Salt, Hydration and Blood pressure
For a long time, salt (sodium) has been blamed for causing high blood pressure. However, recent research suggests that the truth is much more complex. These studies reveal a “J-shaped association” (non-linear relationship) between sodium intake and heart disease risk. This means both very low and very high salt diets can increase your risk of […]
Ultra-processed Foods and Added Chemicals
Shopping was easy when most food came from farms. Now, factory-made foods have made chemical additives a significant part of our diet. Most people may not be able to pronounce the names of many of these chemicals, but they still want to know what the chemicals do and which ones are safe and which are […]
Plant Toxins and Antinutrients
Plants have evolved an impressive diversity of defences to protect themselves from a correspondingly diverse assemblage of herbivores. These defences include toxic chemicals, trichomes, tough leaves, resins, volatiles that recruit extra defenders such as parasitoids, and compensatory growth following damage, to name a few. Understanding the mechanisms that plants use to defend themselves, and the […]
The Importance of Regular Meal Times
Your eating patterns should match your body’s natural rhythms (circadian rhythms). Your gut bacteria also seem to have a daily rhythm, so avoid late-night snacking to give your gut a break. This will help keep your gut, microbiome, and immune system healthy. Regularly disrupting these rhythms can raise your risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, […]
Healthy Fibre and Gut Bacteria
Think bacteria are bad? Think again. Bacteria and other microbes (including fungi and viruses) are often thought of as sources of disease, but in fact many play an essential role in keeping you healthy. Your body contains trillions of microbes, most of which are beneficial. The most dense microbe population is in your gut, where […]
Healthy Fats
Fats are a group of compounds that make an important contribution to our nutrition, despite their bad press. Fats are major sources of energy and the only way in which the body can store energy for a long period of time.
Portion Size
To maintain a healthy weight, how much you eat is just as important as what you eat.
Nutrient balance
Nutrients are compounds found in food and drink that the body needs to function properly. They provide us with energy, building blocks for repair and growth, and substances necessary to regulate chemical processes. There are six essential nutrients:
Should we eat meat?
Eating animals has been part of our existence as humans and pre-humans for a very long time, probably for at least 5-6 million years. Primate evolution preceded ours by about 60 million years, and during that time period, the size of the primate brain stayed essentially constant at around 350cc, with some variation among species […]
Whole Foods
When it comes to healthy eating, you may assume it requires strict rules about what to eat, how much, and when. But if you choose whole foods, it’s not quite like that. That is because a whole-foods diet is not like “traditional” diets with rigid guidelines, but a more sustainable way of eating that is […]