Why is it that we crave more carbohydrates such as hearty bowls of pasta, chocolate and more stodgy foods in winter? Is it the cold dark nights that have us reaching for something filling or sweet or is there something else going on biologically?

Atopic eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that can affect people of all ages, although most commonly presents in early childhood. The exact cause of eczema is not known, but it is thought that skin barrier dysfunction, impaired immunity and inflammation, disturbance of the microbiome, genetics and environmental factors can all contribute to the condition – and therefore therapeutic approaches should focus on these key areas.

Our skin is our largest organ, encompassing around 15% of our body weight, and is made up of three separate layers. In order to perform it's array of functions, the skin needs a constant flow of energy and nutrients. It is becoming increasingly clear that the nutrients you provide your body with, can significantly affect the health and agiing of your skin.

Vitamin C is one of the most well-known and commonly supplemented nutrients. In the 1920s, vitamin C was first identified by the prospective Nobel laureate Albert Szent-Györgyi, who unravelled the role of this essential vitamin for the treatment and prevention of scurvy. Before its discovery, around 50% of sailors developed scurvy, a condition now recognised as associated with vitamin C deficiency. It was noted that scurvy could be ameliorated by the consumption of citrus fruits, especially limes, during sea voyages and so lemon or lime juice became part of sailors’ daily rations. 

More than 2000 years ago, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, suggested that all disease begins in the gut, and modern medicine continues to demonstrate that very often, this is indeed the case. If you look through the enormous amount of literature on the subject of the gut microflora, you will find some connection with almost any condition you can think of.

As the summer holidays draw to an end, many of us will welcome the return to routine and normality as the kids go back to school, but it can also bring the worry of back-to-school germs and illnesses. As the temperature cools, children will spend more time indoors, closely packed classrooms can become a breeding ground for germs and viruses can stay airborne for longer. The good news is that, as parents, there are steps you can take to reduce both the frequency and severity of your children picking up coughs, colds and bugs.

Here at Cytoplan, we believe there is a “nutrition gap” in most people’s diets. Illustrated by key figures within medicine and nutritional science, the nutrition gap refers to the difference between the levels of nutrients the average person, eating a reasonable Western diet, is obtaining from food, and the levels of nutrients needed for optimal health.

Feeling tired all the time and brain fog have unfortunately become commonplace in our fast-paced 21^st century lives. The good news? There are achievable steps we can take, both through diet and lifestyle to help us feel our most effervescent selves again!

Your liver needs optimal levels of amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals in order to function properly – and we also need to consider the pressure we put on the liver to detoxify, from poor diet as well as environmental and emotional stressors. If we are exposed to too many toxins, our detoxification system will become unbalanced, and the liver won’t be able to function optimally.