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Cholesterol is one of the number one targets that people look at to determine the state of our metabolic health, and in some ways this can be true. It is one of the most common markers that your doctor will test for once you go past the age of 30. There is a multibillion industry around drugs that lower cholesterol. For many, lowering cholesterol is a notable health goal, and it isn’t my place to advise against this, but do be aware that it is a vital substance in the body. It is the precursor to all of our steroidal hormones - think oestrogen and testosterone. It is the building block to vitamin D when we are exposed to ultraviolet, and it is a vital component of cell membranes. With this in mind, should we just aim to lower it willy nilly, or should we understand it a little better and learn how to improve how it affects our body? I feel the latter, and there are a few key dietary tweaks that you can make to do just this. 

Important distinctions

It is important...

If you are like me, you will always be searching for new ways to give yourself an extra edge and make continued improvements to your health. I have tried a million and one hacks for more energy, to perform better in the gym, to maintain my waistline (an ever more challenging escapade at almost 44), increase my antioxidant intake, fatty acid intake, enhance the nutrient density of my diet. You name it. 

Vitamin K is probably one of the least talked about nutrients yet one of the most vital throughout life. Vitamin K is actually a group of fat soluble nutrients that can come for a variety of foods and can get stored in fatty tissues in the body.

Vitamin K1 also known as phylloquinone, is found abundantly in foods such as green leafy vegetables. When we consume this form it gets converted by the bacteria that lives in the gut into K2 or more accurately, a drop of compounds called menaquinones, which are variants of K2. Menaquinones, being bacterial in origin are also found in some animal products and fermented foods. So why is it so important and what does it do?

Regulates blood clotting

 Without vitamin K our body cannot produce prothrombin. This is a substance that is involved in regulating blood clotting, and also affects bone metabolism. Prothrombin is turned into thrombin which then turns fibrinogen into fibrin which, along with platelets makes a blood clot. 

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Vitamin C is likely the most well known nutrient when it comes to supporting immunity and keeping the immune system healthy. Whilst clinical trials testing its efficacy as an intervention in an infection have yielded mixed results, we know that vitamin C certainly does have important roles to play within the immune system and many aspects of immunity. 

Accumulates in phagocytes

One thing that is certainly clear is that vitamin C can accumulate in phagocytic leukocytes (phagocytic means engulf pathogens, leukocytes are the technical term for white blood cells). Neutrophils and Monocytes accumulate vitamin C to notably high concentrations, 50 – 100 times higher than serum concentrations. There isn’t a complete understanding of why this accumulation occurs, but it is clear that there is a reason for this accumulation, nature doesn’t do these things without need or reason. 

Enhances neutrophil chemotaxis

Neutrophil chemotaxis is an important...

The ketogenic diet has become one of the biggest dietary movements of our time, neck and neck almost to veganism. Now you all know that I am a huge proponent of plants being a dominant feature of our diet. But, that being said, whilst I do eat ungodly amounts of green vegetables, I do veer very close to the low carb high fat diet, and always do extremely well on it. Im not true kept, but not far off.

The true ketogenic diet will find 70% of its entire energy intake coming from fat. This son makes the body choose fat as a preferred fuel source. Whilst we have often been taught that glucose if the primary fuel source for Humans and that we need a healthy supply of glucose, that isn’t completely accurate as such. Glucose is an effective and EASILY utilised fuel source that our body can rapidly turn into ATP – the energy currency our body actually runs on, and is an energy source that can be stored in the form of glycogen. But, our body is adaptable. It has had to be through...

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has become one of the most highly talked about substances in the body in decades. Most widely known as our body’s own in built antidepressant and feel good chemical, everyone is talking about it, and if you type it into social media…buckle up! Everyone wants to boost serotonin. Increase levels of serotonin. Get more serotonin, yet know very little about it.  It is a media darling right now, and with this has come profound misunderstanding and myths, one of which I am pretty sure you will be familiar with. So, with that in mind let's take a look at what serotonin is, what it does and most importantly where it does what, then look at the myths that abound around it.

What IS Serotonin?

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, and a hormone, depending where it is found. A neurotransmitter  means that it is a substance that relays messages between nerve cells or a nerve cell and a target tissue such as a muscle or a gland. As you...

Leaky gut is a condition that for a long time was dismissed as non existent, yet now it is accepted and its development and aetiology is well understood, and leaky gut symptoms are commonly reported to clinicians. With this increased understanding of the condition, it has opened up possible links in the development of autoimmune conditions. Leaky gut really just refers to increased permeability of the gut wall. The gut is semi permeable, or should we say selectively permeable. Of course it has the ability to let things pass through it, but these are things that are of benefit to us. It also has the ability to keep things out. Therefore selectively permeable. 

The gut as a barrier

The epithelial lining of the gut, along with different secretions produced by it and microbial life forms a barrier that separates us from the external environment. It is a selective and secure border between the inner workings of the body and the outside world. This lining must be able to allow...