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All in Health
You might think that the key to optimal health is eating well and getting plenty of exercise. While these play a very important part, if you donโt also prioritise your sleep and relaxation you could be putting your health at risk. Modern day life is hectic and often relaxation is seen as a luxury and sleep is cut to squeeze even more activities into our busy days. However long-term lack of sleep and relaxation can impact your health in many ways.
We are made up of over 60% water and every cell in our body requires water just to function. Even the smallest degree of water loss can impair both physical and mental function. If you go for a run and at the start weigh 72.5kg and then after 20 miles weigh in at 70kg then this equates to a 4% body weight loss. A 4% body weight loss will mean that your exercise performance will be cut by about 25% - not something you need during a long race! There is no doubt that water is essential to life, but still there are many people that donโt drink enough.
I am writing this a month after surgery on my foot. My recovery has been excellent according to my surgeon and my follow up appointment was fast tracked due to great healing. Obviously this could be done to a variety of factors, but I thought I would write down what I did as a nutritional therapist to help prepare my body for surgery.
When talking about the mineral magnesium, the answer is most likely to be โnoโ. Magnesium is an extremely important mineral that is involved in over 300 reactions in the body. However, deficiency has been found in over 70% of the population. It is often very difficult to test for since only 1% of magnesium is found in the blood. Most is found in the bones (60%) and in muscles (26%).
Often people only think of seeing a nutritional therapist if they suspect a food allergy or intolerance. However, there is so much more that we can do to help you feel in optimal health. I have listed below some reasons that you might wish to seek a consultation. A nutritional therapist never uses one diet for all, they recognise that everyone is unique. They look into every aspect of your past history and help to come up with an individualised plan that will work for you.
Genetic testing has come on in leaps and bounds over the past few years and has started to lead the way into finding the perfect diet for everyone. By testing your genes you can unlock the way to finding out how your body works and achieving optimal health. I have been very excited about genetic testing and what it can tell us since the beginning of the year when we touched on the subject as part of my course. Since qualifying I have done further study and had my own genetic profile analysed. So what did I learn and how can it help you?
It's back to school time and for some that means the return of the packed lunches. How do you make them healthy, but still taste good so your children actually eat them? We have come up with some healthy ideas here, that will hopefully inspire you to change things up. The key is to be organised. Get the bag ready the night before and put in anything that doesn't need to be refrigerated. Fill up a water bottle and leave it to chill overnight in the fridge - small things will make a difference. All the meals are nut free and most are gluten free and dairy free. We have also tried to make them full of fruit and vegetables โ and colour, which is lacking in so many lunch boxes that we see.
As well as looking at the food we put into our bodies, it's also worth thinking about minimising toxins from our kitchen. There have been many studies showing that your home can be more toxic than your office. Chemicals in our home have been linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and dementia. These can either be directly or by damaging the beneficial bacteria in our gut, which helps to keep us healthy.
I believe that sleep is the most important thing we can get right for our health. Often when seeing clients I will also give them tips for a better night's sleep as well as help with their nutrition. If you aren't getting enough sleep than how can you be expected to have the energy to cook yourself nutritious meals and look after your family? Poor sleep is implicated in a range of health conditions such as heart disease, poor immunity and insulin resistance.
What I am writing about today is not a rant, not a judgement, not scientific just an account of my very personal experience with food sensitivities over the past 10 years. With access to information facilitated by technology, and the rise of fad diets, health trends and fancy buzz words spreading across social media, I sometimes find myself facing harsh criticism and negative reactions when I ask about the gluten content of my order when eating out.
Your skin is the largest organ in your body and what you put on it matters. Most traditional deodorants and antiperspirants contain harmful ingredients, which could potentially seep into your blood system.
The importance of vitamin D was highlighted last year by the announcement by Public Health England that everyone should supplement with 10 micrograms of Vitamin D daily.
