Firstly, what is the GUT?! The gut, gastrointestinal tract, alimentary canal or digestive tract as it is also know is a passage in which food passes through starting at the mouth and ending at the anus. I am going to take you on a journey through this incredible...

Maybe you have been to the doctor with symptoms of bloating, abdominal pain, constipation and/or diarrhoea and been told you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome(IBS)? IBS is just an umbrella term for gut health problems, the name IBS does not tell us the underlying cause of...

What is stress? Stress is primarily a physical response. When you are stressed, your body thinks it is under attack and switches to ‘fight or flight’ mode, releasing a complex mix of hormones and chemicals to prepare your body for physical action. Your heart rate is...

The link between inflammation and depression Inflammatory markers are assocaited with depression. Usually we recognize inflammation, a signal that something is wrong, by pain. However, because the brain does not have pain receptors, it’s difficult for us to know when...

What is leaky gut? Leaky gut, also known as increased intestinal permeability, is a digestive condition in which undigested food particles, bacteria and toxins are able to "leak" through the intestinal wall entering your blood circulation. If you have several...

Are you suffering with a bloating stomach? Do you feel very windy? Do you feel embarrassed that you sometimes look 6 months pregnant? Tried everything and not sure what to do? There is a solution You are not alone, I see clients everyday with this same problem, it is...

Health and wellness is a booming industry with new superfoods and treatments hitting the headlines everyday. If you are trying to take better control of your health, it can be an absolute minefield with mixed messages and an information overload. I often see clients...

What causes bloating? Bloating is a common symptom I see time and time again with client’s. It can be embarrassing due to excess gas and the fact that you can look 6 months pregnant but the reason for the bloating can be linked to more serious health concerns. If you...

The Connection and Interaction The gut and the brain are intimately connected. As an example of how sensitive the gut is to emotions, think of how nerves and anxiety will manifest as ‘butterflies in the stomach’. Impaired gastrointestinal tracts may also cause...

Antibiotics and chronic fatigue Energy is produced in cell organelles called mitochondria. Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell and by extension body. They contain a different DNA to DNA found in the nucleus of your cells and this mitochondrial DNA is inherited...

It’s fantastic to see information regarding the gut microbiota (good bacteria) and its role in maintaining a healthy human body hitting the mainstream press, as seen in the BBC News report, which you can be read here Scientists have been looking for answers for the...

Autoimmunity is a condition one develops when the body’s immune system starts attacking its own body parts. There are many different autoimmune conditions, over 100 have been identified so far, some of the most common include: - Addison’s disease - Ankylosing...

'Detoxification is the process of transforming a toxin from a harmful state into a harmless state’. The liver is your main detoxification organ. It is an extension of your digestive tract - everything that you eat or drink gets filtered by your liver before entering...

The mitochondria are the energy producing factories in all cells of our body. They are termed the ‘the powerhouse of the cell’. Without efficiently working mitochondria we may feel tired at best or very unwell or with disease at worst. Our body relies solely on this...

You may be familiar with the term ‘leaky gut’, but what about ‘leaky brain’? Leaky gut is a term used when the intestinal wall has increased permeability allowing particles to get through into the blood stream that otherwise wouldn’t gain access. If you suffer with...

More people than ever before are tasking themselves with healing their gut. Why? Because the gut is the very nerve centre of human health – or so an increasing number of functional and naturopathic doctors tell us. In this article, we’ll attempt to summarise the...

I can only tell my story in hindsight, now that I understand and accept the way that I felt. We are all wired in different ways, some of us more chilled and laid-back whereas others more wild and full of beans. I just classed myself in the ‘wild and full of beans’...

The Government health body says ‘Limit children’s snacks to 100 calories’. Half of the sugar young children in England consume comes from unhealthy snacks and sweet drinks, figures show. On average, primary school children have at least three sugary snacks a day,...

Beat the January blues with foods to boost your mood. Much research has been undertaken on the impact your diet can have on your mood and mental health. There are certain superfoods which have a positive effect on your mental wellbeing, but first things first, the...

The composition of breastmilk changes throughout the infant’s life adapting to the infant’s needs. Even a premature baby will receive different milk from a full-term baby. This means that the baby will get what it needs at the time that it requires it. Formula milk...

If you were asked what the role of your heart, liver, eyes or ears were, I’m pretty sure you would have a good answer. Can the same be said for your microbiome though? Bacteria is everywhere, existing in harmony with all living things. Plants, for example, are home to...

It is that time of year again when we feel we have the guilt free go ahead to let our hair down, not thinking twice about drinking at lunch time and eating chocolate for breakfast, and gym…well see you in the new year. I say, why not! Go and have fun, party, drink and...

Our gut is home to millions of good bacteria that live in harmony with us in a symbiotic relationship meaning that we depend on each other for survival. This bacterial ecosystem (microbiome) is established at birth and beyond. Millions of bacteria reside in the...

Names like ‘kimchi’, ‘kombucha’,’sauerkraut’ and ‘kefir’ are all rather strange looking words that are popping up a lot more frequently. They may be fairly new to our vocabulary but these fermented foods and drinks date back centuries ago, originating as a...