Gut health and the gut microbiome have in recent years become a focal point in the health and wellness industry and for good reason as gut health is a major determinant of our overall health and wellbeing. It is not, however, the only place that houses microbial communities that greatly influence our health.

Did you know that the oral cavity, where digestion is initiated, is the home to the second largest and diverse microbial community in the body? Housing over 700 species of bacteria that colonise the various soft tissues of the oral mucosa such as the gums and tongue as well as the soft and hard surfaces of the teeth. These microbes are responsible for maintaining our oral health and as such are also inextricably linked to our systemic health.

Disturbances caused by our modern lifestyles including excess sugar and processed carbohydrates, improper dental hygiene and stress promote dysbiosis and the proliferation of disease producing bacteria in the mouth. With the ability of causing gingivitis, dental carries and periodontitis which can further lead to negative systemic health consequences including atherosclerosis, arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and inflammatory intestinal diseases.

So, what can we do to prevent oral dysbiosis and help to prevent all this nastiness from eventuating?

Nutrition is always at the top of the spectrum. Limiting sugar and processed foods at the same time providing nutritious foods that are full of anti-inflammatory nutrients – AKA: fresh whole foods such as vegetables, wholegrains, quality protein and healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, and seeds.

Oral hygiene as prescribed by your dentist or biological dentist if you are looking for an integrative approach to dental health as well as including the following which are natural ways to maintain oral health and therefore reduce systemic disease risk:

• Use non-alcoholic dental products such as a mouthwash that contains xylitol, a sugar alcohol that oral bacteria cannot metabolise, and which has been shown to prevent dental carries.

• Try oil pulling with coconut oil, shown to decrease plaque build-up due to its anti-bacterial properties.

• Supplement with specific nutrients such as CoQ10 which has been shown to significantly reduce gingival inflammation and Omega 3 fatty acids which has shown efficacy as an adjunct treatment in periodontitis.

Interested in finding out more about protecting your oral health and supporting your wellbeing? Book an appointment.

There is much debate around whether buying organic is really worth the extra money, particularly as prices of organic produce and products can often be up to 3x higher than conventionally farmed or non-organic products.

Organic foods get their certification on the premise that they are not allowed to be produced or contaminated with any type of synthetic pesticide or fertilizer which immediately, most importantly, increases their value in terms of health. Many of these contaminants have been associated with several negative health effects including, cancer as well as neurological, gastrointestinal, reproductive, endocrine and respiratory issues Even though there have been ‘safe’ limits placed on these chemicals by Food Standards Australia & NZ it is not quite a case of “the dose makes the poison” as the liver becomes burdened by an accumulation of all the toxins ingested from food, cleaning products, personal care products etc. And honestly do you really want to eat any amount of weed killer?

When it comes to the nutritional value of fruit and vegetables, studies have demonstrated minimal difference in nutrient profiles, however this in itself becomes a topic for debate as factors including exposure to light, heat and time since the produce was harvested affect the nutritional value. Generally speaking, however, organically farmed produce has a shorter shelf life and therefore retains a better nutrient profile as it is usually eaten closer to the time it was harvested compared to produce bought in supermarkets that is often kept in cold storage for months.

The farming practices used by organic farmers also enhances biodiversity, increasing soil quality and helps to reduce pollution from fertilizers and pesticide runoff.

If produce price is a concern, following the dirty dozen & clean fifteen list is a great start to help reduce the chemical burden, as it lists the produce with the highest and lowest amounts of pesticide residue. Produce not organically farmed can be washed well with the Young Living fruit and veggie soak to reduce pesticide residue. (Click on the link in my instagram bio to find out more about Young Living low top products.) Click here for Young Living low tox products.

Want to find out more about how to support your liver in its detoxification processes or limit toxin exposure? Book an appointment and we can work on a personalized plan.

Have you been hearing the term ‘inflammation’ used a lot lately but not really sure what it means?

Inflammation is a normal physiological response produced by our bodies in acute situations such as during infection and injury when damage is caused to cells. Our immune system through the release of chemicals is alerted resulting in the characteristic signs of redness, heat (temperature), swelling, pain and loss of function.

In chronic situations however, inflammation becomes a vastly different scenario. Our modern lifestyles which include diets high in processed foods, sugar, saturated fats, alcohol, and additives and are low in fibre combined with a sedentary lifestyle, high stress levels and an abundance of environmental toxins, wreak havoc on our immune system keeping it on high alert, preventing our body’s ability to maintain balance, leaving us in a consistent state of low-grade inflammation.

It is this chronic low-grade inflammation that has been researched as being correlated with many diseases from asthma, obesity, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease all the way through to cancer.

So, what can we do? 

Positive dietary and lifestyle habits are the easiest and best tools to use as they allow our bodies to use its innate ability to restore balance.

Several foods including, fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, leafy greens such as spinach and kale as well as berries, olive oil and spices such as ginger, garlic, curcumin (turmeric) and cinnamon as well as many others are examples of anti-inflammatory foods due to their high level of antioxidants which naturally reduce inflammation.

Reducing consumption of inflammatory foods, reducing stress levels through movement and meditation, and reducing environmental toxin exposure are all ways to help alleviate this disease burden.

Want to know more? Book a consultation and have a personalized plan put in place to help you reduce inflammation and bring your body back into balance.

Gut health has become one of the most widely spoken about topics in recent years when it comes to our overall health and wellbeing. 

Why is this so? 

Our gut is home to billions of microbes that communicate with the rest of our body through various pathways influencing our immune system, our endocrine system (hormones) and our brains. The longest cranial nerve (of which there are 12 pairs), the Vagus nerve, links our brain to our gut and a bi-directional communication highway known as the gut brain axis allows the way we feel to influence our gut function and what we eat to influence how we feel!

So how does this work? 

When we feed our beneficial gut bacteria certain compounds such as fibre, they grow and produce substances that help our body and mind stay healthy, this includes 80% of the body’s serotonin (the happy neurotransmitter), however when we feed ourselves with sugar and processed foods the growth of beneficial bacteria  is suppressed and instead the growth of harmful bacteria is stimulated, producing an imbalance of bacteria, known as dysbiosis. 

Dysbiosis has been linked to many diseases including depression, metabolic syndrome and many autoimmune conditions.

We know the gut is just like the universe, though inside us, with many areas to explore. Without overwhelming you in one account, we’ll break down the gut here on the blog in weeks and months to come. 

If you want to learn more about enhancing your own gut health get in touch below. 

Are you eating to support your training?

There is so much conflicting information floating around the internet these days, train fasted, train fed, low carb, high protein etc etc… so how do you work out what the best plan is for you? 

The type, duration, intensity and timing of your training as well as the goals you want to achieve i.e. lose fat, build muscle, all contribute to the way you need to fuel yourself before and after you train as well as what your overall diet should look like. No matter what your personal goals are or what level you are training at, to get the best out of your workout, prevent post training fatigue and maintain optimal health, good nutrition is key. Both carbohydrates and protein are imperative components of training nutrition and following the tips below are a good way to enhance the benefits of your training program 

• Training in the morning, requires some quick energy as muscle glycogen will need to be replenished from your over-night fast. Eating a small carbohydrate rich snack such as a banana or a couple of dates is a quick and efficient way to fuel your workout and can make a massive difference to your training.

• Cortisol the stress hormone is highest in the morning, high intensity activity increases cortisol, cortisol causes the body to hold onto fat – eating, particularly carbohydrates lowers cortisol, helping us to lose body fat.

• Carbohydrates eaten within 1hr of training replenishes glycogen most efficiently, preventing post training fatigue. This is particularly important for those training multiple times in a day

• Muscle protein synthesis requires protein! How much you need depends on a multitude of factors. The body has a limit to how much protein it can absorb in a meal so eating a massive steak is not the most beneficial for building muscle.

• Having a protein ‘hit’ of 0.25/0.3g per kg body weight 4-5x per day has been shown to be the most efficient way to absorb protein and optimise muscle protein synthesis. For a 65kg individual this would be approximately 3 eggs, ½ cup of chickpeas or 70g of chicken

• A post recovery meal with a 2/3:1 carb:protein ratio eaten within 1hr of training is ideal and this is where a smoothie filled with fruit, nuts or nut butter and a good quality protein powder works well, especially if a proper meal cannot be eaten for a few hours

• Whilst all amino acids (protein building blocks) are required to build muscle, Leucine is the most important at stimulating muscle growth. High leucine foods include milk, eggs, chicken and lentils.

Whilst the above serves as a great baseline of tips to suit all training enthusiasts, an individualised nutritional programme will truly be the difference between getting through your workout and taking it to the next level!

The menopausal transition can be a very daunting time for many women as the 

fluctuating hormones that characterise this period produce a multitude of physiological symptoms that make most women question their sanity! Fatigue, hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, vaginal dryness and loss of libido are common symptoms which can be experienced anywhere between 2-10yrs. A significant period of discomfort! 

So, what can you do to manage this time and stay sane? 

Nutrition, lifestyle and supplementation with specific nutrients can have a profound effect on the severity of symptoms

For instance, dietary phytoestrogens, such as soy and flaxseed can be used to help stimulate the body’s non-ovarian estrogen production, reducing the effects on the body from the sudden drop in ovarian estrogen production.

Reducing stress is of particular importance during this period, a stress management plan which includes yoga and/or meditation can be useful tools to reduce the anxiety and stress that often surrounds this time. 

Several key nutrients such as magnesium and taurine can also be used to enhance GABA production, the calming neurotransmitter.

To learn more about how to make this period as manageable as possible and reduce the risk of various diseases such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease that is associated with this stage in life, book in a consult so I can tailor an individualised plan based on your needs.