, in healthfood stores, and even on supermarket shelves, it's difficult to know which ones are worth the money. And because the industry is unregulated (or self-regulated) there are a great many supplements that are substandard, ineffective or even harmfully contaminated. So how do you identify [...]

By |2022-09-13T00:27:27+01:00September 13, 2022|Nutrition, Supplements|0 Comments
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Sperm counts!

Fertility clearly isn't just a woman-thing. Up to 30 percent of cases of infertility worldwide are thought to be due to sperm-quality issues1. In the UK, 1 in 7 couples have difficulty conceiving, and one in four of these are from unknown causes - unknown, that is, to conventional medicine. The conventional avenues of treatment are drugs, surgery or assisted conception – including intra-uterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilisation (IVF)2, but aside from addressing a blockage these generally focus on the woman rather than the man. So, couples are increasingly turning to nutrition and lifestyle medicine to address the root [...]

By |2022-07-27T08:44:29+01:00July 20, 2022|Fertility, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Supplements|0 Comments
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Commit to your cells

Tips and tricks for remembering to take your supplements A friend told me recently that he'd been taking some very high quality supplements but hadn't noticed any difference in his health. He asked if he should continue taking them. "How many have you taken already, and when did you start?", I asked. "About half a pot, and about 6 months ago" was his reply. So he'd taken two weeks' worth of supplements over six months. That's like saying you had a full 7 hours' sleep on 14 days out of 6 months, but you can't understand why you're not feeling [...]

By |2022-06-29T18:05:16+01:00October 19, 2021|Lifestyle, Nutrition, Supplements|0 Comments
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