Until just recently, many people that experienced a range of symptoms in response to the eating wheat or foods that contain gluten were believed to be symptoms typical of coeliac disease. However, when people were tested for coeliac disease they lacked the characteristic markers of coeliac disease

The body’s stress response to a situation such as jumping when a balloon pops or feeling butterflies when getting ready to play a sport event, is considered normal and healthy. What isn’t considered normal or healthy, is when the body is under constant stress without adequate time for recovery. This can lead to poor health, such as putting on weight and promote disease such as diabetes or heart disease.

Vinegars traditionally are fermented products and have been used for food flavouring and as a preservative. There are a variety of different vinegar products found in many cultures around the world with the earliest known vinegar dating back to more than 10, 000 years. Recently, science has started to study these fermented products and initial indications are that traditionally fermented vinegars such as apple cider vinegar may hold various potential health benefits.

Zinc is a biological essential mineral for humans. Over 300 enzymes in the body require zinc to function normally. Zinc is found in a variety of food sources such as oysters, pumpkin seeds, beef and egg yolks. Zinc is absorbed in the small intestines however, absorption can be greatly disrupted due to a person’s diet, illness and various inhibitors such as phytic acid found in food sources such as grains and legumes.

The human gut is home to a complex world of micro-organisms, especially bacteria. It is estimated we are carrying up to 2 kg of bacteria in our gut. There is still a lot we don’t know about how the gut bacteria can influence disease pathologies, however each day researchers take increasingly bigger steps in advancing our understanding about the links with gut bacteria and our health.

Choline is a water-soluble nutrient compound. It is an essential nutrient which means that our bodies need it to function normally and to achieve optimum health. Interestingly, our livers can in fact make small amounts of choline. However, in most cases this is not enough to provide what our body needs, and the short fall must be made up by consuming adequate amounts of choline through our diets.

The importance of good nutrition for parents at all stages of pregnancy including planning, pregnancy, post pregnancy and breast feeding cannot be over emphasised enough. The nutritional status of parents can have a significant impact not only on the parent’s health but also on the development of the baby.

There are many chemicals added to our food, especially processed packaged food. These chemicals are designed to help enhance flavour, give food colour and prolong the shelf life. However, many of these food chemicals often exacerbate health issues such as allergies, mood and gut problems.

A well functioning immune system is key to help fight the onslaught of winter time lurgies and what we eat can play an important role in keeping our immune system functioning optimally. Not consuming the right types of food and nutrition can decrease our immune system defences, making us more susceptible to infections …