In this week's blog, our Nutritional Therapist, Ruth, explores in detail all things gamma linolenic acid. GLA for short!
What is GLA?
Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an omega-6 fatty polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). Omega-6 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids, as they are necessary for human health, but the body cannot make them. You therefore need to get them through diet. Along w...
When we refer to the ‘foundations of health’ we are talking about creating a solid foundation upon which we can build. Our concept of the foundations of health is centred around the three fundamental components which contribute to supporting optimal health and wellbeing.
From a nutritional perspective, a multivitamin and mineral, probiotic and essential fatty acid supplement can collectively fo...
In this blog our guest writer, Fiona Lawson - a nutritionist, researcher and skin specialist - shares her nutrition advice for supporting skin health.
We knew that diet affected skin before we could even define nutrients. In the mid-18th century, British sailors dreaded the bleeding gums, skin haemorrhages and bruising that could develop on long voyages. In one of the earliest clinical trials r...
As we enter a cost-of-living crisis, we are all feeling extra pressure in our pockets with difficult choices to be made on where our finances are most keenly needed. It can be a time of high stress, where the need to survive can over-ride supporting long-term wellness. However, with increasing pressure on the NHS, it is now more important than ever to focus on health and mental wellbeing to mai...
Pregnancy provides a unique and critical window of opportunity to implement healthy dietary habits, and balanced maternal nutrition during pregnancy is important not only for the health of the mother but also to provide the right environment for optimal development of the baby. Nutritional status of the mother at conception and during pregnancy can also determine, at least in part, the risk to ...
It is that time of year again, the daffodils are blooming, days are getting longer and warmer, and the beginnings of spring have emerged. Unfortunately, for a substantial proportion of the population, it signifies the beginning of a range of debilitating symptoms which can cause a very real burden to everyday life.
The UK has one of the highest rates of hay fever in the world, with statistics s...
Our nutritional requirements can vary from one life stage to the next and can alter according to specific reasons such as pregnancy, health problems such as infection or disease, or ageing and medications. Recent nutritional surveys indicate however that many of us, across all age groups, are not even obtaining the most basic level of certain nutrients.1-4
In this weeks’ blog we look at some of...
Black seed oil is derived from the small, black seeds of the Nigella sativa, a flowering plant with purple, white or blue flowers, that is native to Southern Europe, Southwest Asia, and North Africa. Nigella sativa belongs to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) and can grow up to 30 cm tall. It produces a fruit with seeds that are used as a spice in many cuisines and is cultivated in many coun...
The sea buckthorn plant (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a thorny, deciduous, temperate bush plant native to the Himalayas but is now widely naturalised in coastal areas around the UK. The plant has been used to treat a wide variety of diseases in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine, as well as in many cultures around the world, for centuries.
Sea buckthorn oil, extracted from the berries of the ...
There is a lot to love about the colder months. It’s an excuse to add cinnamon, vanilla and cloves to everything; cosy up to an open fire and drink hot tea to your heart’s desire. However, the progressive reduction in hours of light, as well as the drop in temperature can deeply affect the state of our body.
The reduced availability of UV rays during the colder months impacts synthesis of vitam...
