If you find you need your morning caffeine fix before you can get going, then chances are you’re not getting enough quality sleep. Of course there may be underlying physiological causes for lowered energy levels too. Low levels of iron and vitamin B12 reduce the efficiency with which oxygen is transported in your blood to your cells for energy. Early signs of this can present as feelings of lethargy, pale skin, weakness and shortness of breath. If you experience these symptoms, then perhaps a chat with your healthcare professional who can point you in the right direction.
Caffeine is a stimulant, along with guarana and s…
Melatonin is activated when it’s dark. Remember, part of your sleep plan is to pull the curtains to make your bedroom really dark. For more information see Healthy Choices Issue No.2 “Are You Getting Enough?” That’s because the darkness signals your body to release melatonin, sometimes called the ‘hormone of darkness’.
Melatonin is released from your pinea…
Atherosclerosis is a build up of plaque inside your arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygenrich blood to your heart and other parts of your body. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. With an unhealthy lifestyle, increased age, other co-morbidities and oxidised circulating cholesterol, plaque sticks to artery walls and hardens, narrowing the arteries. This limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your organs and other parts of your body. Atherosclerosis can lead to the serious problem of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) which can often lead to death.
A) Normal artery free of plaque
B) Atherosclerotic artery highlighting…
Our gut! Hardly a dinnertime conversation. But it is gaining momentum to be just that. It is a hot topic in scientific research and for good reason. We have sayings that describe how it can affect us: have you ever used the saying ‘I have a gut feeling’, ‘gut instinct’ or ‘listen to your gut’ when we really want to know what’s true or to make the right decision? Did you know that a healthy and happy belly means a bucket load of benefits including more energy and vitality, boosted moods and improved immunity?
Everything we eat and drink passes through our gut along the gastrointestinal tract (GI). Simple enough, right? But deep inside your gut there are over 40 trillion wee creatur…
So why then, do we suffer from disease and illness? To be honest, in most cases it’s not a design fault of the body but much more likely a result of our environment – that is things such as diet, lifestyle, daily habits, increased stress, poor sleep, pollution, suboptimal nutrients in modern foods and lack of regular physical activity.
Over the dec…
Good digestive health means the food we eat is broken down efficiently, used by our bodies to produce energy or removed as waste which brings us to one of the less savoury topics of digestive health – bowel irregularity and discomfort. Many people experience these on a regular basis and it can be both inconvenient and embarrassing.
It is estimated that in the United States alone, 42 million people are affected and in many Europ…
