Herbs and spices not only enhance and preserve the flavour, aroma, and colour of food and beverages, they can also protect from acute and chronic diseases. Herbs have been in use for centuries both for medicinal purposes and possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumorigenic, anticarcinogenic, and glucose- and cholesterol-lowering activities as well as properties that affect cognition and mood. Recent research has shown the diverse range of health properties that they possess via their bioactive constituent especially flavonoids and polyphenols (Jiang 2019). Polyp...
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Everyone loves a mango or at least they should. But rarely are they touted as a health food and talked about for their gut healing properties. Well, as it turns out they are great for your health especially good for your gut health. Although the mango flesh is mainly consumed, since ancient times, the consumption of mango stem bark and leaves, mainly as infusions, has been reported, for pharmacological purposes and traditional medicine, especially in countries of Southeast Asia and Africa. So you can use the whole mango and parts of the tree. Acne and cancer are among the m...
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The gut microbiome and our digestive system is inextricably linked to human health and disease. Already we know there is a 2-way (bidirectional) communication pathway between the gut and different organs throughout the body including skeletal muscle, liver, bone and the brain. The gut-brain communication is carried out through the nervous system in particular the vagal nerve, as well as through hormonal and the immune system, all of which may be affected by the health of the gut microbiota. The importance of the microbiota-gut-brain axis is highlighted by studies linking dy...
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Most people do not realise the vast number of afflictions that can occur in our body as a result of poor gut health. Our gut is involved one way or another in virtually every form of chronic and acute illness whether directly or indirectly. Pain is a great example of this. Recent research has shown multiple ways that the gut and gut microbiome can impact pain, increasing it or lowering it throughout the body, whether general body pain and fatigue or one of the many forms of arthritis. Although the role of the gut microbiome is well appreciated in the context of visceral (...
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I started researching and talking about Time restricted eating (TRE) more than 20 years ago and often include it in my Gut Health and Weight Loss talks as a fantastic tool for improving the gut and weight loss at the same time. However, there are many more potential benefits which should be enough reason for everyone to implement it into their lives as I have done. TRE has been a part of human culture from the beginning only until the last 5 decades or so in developed countries with the advent of ready available and abundant foods and as a result the epidemic of chronic ...
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) includes both ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease and is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the colon and often accompanied by various complications including other gut conditions as well as multiple other chronic and sometime acute conditions. Research for example has shown that Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, peripheral vascular diseases, chronic pulmonary diseases, connective tissue disease/rheumatic diseases, renal disease, liver diseases, peptic ulcer dis...
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Have you ever wondered about the mouth wash you use and what the ingredients in it may be doing to your health? Well an increasing number of studies are showing the negative links between mouthwash and chronic health conditions like hypertension and diabetes type 2. Hypertension is a leading preventable risk factor for premature death and disability worldwide followed closely by diabetes type 2 and its complications. But don’t worry there are things you can do to help with bad breath that don’t cause long term health problems and in fact may even improve your health. ...
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Orange juice (OJ) is widely consumed and linked with a wide range of potential health effects including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions, positive impacts on cardiovascular risk, cancer, mental health and cognitive function as well as gut health. Orange juice is a rich source of polyphenols mainly flavanones (hesperidin and narirutin) which, along with their break down products, contribute substantially to the health effects of the juice. In the US a study of 15,983 persons aged over 2 years found orange juice consumption was associated with higher intakes of bioac...
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Orange juice other citrus drinks and citrus fruit are produced and consumed all over the world and have been one of my favourite drinks since childhood and my mum had an orange juice every day of her life. Despite the incorrect mixed messages we get about too much fruit or fruit juice they are one of the major sources for nutrients for kids and adults alike and play a big role in keeping us healthy. Citrus fruits don’t just taste great they also have and abundant nutrients and phytochemicals (plant nutrients), such as folic acid, vitamins A and C, mineral elements, c...
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Overall, children appear to be less frequently infected by, and significantly less affected by, SARS-CoV-2 virus and the clinical disease COVID-19. Large epidemiological studies have revealed children represent less than 2% of the total confirmed COVID-19 cases, of whom the majority experience minimal or mild disease that do not require hospitalisation. While everything is constantly changing, children also do not appear to be major drivers of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, with minimal secondary virus transmission demonstrated within families, schools and community settings. ...
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