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Vitamin D is certainly one of the nutritional darlings of the moment. One that everyone is talking about and one that seems to dominate the popular pres. Bearing in mind the discoveries of recent years, this isnt surprising. Lets take a look at what it is and then we will get on to ways to get more in.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that is found in very few foods, just a key few. The primary source of vitamin D for Humans is the conversion of cholesterol into vitamin D precursors, that then go through a few further steps of biochemical change, according to body need, to become vitamin D, when our skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation.

What we get from food and what we get from the sun is incomplete and needs to go through these processes known as hydroxylation, in order to become metabolically active. The first of these steps, which happens in the liver, produces something called calcidiol 0r 25-hydroxyvitamin D. The next step is the formation of the metabolically active...

One thing that may surprise you is that some of the seasonal ingredients associated with Christmas, have some really potent health benefits. Who knew?! Its pretty hard to allude to any health benefits from buckets of chocolate and Christmas Cake, but many of the ingredients associated with a traditional Christmas dinner can have some amazing benefits to health. Have a look at this lot..

Parsnips

This gorgeous staple contain an substance called Fructo-Oligo-Saccharide or FOS for short. This is a very large molecular weight sugar that gets broken down by our gut bacteria. It is broken down by means of fermentation. When this fermentation process happens, the bacterial colony increase in number. The bacteria also release by products from this fermentation, such as short chain fatty acids like butyrate. These substances can stimulate repair mechanisms within the gut wall. FOS basically helps to maintain the long term health of the gut and microbiome. This makes it a PRE-biotic.

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There is no escaping the fact that what we eat affects the way we feel inside. Why is this so often neglected. Our brain and nervous system is a physiological system and as such has a very specific nutritional requirement. If this is not met, things can begin to go awry. Likewise, nutrition can form PART of the therapeutic spectrum too. Here are some of the top foods that I feel have a place at the table when it comes to feeding our mood.

Oily Fish

The oily fish are definitely top of my list for foods that influence mood. This is due to the presence of omega 3 fatty acids, one of the most widely studied nutrients in the context of brain and neurological health. Omega 3 fatty acids are a vital component of neuronal membranes, specifically the myelin sheath, that is a specialised capsular structure that runs along the length of the neuron (nerve cell). This specialised structure is vital for conveying nerve signals.

Omega 3 fatty acids go a step further by maintaining the...

I know from bitter experience how distressing it can be to suffer from skin problems. Thats how I am here in this industry. Im not a believer that our diet causes skin problems at all, those many stories linking X or Y food with acne or eczema, well the evidence just doesnt really stand up to scrutiny. Now, that being said, when it comes to the treatment and management of skin conditions, or keeping skin healthy in the long term, well thats a very different picture indeed. There are certain groups of nutrients that are important in both of these contexts, and these 5 foods are not in the slightest an exhaustive list, but are instead shining examples of the important nutrients for long term skin health.

Oily fish

Surprise surprise, me recommending oily fish. There is major justification here and it is all to do with the omega 3 fatty acids present in them. Omega 3 fatty acids are vital for skin health for 2 main reasons. The first is that they are vital for maintaining the...

The food you eat can help you take the edge off of it.

Ok, so a piece of broccoli is not going to magically make all of your problems melt away, but diet can be a very powerful tool in the management of stress. Remember, stress can have a huge impact on our physiology, and it is at this stage that diet can enter the arena. It can help to minimise this damage, and also to clean up the mess.

Magnesium

First on the list is the mineral magnesium. This vital mineral, that is often massively deficient in the modern diet by the way, is involved in over 1000 chemical reactions in the body. It is an important nutrient during times of stress because it can help us to feel physically more relaxed.

Magnesium works alongside calcium to regulate muscle contraction and relaxation. Calcium is involved in contraction, magnesium in relaxation. Increased magnesium intake in times of stress can help us to feel physically less tense. It is common during bouts of stress to hold tension in our...

These simple dietary steps can make the World of difference.

Bloating is one of the biggest digestive complaints presented to doctors, dietitians, and nutritional practitioners. When I say primary bloating, I am referring to bloating that is not a symptom of any other condition such as inflammatory bowel disease. Your first port of call is to work with your doctor to ensure that there are no other reasons for your discomfort. However, in most cases, I’d say it is more likely that the patient’s diet and lifestyle have become a little out of kilter. Bloating is something that I should imagine every one of us has experienced to one extent or another: the feeling that the abdomen is very tight and feels notably full. The abdomen can look as bad as it feels, too. I have seen clients that literally looked pregnant due to bloating, and that’s not the best look on a guy in their 30s! This discomfort is caused mostly by gas. Temporary bloating can occur after a weekend of...

Cardiovascular health is something that is massively influenced by our diet and lifestyle. Many areas of this are hotly debated, and research is certainly evolving. As research unfolds and develops, a few culinary heroes have come to the surface:

Porridge oats

Ah the humble oat. Seemingly drab and dull, but oats have actually been clinically proven to lower cholesterol. They are very rich in a soluble fibre called ‘Beta Glucan’. This soluble fibre forms a gel like substance in the digestive tract, by taking on many times its own weight in water. This traps cholesterol in the gut and binds to it, preventing it from being absorbed.

This isn’t cholesterol from foods by the way. This is cholesterol that has been produced by our body. When the liver produces cholesterol, only a small amount of it goes straight into circulation. A large portion of it is used to create bile acids, involved in the digestion and emulsification of fats. Once they have delivered their...

The ageing process – no avoiding that one. Whether we like it or not it is going to sneak up on us and bite us firmly on the bottom. That being said, our environment can influence this to a certain degree. By environment I mean our internal biochemical terrain. Something that can be greatly influenced by our lifestyles. The biochemistry of someone who smokes 20 a day, and downs 6 pints at lunch time is going to differ greatly from someone who consciously eats well, takes regular exercise, manages stress effectively, etc. This ISNT a judgement, its just saying it as it is.

With that in mind, I believe there are steps that we can take that can influence the ageing process to some degree. Part of this is of course the food we eat.

Omega 3

Omega 3 rich foods are top of my list for two very distinct reasons.

Firstly as I have mentioned endlessly, they deliver an anti-inflammatory activity.  Chronic, sub clinical inflammation is one of the most destructive...

If there is one question that comes up again and again for me, whether it is at a live event or online, it always appears. What cooking oil should I use?

My answer if always the same - for 98% of all cooking I advise using Olive Oil, for the remaining 2% that would be very high temperature cooking or something with a long cooking time, then coconut oil. Thats it. Its pretty simple, but lets explore why!!

Fatty acid balance

Anyone that has followed my work will have heard me talk about this at some point. If you are a newbie….here goes.

Fatty acids are a group of vitamin like substances that are found in the fats and oils we consume in our diet. There are 4 main fatty acids of note - Omega 3, Omega 6, Omega 7, and Omega 9. Out of these, two are deemed essential, meaning we MUST get them from our diet.

Fatty acids have two main roles to play - they are either used as structural materials in areas such as the eyes and the nervous system, or they are the metabolic...