Nutrition for Health Conditions

The role of hormones

Hormones are chemical messengers that carry signals from one part of the body to another. Some well-known ones are insulin, melatonin, cortisol, adrenaline and testosterone, though there are over 200 altogether. They are made, stored and released by our endocrine system and it’s their job to regulate the activity of cells or organs throughout our body.

Hormones control a variety of functions including mood, growth, appetite and weight (metabolism) and sexual development and function. Whilst we will all experience periods of natural hormonal fluctuations in our life, hormonal imbalance can also occur when the endocrine glands are not working properly. Correcting this is important as hormonal imbalances can lead to a range of serious health issues such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease to name a few. If you're specifically after info on hormonal changes and/or weight gain relating to peri menopause or menopause, you'll find some useful advice here, The wonderful world of menopause.

In this article I’ll cover tips on how to balance your hormones but firstly, let’s explore some of the early signs that your hormones may be out of whack.

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We’re all busy and sometimes don’t have time to fully prep and cook all our own meals. And even if we do, we can run out of ideas for how to make them both appealing and healthy too. But if you’re after a short-cut to achieving a higher nutrient hit for the meals you do eat (whether bought or home-made), I’ve got a secret to share with you. Toppers.

If you haven’t yet embraced soup and salad toppings as a way of adding extra nutrients to improve health, this article will help. If you have, then I’m here to give you some extra inspiration.

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What is sustainable eating?

Sustainable eating is about choosing foods that contribute to a healthy balanced diet while additionally having a low impact on our environment. To define it further would be to say that sustainable diets aim to ensure food security for present and future generations; protect biodiversity; respect cultures; be economically fair; optimise nourishment; plus combat malnutrition and obesity. Sustainable eating is about more than just the food itself – it’s about production, distribution, packaging and consumption.

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If you think radiant skin is just for the under 25’s, think again. You can have a healthy glow at any age and I’m about to show you how. Read more...

I love eating variety and appreciate how good food diversity is for gut health and overall wellness. It’s because of this that I’m always fascinated to hear about new ingredients. New foods inspire me to get creative in the kitchen, sampling new taste combinations and inventing new recipes.

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Your gut is your first line of defence against pathogens and toxins. It’s also responsible for digesting your food, absorbing nutrients and making vitamins. But the importance of gut health extends far beyond that! We now know that it impacts your immune system, body weight, metabolism, brain functions and mood regulation.

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Since the start of this pandemic, and as coronavirus panic has escalated, there have been many touted treatments and cures. Some may have a scientific basis, though there are numerous bogus or downright dangerous ones as well.

One of the latest claims to capture headlines in the media is from well-regarded scientist Dr T. Colin Campbell who has drawn on his previous research to say that eating a plant-based diet is protective against COVID-19. Could this be true?

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If you’re born in Australia this year, you can expect to live for 83.5 years. Lucky you, as you’ll statistically out-live the Swedes, French, Germans and Kiwi’s. Back in 1950 a person could expect to live for 68.7 years, so we’ve come a long way.

But living a long life is quite different to living a healthy, long life. Do you really want to live those extra years unwell and unhappy?

Play your health cards right and you can be living longer living stronger, disability-free until advanced old age. Remember genes are one factor but adopting good lifestyle practices are even more important in the quest to help you stay mentally and physically fit.

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Many people report feeling constantly tired or fatigued. Are you one of them?

Perhaps you put it down to working too hard or burning the candle at both ends? Maybe you’ve even become so accustomed to feeling lethargic that you’ve forgotten what energised feels like?

First things first, prolonged feelings of exhaustion warrant a trip to the doctor to rule out medical reasons for your tiredness.  There are any number of conditions that may be linked to fatigue such as anaemia, chronic fatigue syndrome, glandular fever, diabetes or being coeliac to name a few.

If you’re not suffering from a medical condition, then it’s time to turn the spotlight on health and lifestyle reasons for your tiredness. Here we list the top ten culprits and how you can combat them to bounce back to a more energetic you.

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Inflammation is the body’s response to outside threats such as infection and toxins. A short-term bout of inflammation to combat a hazard is both positive and protective for our health. This is defined as acute inflammation.

Chronic inflammation on the other hand, is long-term, lasting from several months to years. It can result from a failure to eliminate the cause of an acute inflammation, an autoimmune disorder, long term exposure to an irritant (such as an industrial chemical), or recurrent episodes of acute inflammation.

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