Why everything seems worse in the winter Even though winter has a lot going for it – woolly hats, hot chocolate, curling up with a book, thick socks, a log fire and other things ‘hygge’ coming to mind – something important is missing: light. At this time of year, you go to work before sunrise and come home after sunset, with very little exposure to natural light in between. This lack of light over months on end causes serious problems for many people. According to BUPA, the ‘winter blues’, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), affects about 3% of the population ...

Why should I eat more fibre? Eat more fibre! Fibre is good for you! Fibre will help you with your skin/mood/gut, etc. Fibre will help you lose weight!... There are countless headlines advising us to eat more fibre. But what is fibre and why do we need it so much? Fibre is an important nutrient that is often lacking in our western diet. Fibre is essential to a healthy diet: many studies have shown that consuming enough fibre can lead to reduced risks of many chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. Fibre is a ...

Do you often feel irritable? Are you easily annoyed by things? Irritability often comes with feeling annoyed, frustrated or getting upset. What causes irritability? Irritability can be caused by many things. These can be physical: Certain illnesses Pain Fatigue Hormonal changes Lack of sleep Medication Alcohol or drug/substance abuse Diet Or they can be psychological: Stress Anxiety Depression Two of the main reasons for feeling irritable are when we are either tired or hungry. We all feel grumpy when we have not slept enough or when we have not eaten for a while. So, tending to our most basic needs ...

Do you suffer from brain fog? Is it impacting your daily life? We are all experiencing it: we go shopping, park our car but then when we return, we need a little while to remember where we did park it... Or we want to say something to our partner but when we are free to speak, it is a complete blank: what is it we wanted to say?? I recently was in the middle of cooking a meal, went to the fridge to pick up a missing ingredient and froze: what was it that I needed already? These momentary lapses ...

In part 1, we saw that anxiety is the result of a dysfunction in our nervous system with an over-activation of the sympathetic nervous system to the detriment of the parasympathetic one. We learned that through the gut-brain connection, we can manage the symptoms of anxiety by strengthening the parasympathetic nervous system. Simple steps to strengthen and activate the parasympathetic nervous system There are a number of ways available to strengthen and activate your parasympathetic nervous system and toning up your vagal nerve. These will allow increased relaxation and will calm both your gut and your mind. Both dietary and ...

Are you anxious or worried all the time? Do you feel overwhelmed by daily things? Are you feeling very alone as you struggle with uneven mood? Are you wondering what is wrong with you? Anxiety can affect anyone at any time. In fact, anxiety is very common and about 8% of patients experience significantly anxious mood either occasionally or on a more regular basis. But just because it is common doesn’t mean you have to put up with it! This blog will discuss what anxiety really is and in Part 2, we will review some simple steps that can be ...

Are you suffering from sleep and weight issues? Are you wondering if the two are linked? A number of studies have shown an association between sleep duration and quality with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease risk. Sleep loss is one of the risk factors for obesity. The problem is that sleep loss leads to weight gain, but being overweight also causes sleep issues thus leading to a vicious cycle. Sleep loss affects a number of our hormones and causes imbalance in their levels. Leptin and ghrelin are the hormones that regulate our appetite, and poor sleep alters their production leading ...

In our previous blog, we learned the crucial role the health of our gut plays on our mental health. By ensuring a diverse microbiome, we ensure a healthy connection between our gut and our brain, thus keeping symptoms such as headaches, migraines, poor sleep, etc. at bay. In this second blog, we are going to explore a few simple ways to reduce your symptoms naturally. Ways to reduce headaches First, check for food allergies: it could be that your headaches are caused by an allergy to some foods. A nutritionist or healthcare provider can advise you on where and how ...

Many people suffer from headaches these days and there are many reasons why this is happening. Causes of headaches Minor headaches can be caused by a cold or flu, dehydration, stress, or eyestrain. More serious headaches and migraines have been linked to other causes, ranging from simple to very serious.  More studies are pointing towards the link between gut health and headaches. We are made of individual organs but none of these functions individually: they are all interconnected through a complex and wonderful network within our body. This indicates that when we are experiencing a problem in one place, we ...

The dangers of sugar Many people revert to sweet foods to improve their mood as they temporarily lift negative feelings and induce more positive ones. However, studies suggest that a high intake of sugary foods is more likely to have the opposite effect on mental health in the long-term. In addition to providing excess energy, high intake of sugar results in a pro-inflammatory state, the cause of many diseases and chronic conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, mental health disorders... High intake of sugar reduces levels of beneficial bacteria and increases those of pathogenic bacteria in the ...