About Me

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Birmingham, United Kingdom
Welcome to my blog, and thank you for stopping by. I hope you find it informative, and if there is anything I have missed or you would like me to talk about please drop me a line of suggestion. After seeing a nutritional therapist I decided from the improvement of my own health that I would like to be there in the same way for others, therefore, I studied two degrees; one in Nutritional Therapy and another in Bioscience Nutrition so that i could be equipped to support a number of health conditions. I now work for a supplement company on a clinical team supporting practitioners and keeping upto date with all new scientific information and provide private consultations too aswel as keeping my blog going :)

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Wednesday 20 June 2012

Keep your skin nourished in the summer sun


Let the sun shine...
The time of year has arrived when we book it, pack it and get on our way for a holiday of hopefully sun, sea and summer fun (even if the UK isn’t being too generous with sunshine this year!). Sunny days make us feel good and have some health benefits too so if you are jetting off somewhere hot or the UK finally decides to shine on us, here are some tips on how to look after your skin safely in the sun.

The summer sun
The most common ray that we get directly from the sun is Utra Violet – B (UV-B) this is the ray that makes you burn. Ultra Violet –A (UV-A) is another ray that we get which is more associated with the aging process. We are exposed to UV-A all year round as it can penetrate through the clouds, therefore it’s a good idea to wear sun cream or make-up providing a protective layer of SPF-15 in all weather conditions.



Is the sunbed really bad for you?
Tans became fashionable in the 1920’s when Coco Chanel accidently sun burnt herself at the French Rivera, her fans were taken by her look and her lead in fashion inspired a new trend that is still being continued today. If you like the idea of having a winter tan, buy a flawless self tanner to give you that glow. As healthy as a tan may look, a tan from a sunbed can do more damage than good as it admits UV-A rays damaging vitamin D and penetrates deeper in the skin layers causing damage to the tissue that is not immediately visible. We would always advise that you're careful when using a sunbed.        

Picking a sun cream
SPF 15 is an ideal factor to choose; above SPF-20 creams tend to include chemicals to keep its protective barrier but can also leach into the skin causing premature aging of the skin.  When picking a sun cream, choose one that is not overwhelmed with a lengthy list of ingredients and instead choose natural ingredients such as zinc oxide (sun reflective, supports collagen) or titanium dioxide.

How long should I be in the sun?
20 minutes of daylight exposure excluding the midday sun can be supportive to synthesize vitamin D.  After 20 minutes the sunlight begins to damage the vitamin D produced.  Another reason for not having longer exposure than your recommended daily amount is that the rays can penetrate into the skin damaging collagen, potentially causing premature aging and free radical damage.

Uneven skin pigmentation
Our skins produce a colour pigmentation called melanin in the sun. An example of melanin in one area of the skin is freckles which are more frequently seen on pale skin.   People that are exposed to the sun a lot may develop more obvious skin patches make the skin tone look more uneven. Using skin creams or foods that contain Vitamin A, E and l-cysteine may help to as they reduce the tanning pigmentation melanin in the skin whilst also protecting collagen.

Reducing sun damage to the skin
Be sensible, don’t over expose your skin and make sure that you include plenty of antioxidants in your diet from fruit and vegetables to help your skin. Antioxidants provide additional support to sun cream by minimizing the risk of the UV rays penetrating through the skins layers.

Bringing down sunburn and saving your tan
Ideally, try not to burn your skin as this can cause aging, but if you are caught out apply vitamin A and aloe vera to soothe and repair the skin from any redness.

Keeping your glow
Make sure you keep your skin well hydrated in the sun, drink plenty of water and eat healthy fats such as oily fish and coconut to help keep your skin glowing and moisturized to maintain your tan.

We might only get a handful of sunny days at the moment, but it's definitely worth making the most of them. If you're able to get away this year to somewhere with much more sunshine, practise safe sun with a balance of getting enough Vitamin D and using a good sun cream.

Enjoy your week.                          






Wednesday 6 June 2012

Nutrition for before, during and after pregnancy


As we wave goodbye to one of the team as she goes on maternity leave, we thought it appropriate to focus on before, during and after pregnancy care for you, your partner and your baby.

Preconception health and pregnancy
It is recommended that you start a good nutritional health routine around three months prior to conception in order to improve sperm and egg quality. And once you’re pregnant you need to maintain a high quality diet to support your health and to give your baby the best possible start.   



Support for both you and your partner  

Zinc
Zinc is an important mineral for healthy sperm formation and also helping with implantation of a fertilised egg in the womb.

Essential Fatty Acids
Omega 3 and 6 help with hormonal balancing. For men, omega 3 ensures healthy sperm formation and motility. For women, omega 3 is equally important for egg membrane flexibility to allow sperm to penetrate through.
Antioxidants
Insufficient vitamin E has been linked to poor fertility levels in both men and women. Foods such as nuts, seeds and avocados are nutritious options to help support optimum levels. Selenium and vitamin C are both protective antioxidants against free radical damage and vitamin C reduces the chances of sperm clumping together.
Folic Acid and Vitamin B12
A necessity for women during preconception health and pregnancy to prevent any deficiencies that have been linked with birth defects such as spina bifida.


Neonatal Nutrition
Congratulations on the new buddle of joy in your life. Having a newborn baby is very rewarding but can also be a demanding time for you, so some nutritional tips should help to keep you both in the best of health.

The benefits of breastfeeding

Breastfeeding stimulates the release of a hormone called oxytocin which makes you and your baby feel close. This hormone also helps you to feel relaxed and go back to sleep after night feeding. For newborns that are breastfed their digestive tract contains 80-90% of a
probiotic called Bifidobacterium Lactis. The bacteria support the immune system to fight off infections and help to provide a healthy environment for good bacteria to grow. Babies with colic especially find probiotics supportive as the probiotic encourages a healthy bowel movement. A probiotic can always be used to give additional support, but is especially important if a baby is born through C-section, is not being breastfed or taking antibiotics.





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Essential fatty acids
When breastfeeding make sure you have a healthy intake of essential fatty acids from fish, avocados and coconut oil as they provide nutrition to the baby through the breast milk. Essential fatty acids are so important for a whole range of reasons. The brain is predominantly made up of fats so they are crucial in supporting brain development as well as helping to provide some other benefits such as soft, smooth, healthy skin and good eyesight.

Multivitamins and minerals

Baby’s nutritional demands are high as they grow and develop; therefore all round support from all minerals and vitamins is needed. If you are breastfeeding make sure that you have an array of different coloured vegetables and fruits. The more natural plant food colours on your plate, the more nutrients you and your baby are benefiting from.

To aid breast milk production
Many women find producing milk can be difficult at times. Making sure that you are hydrated is crucial in being able to produce milk. Other aids to support milk production are phyto- plankton and teas containing fenugreek seed and fennel tea.

Beating Colic
A common cause of colic is an intolerance to lactose in milk which can be helped by the mother reducing or eliminating ‘dairy’ in the diet whilst breastfeeding, and adding the digestive enzyme; lactase. Lactase can also be added to formula feeds to aid digestion. Also, try massaging the baby’s abdomen with rosemary oil to soothe any bloating.