Recently, during a discovery call with a prospective client, she said something that stayed with me. “In a strange way, I feel guilt and shame because I broadly know what I should be doing… but I am not doing it.”...
Medications like Mounjaro have changed the conversation around weight loss. For many people, they offer something that has felt out of reach for years, a sense of control, relief from constant hunger, and a genuine shift in how food and...
Sleep apnoea is often seen as a mechanical issue, simply requiring a CPAP machine or oral appliance, but in my experience, it is often a symptom of deeper physiological imbalances. In this article, I want to explore how a functional...
If you’re reading this, you may be one of the many people living with persistent bloating, unpredictable bowel habits, and ongoing digestive discomfort, despite being told that “nothing is seriously wrong.” You might have tried cutting out gluten, dairy, FODMAPs,...
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re exhausted, but not in the “I need a nap” kind of way. This is something deeper. A kind of bone-deep fatigue that doesn’t shift, no matter how much you rest or...
This article will explore how Mounjaro works, who it might be best suited to, what to expect while taking it, and perhaps most importantly, how to lay the groundwork for long-term success whether you continue with it or not.
Every so often, a message arrives that stops you in your tracks and reminds you why taking a proactive approach to health matters so profoundly. Recently, a client who had completed a Functional Health Assessment with us sent the following...
Intermittent fasting has become one of the most discussed dietary strategies of the past decade. Advocates claim benefits that range from enhanced metabolic flexibility to improved cardiovascular health and even extended lifespan.
Functional medicine has, for many, represented a long-awaited alternative to the limitations of conventional care. It promises to go beyond symptom management, aiming instead to uncover and address the root causes of illness through a more personalised, systems based lens....
Gout has long been labelled the “disease of kings,” often associated with overindulgence in rich foods and alcohol. But today, we understand that gout is far more than just a historical condition tied to lifestyle excess. It’s a form of...
When I assess someone’s risk for cardiovascular disease, one of the first things I look at is their ApoB level. ApoB, or apolipoprotein B, is a critical marker that tells us how many atherogenic particles are circulating in the bloodstream....
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now the most common liver disorder in industrialised countries, affecting around 25% of the global population. In the UK, cases have risen sharply over the past two decades, closely tracking increases in obesity, insulin...
Osteoarthritis is often treated as a one-way path, one that leads to lifelong medication, pain management, and giving up the activities we love. But what if we could change the trajectory? Chris’s journey shows us exactly that.
We are told that if we simply had more discipline, we would eat better, sleep earlier, exercise daily, and live the life we imagine. But in truth, discipline is rarely the foundation of long-term change. The Myth of Discipline In...
Conventional medicine typically focuses on managing blood pressure with medications. Functional medicine offers a different path, one that aims to uncover and address the root causes of high blood pressure through a comprehensive, personalised, and sustainable approach.
Many people approach weight loss with a short-term mindset, chasing rapid results with extreme diets or unsustainable exercise routines. While weight loss may occur initially, it is often followed by rebound weight gain, frustration, and confusion.
Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest-growing health conditions worldwide, and in many cases, it is preventable and even reversible. While conventional medicine typically focuses on medication to manage blood sugar levels, a functional medicine approach looks deeper, seeking...
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death globally, yet much of it is preventable. Conventional care often focuses on diagnosing disease and managing symptoms, typically with medication. However, this approach may overlook the complex, interconnected factors that contribute...
In this article, we’ll explore what homocysteine is, how it impacts cardiovascular health, and effective strategies to manage elevated levels naturally.
In the pursuit of personal and professional development, many people focus solely on achieving specific goals or changing their habits. However, this approach often overlooks the most transformative aspect of habit formation: identity.
In this article, we’ll explore the role of fasting triglycerides, their connection to cardiovascular health, what optimal levels are and why aiming for those levels is essential.
This article will explore what CRP is, its role in cardiovascular health, the importance of maintaining optimal CRP levels, and lifestyle strategies for managing chronically raised CRP.
Many people set ambitious health goals, losing weight, lowering blood pressure, or reducing stress. While goals provide direction, they often fall short of ensuring lasting change. This article explores why building systems and repeatable habits offer a more sustainable path...
This article will highlight some of the lab tests and factors I look at that go beyond cholesterol, explain common imbalances, and shed light on the lifestyle factors that play a role in cardiovascular health. It’s time to look at...
In this article I want to provide a general breakdown of LADA/Type 1.5 diabetes, so that there is increased awareness around this often overlooked and poorly managed condition.
Seed oils, including those derived from sunflowers, corn, and soybeans, have become dietary staples in modern cooking and food manufacturing. Yet, mounting evidence suggests that these oils may be detrimental to cardiovascular health, particularly through their high levels of omega-6...
Affirmations are often viewed as positive self-talk, a practice that involves repeating uplifting statements to oneself. But there’s more to affirmations than just boosting self-esteem. They have the power to reprogram the subconscious mind, leading to meaningful changes in behaviour.
Exercise is widely recognised for its profound benefits on overall health and well-being. However, what many people may not realise is that acute exercise, especially within 48 hours before a blood test, can significantly impact certain biomarkers, leading to skewed...
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) doesn’t wait for retirement or slower days. It’s the leading cause of death globally, and those over 40 are at an increased risk, especially men. CVD is often a silent, gradual process, and by the time symptoms...
When it comes to cardiovascular health, many of us will be familiar with names like LDL and HDL cholesterol and even perhaps triglycerides, for those with a stronger interest in this subject. However, there is one very important molecule that...
In this article I will be talking about something called Apolipoprotein B or abbreviated as ApoB, which should hopefully help you consolidate your understanding of cholesterol and heart disease.
In this article I dive into a common stool test marker, pancreatic elastase. Firstly, I’ll explore what pancreatic elastase is, typically reference ranges for pancreatic elastase on a stool test and how I interpret pancreatic elastase results.
Have you been told you have high triglyceride levels? Perhaps you want to know what caused it and what you can do to lower your triglycerides. In this article we take a deep dive into what triglycerides are, there relevance...
In this article we look at some common and some less common cardiovascular risk blood test markers that we use in our functional medicine clinic. We discuss what these markers are and provide typical ranges to aim for to help...
In this article I’ll look at interpreting your thyroid hormone blood test results. To do this I break down each individual marker, what it is and why it is tested. Throughout the article I’ll discuss the potential imbalances or patterns...
In this article, I take a deep dive into a common marker found on comprehensive stool tests, Zonulin. I look at what zonulin is, it’s association to health issues, what it means for your gut health and what can influence...
In this article, I look at the stool test marker known as calprotectin. I explore what calprotectin is, what it means if your calprotectin levels are elevated and how to interpret your test results. I also look at natural ways...
In this article, I explore the spice turmeric as well as its popular active component, Curcumin. How might turmeric and curcumin benefit your health and is there good evidence behind its use? If it can help, what conditions might it...
In this article, I explore the many causes of constipation and how functional medicine can help to alleviate constipation and associated symptoms. I’ll explore the role of lab testing looking for underlying causes as well as supplements and other lifestyle...
In this article we are going to look at some research looking at intermittent periods of exercise and its impact on muscle protein synthesis. We also explore other benefits of exercise snacking.
If you are embarking on a weight and fat loss journey and want long-term success, you may be considering what exercise can help you reach you best reach your goals. This article covers the pros and cons of different exercise...
What is hunger? Hunger is a physiological process – in other words, the physical body is signalling that food needs to be consumed to maintain energy levels. Different chemical substances and signals produced by both the brain and the gut,...
This article explores the popular methods for tracking your nutrition intake: calorie counting, flexible dieting and meal plans and provides some top tips for tracking your nutrition intake. For most people, calorie counting tends to be done on an app...
If you are embarking on a weight and fat loss journey, you are likely wanting to be setting yourself up for success. Research shows that the role of protein within your diet could be one of the most important tools...
Eating foods that are naturally rich in fibre are a corner stone of any successful weight loss journey! This article covers some of the many benefits of fibre, examples of high fibre foods, some tasty meal ideas, as well as...
If you are looking for success in the long term with your weight loss goals, then NEAT is one of the most valuable tools in your toolbox. Read on to find out more about what NEAT is, what happens to...
How do you measure when you’ve reached success on your weight loss journey? And how do you know if you’re on the right road to where you want to get to in the meantime? Having clear goals allows you to...
Following weight loss, people on average regain a third of their weight lost within a year and the rest within 3-5 years (Avenell et al. 2004, Dansinger et al. 2007). If you do not want to be one of these...
In this article we provide a basic look at what flexible dieting is and some of the pros and cons to consider.
You may have heard or read that fasted cardio is superior for losing weight and fat and therefore wondered whether this is true. This article provides the science behind fasted cardio and some need to knows and top tips for...
When and how much you eat are important components of setting up a weight loss diet and achieving a calorie deficit. Part of creating a personalised nutrition plan involves establishing meal frequency and timing that is optimal for you. This...
If you are about to embark on a weight loss journey and are wondering about whether exercise can help you lose weight, this article provides you with the research on exercise and weight loss, along with some tips to use...
If you are setting up your diet for weight loss, then you may want to decide how much of each different macronutrient you will consume. This article provides a brief guide for how to choose a macronutrient ratio for your...
In this article we look at five often overlook areas associated to weight loss psychology and how they may be impacting your ability to lose weight and maintain that weight loss.
This article provides an overview of the role of body fat, whether there are ideal ranges of body fat, how they differ between males and females, the health implications of body fat levels that are too high or too low and...
Understanding metabolism is key to managing your energy, weight, health and performance. This article provides a brief overview of what metabolism is, five facts on metabolism and five tips to optimise yours!
Phase angle is one of the markers I assess as part of my body composition assessments with clients and available as a standalone service.
If you’ve been considering when to start that resistance training programme and / or pondering over whether muscle mass really is that important, then this article is for you – it provides a brief overview of muscle mass and what...
The health risks associated with increased levels of body fat are commonly talked about, but where you store body fat may be of equal importance. This article highlights the numerous ways in which an elevated waist may be an indicator...
People often want to “lose” body fat, but what type of fat and from where you lose it matters – especially when it comes to health. Whilst you can measure body fat levels through body composition measurements, what does this...
Water is essential for life and that includes the human body! It is central to every chemical process that takes place in the body and has a multitude of important roles. This article provides a brief overview of the role...
This article covers some background on body composition, why it matters, and the pros and cons on the most common methods to measure body composition.
Change isn’t all or nothing, and change doesn’t always equal action either. Successful change can be incremental and unfold over time as you become more ready to take on a new behaviour.
In this article I look at what inflammation is, what might cause chronic inflammation, some of the health implications of chronic inflammation, certain testing considerations for inflammation and then some natural strategies that may help you combat chronic inflammation.
In this article I look at what role the immune system plays, possible underlying causes for reduced immune function, testing considerations, and some things that you might be able to do to help improve the robustness of the immune system...
In this article I look at why we need to consider toxicity as a potential health issue, as well as foundational changes that you can make to reduce your toxic burden and improve your body’s ability to manage the toxins...
Let’s take a look at what cognitive dysfunction is, the possible underlying causes, testing considerations and some things that you might be able to do to help with cognitive dysfunction issues.
In this article I look at what cardiometabolic health is, the classic symptoms of cardiometabolic dysfunction, possible testing considerations, and natural solutions to help you gain more control over your cardiometabolic health.
In this article I look at what the gallbladder is, symptoms of dysfunction, what gallstones are and how they might form, then dietary and natural considerations to support gallbladder health.
This article is designed to help you understand more about musculoskeletal health, the impact of imbalances in this area and what you may be able to do to help improve this area of your health.
This article provides tips to optimise insulin sensitivity. The tips will also assist to: help manage blood glucose levels, prevent and/or reverse type 2 diabetes and reduce cardiovascular risk factors, PCOS and other insulin resistant associated conditions.
Insulin plays an essential role in the body, from facilitating the movement of sugar (glucose) into the cells, to promoting muscle synthesis, to stimulating the growth of new cells. However, like most things in life, we want just the right...
Whilst there is a definite relationship between insulin resistance and weight gain, which one comes first remains unclear. Both insulin resistance and weight gain are risk factors for type 2 diabetes and many other chronic diseases. Let’s examine their relationship.
During stress, we adapt our physiology and behaviour so that we are able to survive. This is known as the stress response. Under normal conditions, the stress response is vital and healthy. However, when activated repeatedly, it can have negative...
Type 2 diabetes results from genetic and lifestyle factors. The great news is, lifestyle can be changed. Changes to diet, physical activity and weight (especially body fat) levels prevent and reverse type 2 diabetes. This article covers the key lifestyle...
The more you move and more active you are, the more you exercise and the fitter you are, the healthier you’ll be and the longer you’ll live. Slightly over simplified, but you get my point!
A well-balanced inflammatory response maintains good health, prevents illness and aids recovery. However too much of an inflammatory response, known as a low-grade inflammatory response, is associated with a host of chronic diseases, one of which is type 2 diabetes....
Stress. That dreaded word that we hear more and more. We know that too much is bad for us. We know it’s associated with chronic diseases, reduced immunity, poor sleep and weight gain. Unfortunately, that only seems to make the...
Expert advice on recommended carbohydrate intake for type 2 diabetes remains controversial making it particularly confusing to know how much to have. This article summarises research on the impact of a low carb diet on type 2 diabetes.
Insulin plays a fundamental role in how food is utilised and stored. A state of insulin resistance results in metabolic dysregulation, subsequent health issues and chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. Read on to find out more about insulin,...
The questions or statements posed in this article help to determine if you are prone to periods of low blood glucose or sensitive to the body’s response to glucose levels dropping low. Please note this is not a diagnosis for...
The questions or statements posed in this article help to determine if you might be at risk of acute or chronically elevated blood glucose.
Symptoms alone are not a diagnosis for intestinal permeability as there are other imbalances that may cause similar symptoms, as a result it is important that if you are looking for a diagnosis in this area then you test and...
In this article I look at the health of the small intestine with a particular focus on Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth or SIBO for short.
In this article, I explore considerations for those struggling with symptoms relating to impaired digestion and absorption.
Our energy levels can be affected by so many things, but one of the fundamental areas to consider is that of impaired oxygen delivery or what might be more commonly associated with anaemia.
In this article I want to introduce you to the role of the thyroid in health and disease prevention. I will overview common symptoms and imbalances that can occur as well as possible testing.
There is a striking resemblance between the amount of water on this earth and the amount of water in the human body. With around 60-65% of the human body being water and 75-85% of the brain being made up of...
In this article we look at hunger and try to determine what hunger actually is, what contributes to true hunger and the sensations we experience. We also look at what is more of an emotional hunger, perhaps not hunger at...
Here are some tips I have taken from Buddhist Monk Thich Nhat Hanh, also known as “The Father of Mindfulness”. These were taken from his short book titled How to Eat.
In this article we are going to look at the connection between food and our physiology and why food can play such an important role in optimising health and improving physique.
In this article we are going to look at why some people get “hangry” after not eating for a while or between meals.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a multifaceted condition that affects women across the globe, presenting a complex challenge to both patients and healthcare professionals alike. In the realm of functional medicine, a holistic and individualised approach to diagnosis and management...
Most of us start our journey of health with massive ambitions. You feel energized, motivated and ready to turn your diet on its head, or rather, on its feet. You clear all the crisps, sweets and treats from your cupboard,...
This article aims to shine a spotlight on Giardia – an often overlooked infection, delving into the intricacies of giardia from the perspective of functional medicine.
We all have gas, some of us more than others, but on average we all pass wind 10-15 times per day. For some excessive gas can be embarrassing, and for others a tool for child-like humour, what should be understood...
Fats have had a bad rap over the past 30-40 years. The obsession around low fat products along with misinformation based upon cherry picked research has ultimately lead to a state of confusion as to whether fats are helpful or...
Caffeine is a powerful stimulant that can help provide mental stimulation, in fact it is the worlds most consumed psychoactive drug. The media and opinion often portray caffeine as something that can be both good and bad for your health....
How we all respond to alcohol is likely to be very individual but let’s explore it’s potential affects on your health and physique goals, as well as providing some ways to be more mindful and make better choices when it...
Not all carbohydrates are equal and over the years the image of carbohydrates have gone from friend to foe back to friend again depending on what article or “expert” you listen to.
