'The Brains Behind the Formulations': Amanda Williams answers the questions on life and health we've always wanted to ask this International Womens Day

In the week of International Womens Day, we are bringing you our own Cytoplan women and some of their stories around their own specific life, work and health journeys. Starting with our ultimate Woman of Cytoplan and expert, Amanda Williams. She is the brains behind our formulations, which we believe are the best in the world.

We’ve asked Amanda some questions we’ve always wanted to ask, and we know you’d like to read about, in this special edition of ‘Ask the Expert’.

What made you move into nutritional therapy?

My desire to understand the  power of nutrition began as a child when my parents, both Dr’s, died at early ages of cancer. I will never forget the overwhelming fear that prevailed for both of them, who as doctors could do nothing to change their own health destiny. I remember my father suddenly developing an interest in selenium and Vitamin C which he felt might change the course of his terminal illness. Empowered by his new way of thinking, which was that there may have been something that could have prevented the cancer if only he’d known earlier on, I was driven by a desire to understand the cause-and-effect relationship of nutrition on health and disease. I felt this this was the only sure way one could prevent the fear that arises from the belief that disease is omnipotent and beneficially change outcomes, minimise disease risk and ultimately optimise quality of life for myself and everyone else.

My early life centred around a great love of animals and a career as a veterinary nurse which quickly moved into animal nutrition and then naturally human nutrition and a career as a nutritional therapist. I have been so privileged to work for Cytoplan for the past 25 years and to be in a position that allowed me to continue my learning journey.

What are important factors in your own lifestyle (diet and exercise)?

I feel that exercise sits at the top of the hierarchy of prerequisites for health. Nutrition is a close second and sleep a very close third.  Our physiology is still as it was in hunter gatherer days and hence we are genetically adapted to a diet and lifestyle that is very different from life in the western world today.  Paleolithic man was a very active being and all our body antioxidant and detoxification systems are upregulated through exercise, as is our brain size – so physiologically exercise is vital for optimum healthy function. 

Diet is a very close second – but not the diet most of us eat today, even those trying to be as healthy as possible, just lots of vegetables and a small amount of lean small animal meat and fish. Hippocrates said let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” – and back in those days it was possible to achieve all you needed for health from food – not so today! So for me diet and supplements to bridge the nutrition gap” and make up for shortfalls go hand in hand. 

Sleep too is vital for health as so much cell and tissue cleansing and regeneration takes place while we sleep. So I exercise at least 6 days a week by swimming, walking, biking and occasional horse riding. I am thoughtful and careful with diet and try to buy organic food whenever possible. I go to bed early and place a high importance on ensuring a good night’s sleep and take (lots and lots of !) supplements to support my body in all of these areas.

At 67 I feel I have more energy and better health than I did when I was 30 and before I knew about the impact of nutrition on health!!

How have you found being a woman in a senior position, and what advice would you give to anyone starting out?

Follow your heart, keep focussed, keep learning and you will be in a privileged position of being able to truly help yourself and others experience the best of health! There is more pleasure in giving than receiving! knowledge of nutrition, health and nutritional therapeutics is coveted and desired which will give you  a wonderful and fulfilling career. The great thing about being in a senior position is being able to influence beneficial change and have a voice that is heard, but by virtue it is important to make sure you are well informed! 

How do women's nutritional needs vary throughout their lifecycle, from adolescence to menopause and beyond? 

It is important for women to support their health via nutrition throughout their lives in order to optimise growth, reproductive health, tissue remodelling and repair, changes through different life stages such as the menopause and achieve wellness into old age. The first recommendation would be a wholesome organic or biodynamic wholefood diet rich in colourful vegetables and a few colourful fruits, combined with good quality multi vitamin and mineral and essential fatty acid supplements.

Adolescence

During adolescence a woman is still growing, and the brain is still developing, nutrients that are important include the B vitamins especially folate and B12, iron, vitamin D and zinc.

Reproductive years

As she enters her reproductive years, fertility and hormone regulation become a significant focus. Important nutrients for healthy fertility include B6, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin C. Also, the health of the gut microbiome and the liver are important for hormone regulation, and these can often need support – a probiotic and phytonutrient supplement are both very useful for supporting the balance of the microbiome and liver health.

Perimenopause

During perimenopause it is sometimes necessary to place more emphasis on supporting a healthy stress response as well as cognition as this is a time when stress can be experienced along with anxiety and brain fog. Therefore, I recommend nutrients that support the brain and the stress response such as B vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids, magnesium, and perhaps adaptogenic herbs such as Ashwagandha, should be prioritised.

Post menopause

Post-menopause it is important to support bone density and healthy ageing so nutrients including vitamin D3 and K2, magnesium, CoQ10 , (which depletes after the age of 50) and B12 can be really helpful. It is an essential time to consider the health of the digestive system as the ability to absorb nutrients can begin to diminish. It is also important to note that once menstruation finishes at menopause,  iron requirement will reduce and hence supplement regimes might need to change at this time. 

Are there specific nutrients that women commonly lack in their diets, and how can these deficiencies impact their overall health? 

It is difficult to obtain optimal levels of all nutrients in general, even if the diet is really healthy, so supporting with a good quality multi vitamin and mineral is fundamental to wellness. Nutrients such as magnesium, zinc and vitamin C are easily depleted by stress, they are essential for female health and can be low in modern diets so they can often be depleted. Also, nutrients that are essential for immune function including vitamin D and selenium can be difficult to obtain in sufficient quantity from diet alone.

Vitamin D can be particularly hard to come by from natural sources (food and sunlight) over the winter or for people who spend little time outside (as exposure to sunlight is important for vitamin D production in the body). Deficiencies or sub optimal levels of these nutrients can be difficult to quantify but can be seen as poor resistance to stress, susceptibility to infection and inflammatory diseases, poor skin, difficulty maintaining a healthy weight, low mood and hormone imbalances to name a few.  

In what ways does nutrition play a role in managing hormonal imbalances, such as those experienced during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause? 

Nutrients essential for the production of reproductive hormones  include B6, zinc, magnesium and amino acids (from protein) and fatty acids, so if we are depleted in these nutrients, it can affect the production of certain hormones. In addition, stress can affect hormone regulation, as can the health of the gut and the liver. Therefore, nutrition that supports stress, gut and liver health is paramount for reproductive health and hormone balance. Supplemental probiotics are useful for supporting and optimising gut health which impacts hormone regulation. Also, B vitamins, N-acetyl cysteine, flavonoids, carotenoids, curcumin and garlic all support liver pathways involved in hormone detoxification and excretion. Everyone is different so individualised programmes to address the many potential imbalances are to be recommended.

Health practitioners or our own free health questionnaires are great ways to understand your personal needs. 

The million dollar question - what supplements do you take?

OK, my miracle supplements:

• Foundation formula 2; Omega Protect, and Cherry C to bridge my nutrition gap
• Fos-a-dophilus (I swear by this)
• Magnesium Threonate – my desert island product and fantastic for aiding restorative sleep
• Spirulina, vitamins K2/D3, vitamin B12, and Skin Food Complex – to help me look and feel 10 years younger!
• Lastly but most certainly not least, CytoProtect Joints - I had a totally smashed ankle from a severe compression fracture involving several joints. I was told it would never heal and I would be unlikely to walk again without an ankle fusion. After 2 years on CytoProtect Joints and quite a slow healing journey, as joint tissue takes so long to remodel and repair, I now cannot remember which ankle it was!