More Ways To Shine

You’ve probably heard about the importance of folic acid in pregnancy. Folate (vitamin B9) is a critical nutrient in the formation of the fetal neural tube, that will later form the baby’s brain and entire nervous system. Women take folate or folic acid in pregnancy to reduce the chances of neural tube defects, and the first trimester of pregnancy is the most important time for this supplementation.   Without sufficient folate, red blood cells (produced in the bone marrow) ar

Many of us grew up eating frozen or canned vegetables, boiled or steamed. It may be a revelation to some that eliminating water as a cooking method often brings out the best flavour in many veggies. That includes the ones you may have disliked as a child, when they were cooked in water!    Roasted veggies are quick and easy to prepare. Just toss them on a sheet pan with some olive oil and seasonings and pop them in a hot oven for a delicious side to your dinner, and a welcome

Olives, and olive oil, have been important foods for millennia. In fact, it was Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician, who called olive oil “the great healer”.   The chemistry of olive oil is very similar to the oils of our skin, which may be why it has been used in beauty products for thousands of years. It contains vitamins E and K, and it is a mainly mono-unsaturated oil, so it doesn’t have negative effects on cholesterol. It is also rich in polyphenols*, those complex

Although cold sores are generally short term and benign, they can substantially impact quality of life, especially if they break out at important times, such as a wedding or a job interview, when we want to be seen at our best. Over 75% of people harbour one of the viruses that cause cold sores, although they may not be aware of it. Some people are well aware, because they have recurrent outbreaks. People who have very frequent outbreaks or ongoing lesions may be given daily

Spring is the traditional time for liver detox. If you are thinking of eating to support your liver, consuming a rainbow of colours* from fresh fruits and vegetables is always good. In particular, foods that have a bitter edge are considered to be of special benefit to the liver and gallbladder, and it is easy to incorporate these liver-friendly foods into your diet.   Artichoke : You may think of this as a food, which it is. And it is also a medicine! It has a slightly bitte

The answer is a definite yes for some chemicals,  as evidence from trials shows us that some drugs do tend to increase obesity as a side effect. Well-known among these are the birth control pill and some antidepressants. Because drugs have to undergo trials to get on the market, we have strong evidence about their effects and side effects.    For many other chemicals in our food and our environment, it’s a “definite maybe”.  Because chemicals in foods and air pollution don’t

When we think of pollution, we tend to think of toxic chemicals in our environment. We don’t tend to think about pollution from a good thing, such as light, but just at the wrong time and place.   Historically our night times were dark, lit only by the moon, and the occasional shooting star or maybe the aurora borealis, depending where we lived. Any light we used after dark was from a fire or a candle, both of which provide a yellow-golden light. This colour was emulated by i

You may have heard about peptides lately: from a wellness influencer online or your friend at the gym. The purported benefits of taking peptides are wide-ranging: more muscle, less fat, better memory, quicker wound healing and healthier skin. But what are they? And are they safe? Can they really do what their promoters claim?   What are peptides? Peptides are short chains of amino acids — basically fragments of proteins. They occur naturally in the body, and we also make them

It used to be considered that convalescence lasted 40 days after childbirth, or significant illness or bereavement. But now it seems the whole concept has disappeared from main-stream thinking! We’d like to bring it back into your thinking. It is a health-supporting tool, especially important in this society where many people struggle back to work almost as soon as they can get out of bed, or even work from their sick-bed.   The idea of convalescence is to rebuild what streng

When we say something is “on steroids”, we usually mean that it is super-powered, because testosterone and other anabolic hormones promote strength: they stimulate the growth of tissues.   The steroids used in medications, such as those used to treat illnesses in the lungs, are different. These are synthetic glucocorticoids, copy-cats of steroids the body makes, and used for their anti-inflammatory and immune-suppressing capabilities. They are catabolic steroids that trigger

The word neurodiversity was first coined in the 1990s by Judy Singer, an Australian social scientist, who is herself on the autism spectrum. It is a combination of “neurological” and “diversity”, and originally referred mostly to autism. While it is recognized that severe autism is a profound disorder, this term has since expanded to include ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette’s, as well as other learning and developmental differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia

Resistant starches are a particular type of carbohydrate that resist full digestion in the small intestine, and pass through to the colon largely intact. Unlike regular starches, which are rapidly broken down into glucose for energy, resistant starches behave more like dietary fibre. They provide numerous health benefits while reducing the rapid spikes in blood sugar that are commonly associated with other carbohydrates.   Resistant starches are naturally found in various foo

Many people were really surprised to hear about possible negative effects of melatonin on the heart, because it is so widely used, and there is so much research on its benefits.   Melatonin is a natural hormone made in the pineal gland in the brain, in response to darkness. It is chronobiotic, setting and restoring healthy sleep cycles. It helps the body wind down in preparation for sleep.    Melatonin is a popular sleep aid supplement , and research shows adults over 55 bene

Chronic sinusitis, also called chronic rhinosinusitis or just CRS , is a stubborn, long-lasting problem where the sinuses and nose stay inflamed, often for months. Lately, scientists have been paying close attention to the nasal microbiome, which is the mix of bacteria in your nose, and how it plays a big role in sinus problems like this.   In recent years, the concept of "snot transplants" has emerged in scientific circles as a novel approach to treating persistent nasal and

In today’s fast-paced world, it can be tempting to rely on takeout, fast food, or restaurant meals. However, preparing and eating home-cooked meals offers numerous benefits. In January, when the weather is bad and the holiday expenses appear on your credit card, it’s a great time to try our January challenge: make all your meals at home!   Cooking at home is generally less expensive than eating out. It allows you to buy ingredients in bulk, use leftovers, and avoid the premiu

New Year’s resolutions began 4000 years  ago with the Babylonians, who resolved to return borrowed goods and pay their debts. The idea was that amending the past year’s omissions would gain the favour of their gods for the next year.  2000 years later the Romans offered sacrifices and prayers to appease the God Janus, the god of doorways and transitions, who had two faces, looking back into last year and ahead into the next. January is named after him, and Romans promised him

Vitamin K2 plays a critical role in directing how calcium is used in the body , and what part of the body it ends up in. Vitamin K is necessary for calcium uptake into our bones. This is very important as we want our bones to be strong and dense.   On the other hand, most other organs and systems work much better when they are flexible, such as our beating heart and our pulsing blood vessels. In these systems calcium can be actively detrimental. It is a component of arterial

Want to host a healthier holiday gathering and looking for inspiration? Offer your guests some fresh healthy options as a welcome change from rich and heavy festive meals. We propose three menus for the holidays, all from our recipe archives:   Around Christmas Healthier Brunch: when you are craving more fruits and veggies! Hot mulled apple cider Green Shakshuka  with good bread: toast or warm buns     Simple carrot slaw     Mini potatoes roasted with olive oil and herbs Choc

You’ve read a lot about the importance of your gut microbiome, and how you can feed it well to support your health. But did you know that those billions of bacteria also feed you with some very important nutrients? It’s a true symbiosis.   Vitamin production Vitamins are nutrients that are vital for humans because we need them but can’t make them. Fortunately our friendly gut bugs can make some for us, because they have genes (that we don’t have), that make enzymes for the ne