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Do you often feel anxious? Are you easily stressed? If so, you may benefit from topping up your magnesium intake. Signs that you may be low in magnesium include anxiety, low resilience to stress, poor sleep, fatigue, restless legs, eye twitches, PMS and muscular cramps.
Collagen is definitely ‘the’ beauty buzz if you want younger, firmer looking skin. It is the go-to supplement - here’s why.
The New Year is firmly here but the lull between the festive season and the energising feeling that spring brings, can leave us feeling a little flat.
Derived from Greek and simply meaning mind bending or mind turning, nootropic is used to describe both drugs and natural substances which optimise brain performance or cognition.
As a Nutritional Therapist, it goes without saying I am an advocate of eating a healthy diet. As you would expect I love a bowl full of salad or a plateful of veggies, have a healthy respect for wholegrains and enjoy a legume or two, but does this mean I am getting all the vitamins and minerals I need?
Lack of sleep and consequently energy are common problems, often linked, with the stresses and strains of modern life.
Are migraines getting you down? You’re not alone - Migraine Action reports that one in seven people in the UK suffer from migraines – but don’t despair as there are natural solutions to relieve your symptoms.
Poor circulation can be caused by a number of underlying problems but there are plenty of relatively simple, yet healthy things you can do to help improve your circulation.
A small scale study exploring the beneficial effects of walnuts has come up with some interesting findings as to the mechanisms.
Top tips for staying cool as the temperature rises!
If you are joining the growing throngs of plant based diet followers, or cutting down on sugar but missing a cooling summery treat, try our deliciously creamy cashew ice cream – the perfect way to finish off any meal, or just because!
Most of us living in the more northern latitudes know how vital vitamin D supplementation is during the winter months, but are our levels compromised in the summer months too by sunscreen and covering up?
In an ideal world our diet alone should provide all the nutrients we need, however the ideal can be interrupted by many factors and many of us don’t achieve the recommended minimum five a day fruit and vegetable target set by the Government.
Q. My husband’s snoring is becoming a real problem– we are both tired from disrupted sleep. Is there anything you can suggest to help?
Although we are only a few months into the New Year, that resolution you made to lose weight may have already worn thin! So how can you take effective and sustainable steps towards your weight loss goal?
Q. My GP says my cholesterol levels are too high and has advised me to take statins. I’ve read about the side effects of these drugs and would prefer to take a natural approach. What alternatives are there?
This recipe uses Organic Cold Pressed Walnut Oil, a cholesterol free gourmet oil carefully cold pressed from superior quality raw walnuts. Cold pressing protects the delicate fatty acids inside the nuts and doesn’t involve the use of chemicals.
This recipe combines the antioxidant benefits of blackberries alongside energy boosting coconut oil to create a tasty treat. You can also use ZyloSweet in place of sugar to minimise calories.
Q: I often suffer from indigestion after I eat. Have you got any tips to help me?
Apple Cider vinegar has been known for its health giving benefits since Hippocratic times. Natural apple cider vinegar should be slightly cloudy because it contains the highly nutritious ‘mother’. The ‘mother’ contains a wealth of pectin, trace minerals, friendly bacteria and enzymes. It can be mixed into salad dressings, sauces, marinades and pickling recipes, or why not try this recipe for spicy apple cider vinegar and strawberry relish.
Cholesterol is a type of fat or lipid found in all cells in the body. It forms part of the cell’s outer layer and is transported around the body in blood attached to a protein.
Ageing is a hot topic, with 1960’s baby boomers predicted to outnumber children aged under five years by 2050. But whilst the population is ageing, healthy life expectancy in the UK is only 64 years for women and 63 years for men.
There are some excellent seasonal fruits and vegetables in the winter packed absolutely full of antioxidants. It’s easy to overindulge over the festive period but with a little careful planning and simple substitutions, you can add a healthy kick to every meal.
Q: My colleagues might be wrapping up warm but I suffer terribly with hot flushes and am forever taking layers off. What do you recommend?
A delicious and tasty accompaniment to eggs. Egg yolks are a good natural source of vitamin D and other vitamins as well as lecithin which contains phosphatidyl choline, a nutrient particularly important for the brain. This easy aromatic and spicy combination will stimulate your taste buds.
The menopause is a natural progression for every woman and typically begins between the ages of 40 and 50. Each woman will experience the menopause in a different way. The symptoms women experience during menopausal changes can vary with some women experiencing intense symptoms that affect their day to day lives, while others progress through the menopause with relative ease.
Halva is a sweet and dense confection found throughout the world. It basically encompasses a large range of sweets found in Central Asia, the Middle East, parts of the Mediterranean and the Balkans.
Walnuts are edible kernels grown from trees belonging to the Juglandaceae family. These are semi tropical deciduous trees thought to have originated in the mountain ranges of Central Asia or Southern Europe. Since ancient times these nuts have been seen as symbols of intellectuality because of their uncanny resemblance to the human brain!
We are frequently told that we need to drink 1.5 litres of fluid a day, but why is it so important?
This delicious nutty twist on classic steamed greens is a perfect side to any meat, chicken or fish dish.
As your memories of that sun-drenched beach start to fade and the humdrum of the nine-to-five rudely beckons, you’d be forgiven for wanting to dive deeper under the duvet.
Work that grey matter! The old adage 'use it or lose it' is true.
Are we too clean for our own good? Hygiene has come a long way over the last century, but scientists seeking to understand the causes of the dramatic rise in allergic disease seen in industrialised populations over the same timespan have questioned if this was the cause.
Do you ever feel stressed out? Stress has become so much a part and parcel of everyday living that we may not even notice how it is affecting us.
We are quite literally teeming with bacteria. They live on our skin, in our mouths, noses, respiratory tracts, urogenital tract and, of course, our gut and are collectively known as our microbiome. We are in essence a walking, talking ecosystem.
This colourful salad is a fantastic way to embrace the clean eating ethics and harness the power of natural foods.
Sugar is big news! Seemingly never out of the headlines, a UK sugar tax on soft drinks is expected to be introduced in 2018 in an attempt to combat tooth decay and obesity, particularly in children.
As we get older, many of us have concerns about our memory and concentration. Recalling names and recent events can become increasingly difficult and can make us worry about dementia. There are many things we can do however to feed the brain and aid the ageing process.
Ever wondered exactly what happens in your digestive system? Unless you suffer from indigestion or IBS, you might not have given it much thought.
It seems that soft, glowing, wrinkle free skin is still the Holy Grail for maintaining youthful looks, but there is a simple, inexpensive way to hold back the years that many people don’t consider
This creamy curry is not only vegetarian but is under 300 calories
This recipe is the epitome of the Mediterranean diet and is packed with nutrients including omega 3s to give your heart a protective boost. Perfect with a glass of red!
This is the fascinating premise of a recent study published in the Journal of Nutritional Science.
It can be difficult to get back on track with a healthy diet after going off-piste, especially during the cold winter months. That's why our team of qualified in-house nutritionists have worked together to provide their key simple dieting tips to help you turn things around!
Fancy a change from your usual breakfast? Try this tasty, tropical porridge to set you up for the day! Not only full of flavour, it is packed with lots of nourishment as well as being appealing to the eye.
Your bones support you through thick and thin, but when did you last give them a second thought?
Use our nutrition know-how for a more energetic you.
Give yourself a relaxing and nourishing skin treat with this lovely natural facial mask.
Now that summer is here and skin is laid bare, how about nourishing yours with a beauty or grooming routine literally good enough to eat.
This naturally pink pigment could become your favourite ally when preparing for the summer sun!
For most of us, even the mere thought of a nice cup of tea is comforting and soothing - a hug in a mug even.
Turmeric is a bright orange spice used extensively in Indian cuisine and owes its health promoting properties to the chemical compound curcumin, which is well documented for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, it’s important to make sure you know the nutritional essentials for a healthy diet. Vegetarian and vegan diets can be incredibly healthy. But being a vegetarian or vegan is much more than simply cutting out meat. To ensure your diet is balanced and healthy, it’s important to know the common shortfalls.
Fancy a treat but trying to cut down on sugar? Try this delicious, naturally sweet raw pie which is dairy-free, gluten free and vegan!
For many, the new year promised a fresh chance to commit to giving up that drink, cigarette, cup of coffee or sugary snack for good, but a few months down the line the strong resolve that buoyed the first weeks or months can start to flag.
There is much we don’t yet understand about memory and learning. The complexity of the brain is mind boggling stuff and yet supporting good cognitive function is vital for more than eight million school pupils and over two million university students in education this year, many of whom will be sitting tests or exams.
Q: Why are superfoods so good for us and how can I make sure I’m getting enough?
When talking about ageing, we often hear the terms free-radical, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant, but what is their role in health, disease and the ageing process?
Coconut Oil is rich in medium chain triglycerides, an excellent source of energy. It is a great non-dairy alternative to butter or margarine. It is perfect for baking biscuits, cakes, muffins, pastry or in pancake batter, so why not try this recipe for butternut squash, poppy seed and lemon loaf.
Q: My skin always feels quite dry at this time of the year. Are there any nutrients that might help?
While some women sail through the menopause relatively symptom free, others endure a whole raft of physical and emotional symptoms, which may include hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, vaginal dryness, insomnia, weight gain, low libido, lack of energy, irritability, dry skin and headaches. If you are suffering menopausal symptoms, what can you do to maintain your well-being and ease yourself through this mid-life transition?
Retaining our youthful glow is something we all hope to achieve as we head into our middle years and beyond. Learning to embrace fine lines and wrinkles is a vital part of a well-balanced approach to the aging process, but healthy choices at any life stage can help to minimise premature skin ageing.
Not sleeping? You are not alone! Sleep problems are the scourge of our times, with stress and anxiety, use of mobile phones and tablets late at night, as well as caffeine and alcohol all taking their toll on our “shut-eye”. But don’t worry - deep restorative sleep is within your grasp, if you take the time to develop good practices.
Q: Is it true that carrots are good for eye health?
Our immune system can be vulnerable to attack at any time of the year, but the majority of colds and flu-related illnesses are caught during the colder months, and the classroom or place of work are ideal breeding grounds for the nasty bugs that cause them.
Silver has been used in many different forms for centuries. In fact, the term ‘born with a silver spoon in the mouth’ comes from the use of silver cutlery and utensils. Babies fed with silver spoons in the 18th century were believed to be healthier than those fed with utensils made with other materials. English nobility frequently ate with silver cutlery and drank from silver tankards, which seemed to help prolong life expectancy. So, how can this mineral be responsible for improved health?
Due to the advent of modern medicine we have gradually lost touch with many of the healing properties of herbs. Research suggests that more of us are choosing to embrace herbal remedies. Use our guide below to help decide which herbs you may benefit from.
Open any page of any magazine and you can’t fail to see pictures and recipes for the latest green smoothie or kale salad
Get the green tea superfood feeling!
Motion sickness is caused by a conflict between what your eyes and other senses tell your brain.
Q. I’ve always had healthy hair but since starting the menopause approximately two years ago, it feels a lot thinner and my nails are quite brittle too. What do you recommend?
These pumpkin pancakes are the perfect seasonal pudding, or if you’re feeling a bit decadent, maybe a weekend breakfast or brunch.
Research has suggested that two-thirds of patients with musculoskeletal pain such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia can predict the weather based on their joint symptoms.
A change to cooler, damper days can highlight or exacerbate joint conditions, particularly in ageing animals
High fat foods and diets, and in particular saturated fats have long been maligned, many of us are encouraged to eschew a high fat diet for the benefit of our cardiovascular system. However, more recently, research appears to be turning the tide on fat. So how bad or good is it for us?
Fermentation is one of the foodie buzzwords of 2017, so we thought we would explore what it was all about.
Apple cider vinegar has been used by humans for thousands of years and we have been making flavoured apple cider vinegar from ingredients such as apples and malt for over 5,000 years.
If you are dragging yourself out of bed in the morning or getting through the day fuelled by shots of coffee and fading by mid-afternoon
Do you suffer from joint pain or back ache? If it’s any consolation you’re not alone. Conditions such as back pain, arm or neck pain and joint problems are classed as musculoskeletal disorders and account for around seven million lost working days annually in the United Kingdom alone.
Q. I suffer with cold sores and would like to take steps to avoid them. Are there any natural ways of preventing them or dealing with them at the first signs?
Our expert nutritionists take a look at the latest healthy eating trend, the Keto diet
Spring is a time for revival, planting new seeds and growth, so why not spend this month reviving yourself?
Interest in eating a plant-based diet has soared over the last couple of years. In the UK alone, there are now over 3.5 million people following a vegan lifestyle.
Turmeric is a wonderful spice, full of flavour and colour with health benefits to boot. It is the colour of golden sunshine and is used in Indian cookery in particular to add flavour and colour to food.
Historically known as ‘a cure-all’, garlic, or Allium sativum to give it its real name, has been used for its culinary and medicinal properties for over 7000 years.
Are painful joints and muscles preventing you taking up active pursuits such as walking, running or other sports? If so, read on to find out how you can naturally support healthy muscles and joints.
It seems there is some scepticism out there as to the science behind supplementing with live bacteria. Our experts comment on the debate.
Are you overheating? With the heatwave forecast to last at least another 4 weeks, this could be our hottest summer on record! So make sure you are eating plenty of these cooling and hydrating foods...
Do you suffer from one or more of the following? If so, the chances are you may be low in magnesium.
Did you know - The suprachiasmatic nucleus is a tiny set of around 20,000 neurons located in the middle of your brain which acts as your 24 hour clock, orchestrating your biological rhythms including sleep.
Reports of health risks from mobile phones and electronic devices range from sleep disruption to impairment to eye and brain health.
Spring, a time of new beginnings, is when we finally see the end of the cold dark winter and look forward to long hot summer days. Whilst most people welcome warmer weather, for others spring means the start of the allergy season. According to the British Allergy Foundation, approximately one in four of the UK population will suffer from an allergy at some point in their lives, and the number of people affected is increasing by 5% each year.
Spring heralds the start of spending more time outside as the temperatures rise and daylight hours lengthen, but for almost a quarter of us the corresponding growth spurt in the great outdoors comes with a sting in the tail. We are talking, of course, about hay fever.
The liver, the largest organ in the body, is a hardworking, multi-tasker. It filters a mighty 1.4 litres of blood a minute and performs more than 500 functions within the human body.
Growing and nurturing a new life is an exciting time but one that places extra demands on the mother’s body. The importance of taking folic acid is well-known, but your requirements for many other nutrients also heightens during pregnancy.
Cardiovascular disease is responsible for around 160,000 deaths a year in the UK alone, and a further seven million people are living with the disease. It is an umbrella term that is used to describe a range of diseases that affect the heart and circulatory system. Cardiovascular disease, or CVD, includes strokes, heart failure, atrial fibrillation and cardiomyopathy.
Here we address four male concerns and offer a few helpful tips to keep you feeling great and looking good no matter what age.
This muesli recipe is a great way to boost protein intake with the addition of organic cold milled hemp protein and organic cold milled flax seeds.
As we age, we may worry about the state of our brain and our mental health. For many of us, ‘senior moments’ are a feature of ageing and a reflection of the increasing demands on our brains from our hectic lifestyles. For others, they may herald the onset of dementia. Sadly, dementia is an increasing problem for our society with 850,000 people diagnosed in the UK, affecting 1 in 14 of the over 65s.
Vision is one the most precious things we possess but, just like the rest of the body, our eyes can be prone to problems as we age. Conditions such as age related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts are the leading causes of blindness in adults in the UK, accounting for almost half of adult blindness. The good news is that they are also preventable, so whatever your age, making the right lifestyle choices now could help save your eyesight in the future.
Festive cooking can be nutritious as well as delicious, and our gingerbread recipe is simple and fun, giving you a super tasty treat.
If you are a natural health newshound you may have seen astaxanthin mentioned in the press recently. So, what is all the fuss about?
Whether your New Year’s resolution is to stop smoking, lose a few pounds and hit the gym, or cut down on your favourite tipple, studies show that it’s all about the brain.
This is a great vegetarian option to help boost your brain health with omega 3 rich foods. Flax seeds and walnuts are excellent sources of alpha linolenic acid, an essential omega 3 fatty acid that is often lacking in our diet.
Too much food, larger portions and excessive alcohol can play havoc with your digestive system, causing acid reflux, bloating and digestive upset.
The herb St Johns Wort is a tried and tested staple in the natural health Practitioner’s armoury for low mood. St Johns Wort, whose flowers are bright yellow stars, is native to Britain and Europe but has now been naturalised throughout the world.
The naturally sweet flavour of squash combined with the richness of coconut and gently warming spices make this soup a wholesome lunch or delicious starter.
There’s nothing better than fruit and vegetables that have been grown locally; they’re fresher because they haven’t had to travel far, which also means they’re kinder to the environment and better value.
Keeping your energy levels up during a workout can help maximise your performance. There are plenty of energy bars and drinks on the market but making your own is not only fun and better value, but you can alter the ingredients to your taste.
Your heart beats around 70 times a minute, non-stop for around 80 years or more, pumping more than 10 million litres of blood around 100,000km of blood vessels every year.
There is no definition of a superfood or definitive list for that matter, but generally speaking we understand these little gems of nature to be foods with health-giving or supporting properties.
Q. Help! My son and I have come down with a cold –what can I do to support us both?
From the moment we are born, our immune system protects us from infection; blinking, sneezing and coughing are all defences against harmful microbes in our environment.
Beta glucans are unique molecules found in foods that are beneficial to human health. There are two types, each with very different properties.
One of the best times for human conception, according to a study, found that human sperm are at their healthiest and “swim” faster in winter and early spring.
With a Latin name that translates to ‘most useful’, flax has a history stretching back millennia, and thanks to its mega 3 content is synonymous with good health.
If your digestion is in need of a little TLC, here is a great smoothie to kick off your day.
Keeping up with the kids can leave the very best of us exhausted and stressed. But worry not, with these simple nutritional steps your energy levels will be tip top.
Fibromyalgia is surprisingly common and although it may occur in both men and women, it seems that women experience it more frequently than men
Catching a cold can happen to most of us at some time during the year, so how can you stay well and be prepared?
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