Healthfullives

Diabetes was something associated with getting older but now it’s catching us much younger.

Why ? The long and short of it is we eat too much artificial sugar, sugar via carbohydrate break down and natural sugars. Much more than we need and much more than we are burning off via fuel use / exercise (both incidental and actual workouts).

The other complication is as we age our ability to break down foods (digestive function) and energy requirements (what your body needs to function) and sources (what you need to eat) changes. As do our hormones which also greatly impact conversion of sugars into energy your body can use rather than visceral fat.

AWARENESS is main thing I want you to take from this.

Of course we need a little daily sweetness - its not about pointing fingers, saying we are all doomed and you can’t have any sugar but what we don’t realise is we actually get enough already.

Natural sugar exists in vegetables, fruit and dairy or alternatives. We don’t need to add more.

Sugar is also often hidden in the most unlikely places, savoury sauces, processed foods, cereals, muesli bars, bread, juices, soft drinks etc ...

Be a step ahead of diabetes in knowing what amount of sugar / carbohydrates you actually need on a daily basis (I can help with this), what foods are the best source and where it may be hidden.

Prevention is always the best cure but if you are concerned and /or have been diagnosed please reach out for a free consultation on how you can reverse your diagnosis - link in bio above ⬆️ .

You already know that cruciferous vegetables are good for you. They are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

For menopausal women they are especially important because they help manage your hormones.

What ?

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale and brussel sprouts, are particularly good for hormone management.

Why ?

When you eat them, your stomach acid breaks down one of their compounds called indole-3-carbinol to produce diindolylmethane (DIM).

DIM affects your oestrogen levels, specifically stimulating the production of a less potent, more beneficial form of oestrogen known as 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1).

DIM also blunts the effects of another, more potent form of oestrogen called 16- alpha-hydroxyestrone (16-OHE1), which has been linked to an increased risk for breast and uterine cancer as well as fat gain.

In addition DIM helps block an enzyme known as aromatase from converting testosterone to oestrogen (can cause male breasts), which is a good thing for muscle maintenance needs 💪.

The more cruciferous vegetables you eat, the better your hormonal health and lower your risk for increased abdominal fat accumulation.

Vegetables are also very good for your gut Microbiome because they provide a lot of prebiotic fibre.

Need any more reasons to load up on these powerhouse greens? 🥦

What are you waiting for ?

We all have a unique glucose responses to food, so there’s no perfect metabolic list but here’s a quick summary of foods that are great place to start.

We have different responses to glucose due to a combination of the following reasons: the composition of our gut Microbiome, our micro nutrient status, how will we sleep, exposure to stress, physical activity, and genetics.

In addition, how we consume food may impact its metabolic response e.g. if we pair it with fat, protein or fibre. The order in which we eat also matters e.g having fat or protein before carbs can help blunt a spike. Also consuming vinegar before or with a meal (e.g diluted apple cider vinegar) can also lower the glucose response.

Here’s a helpfully summary of how to take the glucose highs out of your day and blood stream :

1. Vegetables - In general starchy vegetables are the most likely to raise glucose therefore leafy green vegetables should serve as a major component of each meal.

2. Nuts & Seeds - These are a great way to add fat, protein and micronutrients to any meal or to have as a healthy snack.

3. Beans & Legumes - Particularly when paired with fat, these can be a great source of fibre and protein without a significant spike. That said some people have a response to beans. Tofu is generally a good choice for not spiking glucose.

4. Fruits - you might be surprised to see fruits on the list but many berries tend to work well for people, while starchy fruits e.g. bananas and high sugar fruits like dates may lead to that sugar spikes. Generally fruit paired with fat and protein e.g nut butters, full fat unsweetened yoghurt and additional fibre e.g chia seeds or flaxseeds, can help blunt a spike from fruit.

5. Eggs and dairy - If you choose to eat dairy, fermented is best; also aim for whole fat and organic. If you use dairy alternatives avoid sweetened varieties and oat milk.

If you are concerned about your blood sugar levels or find that you are have constant highs and lows after certain foods then reach out and let’s see how we can level out your blood glucose.

Essentially health and nutrition coaching is an effective approach for long term weight loss and healthy behavioural change.

Unhealthy lifestyle behaviours are modifiable risk factors for several diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cognitive decline, and many more.

Nutrition and other lifestyle interventions are considered first line therapy for many health issues. And while it’s fairly common knowledge that a major aspect of good health is diet, adhering to lifestyle change for the long-term can be challenging.

Nutrition health coaches can help patients achieve and maintain realistic dietary change at a pace that works for them.

Research suggests that energy restricted diets are not only ineffective in promoting long-term weight loss but may also predispose individuals to regain fat. They can also trigger changes in energy metabolism, endocrine function and body composition.

A 2016 systematic review of general knowledge in adults across five continents found that greater nutrition knowledge correlated with general well-being as well long term knowledge and ability to implement better nutrition.

Health coaching and specifically nutritional coaching is a highly effective approach for weight loss and healthy behaviour change.

In addition to helping patients lose weight, health improvements seen with coaching also include lower haemoglobin/ blood sugar, cholesterol levels, better glycaemic control and reduced hypertension.

Want to know more?
Please book a free 30min consultation.
Link in bio .

The importance of digestion and nutrition can not be underestimated in treating chronic dis-ease.

The gastrointestinal tract (GI) plays a central role in many chronic, systemic diseases. In functional medicine, the GI tract is often an important starting point in improving overall health.

A complex, living system, the intestine protects the body from external influences based on the three systems that are in permanent dialogue with each other : the gut microflora, the gut mucosal barrier, and immune system.

Dysfunction in these systems can cause havoc throughout the body and has been linked to allergies, arthritis, autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue and more.

As a functional medicine practitioner, I incorporate new research on barrier integrity, digestion, absorption, gut flora, and nutritional insufficiency in the diagnosis and management of clients with digestive dysfunction and chronic disease.

Does any of this sound alarm bells with you ? Want to know more ? I offer free 30mins consultation. Book via link in bio.

Many people are given IBS as a diagnosis and feel there’s little they can do.

IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is a group name given to a combination of symptoms for something out of balance in the digestive system.

If you break down the triggers, quite often you can get rid of the symptoms e.g bloating and / or discomfort after food, loose or constipated bowel movements, gas, joint pains.

Primary (most common) causes:

1. Digestive insufficiency : a problem with bile acid (ba). Bile acids are synthesised in the liver, then converted from primary ba’s to secondary ba’s in the intestines. Besides promoting the absorption of lipids/fats during digestion, ba’s play an important role in maintaining the homeostasis of gut microbiota and significantly affect intestinal permeability and inflammatory response.

2. Gut Dysbiosis (SIBO or SIFO): The diversity of your gut microbiota is reduced compared to healthy individuals. This can be by way of a small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or fungal overgrowth (SIFO).

3. Adverse Food reactions : common reactions are known to be associated with mono & polysaccharides, lactose, fructose in excess of glucose and gluten. Some patients who test negative for coeliac disease may still trigger IBS symptoms by ingesting foods containing gluten. Other proteins such as casein may also increase availability of undigested particles increasing inflammatory triggers.

What you can do (1-3 above):

1. Blood test on lipid and bile function via your GP (or other blood test providers) will confirm whether this is your trigger area. Then working with a Functional medicine practitioner or Natropath will allow guidance into how your bile reserves can be replenished.

2. Stool tests will confirm either bacterial or fungal overgrowth presence. These can be obtained by your GP or through a functional medicine practitioner. Once diagnosis confirmed a plan can be put in place to correct the imbalance over time.

3. Food sensitivity test or elimination diet with a functional medicine practitioner or Natropath. Patients can avoid a food sensitivity test by undergoing an elimination diet with a practitioner over a 8 to 12 week program.

So I did another Ironman - 3rd of July in Austria in 32+ degrees!

3 yrs later than planned but covid delayed life a little !

So much had changed physically and mentally for me since I had decided back in 2019 (after Copenhagen IM) that I didn’t want to be a one and done…

Those who know me, know I love to train but I dislike racing so come February 14th, I started on my training journey thanks to Natalie at and come May after the 70.3 in Mallorca I was questioning my sanity.

Covid vaccinations had spiked my ferritin levels, triggered a genetic hypercholesterolaemia and I was going through menopause meaning I was tired, sore and none of the usual carbohydrate gels and bars did anything for me / in fact they made me feel worse.

Alas I am a stubborn redhead and thought what’s the point of all this integrative nutrition and functional medicine knowledge of I can’t use it myself !

Long story short I made some big changes to how I fuelled myself in and outside of training and my energy levels and aches improved considerably (also thanks to )

I also made a promise to my family that I would play close attention to heart rate and enjoy and get through the event rather than kill myself in the process.

It worked, 2900 entered, over 800 did not finish due to heat and lack of proper fuelling. The day started with a non wetsuit swim - which no one likes to hear at the start of a 3.8KM swim, 180km bike and then a marathon - a long day!

Slower than my first race but I did it and recovery time was significantly less than the 2019 effort.

I am constantly amazed at what the body can achieve if you fuel it, listen to it and treat it with respect- anything is possible.

Onwards and upwards!

Gut health - keep it simple!

If you want to improve your gut health, microbiome and healthy bacteria mix which helps regulate hormones, immunity and strengthen your digestive system which leads to greater cellular metabolism.

1 x vegetable juice per day (with pulp).

Your gut relies on breakdown of fibre from vegetables for its fuel source.

As I tell clients, it’s more about giving your gut the fuel it needs to function than eating more vegetables although eating more vegetables is a win win !

“Conventional medicine diagnoses and treats what's above the surface — symptoms and disease — functional medicine also attends to what's below the surface, at the root of the disease — environmental and lifestyle factors, including sleep and relaxation, physical activity (exercise), nutrition, stress,” Cleveland Clinic

The individuals I work with range from those wishing to take control of their health, weight and energy levels to those who have received a diagnosis and wish to reverse it e.g diabetes, cardio vascular disease. Recently those who have had unexplained side effects to vaccines.

Quite often clients believe the changes in health have come from nowhere but sadly most of the time the body has been providing hints for sometimes months or years, that life has managed to overlook.

My approach involves a detailed intake form to get an understanding of your health history - this quite often gives me a great indication of possible root causes. I will also review of any recent blood test results or any recent medical reports (if available) plus a full analysis of any current medication / supplementation.

From there with my client, we will discuss initial thoughts on root causes, possibly recommend some additional testing but in majority of the cases this is not necessary and instead we embark on a repair, rebuild and recovery plan.

Meetings with clients (physically or via video conference) occur for 50mins every 2 weeks if schedules allow (sometimes adjustments need to be made).

Majority of my clients achieve significant shifts in their health within 2-3 months. On more complicated disease reversal cases, this can take 6 months. There are always positive results and I am yet to work with a client who has not hit goals set at the start.

I offer free initial consultations - link in bio - what are you waiting for ?

Your body will tell you …..but this is something we often ignore!

If the empty fuel sign came on in your car you would refuel because you know what will happen if you choose to ignore it.

So why should it be any different for your body - the most important asset you have!

I know life will quite often get in the way, I have been guilty of ignoring the warning lights myself ….hence why I woke with not 1 but 4 coldsores!

The point is I had signs but choose to push through instead of making adequate fuel and rest a priority.

The signs will be different for everyone but hints are often as follows :

- headaches
- low energy
- waking feeling unrested
- stomach upsets
- colds / coughs in summer
- feeling irrible or emotional over small things

Please be aware that your body is not giving you signs because it’s trying to be difficult, or slow you down any more that the car fuel light coming on at the most inconvenient time.

Just as you take the time to refuel your car please take the time to refuel your body - good unprocessed food, mineral water and rest…..

Thats what I now have to make a priority!

How much Protein should you be eating ?

A question of particular importance for women in perimenopause, menopause or post menopause phase.

As I recently advised, protein becomes even more important in these phases of your life as changing oestrogen effects your ability to metabolise carbohydrates and convert to energy.

How much protein should you eat ?
- 1.8 - 2.4grams per kilo of weight
- e.g if you weigh 70kgs you should be consuming 126 - 168g per day
- I generally suggest the higher side or above if you are quite active in work and /or exercise.

What does this look like ?
Fish - approx 24g per 100g
Eggs - approx 14g per egg
Tofu / Tempeh - 12-20g per 100g
Lentils - 18g per cup
Beans (pinto, black) 16g per cup
Green peas - 9g per cup
Quinoa - 9g per cup
Nuts - approx 7g per 28g
Vegetables (spinach, broccoli, asparagus, sprouts, sweet potato) 5g per cup.

If possible, it’s great to spread this evenly across all your meals.

For example if weighing 70kg you would need to consume min 50g per meal
e.g breakfast 2 eggs, a cup of cooked spinach, on 1-2 pieces of nut / seed bread.

We generally do not eat enough. Signs of this can be energy slumps and sugar / carbohydrates cravings for a quick energy fix.

If you find you are craving these things then please assess the amount of protein you are eating.

As always questions welcome as are free initial consultations. Link in bio.

As we head into warmer months (in the northern hemisphere) many of us are tempted to stop supplementing Vitamin D on the basis that we will get enough from the Sun….

I generally recommend year round 1000-2000iu / day (depending on your age & condition) and let me tell you why.

1. Living in a sunny climate does not guarantee enough outdoor exposure for adequate vitamin D synthesis. I have clients living in year round warm weather with suboptimal Vit D levels.

2. Insufficient vitamin D may lead to depression, impaired immunity, enhanced pain perception, and leaky or irritable gut leaving your exposed to other complications.

3. Generally speaking your skin can make vitamin D when it is exposed to a “pinking” dose of sunlight. However, quantity made depends on your age, genetics, how much uncovered skin, and your skin tone. If your arms and legs are exposed without sunblock your skin typically makes between 10,000 to 15,000 units of vitamin D in one pinking sun exposure. Sunblock with an SPF of 15 + will block 100% of vitamin D production in the skin.

4. Vitamin D synthesis actually requires magnesium. I.e insufficient magnesium will prevent your bodies ability to synthesis vitamin d.

Want more information? Please don’t hesitate to reach out - link above in bio.

Following on from last week. Hormonal shifts, weight gain and insulin can go hand in hand.

The hormonal shifts in pre& post menopause play a big part in where women tend to get weight. Pre-menopausal women often gain weight around the thighs and buttocks in the form of subcutaneous fat. But during and after menopause, women tend to gain weight around the abdominal area. This fat is known as visceral fat.

This type of fat secretes a protein called retinol– binding protein 4, which is connected with insulin resistance. High amounts of visceral fat can lead to type 2 diabetes.

HOW TO MANAGE BLOOD SUGAR

1. Diet & weight
Increase protein, vegetables and high quality fats and reduce carbohydrates. I am on day 3 of my new plan and so far am feeling great! In short, lowering carbohydrates will reduce the amount of glucose in your body.

2. Exercise
When you exercise, your muscles will burn sugar in your body, helping to lower glucose levels. Additionally when you exercise on a regular basis your body will learn to use insulin more efficiently.

3. Stay hydrated
Drinking more water will help your kidneys get rid of the extra blood sugar through urine. It also rehydrates the blood.

4. Control stress
When you are stressed, your body will release hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine, and glucagon, which can increase insulin resistance. Exercise, sleep and relaxation are very important to control stress. Majority of your day should be in a non/ low stress state 80/20 rule applies.

5. There are a few other natural supplements that can also help such as berberine, cinnamon and dhea but please reach out or contact your local functional medicine practitioner, Natropath or dietitian before supplementing yourself.

As always if you have any questions about this content please do not hesitate to reach out or book free 30min consultation. Link above in bio.

I think I skipped perimenopause over lockdown and went straight to post menopause! I had some tests done (ref Dutch test) which pretty much eludes to the same and I admit to being in denial given my age and past experiences with stress on my cycle!

Nonetheless it lead me to dig deep into my study archives and fast determine that I needed more! My symptoms are not text book, they’ve been mixed with post vaccine and covid blood anomalies and currently training for another Ironman/woman…

To get to the point ..whilst researching I stumbled across links between lowering oestrogen levels and insulin resistance (and Alzheimer’s) but I want to take a few steps back and point out the following confirmed research.

Low oestrogen and progesterone result in increased glucose in the blood stream/insulin resistance which leads to weight gain, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, inflammation and oxidative stress amongst a few other gems.

BUT WHY?

Oestrogen and progesterone have an effect on the way insulin works in the body. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas, which helps your body use glucose for energy it needs and stores the rest. Oestrogen helps to optimise insulin. Therefore, if your oestrogen levels are reducing your ability to optimise insulin becomes compromised. While progesterones relationship with insulin is a bit more complicated, there is evidence to show it can also affect insulin sensitivity

So I’ve been doing a lot of extra research about the ultimate nutrition intake to counteract my bodies reduced ability to break down sugars and carbohydrates for fuel - especially given that’s what I rely on in training.

All of a sudden the feeling of tiredness after carbs and stubborn extra padding around my middle seems to make sense..

Research ongoing and with the help of some extra insight from gynelogic, I am trialing a new nutrition regime with the next phase of my IM training and also using my sister and mum 🥰 over the next 2 weeks to see the effects on different daily routines… watch this space ;)

If any of the above is setting off alarm bells for you personally, please reach out. Free 30min consultations available in bio link.

Are you getting enough?

Sadly it’s something that is often sacrificed, yet it effects everything from food choices to stress management to overall health and well being.

Simply put, when you are tired your body will crave sugars, caffeine and carbohydrates in order to get fast hitting energy throughout the day.

Reduced sleep elevates stress response meaning adrenal and cortisol levels increase as your body’s not had required rest so assumes the worst, keeping you on high alert, short tempered and comprising effective thought processing.

Sleep is the only time your body gets to work on growth, repair and restoration.

Please don’t sacrifice it.

Plan for it as you would work, exercise and meal time. It’s a vital part of keeping you on track with meal choices, thought processing and fighting off Inflammation, injury and ill-health.

If your struggling to plan for sleep or having trouble sleeping overall, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I offer free 30min consultations at various times during the week - no strings attached. Just time and support. Link in bio above

If you suffer from bloating or discomfort after eating, mild reflux, belching or gas – these can be symptoms of gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction. Good news is you can find major relief by simply adopting a few principles of eating hygiene.

Don’t be fooled by how simple this is. If you’re honest you don’t do majority of them, so read on for some powerful self-help remedies/reminders.

1. Slow down - If you gobble your meal in a hurry, a very full stomach has trouble mixing acid and enzymes with your food = indigestion. It’s like trying to mix a stirfry in a coffee cup – simply not enough room when it spills over you belch or burp or you may have reflux.

2. It takes about 20 minutes for your gut to signal to your brain that you’re full and reduce your sense of hunger. If you’ve eaten in less than 20 minutes, you’re most likely still going to feel hungry and end up over eating and then feel bloated 20 minutes later. Take 1 to 2 full breaths in between each bite.

3. Chew - The only part of the digestive process that is completely voluntary - you are in full control. The less you chew the harder a GI tract has to work. This creates post meal fatigue. Ideally you want to chew your food until it’s almost liquid before swallowing. This will reduce gas and increased postmeal energy. When carbohydrate foods hang around too long, the bacteria in the gut feed too much and create a gas buildup as a metabolic byproduct. The result is bloating and/or flatulence. Aiming for 20 chews is ideal, most of us swallow after 6.

4. Don’t drink much during meals. When you consume large amounts of liquid during a meal you dilute the acidity and slow digestion. The best time to hydrate is in between meals.

These are just a few simple suggestions.

If you try these and are still experiencing discomfort please do not hesitate to reach out. I offer free 30min consultations at certain times each week. Booking link in bio above ⬆️.

This affects men and women and I currently have abnormally low levels despite my diet and regular strength training regime.

So I have been on a quest to correct this and in the research process was reminded about “Aromatise Inhibitors” and this little gem I wish to share with you.

Before that, I will remind you that no hormone acts independently, so if trying to correct / supplement one it will undoubtedly effect others. It’s always best to try determine the source of the imbalance in the first place and address that….exactly what I am doing ;)

Aromatase is a key enzyme in the body which regulates the conversion of testosterone to oestradiol. For men and women it can be the reason for additional adipose tissue around the chest and stomach.

Thus it’s important to consider strategies to lower or inhibit that conversion when experiencing lower than optimal levels of testosterone.

The good news is there are several foods, herbs and nutrients that can be used to inhibit or slow aromatise activity.

Lowering aromatase activity can help support and optimise healthy testosterone levels so here are a few key examples :


Foods: Dietary fibre, flaxseed, soy (good quality), grapeseed extract, white button mushrooms and green tea.

Herbs: Stinging nettle root

Nutrients: Vitamin C, zinc, quercetin.

Are your testosterone levels are where they should be ?

Feel free to reach out - free 30minute consultation available by following link in bio.

What do you do to reduce stress ? And stop your body from storing fuel as fat !

Many of my clients struggle with this fact but sadly majority of us spend too much time in a stressed state.

It’s become the “normal thing” but it’s far from normal and far from what your body was designed for.

Being in a constant “on the go state” means your adrenals & cortisol levels are constantly firing.

Did you know that when Cortisol is activated it tells your body to store energy (food consumed) in case emergency persists?

So when cortisol is chronically elevated as a result of your chronically activated stress response your body holds onto calories and turns them into fat.

This fat is packed preferentially around your waist and around your organs while excess fat gets stored as cholesterol, setting you up for metabolic syndrome.

You then need more energy to keep up with the stress response reactions, so you end up with sugar and carbohydrate cravings because they provide fast fuel! Which again leads you store the extra calories in the form of dangerous inflammatory fat around your waist which can then also lead to oestrogen dominance and hormone and thyroid issues.

So that important question again - what are you doing to reduce stress?

The impact of stress reduction is far reaching but sometimes being heavy handed with its impact is necessary.

It’s never too late to start feeling great and you deserve to feel that way!

The gut is mostly informing the brain – not the other way around!

Our powerful vagus nerve is 80-90% afferent, that is taking information from the gut to the brain versus the other way around.

In particular, the vagus nerve can play a key role in preventing excessive inflammation and excessive gut permeability BUT only if the lines of communication are wide open!

Research into the micro biome – gut- brain access is starting to clarify how chronic stress hampers this communication and increases the risk of systemic inflammation dysregulation, from IBD to mood and hormone disorders.

If you need help with opening the lines of communication from your gut please reach out. I offer FREE 30min consultations - link in bio.

I specialise in gut health, have helped many men and women get their guts back on track.

Its simply not just about what you eat. You must be able to digest the food you eat, convert it to the nutrients your body requires and then absorb it through your cell membrane to where the magic happens.

By magic I mean, cellular metabolism which controls the rate in which you burn fat and fuel, ATP energy production, hormone and thyroid regulation.

When working with new clients one of the first things I determine is the state of their digestive health.

Our digestive juices naturally decline with age so unless we are doing things to boost them, this is often where the “rubber hits the road” in terms of metabolism, energy production and hormone regulation.

If your cells are not getting the fuel they need to function, you will simply struggle.

Its something that took me a while to get my head around, whilst I ate well and exercised most days, I had significant inflammation and weight gain but I could not understand why.

Does this sound familiar to you?

If so, I can help:)

Together we can retrain your body to not only ensure your filling up with correct fuel for YOUR body but that you are actually digesting, converting and absorbing it through your cells to where it has the most impact!

Reach out for a free 30min consult (link in bio) and take the first step to investing in your health.

Cancer sucks.

I try and post something insightful every week but this week my Auntie Mary, mother to my favourite cousins, Aislinn, Brona and Sara-Jane, lost her battle with cancer, so I am lost for words.

The thought of having people I love, having to deal with all that comes with loosing someone so significant is crippling. You wish you could make it all better but know you can’t.

I am not sure if it’s my age but this year it seems like far too many people are loosing battles and / or becoming unwell.

May I please urge you all, if you have read this far, to get things checked if you’re not feeling 💯 and never leave it to chance or age!

I know many of you have missed check ups during lock down so please book in. If your doctor is too busy, change practice or pay to go private - you are worth it.

May I also urge you to reach out to estranged family members because life is too short for grudges - they bare heavy on the soul and your health!

Rest in Peace Auntie Mary.

Sending all my love to Aislinn, Brona & Sara-Jane # # #