Have you felt stressed, overwhelmed or burnt out recently? Well you’re not alone. 74% of adults have felt so stressed at some point over the last year, that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope

Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system which prepares the body for “flight, fight or freeze”. We may experience changes in body sensations such as increased heart rate, sweating and it can even affect our digestive system

Lifestyle changes have also been shown to be an effective way of managing stress including mindfulness, meditation and being in nature. All of these can help us to focus on the present as often stress is bought about by worrying about a future scenario or reflecting on a past event.

But what about nutrition? Can the food we eat which influences every cell in our body and provides us with the raw materials to make messengers that influence our mood play a role in managing stress?

Good quality sleep is essential for your health and wellbeing. Your body goes through so many important processes when you sleep, so when you’re not getting enough, this can make you more prone to short term and even long term health concerns.

What happens when we sleep?

There are two phases of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep. The cycle starts over every 80 to 100 minutes and we typically have four to six cycles per night.

Why is sleep so important?

Hormones: Your hormones are constantly fluctuating throughout the day and certain hormones are reliant on you having regular, consistent sleep.

Hormones including cortisol which is needed for alertness throughout the day, melatonin (our sleep hormone) and our hunger hormone ghrelin as well as our satiety hormone leptin are also regulated by our circadian rhythm (sleep wake cycle).

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal condition where a diagnosis is based on meeting two out of three of the following criteria: ovulation dysfunction, signs of hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovaries. 

Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia are common characteristics of PCOS, and potential drivers of the symptoms associated with the condition including acne, hair thinning, hirsutism, irregular periods and infertility. 

Consuming foods with a low glycaemic index alongside an anti-inflammatory diet can be supportive in managing common PCOS symptoms.

Key nutrients including Myo inositol, vitamin D, chromium and saw palmetto have been shown to be effective in PCOS.

Stress and poor sleep are common with PCOS but addressing these through lifestyle interventions are necessary to manage the condition.  

Lola had been struggling with acne for the last 6 years. She had been prescribed antibiotics and the pill by her GP, but neither of these options worked. In fact, the pill actually made her back acne worse.

This blog explores how Lola used nutritional therapy to support her symptoms and the steps she took to improve her acne.

Ultra-processed foods are formulations of ingredients, mostly of exclusive industrial use, that result from a series of industrial processes.

Although they have the word food in their description, they are in fact not food, but food like substances which go through chemical processes and then assembled into ready-to-consume hyper-palatable food and drink products using flavours, colourings, emulsifiers and additives.

Tips on reducing UPFS

Whether UPFs are entirely unavoidable is really down to the individual. Most of us already have a to do list as long as our arms, so how realistic is it to make every meal from scratch? Opting for more whole foods is also more costly in a lot of cases, so consuming only wholefoods may not always be an option.

Whilst it may not be realistic for everybody to only eat wholefoods, there are things we can do to make better choices and reduce our consumption of UPFs which can be supportive for our overall health and wellbeing.

The gut microbiome contains a specific set of bacteria known as the estrobolome, which metabolises and regulates estrogen. When gut health is optimal, the estrobolome helps balance estrogen levels. However, imbalances in gut bacteria and lack of diversity, can lead to oestrogen imbalances,  which may worsen those menopausal symptoms including hot flushes, anxiety, brain fog and even weight gain..

The thought of parasites living in your intestines might seem off putting, but it is surprisingly common. You may not even be aware that you have one, as some can cause no symptoms at all. Other parasites, however, can lead to debilitating symptoms including abdominal pain, loose stools, nausea, gas and bloating, so require intervention.