Make a Change

Did you know that the ratio of amylose to amylopectin found in cereal grains is important when it comes to gut health?
Turns out that varieties of grain low in amylose are preferred in the food industry and the lower the amylose the more difficult it is to digest these starches and for the gut bacteria to derive a benefit.
In fact in this study they found that less resistant starches can affect microbial diversity and this may also lead to weight gain.

Starches common in processed grains can curb helpful gut bacteria Eating cereal grains—corn, rice, wheat or one of the several others that collectively provide more than half of the world's calories—means consuming the carbohydrate known as starch. Starches consist of two primary components, amylopectin and amylose, whose ratio can influence both the propertie...

If you want to keep your brain healthy then you need to look after your BDNF levels. Follow these 7 tips on how to boost your BDNF levels.

How BDNF Keeps Your Brain Healthy and How To Boost Yours - Frank Lipman MD Forgetting your car keys or not remembering where you parked the car. Blanking on a name when making introductions. We all experience these forgetful moments. They unnerve us and maybe they even strike fear in our hearts as we wonder if something sinister could be responsible. For most people, these...

This large study explores the link between depression and contraceptive pills and they're especially concerning when it comes to teenage girls.

The Link Between Contraceptive Pills and Depression - Neuroscience News A new study exploring the potential impacts of contraceptive pills on mental health reveals an alarming connection to depression, especially in teenage users.

For all the sweet lovers out there - sugar is not good for the brain and may increase the risk for alzheimers.

Sweet Trouble: How Sugar Intake Might Increase Alzheimer's Risk - Neuroscience News Researchers discovered a mechanism linking high sugar consumption to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Having a good night sleep especially deep sleep (slow wave NREM) may be protective against memory loss.

Deep sleep may buffer against Alzheimer's memory loss Deep sleep might help alleviate some of the most devastating outcomes of Alzheimer's disease, according to new research.

Worth watching if you're interested in the reasons whether saturated fat causes heart disease.

Fat Fiction - Full Movie - Free Fat Fiction reveals how the United States government relied on questionable evidence to support one of the most damaging public health recommendations in the...

Physical health and mental health may be linked. Makes sense.

Hidden Signals Can Reveal Mental Illness More Clearly Than a Brain Scan The notion that what goes on inside our heads can profoundly influence our body's typical functions has gained momentum over time, with decades of research revealing how gut health can influence mood and even neurological disease.

Researchers are showing a link between specific types of bacteria in the gut and dementia. Personalised treatment will hopefully be something available in the future to help those who have dementia or are in the early stages.

Diet and Dementia: Study Uncovers Gut-Brain Link to Alzheimer's - Neuroscience News The findings highlight the significance of gut microbiota in brain health and provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of Alzheimer's.

Warning labels on foods high in sugar and fat and other changes in the making. Let's hope it goes through.

Big changes for chips, cereals, sodas and other popular snack foods in South Africa The health department is going after foods and snacks high in fat, sugar and salt.

Don't like broccoli? You may want to rethink this especially if you want to look after your gut.

Broccoli consumption protects gut lining, reduces disease in mice, study shows Broccoli is known to be beneficial to our health. For example, research has shown that increased consumption of the cruciferous vegetable decreases incidences of cancer and type 2 diabetes. In a recent study, researchers at Penn State found that broccoli contains certain molecules that bind to a rec...

Good advice - spend time in nature and eat a diversity of foods - that's if you want to look after the microbes in your gut.

On nutrition: The gut-brain connection If you ever thought your digestive system's only role was to break down food, think again.

Do you carbo-load before a race? This piece of research will be of interest to you. Time to ditch carbo-loading as well as carbs to fuel your training??

New study debunks carb-loading before exercise - Levels Research done in conjunction with Levels finds that packing in the carbs before exercise doesn’t confer any performance benefits.

"You can't outrun a bad diet!" Pretty interesting research into how we burn calories.

This scientist busts myths about how humans burn calories—and why The work of evolutionary anthropologist Herman Pontzer shows why humans are the fattest, highest energy apes

Want to know more about gut health and how you can improve yours? Here's 15 questions answered that most of us want to understand more about.
https://www.irishtimes.com/health/your-wellness/2023/03/05/fifteen-things-to-know-about-your-gut/

Fifteen things to know about your gut Experts in nutrition answer some of the most burning questions about your gut

I don't like to fear monger but this article is concerning. And it boils down to a few things:
* processed foods
* sedentary behaviour
* food marketing
* lack of education and
* access to healthcare services
It's so important for us to change this status quo both individually and as a society.

Half of world on track to be overweight by 2035 Africa and Asia are expected to see the biggest rises in obesity, the World Obesity Federation says.

It is recommended that vegans in particular need to supplement to get certain vitamins and minerals that are essential for good health. This article focuses on creatine and whether vegans and vegetarians would benefit from supplementing especially if exercising and also in relation to cognitive functioning.

Should Vegans/Vegetarians Supplement their Diets with Creatine? | Scept Should Vegans/Vegetarians Supplement their Diets with Creatine?

Fascinating research suggesting that the heart is involved with the brain when it comes to feeling anxious.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00584-2

Anxiety can be created by the body, mouse heart study suggests Artificially raising a mouse’s heart rate leads to anxious behaviour.

Would you rather focus on your health or your disease?
If you prefer to focus on your health then understanding metabolic health will help enormously. The aim of metabolic health is to look after and/or restore the health of the mitochondria in our cells. If the mitochondria are not functioning optimally chances are you'll start experiencing chronic health issues.
And what helps the mitochondria? - changes in lifestyle!

Keeping hydrated is essential for brain health. Woman are especially sensitive to the effects of dehydration and this can worsen cognitive performance especially when older.
https://www.alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-vitality/blog/can-dehydration-impair-cognitive-function

Can dehydration impair cognitive function? | Cognitive Vitality | Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation We often hear the adage about the importance of drinking eight glasses of water a day to keep our bodies healthy, but how about our brains? The adult human body contains around 60% water. All the cells in the body, including our brain cells, depend on this water to carry out essential functions. The...

As we get older it becomes more apparent that there are some changes happening - more in some than in others. Looking after our brain as we age is just as important as diet and exercise. This is a wonderful article that looks at how the brain changes throughout life.

How does the brain age across the lifespan? New studies offer clues. An international team of researchers collected brain scan data from multiple studies representing 101,457 brains at all stages of life.

Being physically active is one of the best investments you can make in your health. Even moderate exercise can reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia in women over 65 yrs.
https://timesofsandiego.com/health/2023/01/25/moderate-exercise-daily-walks-linked-to-decrease-in-dementia-risk/

UCSD Study Links Moderate Exercise, Daily Walks to Lower Risk of Dementia Moderate to vigorous exercise and daily walks can reduce the risk of developing dementia among senior women, according to a study by UC San Diego researchers published Wednesday.

Do you want to improve your health in 2023? Then let us help you turn your intentions into action. Whether you want to lose weight, run a marathon or simply live a healthier, more balanced life, let us help you create a clear, actionable plan based on what YOU want to achieve.
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We have so many good intentions but when it comes to sticking with it, we often fall apart. In this post we look at why plan, how to plan and some simple tips to get you started.
https://bit.ly/3V91xV2

How and Why You Need a Plan for Your Health - Make A Change All too often, we allow our health to suffer and despite our best intentions, we don't change our habits. This is the time for a health plan.

Good reason to fast before your morning or evening workout.


https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-11-stomach-fat.html

Exercising on an empty stomach burns 70% more fat, study finds Exercising on an empty stomach helped people to burn about 70% more fat than those who exercised two hours after eating, a study found.

This article explains so clearly the link between mitochondria and our mental and metabolic health.

The Cellular Link Between Mental Illness and Metabolic Disease A Harvard psychiatrist argues that mitochondrial dysfunction underlies both.