Choline is a nutrient essential for your brain, cardiovascular system and liver. Find out if it’s a missing link in your diet in this Free and Inspired Radio episode. Click here to read the full article, or scroll down to listen to the podcast on your favourite platform! One study published in 2016 found that some of the population in the USA only consumed ten … [Read more...]
Diet as a Prescription
Consider that the nutrients, vitamins and minerals in your diet are a form of currency. Do you think you would have enough money to pay for your body’s daily bills? This section is an exploration of a concept of mine called “nutrition as currency.” As in life and business, your body can achieve a lot with the right resources, in some cases, provide therapeutic outcomes for health issues that can seem to need more sophisticated interventions.
Take fibre, for example. A study of 140,000 people showed that the group studied only got 50% of their daily fibre needs. Imagine that fibre pays for 200 transactions within your body, and it can only pay for 100 because it doesn’t get paid enough daily to cover the whole list. Which transactions does it choose not to pay?
This nutritional balance sheet and its importance are the geneses behind asking, “is my diet enough?” Articles and podcasts here focus on covering your body’s daily budget, making different diet choices, more personalized supplement choices or dosing your existing supplements differently to make sure you are nutritionally rich!
Choline: the essential nutrient you need to know about
Choline sounds like chlorine; in contrast, it’s a nutrient essential for your brain, cardiovascular system and liver. If ever there was a nutrient that epitomised “is my diet enough?” then choline would at least be in the top two. In this article, we’re going to introduce why. For example, one study published in 2016 found that some of the population in the USA only … [Read more...]
FIR Episode 54: A Beginner’s Guide to Using Supplements
The supplement landscape can be overwhelming but also, in some cases, misleading. Tune in to this Free and Inspired radio episode for your beginner’s guide to supplements. “I want to know what supplements I should be taking.” Discover how to transcend marketing filled with testimonials and promises unkept and take the steps to genuinely find the supplement you should be … [Read more...]
A beginner’s guide to using supplements
If you’re new to supplements and this is something you’ve thought about or said out loud, this article is for you. It’s January at the time of writing this, and “being healthier” is never higher on the list. The gyms fill up, my clinic gets busier, and people’s interest in using supplements tends to peak. “I want to know what supplements I should be taking.” The … [Read more...]
FIR Episode 53: The power of culinary herbs and spices.
From anti-inflammatory and antioxidant to having a profound effect on the gut microbiome, the properties of herbs and spices are various and broad. “I’ve been inspired by a paper that came out this week on the effect of culinary herbs and spices on the gut. This paper inspired me to put together a full episode of the health benefits of adding more herbs and spices to your … [Read more...]
The health benefits of adding more herbs and spices to your meals
From anti-inflammatory and antioxidant to having a profound effect on the gut microbiome, the properties of herbs and spices are various and broad. Let’s consider why adding more herbs and spices to your meals is a pillar of your long-term health and diet. But first… A significant differentiation between the medicinal herbs I use in my practice and the culinary … [Read more...]
FIR Episode 49: What is the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII)?
The dietary inflammatory index, or DII, is an index that helps link diet, inflammation and disease development. In this Free and Inspired radio episode, learn more about this evolving way to assess how inflammatory your diet might be. Why is inflammation significant when it comes to your overall healthspan? Well, chances are that you know someone affected by … [Read more...]
What is the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII)?
The dietary inflammatory index or DII helps link diet, inflammation and disease development. Now in its second iteration, the index brings together forty-five different parameters to assess the inflammatory potential of your diet.[1] Over the last fifteen years, researchers have been collating studies highlighting different foods and their contributions to chronic … [Read more...]
FIR Episode 46: Vitamin D for IBS, sleep and depression.
We're diving deeper into Vitamin D in this Free and Inspired Radio episode. We all know it is for bone health, but what about IBS, depression, sleep and protection from viral infections? Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in Hong Kong. Mainly due to the climate, estimates are between sixty to seventy per cent of Hong Kong residents are deficient. This … [Read more...]
Correct Vitamin D deficiency for IBS, sleep and immunity?
Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in Hong Kong. So much so that it’s more of a surprise when my patient’s blood tests return showing sufficiency. There are a few reasons for this high level of deficiency that we are going to cover in the article. One of the main reasons Vitamin D is so important is the variety of functions it performs in the body. A key … [Read more...]
FIR Episode 41: Is coffee good for you or not?
Is coffee good for you? In this Free and Inspired radio episode we're going to answer that question. Most people think they should give it up especially when it’s time to change something about their health. But what if, contrary to popular belief, it’s healthier than you think? Finnish people, on average, consume around four cups daily. This daily amount can increase … [Read more...]
Article: Is coffee good for you?
Most people think they should stop drinking coffee. In my clinic, it belongs to the holy triad of things people think they should cut down or quit when they aren’t feeling optimal. It’s either red meat, alcohol or coffee that gets the chop if things are going well. Contrary to my article on alcohol (spoiler alert: it’s not good for you), I’m here to offer a somewhat … [Read more...]
Article: Are you getting enough protein for longevity in 2022?
Saying dietary protein intake is critical for longevity and quality of life seems a little dramatic. However, protein is considered the most fundamental nutrient for animals and humans.[1] Even the English word originates from the Greek word “proteios”, meaning prime or primary.[2] And its deficiency can cause your body to change in a way that can be difficult to … [Read more...]
FIR Episode 38: How much dietary protein is needed for longevity in 2022?
Saying dietary protein intake is critical for longevity and quality of life seems dramatic. However, did you know we lose up to fifty per cent of our muscle mass between the ages of forty and eighty? However, protein is considered the most fundamental nutrient for animals and humans. This Free and Inspired radio episode on protein intake will help you assess your … [Read more...]
Article: Appetite control – the ultimate gut and brain relationship.
Appetite control, or suppression as some refer to it, is a complex symbiosis of hormonal, environmental, behavioural and bacterial influences. Yep, I said bacterial. We’ll get to that in this article, don’t worry. Throughout my study years, working in health food shops, “appetite suppression” was definitely in the top two requests for help. What I said then is what … [Read more...]