Karen's Blog
Look After Your Microbiome and It Will Look After You!
Thursday 8th October 2020
Karen Brooks
Having just received the results of a gut microbiome test I submitted, this has made me particularly conscious of how readily microbiome composition can change depending on the foods it is exposed to. Mine is actually not too bad but there is room for improvement! However, the microbiome is not only influenced by diet but also by exposure to environmental chemicals, so a recent Review…
Feed Your Gut Bugs
Wednesday 1st July 2020
Having a healthy, balanced, microbiome is the key to good health. It has an impact on many aspects of health, not just in the gut…
Selenium: Is It on Your Immune Support Radar?
Thursday 4th June 2020
Karen Brooks
Selenium and the Immune system Selenium is a trace mineral (you only need a bit of it) which plays an essential role in supporting normal immune function. Studies have demonstrated an enhancement of immune responses by increasing levels of selenium intake. Selenium has been shown to stimulate antibody formation and the activity of T cells and Natural Killer cells of the immune system. Selenium is also an antioxidant that supports the production of the…
Thyroid or Menopause?
Monday 25th May 2020
Karen Brooks
Today is World Thyroid Day. It is estimated that about 70% of women are affected by menopausal symptoms. Weight gain, sleep problems, fatigue,…
Vitamin D: What You Need to Know
Sunday 24th May 2020
Most of us will have come across Vitamin D due to its association with bone health. Without vitamin D our bodies cannot effectively absorb calcium, which is essential for good bone health. More recently, due to the current coronavirus pandemic, its vital role in immune system function has been highlighted in the media. …
Is Your Bowel Irritable?
Tuesday 28th April 2020
IBS is a widespread functional digestive disorder (functional means there are symptoms but no signs of actual disease). It affects approximately 10-15% of the world population! Symptoms are usually frequent, and people often suffer over long periods of time. IBS…
Healthy Gut, Healthy Body, Healthy Mind
Wednesday 22nd April 2020
Karen Brooks
Having a healthy, well-functioning gut (gut refers to the whole digestive tract) is one of the keys to overall health. I think we all get the occasional symptom such as a bit of bloating, heartburn, a headache etc from time to time. However some people get these kinds of symptoms regularly and it becomes their "normal". They may seek help from the doctor and have medical conditions/causes ruled out, but the symptoms continue. So they put up with the…
Cold-Busting Ginger and Parsnip Soup
Tuesday 4th February 2020
Parsnips are a great source of vitamin C, K and folate and other immune supporting nutrients such as zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6. …
Wild About Garlic
Sunday 28th April 2019
Karen Brooks
Wild garlic has been one of my recent discoveries. Now one of my highlights of spring is the appearance of this amazing plant in our local woodland. Not only does it look stunning during its short flowering period, it is also a delicious food and has properties which make it beneficial to health. Ramsons - Bear's garlic - Allium ursinum -…
Buying Organic - Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen 2019
Sunday 31st March 2019
Karen Brooks
The Environmental Working Group's 2019 "Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen" list of fruits and vegetables with the most/least pesticide residue was released…
How Pomegranates May Help to Control Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Saturday 2nd February 2019
Karen Brooks
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), the two main forms being Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, affect more than 300,000 people in the UK. These conditions are a result of problems with the immune system which lead to inflammation in the lining of the gut. Gut microbes and their metabolites (substances produced by microbes) also have an important role to play in IBD. Consumption of berries and pomegranates has demonstrated significant beneficial effects on human health. Pomegranate…
How Does Food Affect Your Mood?
Monday 17th December 2018
Karen Brooks
It has long been assumed that the gut and the brain communicate via a slow, hormonal pathway. Now a paper that has just been published in the renowned journal 'Science' shows that there is a faster means of communication between gut and brain. By researching a mouse model, they were able to show that the gut and the…
The Health Benefits of Cherries
Sunday 9th December 2018
Have you ever found that there are some nights when sleep doesn't come easily? Sleep is one of the pillars of good health. Poor sleep is associated with weight gain, poor concentration, increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, type 2 diabetes, depression, impaired immune function and chronic inflammation. …
Something To Chew Over....
Wednesday 21st November 2018
Chewing your food well is advice I often give to clients. This may sound really obvious and somewhat parental yet chewing is an important, but sometimes under-appreciated, stage of digestion. It is not uncommon for people these days…
Saffron
Saturday 13th October 2018
Just recently, I've been using a wider variety of spices in my cooking, as I am aware many of them have therapeutic value as well as being delicious additions. Each time I incorporate…
Plant-rich diets may help prevent depression.
Monday 1st October 2018
"The growing evidence for nutritional psychiatry suggests that GPs and mental health professionals should now seriously consider including dietary counselling for patients who are at risk of depression." Read the full article here; THECONVERSATION
Spotlight on Sweeteners
Wednesday 26th September 2018
Karen Brooks
There is no doubt that a high sugar diet is detrimental to health. Sugar occurs naturally in many foods and is added to most processed foods, under several different guises, making it difficult to avoid and to determine how much we are consuming. Excess sugar consumption has been associated with many illnesses and so reducing our intake is a…