Most of us have experienced temporary bloating in some shape or form, whether after a heavy meal, during indulgent periods (such as festive holidays) or, unfortunately for some, more persistently due to digestive health problems…
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Weaning is a process that should continually change to reflect and respond to your growing baby’s developmental needs. It can be tough, with a lot of ups and downs, triumphs and setbacks. But with a bit of time and patience everything will slowly slot into place. In this article we’ll explore…
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Christmas can be a complex and challenging time for many of us1, and stress around food can add to this. Stress has been shown to cause changes in healthy eating behaviours including changes in our diet and appetite2,3. To support moving our focus to behaviours which support health…
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The World Health Organisation has stated that mental health conditions, particularly depression and anxiety, are the number one cause of disability globally, affecting over 300 million people (1). Especially in these trying times, it has never been more important to look after and prioritise…
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As we seek to lessen our impact on the planet, more and more people are looking to a plant-based or vegetarian diet. From 2014 to 2019 the amount of vegans in the UK quadrupled[1]. Over one third of the UK population identify as flexitarian (only eat meat occasionally) or are looking…
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In England, 63% of adults are overweight or obese1. However, England is not alone since the World Health Organisation suggest that in 2016 39% and 13% of adults globally were overweight and obese, respectively – and these numbers have been increasing since…
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Fermentation is a process food go through to promote desired microbial growth and enzymatic conversation of food components7. While fermentation is the growth of microbes, the final fermented food product does not necessarily contain live microbes. This may be due to other food processes…
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Are you feeling stressed and find that this affects your eating patterns? Or maybe eating healthily makes you feel stressed? Food and emotions are interconnected on so many levels, food really isn’t just simple nutrients to be consumed like tablets, instead there is a profound…
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Weaning, also known as ‘Starting Solids’, ‘Complimentary Feeding’ and ‘First Foods’ is the process of gradually introducing solid foods to a baby at around 6 months of age, alongside breastmilk or formula milk (1;2). It is a milestone for babies that can cause lots of questions…
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Dietary fibre intake has been linked with beneficial effects on health-related outcomes, from stress and mental health to reducing the risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and bowel (colorectal) cancer. Find out more about what fibre is and where we…
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We often judge the healthfulness of our food in terms of nutrients we find stated on the labels - carbohydrates, fats and proteins, as well as vitamins and minerals. This emphasis on nutritional content is referred to as ‘nutritionism’1. But foods aren’t just random mixtures of…
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Malnutrition is the deficiency, excess or imbalance of energy and or nutrients in our body. Malnutrition can refer to both undernutrition and overnutrition, and can be nutrient specific (for example, a vitamin deficiency or an excess of a particular micronutrient). Overnutrition, or when energy…
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Sleep is the time we take to relax and repair our bodies; it is something we all need and gives us energy for the next day1,2. There is no set amount that everyone must have, but it is generally found that adults require six to nine hours of sleep every night3,4. Not having enough sleep can cause…
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There is now significant evidence to suggest that looking after our gut is an integral part of maintaining good overall health. In particular, we must nourish the trillions of microorganisms that form the intestinal microbiota. There are over 1000 different species of bacteria living in the…
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Individuals competing in endurance events frequently notice gastrointestinal (GI) distress with common features including nausea, flatulence, bloating and stomach pain.1 Depending on the criteria of symptomology used along with research methodology, the prevalence of GI distress…
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The term IBS has become fairly mainstream but what do we mean by IBS, what causes it, and what treatment options are available? Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is the most common type of functional gastrointestinal disease. Many reports suggest a global prevalence of 10-15%, whilst…
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Many of us struggle with getting a good night's sleep and for some COVID-19 has made this worse, ultimately having a huge effect on our daily lives, routines and consequently our sleep-wake cycle. Our sleep-wake cycle is one of the most well-known circadian rhythms and is essentially…
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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death worldwide, with an estimated 17.9 million people dying from it each year1. However, it is important to know that CVD can be prevented through changes in our lifestyles1,2 including dietary adjustments and increased…
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Cholesterol was first identified in humans over 200 years ago1. Since then, it has been strongly associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease risk1. We have also discovered that we need cholesterol for several reasons, including: It provides rigidity, fluidity, and…
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“Superfoods” including açaí berries to maca, and tumeric1 have caught many of our attentions. It is important to know what superfoods are, what the research is currently saying and that we do not need “superfoods” to be healthy. I have put “superfoods” in quotations for the purpose of this…
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