Christmas brings joy but can challenge your health, especially if you manage IBS, acid reflux, or weight loss goals. Stay balanced with these tips: Start with a protein-rich breakfast, enjoy veggies at every meal, stay hydrated, and savour treats mindfully. Walk after meals, plan indulgences, and prioritize rest. With these tweaks, you can reduce bloating, avoid flare-ups, and feel your best all season!

The Christmas season can be stressful, and that stress impacts more than your mood—it can slow digestion, reduce stomach acid, and disrupt your gut microbiome, leading to bloating, discomfort, and low energy.

This festive season, prioritize your gut health with simple tips: chew food thoroughly, eat mindfully (not on the go), stay hydrated, and include stress-relief practices like deep breathing, yoga, or relaxing baths. Limiting sugar and processed foods while focusing on nutrient-rich meals can also support digestion and energy.

Discover practical strategies, including intermittent fasting and body brushing, to feel your best and enjoy a stress-free Christmas.

Healthy fats have long been misunderstood, but they are essential for keeping your body’s defenses strong. Did you know that fats do more than provide energy? They help regulate inflammation, enhance immune cell function, and improve the absorption of vitamins like A, D, E, and K—each crucial for immunity.

Foods rich in omega-3s (think salmon and chia seeds), monounsaturated fats (like avocado and olive oil), and even moderate amounts of saturated fats (found in coconut oil and nuts) are powerful tools for immune support.

Want to learn which fats to embrace and which to avoid? Check out my latest blog to discover how to nourish your body, reduce inflammation, and fuel your immune system the healthy way!

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As the season of coughs and colds approaches, it's time to give your immune system the care it needs. Did you know that 70-80% of your immune system is found in your gut? By nourishing your body with nutrient-dense foods and simple remedies like lemon and ginger tea, you can support your immunity naturally. Discover how to eat the rainbow, reduce inflammation, and stay healthy this winter with these easy, immune-boosting tips.

This week I’m writing about antioxidants

I see lots of adverts for antioxidant skincare and supplements.

I hear the term free radical damage all the time.

But do we know what all this means for us?

In my blog, I will be explaining the terms anti-oxidant, free radical and oxidative stress

What is it?

How does it happen?

And what can you do to minimise the damage?

If you are interested in how I can help you to minimise your free radical and Oxidative stress then please book a free 30 minute discovery call

Why is good gut health important if you want to lose weight?

What is the microbiome and what can you do to improve your microbiome?

What is the link between poor gut health and being overweight or obese?

What are easy changes you can do to support your gut health

This month it’s all about reflux. I am an accredited reflux expert. My 2nd blog is about bile reflux. Could this be you?

If you suffer from acid reflux you may have been prescribed a PPI. What you need for acid reflux is dietary and lifestyle changes.

PPIs can be hard to remove because, after 3 days of taking them, you can have rebound symptoms.

This is what I’m trained for.

Helping you safely remove a PPIs and manage acid reflux

If I could only make 5 changes to benefit your health what would they be?

What could help you lose weight, resolve acid reflux and manage your diarrhoea, constipation and bloating?

Sometimes its the easy things that really work

Are you a hay fever sufferer? Do you suffer from skin issues such as rosacea and psoriasis? Do you suffer from IBS symptoms?

What is the link? It could be that you have a histamine intolerance

Knowledge is power and in this case, knowing the histamine-producing foods and those foods that naturally lower histamine you may find your hayfever is more manageable this year and your skin and IBS improve with some simple swaps.

Are you too busy to be sick? do you have too many people relying on you?

It can be easy for a while to ignore IBS type symptoms

Diarrhoea, take Imodium

Constipation take fibogel

Acid reflux take omeprazole or anti acids or Gaviston

Headache take a paracetamol

Skin brake-outs rub on some cream

Low energy drink coffee

These are all temporary fixes that get you on the school run, into the care home and into work

Have you been considering an elimination diet to manage your IBS symptoms?

For most people, it might be enough to remove ultra-processed foods (UPF’s)

Other people may need to consider FODMAP’s, nightshade vegetables, gluten, and wheat, one or more of the top allergens, there are of course other things people can be reacting to.

The decision for most people when they follow an elimination diet is when to start to re-introduce the foods.

As humans, we need to eat a varied diet, we need this to encourage and support a vibrant and diverse microbiome. When you learn to love your microbiome you feel better.

The more variety of protein, vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains and nuts in your day and your week the healthier you will feel

So where to start?

You can start with me. I will hold your hand through the process, guide you, and help you to make decisions.

Food is miraculous, it is so much more than satisfying our hunger.

Are you an IBS sufferer, do you ever suffer from heartburn, acid reflux, or diarrhea after you eat too much? Christmas day is a wonderful family celebration that can be spoiled by unpleasant symptoms. If you can follow the tips on my blog, then you can reduce the risk.

Merry Christmas

My 8 top tips for surviving the party season and not a Grinch in sight

Is fasting for everyone?

What are the benefits ?

How do I start fasting without feeling terrible?

What switches off fasting?

Read my post to answer these questions

The thing about IBS is if you don’t do something positive about your IBS then you do keep ‘getting’ other symptoms and other diagnosis.

I know I am simplifying a complicated condition by saying if you look after your microbiome then your beautiful gut bugs will look after you.

Do you remember the men in black film where the cat has the universe around its neck? That is how I think about the microbiome. My own universe that I must nurture.

My IBS improved when I learnt about how to nurture my microbiome. When I learnt the importance of not suppressing my stomach acid. When I learnt to cut out pointless sugar. When I learnt to cook. When I learnt about kefir and probiotics.

Are the benefits of probiotics and prebiotics real? According to 2023 guidelines produced by the world gastroenterology organisation, the answer is yes. When your gut microbiome is being supported your health can improve. Research suggests that improvements can be seen in IBS symptoms, cholesterol, immune function, and much more.

Is chocolate a sweet treat or a health food?

The quality of some of the research may be mixed but benefits are reported to include

Improvements in heart health, the immune system and brain function and reduction in stress.

There is some evidence that the antioxidants in dark chocolate lower bad cholesterol and the flavonoids lower blood pressure.

Theobromine a compound in dark chocolate has similar effects to caffeine and boosts energy levels without the addictive quality and is associated with being beneficial for your heart, blood pressure and general mood.

Chocolate includes nutrients such as fibre, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc.

Is high cholesterol bad?

What are the root causes?

Can diet and lifestyle reduce cholesterol levels

Are you a hayfever sufferer like me?

If this is you, I sympathise: itchy, red, or watery eyes; runny or blocked nose; sneezing and coughing; itchy throat, mouth, nose, and ears; loss of smell; earache; headache; and feeling exhausted.

Spring and summer can be exhausting