Your Wellness Centre – holistic wellbeing inspiration
Whether you’re starting your journey into the world of nutritional supplementation and holistic wellbeing or already well on your way, we have information, guidance and expert opinion to help and support you. Let us make it as easy as possible for you with a definitive range of trustworthy, authoritative and informative easy to read articles and advice.
Essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals
Ten ways to enjoy nutrient-dense winter foods
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winter is a time of hibernation in nature. For humans, this can make shopping for fresh produce feel stark and desolate. If you find yourself missing the sweet strawberries and ripe tomatoes of summer, don’t fret. Winter offers an abundance of nutrient-dense foods that can take your season from drab and boring to delicious and […]
Supporting the immune system during holiday travel
Reading Time: 3 minutes Travel at the holidays is often exciting – the anticipation of getting away, the enjoyment of seeing loved ones, and the indulgence of our favourite meals all beckon to us. However, our immune systems can take a beating during this time, leading to susceptibility for colds and flu – not what we want our holidays […]
Staying Healthy
Reading Time: 6 minutes Inspiring people to lead healthier lives is at the heart of all we do at Lifeplus. In light of the various questions circling around viruses, particularly Coronavirus, we wanted to remind you that we’re all in this together and share some advice from our very own Dr. Dwight McKee. Perspective is key. Remaining calm whilst […]
Intestinal Health
Reading Time: 12 minutes Why healthy intestinal flora is so important The gut is the cradle of good health and the basis for your general well-being.1 Its large surface area makes it a very important organ in our bodies with its own ecosystem. Healthy intestinal flora contains 80% of all our immune cells, making it a significant protective shield […]
Healthy Eating
Reading Time: 10 minutes Live a healthier life with these easy tips You are what you eat, as they say. What we eat plays a huge role in our physical health. If you want to live a healthier lifestyle, eating well is essential. We know it’s not always easy to change your diet. So we want to pass on […]
Leaky Gut
Reading Time: 7 minutes Leaky gut – what is it exactly? The term leaky gut, or what scientists call ‘increased intestinal permeability’, refers to a disorder in the protective barrier of the intestinal wall, primarily in the small intestine. As such, “leaky gut” therefore quite literally means a “leaky gut”. When the gut is “leaky”, incompletely digested protein (larger […]
The importance of nutritional education
Reading Time: 3 minutes What constitutes ‘good’ nutrition can sometimes get a little confusing, particularly when the words ‘nutrition’ and ‘diet’ can be closely linked. Nutrition education is the process of teaching the science of nutrition – what your body needs, why you need it, and where you can get it.1 A ‘good’ diet, for example, is going to […]
Why we need vitamins and minerals – a focus on Magnesium
Reading Time: 2 minutes Vitamins and minerals are important for our overall health and it’s important to consume a full range, in the adequate amounts, so that our bodies function optimally. One of the minerals that is sometimes taken for granted is magnesium. Magnesium is prominent in the earth’s crust, so it’s not surprising that it’s incorporated into the […]
Multivitamins
Reading Time: 2 minutes What are multivitamins and why do we need them? Multivitamins can help give you a strong foundation for your overall health. If you are struggling to sleep, suffering from stress, or working in an environment that exposes you to more common illnesses such as coughs and colds for example, a multivitamin can ensure that you […]
The importance of finding a balance in your diet
Reading Time: 3 minutes The number of diet plans out there is vast and they cover a range of principles depending on your goals and lifestyle choices. Vegetarian, Vegan, Keto, Paleo, intermittent fasting… no wonder it’s confusing. What can make it even more confusing, is that often these diets will focus on one of the three main macronutrients (carbohydrates, […]
James Ellington’s insight into nutrition for athletes
Reading Time: 4 minutes An athlete’s nutritional approach to optimal performance Whether you’re exercising to improve your mental and physical health or at more of a professional athlete level, sports nutrition plays an important role in optimising the beneficial effects of physical activity, no matter what type of movement workout you do. Making the right choices with your nutrition […]
Berries – a super tasty, superfood
Reading Time: 3 minutes The humble berry may be small but it is certainly powerful! Berries not only taste delicious, but are packed full of nutrients and antioxidants, making them incredibly good for you too. You may not have thought of berries as a superfood before but this is exactly what they are. Superfoods are foods that can offer […]
Summer and skincare
Reading Time: 4 minutes Your guide to fabulous skin in the warmer months! We all love summer but summer and skin problems go hand-in-hand. Skin conditions can be caused by gut health, foods and allergies but weather, pollution and other seasonal factors can also contribute to skin issues – particularly during the summer months. It’s common to think of […]
How to get a natural energy boost with superfoods
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s so easy to run out of energy. We lead busy lives, full of responsibility and we have to find time to work, relax, sleep and of course, enjoy ourselves though the things we love, like socialising and keeping fit. All of these things require energy, which can be difficult to come by, but with […]
The unknown benefits of growing your own foods
Reading Time: 2 minutes From better nutrition to improved mental and physical health, the benefits of growing your own food are plentiful. Whether you are growing a small pot of kitchen herbs or an allotment full of fresh fruits and vegetables, you’re doing good for both your own health, and the environment. Here are our top five reasons to […]
What is the role of electrolytes within our body?
Reading Time: 2 minutes You have probably heard of electrolytes before. They’re often found in sports drinks, or in recovery sachets to be added to water if you’ve been unwell, but do you know what they actually are and how they work? An electrolyte is a mineral that carries an electrical charge when it is dissolved in water. They […]
What are superfoods and what makes them so special?
Reading Time: 4 minutes We’ve all got our own ideas of what a superfood is – many would argue that chocolate, for example, is a ‘super’ food, thanks to its delicious, morish flavour. But superfoods did not get their name because of the way they taste (although they do taste delicious!) but because of their very high nutritional density […]
Raw cacao – better than chocolate? Here’s everything you need to know!
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you love chocolate but know that processed foods and sugars are not the best thing for you, then raw cacao could be just the answer! Note the spelling though, as while they are similar and look almost identical, cacao and cocoa are not the same thing. So, what exactly is raw cacao? Cacao could […]
The relationship between sport and correct nutrition
Reading Time: 5 minutes How to achieve your sporting goals Reducing fat or building muscles – the targeting of sports nutrition is versatile and can have different effects on the body. Sports nutrition that includes a balanced combination of minerals, vitamins, and essential nutrients offers the most benefits. The individual composition of the diet in sport not only depends […]
How to boost mood with food
Reading Time: 3 minutes There are so many ways food can contribute to improved mood, which is one of the reasons why our relationship with food is a complicated one. We do not eat simply to fuel our bodies. We break bread with friends and families, passing on family recipes with fondness. We share meals to grow deeper in […]
What is protein?
Reading Time: 4 minutes Everything you thought you knew but didn’t. Most of us know what protein is. Along with carbohydrates and fats, it makes up the three most important macronutrients of our diet. Research has shown why it’s so beneficial as part of a balanced and healthy diet, as it plays a key role in the creation and […]
What are the best foods for a heart healthy diet?
Reading Time: 4 minutes Say yes to heart-healthy eating A healthy diet is one of the key factors for heart health, of which there are three pillars – eating well, staying active, and mindfulness.Even just making a few small changes to your diet now will have positive implications for your heart, but the aim should be to change your […]
Nutritional supplement types
Reading Time: 3 minutes Nutritional supplements – types, and how to optimise their impact There are many types of nutritional supplements available to us and they all provide different benefits to our health and wellbeing. But it’s not always a simple case of popping a supplement and letting it do its job – how and when we take that […]
Best herb combinations
Reading Time: 3 minutes What are the best herb combinations to enhance your dishes? Herbs. They don’t just add an extra element to your meals in terms of flavour, but they deliver great health benefits too! Have you ever wondered what the best herb combinations are though? Where should you start and what should you try to bring a […]
Omega 3 fatty acids
Reading Time: 4 minutes What are omega 3 fatty acids? Omega 3 fatty acids are single or polyunsaturated fatty acids. You may be more familiar with them as “good fats”. They are also called essential fatty acids because they are essential for human life. The three most important omega 3 fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) […]
How Chromium works
Reading Time: 3 minutes How Chromium works – everything you need to know about this powerful nutrient As the perhaps lesser-known as some of the other minerals we know of, you might be wondering what chromium is and how it works. Chromium is a mineral that helps our bodies metabolise carbohydrates and fats on a microcellular level and it […]
Amino acids and their effects
Reading Time: 3 minutes Why amino acids are vital for our health Amino acids are our body’s building block of proteins, giving them a key role in supplying us with energy. If the body is supplied with enough amino acids, it can have a positive effect on our wellbeing. Many people associate amino acids exclusively with fitness. Yet amino […]
Why are eggs healthy?
Reading Time: 7 minutes The health benefits of eggs Are eggs good for you? This question has long been a subject of debate, the reason being that many people associate eggs with harmful cholesterol and its negative effects on the body. However, studies have shown that eggs contain many valuable nutrients important for our body’s health.1 This makes chicken […]
The influence of epigenetics
Reading Time: 2 minutes Can leading a healthy lifestyle affect our cells at a genetic level? Epigenetics involves the control of our genes by factors other than our individual DNA sequence.1 We’re all made up of a series of DNA – this cannot fundamentally change but the gene activity within our DNA can be altered. The study of epigenetics […]
Calcium
Reading Time: 3 minutes The mineral that is stored in our bones and teeth Calcium is one of the essential minerals. Since the body stores large amounts of the substance in bones and teeth, calcium is the most important mineral in terms of quantity.1 Calcium intake is mainly covered through food when eating a healthy and balanced diet. Find […]
What are micronutrients?
Reading Time: 8 minutes Vitamins, minerals, trace elements & other nutrients Nutrients are divided into two groups: micronutrients and macronutrients. By definition, micronutrients are components of food that do not give the body energy but are still essential to life due to their function and various processes in the body.1 Micronutrients include vitamins, minerals and trace elements in addition […]
The macros
Reading Time: 5 minutes The macros: carbohydrate, protein and fat Macronutrients, or macros for short, include carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Almost everything we eat contains a certain amount of macronutrients. Our body needs the nutrients for various important functions such as growth, development and energy supply.1 Learn more about what macronutrients can do in our body. Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are […]
Raw food diet
Reading Time: 9 minutes Strengthen your body naturally Is raw food healthy or just a trend? Many people are sceptical about meals that are prepared with a blender, juicer or spiraliser, and prefer to pull out a frying pan or switch on the oven instead. That being the case, we often overlook the fact that not all foods have […]
Vegetarian nutrition
Reading Time: 4 minutes Healthy living as a vegetarian More and more people are opting for a vegetarian diet. Vegetarians don’t eat meat and fish — and in some cases, they avoid other animal products as well. Many vegetarians want to make their diet healthy and balanced. The issue of animal welfare also often plays a role in the […]
Secondary plant metabolites — also known as phytonutrients
Reading Time: 2 minutes What are phytonutrients? Secondary plant substances are also referred to as phytonutrients, phytochemicals or secondary plant ingredients. But how do the substances work? Secondary plant metabolites are responsible for dyes, bitter substances, fragrances and flavours in food. Phytonutrients do not belong to the essential nutrients of the body, but are involved in a variety of […]
Green vegetables
Reading Time: 4 minutes Why it’s worth eating green vegetables and fruit A colourful diet brings variety to the kitchen. You can support your own health by cooking different coloured vegetables. Many people like to grab yellow peppers, purple aubergines or red tomatoes in the supermarket — but green vegetables can also be regularly added to the shopping basket. […]
Rheumatism, arthritis and diet
Reading Time: 3 minutes How the well-being of people with rheumatism can be supported by the right diet According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, arthritis affects nearly half of all adults over 65,1 and the pain and discomfort of arthritis can be enough to lower a person’s quality of life. A particularly painful form of arthritis […]
How to prevent meningitis in your teenager
Reading Time: 4 minutes A healthy diet and a strong immune system can help to avoid meningitis Meningitis is a serious infection whereby the lining around your brain and spinal cord becomes inflamed. There are two types of meningitis – viral and bacterial. Bacterial meningitis can be life-threatening. Viral meningitis is usually not but can still leave you some […]
Why is zinc important?
Reading Time: 2 minutes Aside from contributing to our DNA, what else does Zinc do for us? It’s surprising just how much! This ubiquitous mineral helps not only to maintain our immune system but also our bones, our skin, nails and our hair. It’s also vital for our cognitive function and protects our cells from oxidative stress. It even […]
Why is vitamin D important?
Reading Time: 4 minutes Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins for our overall health but it’s also one that some of us aren’t getting enough of. Vitamin D is probably best known for its contribution to our bone health by helping our bodies to absorb calcium and phosphorus, key minerals for strong bones. It’s important to […]
The best foods and nutrition for your hair
Reading Time: 3 minutes How a healthy diet and healthy hair are connected Good nutrition will benefit your whole body, including your hair, because healthy hair begins from the inside out. Issues on the inside, such as nutritional deficiencies, can often present themselves in the condition of your hair, in areas such as hair loss or brittle and weak […]
Fasting and nutritional supplements
Reading Time: < 1 minute How important is nutritional supplementation whilst fasting? While fasting can be very beneficial it’s important to do it safely and in a healthy way. Fasting, put simply, is when you do not consume food for a given period of time. But for optimal health it’s important to ensure that, when you’re fasting, you’re still getting […]
Making healthy diet choices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, flexitarian, fruitarian…with so many different diets to pick from, making healthy diet choices can be confusing. It really doesn’t have to be though. In fact, when followed effectively, a diet doesn’t have to be a ‘diet’ at all. It can open you up to a life of abundant eating where you get […]
Variety in a healthy diet is key
Reading Time: 2 minutes Many eating plans focus on limiting or cutting out entire food groups, but they each play an important role in keeping us healthy. A balanced diet is actually not about ‘cutting out’ in the traditional sense at all. It’s about striking a balance that gets the right nutrients into your body while limiting the foods […]
Choosing the best quality in nutritional supplementation
Reading Time: 2 minutes Whenever we make a serious investment – in a house or flat, or a new car – we naturally spend a large amount of time checking that we have the best possible information available because we want to make a good choice. It’s our money at stake, after all. So if you are thinking about […]
Can diet boost your immune system?
Reading Time: 3 minutes Whilst there are no foods or supplements that can stop us getting highly contagious viruses, we do know certain nutrients and vitamins are more important than others when it comes to our immune systems. That doesn’t mean we should become slaves to them or that we should become fixated on what we eat. You’ll be […]
Do macronutrients matter?
Reading Time: 2 minutes The importance of macronutrients for a healthy body The Oxford English dictionary defines a nutrient as ‘a substance that provides nourishment essential for the maintenance of life and for growth’. But what is a ‘macronutrient’? Macronutrients, or ‘macros’ are the new buzzwords, but don’t let that lessen their importance as the science of macros is […]
Eat superfoods for winter wellness
Reading Time: 2 minutes Traditionally, winter is not the season we tend to associate with good health. But why? Is it the masses of cold, flu and cough remedies that suddenly start to take over our cabinets? The harsh, biting wind that whips around slowly freezing us, or the long dark evenings that lower our mood and drain our […]
Supporting healthy digestion
Reading Time: 4 minutes Your diet and nutrition choices can impact on your life in a variety of ways, including the way they affect your digestion. We all have different profiles and sensitivities when it comes to how we digest and process the foods we eat, and this can also change over time as we get older. More often […]
Eating for wellbeing and energy
Reading Time: 2 minutes Should you decide to explore a more active lifestyle, it pays to think about the foods you should eat; there are many great ingredients for meals that are ideal to support and sustain your energy and activity levels. Your overall eating pattern may need a bit of readjustment. We are all familiar with the importance […]
Antioxidants: Protecting Cells from Oxidative Stress
Reading Time: 4 minutes The power of antioxidants in supporting wellbeing Antioxidants are well known to be beneficial to us, but their potential health benefits may go even further than we thought. Studies have shown that Vitamin C, for example, is a natural antioxidant that plays a role in the healing of wounds by producing collagen. It is also […]
The timing of nutritional supplements
Reading Time: 2 minutes When is the best time to take them? Taking your supplements at the ‘wrong’ time doesn’t mean they won’t work, but for optimum effect there are certain key times when you should take different vitamins and minerals. The ‘correct’ timing can help in terms of bio-availability and there are optimal times when the body will […]
The seeds of satisfaction
Reading Time: 4 minutes Many of us already know that organic whole foods are highly nutritious with little to none of the additives and preservatives that can be found in some of the processed foods lining our supermarket shelves. Yet many also believe that sourcing good quality produce involves specialist suppliers or higher price tags. Yet there’s another option […]
Little red wonders
Reading Time: 3 minutes Small, shiny, tasty – and good for you too, no wonder cherries are a firm favourite for so many. In fact, cherries are beloved in countries around the world, with National Cherry Day1 in the UK, and whole festivals dedicated to them in the USA. We just can’t seem to get enough of this small […]
How our wellbeing needs change through life
Reading Time: 3 minutes In our journey through life, the nutritional support our bodies need alters just as we do.1 Eating well is a core part of achieving a state of wellbeing, however old we are. But as we age, gracefully and graciously, we can also learn how adjusting elements of our diet and nutritional intake can be a […]
What is vitamin C good for?
Reading Time: 3 minutes When it comes to the benefits of vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) the list is quite impressive. Not only does it help the normal function of our immune system including during and after physical exercise, it contributes to our normal collagen formation helping the normal function of major parts of our body including […]
Supplementing your busy lifestyle
Reading Time: 2 minutes Work hard, play hard is a motto that many people can relate to. With increasing demands on our time from work, family, friends, hobbies – even exercise – you’re probably no stranger to trying to cram in as much as possible to your waking hours. The trouble is that making such prolonged demands on your […]
Food and Mood
Reading Time: 2 minutes Can what we eat really affect the way we feel? The link between the mood we find ourselves in and what we decide to eat has long been known. When we are feeling down and unhappy we frequently turn to food – classic comfort eating. When we are happy we will often celebrate with food. […]
What is bioavailability?
Reading Time: 3 minutes And why is it essential for nutritional supplements? Sooner or later, if you are exploring the world of nutritional supplements you will come across the term ‘bioavailability’. It sounds slightly off putting, but is actually an extremely important factor in whether supplements are effective or not. Like many scientific terms, it is better understood if […]
Understanding Supplements
Reading Time: 2 minutes Restoring the body’s natural balance The combined onslaughts of processed, nutrient-poor food and lifestyles that can be at one and the same time hyperactive and sedentary, relentless and disorientating, mean that it is no surprise that our bodies sometimes feel the strain. A healthy body naturally strives to achieve a balance between a rounded diet, […]