What type of diet makes you live longer? It’s a fascinating question to explore: when considering The Danish Twin Studies which followed over 3000 pairs of twins to understand what makes us live longer we can be reassured that we have at least 75% control and only around 25% is down to genetic factors. So what can we learn from the research; is it all about diet and if so what do we need to eat and what’s off the menu. Read on to explore this incredible topic.

It’s rhubarb season; a fruit which I always look forward to seeing appear in the shops or, even better, emerging from the ground. It is super high in fibre and rich in some immune promoting nutrients such as Vitamin C. This recipe offers a slightly healthier take on the traditional rhubarb crumble. The deliciously sour taste of the rhubarb melds well with the soft sweetness of the pear. I have taken out the traditional bulk of sugar and added some calcium rich seeds. Pomegranate gives extra crunch and texture. Just wonderful. I hope you enjoy.

Try these gluten free, incredibly satisfying pancakes made with a blitzed up oat and ground almonds mix. Perfect with any berries or frozen cherries (my new breakfast staple).

I always wonder when we arrive at Pancake Day why we don’t eat pancakes more often? They are so satisfying and simple to make. During this troublesome time of our lives, pancakes are perfect for a sustaining but low-cost meal or snack. Here we have a twist on the usual pancake mix offering something a little tastier with a more varied nutritional profile.

Marine vegetables, such as seaweed, are not an item that historically have been part of the UK diet. However, there are so many delicious ways to bring seaweed into your kitchen without training as a sushi chef: these include sushi bowls (all the fun of sushi without the technical drama), the use of roasted nori seaweed strips or seaweed flakes to jazz up soups and salads, or a simple Itsu seaweed snack. Seaweed is a powerhouse of nutrients such as amino acids, omega 3 fats, vitamin A, B, C and E plus it is a rich source of minerals, a key player being iodine. With this immune boosting profile, now is a great time to introduce this marine vegetable into your diet.

Beetroot and Ginger soup with Black garlic paste. A warming and nourishing soup for wintry lockdown days. But there is more to these super foods than flavour.

Our favourite new recipe creation of the 2021 lockdown; a blend of Moroccan spices, Blue Zone root vegetables (the wonderful sweet potato) and my new kitchen pals - Belazu Rose Harrisa Pesto and Suma’s tinned organic Beluga lentils. All comes together in a mouth watering extravaganza (I know, the small things in life can be hugely exciting during lockdown!)

The key to Longevity is not all about nutrition. Let’s consider other well researched common factors found in areas of the world with high rates of wellness.

‘Peace on Earth’ is a phrase that we associate with this time. For many, we may be wondering where that PEACE has gone and whether it will return. There are many things that we cannot control in this pandemic, but we can still pull in some healthy rituals to keep us mentally strong.

Notes and research links from last nights webinar …

Three immune boosting reasons to share your home with fluffy friends over lock down and beyond.

Thyroid imbalances have far reaching effects and elicit fatigue, depression, coldness, constipation, poor skin, headaches, PMS, dysmenorrhea, fluid retention, weight gain, anxiety/panic attacks, decreased memory and concentration, muscle and joint pain, and a low sex drive. Read on if this symptom pattern resonates.

What is Functional Testing? Functional Testing digs deeper. The term refers to diagnostic testing in order to understand the root causes of illness or disease.

Is it possible to measure our stress levels by understanding our stress hormone output? Yes, read on!

In a previous blog post I cited the 2018 Mental Health study which indicated that over the last year 74% of people had felt so stressed they had been overwhelmed or unable to cope.

Working on our ability to cope with stress with good nutrition, lifestyle changes, mindfulness and, if relevant, supplementation rather than simply patching up the symptoms is so vital to long term health.

Were you told as a child that eating carrots would help you to see in the dark? Did you believe it?

This ‘old wife’s tale’ has more validity than the outdated expression ‘old wife’s tale’, the latter defined as ‘a widely held traditional belief that is now thought to be unscientific or incorrect’.

Well let’s think again, let us look further into these beliefs, cast aside any historic misogynistic ideologies and hail carrots as wonderful vegetables which do indeed help us to see in the dark. It is a fact and can be linked to science so the wise females of the world should be given credit even when ‘old and married’.

Many theorists on 21st C stress point out that we were not designed to experience ‘fight or flight’ reactions as frequently as our ancestors.

I disagree. Cave dwellers were regularly exposed to plummeting temperatures, predators, rival tribes, extreme hunger, intense exercise and more. So why is it that we are failing to adapt to the stressors of modern day life?

In my ‘Why are We Stressing’ webinars we will consider the aspects of life which allow us to remain resilient to stress; these include healthy sleep patterns, social interaction, our attitude to our lives, validation, dopamine hits, the gut microbiome, genetics and a healthy diet.

A beautiful blend of tomatoes and red peppers with natural sweetness oozing from this tasty plant-based recipe.

In this balmy and beautiful weather it’s inevitable that deeply entrenched ice-cream cravings may creep in. This creamy and deliciously smooth alternative will be way more friendly to the gut and equally as delicious as an ice-cream.

There have been many times over the last 6 weeks of self-isolation that I have heard of a friend, client or family member having a Urinary Tract Infection. Why during this Covid-19 isolation are UTI’s seemingly more apparent? And what can you do about it.

Oats are associated with satisfaction. And rightly so. Starting the day with an oat-rich breakfast has long been a tradition in the UK and other parts of the world. Oats offer a slow release carbohydrate with keep us fuller for longer. They are rich in fibre and low in calories; just 1 cup of oatmeal contains about 150 calories, 4 grams of fibre (about half soluble and half insoluble), and 6 grams of protein. Oats also boast a wide array of health boosting nutrients such as thiamine, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, selenium, and iron.

Are you bored of over-night oats? Or need a dessert because you’ve run out of yogurts and the usual stuff. Here is a sweet and delightful dish which works well for breakfast or as a pudding. In these self-isolating times, tins of prunes with their post war out-dated image are not flying off the shelves so you should have no problems in locating some. Their highly palatable sweet stickiness blends perfectly with frozen blueberries, tender banana and oats. The walnuts offer some brain boosting nutrients and a level of satisfying fat which keeps us fuller for longer.

Sunday cook along live ZOOM sessions - get organised before we start with this step by step guide.