The Elephant in the Room of the Diet Industry

As many embark on a new year diet, I want to tackle the proverbial ‘elephant in the room’: the trillions of bacteria, fungi and viruses that we co-exist with. Consider the fact that we at only around 43% human and 57% microbial, how can we possibly ignore them?!

These microbes are also the reason why so many fad diets fail. What worked for the diet book author, your friend, or your family member, won’t necessarily work for you. Not unless you evolved in a clinically-sealed petri dish with the same shared dietary, social and environmental experiences. Realistically, it just isn’t possible and here’s why… let’s look at the science.

The majority of microbes inhabit our large intestine and every gut microbiome is wholly unique. Think of your gut microbiome like a biological fingerprint or signature. It is the embodiment of all our genetic, physical, mental, emotional, environmental, social, and cultural experiences. What we eat, our belief systems, movement, environment, nature, social and community engagement have all been found to influence the state of our microbiome in research studies.

The human intestinal tract harbours an estimated three trillion bacterial members, up to a 1000 different bacteria species, and the ratio of gut microbiota to human cells is roughly 1:1. What’s more, the genetic diversity of gut microbiota is 100 times higher than that of human cells. That’s a huge amount of DNA we are carrying in us with an infinite numbers of variables possible between person to person.

In the exciting field of nutrigenomics, the focus is on gene expression, whether we activate a particular gene or not. Professor Vittorio Sebastiano, Epigeneticist at Stanford University says as much as 70% of our health outcomes are down to how we live, and not the ‘deterministic’ genes we inherited. The biggest influencer of gene expression is what we eat. However it doesn’t just stop there, as what we eat and how we live doesn’t just affect our DNA, but also the genes of the trillions of bacteria in our gut. The DNA scale and potential is huge, mind-boggling! The main takeaway I want to share however, is that there is a a HUGE amount we can do by means of what we eat and, as Professor Sebastiano says, “much of our destiny truly is in our hands.”

There can be no “one size fits all diet

Even identical twins have been found to not process food the same way. The largest ongoing scientific nutrition study of its kind, explored how more than 1000 participants (around 60 percent were sets of identical twins) process their meals. Surprisingly, the researchers found that even identical twins respond very differently to fats and carbohydrates. The study was carried out by researchers from King’s College London, Massachusetts General Hospital and nutritional science company ZOE, co-founded by Professor Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King’s College London.

The results also suggested that personal differences in metabolism due to factors such as the gut microbiome, meal timing and exercise are just as important as the nutritional composition of foods. What fascinates me is that the study found twins shared only 37% of the same microbes with each other. That’s just a little more than unrelated individuals who share an average of 35% of the same microbes.

A successful diet therefore requires an entirely personalised and person-centred or holistic approach. We really are all unique and that’s why I am passionate about supporting my clients in becoming their “own expert”. To help them tune into their own body, the many signs and symptoms that present, and to understand their own individual dietary needs. The focus has to be on sustainable wellness and more often than not, I am putting foods back into my clients’ diets.

Every gut microbiome is wholly unique. Think of it like a biological fingerprint or signature. Truly the embodiment of all our individual DNA, our genetic, physical, mental, emotional, environmental, social, and cultural experiences.

Our DNA originally determines our microbiota. We’re first exposed to microorganisms as an infant, during delivery in the birth canal and through the mother’s breast milk. Later, environmental exposures, diet and lifestyle can alter our microbiome to be either beneficial to health or to place us at greater risk for disease.

A varied and diverse diet is key to optimum health and weight loss

Counting calories is very 1999 in dietary terms. In 2023, all the science suggests you should be counting plants.

Numerous science studies show that greater numbers and a more diverse range of good gut bacteria are key to successful weight loss and management. And key to having more good bacteria is to have a diverse and varied diet high in plants and whole foods. This is what our good bacteria feed on.

Indeed, the worst thing for health and weight management is to eat the same food every single day.

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Ideally, aim for more than 7 different plants a day and a minimum of 30 different varieties a week. By plants, I mean vegetables, legumes, fruits, shoots, leaves, nuts, seeds, whole grains, herbs and spices, etc.

Sadly, too many diets have a restrictive element and entail cutting out entire food groups which can result in nutritional imbalances and deficiencies. Instead the focus should be on variety and balance. I see a lot of gut health problems stem from people avoiding dairy and carbohydrates especially. In fact, some carbohydrates such as oats provide important sources of resistant starch which can help boost butyrate-producing microbes.

A lot of gut health problems stem from insufficient butyrate. Butyrate is a short chain fatty acid and the main source of fuel for the cells (colonocytes) lining the colon. Butyrate ensures the optimum environment for your gut microbes to flourish. It also helps insulate blood sugar levels and increase insulin sensitivity; helps regulate energy metabolism; has important anti-inflammatory properties; protects against cancer; and prevents obesity. Butyrate increases leptin gene expression. Leptin suppresses food intake, prevents low metabolism, and promotes weight loss. Higher butyrate levels also help increase levels of glutathione, an important antioxidant which helps strengthen the intestinal barrier and increase bioavailability of iron and zinc.

Fermented dairy products like kefir, bio yoghurt and certain probiotic cheeses are important sources of good bacteria (lactobacillus and bifidobacteria).

In cutting out whole food groups, you can unwittingly exclude certain good bacteria which are very beneficial to health and aid weight loss. This isn’t a good idea. More so, when you consider that science research increasingly studies health conditions in relation to the lower incidence or absence of a certain gut microbe.

As for eliminating fat entirely from your diet, extra virgin olive oil is a valuable source of polyphenols which help promote Akkermansia Municiphilia, a beneficial bacteria that helps strengthen the intestinal lining. That lining, our gut epithelium, is the dividing line between the human and microbial worlds, and it plays a critical mediator role. It really is our front line defence to external threats, a key facet of our immune system.

Essential fatty acids such as omega 3 found in oily fish and flaxseeds also have anti-inflammatory properties and are important for vitamin A,D,E, and K absorption, hormonal health, blood sugar and cholesterol management; also gut, brain, liver and heart health. Good fats are also important for bile flow. Insufficient bile is another contributor to so many gut health problems that I see. Yo-yo fasting and low fat diets also risk later gallbladder removal.

Our microbiome plays so many key roles in promoting the smooth everyday operation of the human body. Most of our microbes are symbiotic (where both the human body and microbiota benefit) but some, in smaller numbers, are pathogenic (promoting disease).

In a healthy body, pathogenic and symbiotic microbiota coexist happily. However, if there is a disturbance in that balance—brought on by infectious illnesses, certain diets, or the prolonged use of antibiotics, artificial sweeteners, or other bacteria-destroying medications—gut dysbiosis occurs. This stops the normal interactions and as a result, the body can become more susceptible to disease.

Gut dysbiosis is implicated in various conditions including IBS, allergies, autism, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

In particular, a high-fibre diet affects the type and amount of microbiota in the intestines. Dietary fibre can only be broken down and fermented by enzymes from microbiota living in the colon. These bacteria then release short chain fatty acids such as butyrates as a result of the fermentation process. This lowers the pH of the colon, which, in turn, determines the type of microbiota present that would survive in this acidic environment. The lower pH limits the growth of some harmful bacteria like Clostridium difficile.

Our gut microbes aren’t just gate-crashing, they are integral to our health

Our gut microbiota help us:

Digest food
Produce metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids and vitamins, which strengthen the gut barrier and regulate/promote a healthy immune system
Protect us against other pathogenic, disease-causing bacteria
Break down potentially toxic food compounds
Synthesise certain vitamins and amino acids, including B vitamins and Vitamin K
Help regulate our hormones, including the amount of oestrogen circulating in our system at any one time
Produce neurotransmitters that affect how we feel, including dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid. These are key players in triggering intense feelings of happiness, reward, or anxiety

Indeed, our gut bacteria greatly impact our overall physical, emotional and mental health. It is why I do scientific cognitive testing, anxiety, depression and perceived stress screening, so that clients can objectively measure their progress, Increasingly, research is looking into how our gut bacteria also influence our behaviour.

In 2023, Promote Food Diversity

The first UK Food Diversity Day will be taking place this Friday, on the 13th January. Professor Tim Spector will be taking part in that along with other leading experts. Dan Saladino, author of ‘Eating to Extinction’ has been really driving awareness of this important issue. Saladino’s article ‘Are we eating ourselves to extinction?’ explains why we really should be thinking more about what we put on our plate. What are the implications of the world’s increasingly homogeneous diet for the diversity of our gut microbiota and our overall health?

Here’s a scary statistic: of the 6,000 plant species humans have eaten over time, the world now mostly eats just nine, of which just three – rice, wheat and maize – provide 50% of all calories. Add potato, barley, palm oil, soy and sugar (beet and cane) and you have 75% of all the calories that fuel our species. As thousands of foods have become endangered and extinct, a small number have risen to dominance. For example soy which plays a starring role in an increasingly homogeneous diet eaten by billions of people.

These dietary shifts are taking place on a global level and are unprecedented. Global markets increasingly infringe on our food choices. They threaten the diversity of natural food sources so essential to our gut microbiome. I encourage everyone to incorporate more plants and whole foods in their diet, and to seek out new varieties! Try a new plant this week or try growing it in your garden. Our very future might depend on it.

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For more information or to book a nutrition consultation, contact Charlotte Fraser at enquiries@naturopathic-nutrition.com.

February 9, 2022May 20, 2022

Time to Come to our Senses!

Hear the words ‘sensory integration’ and you tend to think of occupational therapists and child development. We refer to the five senses (vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell) but go online and you discover it is a hotly-contested subject. Some scientists cite up to 33 senses! Why am I so interested? That’s because my recent Integrated Healing Retreat at Preidlhof in Italy made me realise just how much Covid has dulled everyone’s senses.

My stay at Preidlhof was profoundly restorative. It also reinforced my belief that we are more than the sum of our parts which the pandemic seemingly reduced everything to: symptoms and daily statistics. Preidlhof goes beyond medical diagnostics to treat the whole person. I was curious to learn more as it is rare to find such a concentration of so many extraordinary and highly skilled healers. I am sharing personal insights as there were some big surprises in store for me too!

Sensory-Integration-Preidlhof-nature-immersion-health — Preidlhof in South Tyrol, Italy

Our senses shape our self and community

The past two years have been dehumanising, separating people from the outside world and others. In many cases I see in my own nutrition practice, people are disconnected also from themselves.

It is, however, our senses that unite us and provide meaning to the world around us, also our internal landscape.

Yes, Covid made us alert to our sense of taste and smell. However, with all the focus on symptoms, did people lose touch with what it is to be human and to be truly well? Did we actually take leave of our senses?!

It is a question I asked Patrizia Bortolin, Preidlhof’s award-winning Wellness Alchemist and leading Transformational Life Coach:

“We are seeing a big disconnect in our guests. Our senses are the starting point to enjoying life more (Hedonic Wellbeing). They enhance self-discovery and start the inner journey towards improving awareness, self-healing, and the development of our potential. They give us a better understanding of our mind’s limitations and our body’s intelligence… that sense of belonging and oneness,” says Patrizia Bortolin.

“Optimum health and wellbeing is more than about symptoms and diagnostics. Now you see so much anxiety and fear. Many, many people fear their own minds…” Patrizia continues.

Senses-integration-oranges-Preidlhof-Italy

Preidlhof’s gardens are infused with the scent of 50 lemon and olive trees, cypresses, and aromatic herbs from all over the world. Images © Laura La Monaca

Senses are the doorway to perception

Our senses help us understand and perceive the world around us. How we perceive things is shaped by integrating information across our senses, across time, and across space as we move between different environments and people. This ‘sensorial integration’ or processing enables us to make sense of the world… Also, it lays the foundation of everything we do as a human being: our social and motor skills, also our emotional and cognitive wellbeing.

“A multi-sensory learning experience with combinations of visual, auditory and other sensory functions exploits the natural connectivity of the brain. As each sense holds a proprietary memory location within the brain, the effective orchestration of multiple sensory inputs ensures a wider degree of neural stimulation.”
Wolfe (2001)

Sensory integration is essential for cognitive health, and mental and emotional wellbeing.

Senses-herbs-Preidlhof-Italy — ©wisthaler.com

At Preidlhof, sensorial integration plays a pivotal role in their ‘transformational wellness’ offering. Patrizia’s own Transformational Wellness sessions blend a whole variety of senses with coaching. Colours, sights and smells all play a part along with mindful eating and sensorial eating classes.

Senses-Analysis-Patrizia-Bortolin-Preidlhof — Sensory Analysis with Patrizia Bortolin *©Preidlhof*

Your sense of smell can enhance cognition

My initial Psychoaromatherapy session with Patrizia was revealing. I had to say if I liked or disliked a particular smell. From the findings, Patrizia suggested that my ‘pause/go’ button was stuck, and this inhibited my ability ‘to let pain go’ while conflicting with a strong desire ‘to take my power back’.

In a sensory analysis called ‘The Wheel of Life’, I had to see if I could detect a smell and if so, describe it. Then, Patrizia compared my description to see if it fell within an approved framework of descriptors. It was a fascinating exercise as I learned more about how the weakening of the olfactory sense, our ability to smell, can be an early detector of ageing and Alzheimer’s. Of course, odours take a direct route to the limbic system, including the amygdala and the hippocampus, the regions related to emotion and memory.

I became more alert to my own sense of smell when I moved from London to Kent. What I had always dismissed as ‘my weakest sense’ started to improve immeasurably. What’s more, I found myself seeking out new scents. Rediscovering your sense of smell is like reconnecting with an old friend. It unlocks memories and, during the worst of the lockdowns, when we couldn’t travel or see friends and family, I found solace tapping into those memory reserves.

Given our sense of smell’s frontline role in cognitive health, Patrizia encourages practice. She also recommends building an ‘olfactory vocabulary’, verbal descriptors. This helps to establish neural pathways and new ways of thinking.

Senses-olive-sauna-preidlhof-wellness — Olive Sauna at Preidlhof

The healing power of touch

Our sense of touch plays a primary role in our development and physical and mental well-being. Studies show the importance of physical contact in early development, communication, personal relationships, and fighting disease.

“Who do you want to kill?” asked Stefano Battaglia with a wry smile when we first meet at Preidlhof. Stefano, aka “The Shaman” had noticed that my right hand was pulling an imaginary trigger. Stefano is a healer famous in the wellness world for his work in grief and trauma healing. His signature ‘Glowing Flow’ sessions combine unique trauma touch skills, together with various bodywork techniques and dialogue.

It transpired that the ‘pause/go’ block that Patrizia had raised was also playing out in a tug of war in my right arm. I had slipped down the cellar stairs four months earlier, carrying some old curtains. At the time, my mind was racing at short notice of another Covid school closure. Ever since, my arm had been in constant pain, fizzing as though live with an electric current . It’s hard to describe what happened but Stefano deftly and ever so gently ‘defused’ the arm. It was like cutting a wire. The relief was immense and the results extraordinary. All achieved through touch and dialogue.

Stefano-Battaglia-touch-Trauma-Healing-Preidlhof — Master Therapist, Stefano Battaglia

At the end of my session with Stefano, I experienced this incredible lightness. In fact, it felt like Stefano had removed a giant rock strapped to my chest and shoulders, and had hurled it across the Ortler Mountains. The benefits weren’t just physical; vivid flashbacks to a distressing time four years ago also dissolved behind distant peaks.

The session with Martin Kirchler was also integral to my healing. Martin’s a holistic practitioner and expert in TCM and Ancient Medicines. He applied various soothing touch techniques on my arm for over 80 minutes.

Sensorial-Integration-Martin-Kirchler-Preidlhof — Martin Kirchler ©wisthaler.com

Martin explained that my parasympathetic nervous system had gone hyper as a result of the fall. “It’s like with the springs in a mattress… they recoil to cushion you from the initial blow, to protect you, but then they get stuck in a push-pull rebound.”

A multi-sensory experience

Other highlights of my stay included a heart-warming session with Shiatsu Master Andrea Martinelli; forest bathing with ‘Lady of the Woods’, Irmgard Moosmair; and a yoga nidra session with Psychologist Norma Jean. The yoga nidra reinforced the nights I slept under the stars on the bed made up for me on the loggia outside my room.

Sense-Preidlhof-nature-immersion — My view on waking up

I loved waking up to the beautiful mountain scenery and hypnotic sounds of Val Venosta. As for the new Gourmet Healing Menu, that was fabulous and a delight in every sense!

Preidlhof’s retreats stimulate guests physically, energetically, spiritually, psychologically, socially, and emotionally. They integrate ancient and contemporary healing treatments, sensorial experiences, special classes, nature immersion, medical analysis and smart technology, with the latest neurological and psychology research. All this, combined with the natural, high energy of the location, enables guests to discover a new, higher frequency in their everyday life.

Importantly…

Stefano likes to emphasise the importance of play. One of the big problems, he says, is that “We all take ourselves far too seriously. This makes us stiff. We‘re not meant to become rigid, we are basically here to evolve, preferably experiencing joy.”

How true is this?! Play is important for enhancing our sensory integration and that is why it is so essential in childhood development. In growing up, did we perhaps lose something precious on the way?

“Those enforced touch-deprived days perhaps made us understand the power of touch more.” Says Patrizia. “The tangible warmth emanating from a compassionate person… The power of a forbidden spontaneous handshake… The healing effect of an authentic therapist’s touch with no mask. The sacred rituality in a covert hug or the energy of an adventurous secret couple’s dance…”

I hugely benefited from my escape to Preidlhof. Now I encourage everyone to reinvigorate and cultivate those senses… for they can open up a whole new world!

For more information, visit Healing Holidays and Queen of Retreats.

Huge gratitude and special thanks to Klaus and Monika Ladurner; Patrizia Bortolin (you are amazing); Stefano Battaglia; Martin Kirchler; Dr. Alexander Angerer; Andrea Martinelli; Irmgard Moosmair; Norma Jean; Carmine Signorile (my brilliant Wellness Concierge); and all the Spa Team at Preidlhof. Also to James Leigh at Healing Holidays for all your brilliant travel advice!

November 9, 2021May 4, 2023

Introducing The Whole Student Programme ©

I am pleased to introduce ‘The Whole Student Programme’ ©. This is a health programme I have developed to provide holistic health and wellbeing support to students aged 12-19 to help them prosper in health, life and in their learning.

We integrate an in-depth holistic healthcare approach, scientific assessment and screening, with wise counsel, coaching and pragmatic interventions.

The programme is led by Founder, Charlotte Fraser BA Hons, Dip. NNP, Dip. AIT, an award-winning nutritionist and holistic health practitioner. Charlotte also works in close partnership, with Sarah Morris and Carmen Beyxer at Emerge Be Who You Are. Nutritionist Virginia Hills DipION, mBANT, CNHC is also on the team.

Sarah and Carmen are qualified NLP Master Practitioners, Hypnotherapists, and Life & Resilience Coaches. Sarah and Carmen can further support students in making any sustainable lifestyle changes, to improve their wellbeing, and to facilitate and build personal development, growth and resilience.

In devising this programme, we consulted many parents, teachers, schools and health professionals. It is the culmination of many years working in nutrition, holistic health and teaching, also our own experience as parents. The Whole Student Programme © aims to join the dots and to fill a big gap… a genuine need. Yes, there’s been lots of talk about ‘Holistic Education’ and the need for a ‘Whole Child’ curriculum. However, has there been a service available to students, parents and teachers that offers a truly holistic approach to the health and wellbeing of students?

The Whole Student Programme © works with individual students, parents, schools, SENCOs, and other educational experts to improve the health and wellbeing of the student both in and outside the classroom. With so many health problems often taking root in adolescence, the programme also has a strong emphasis on health prevention.

Whole-Student-holistic-health-programme-kent

We are proud to also be working in collaboration with Think Healthy Me, an organisation committed to delivering personalised, high quality, sustainable health and well-being benefits for everyone.

What inspired The Whole Student Programme ©?

There has been an increase in emotional and mental health issues in teenagers in recent years. While Covid-19 has been a catalyst, anxiety and depression were on the rise even before the pandemic. And while there’s been a growing tendency to label, diagnose and over medicalise children, we now see teenagers increasingly self-diagnosing and identifying within mental and emotional health groups.

50% of all mental health problems start at the age of 15.
Source: The Children’s Society

According to The Children’s Society, in the past three years, the likelihood of young people having a mental health problem increased by 50% . Now, five children in a classroom of 30 are likely to have a mental health problem. 75% of young people with mental health problems aren’t getting the help they need. 34% of those who do get referred into NHS services aren’t accepted into treatment. More than two thirds of young people would rather access emotional and mental health support without going through their GP.

Where should parents look for help for their children in this situation? What if your student is suffering from anxiety in school? Or what if your child thinks that they have ADHD like their school mate? All too often, the SENCO is working with a four-month backlog on two days a week. A GP referral can take months. Where do you go for support or for that initial assessment? Or, perhaps you have seen a consultant already and they want to prescribe medication. Is medication your only option, or is there a more natural treatment path?

This is where The Whole Student Programme © comes in.

For more information, visit: The Whole Student Programme’ ©.

Get in Touch for More Information or Confidential Advice

April 28, 2021April 29, 2021

‘A Well Mind’ by Dr Lisa Parkinson Roberts: Book Review

well-mind-lisa-parkinson-roberts-book-review

Why are we taught how to care only for our body and not our mind? That’s the question that is the driving force for Dr Lisa Parkinson Roberts’ new book, ‘A Well Mind’. I have often asked the same question! As Lisa rightly observes: “while this is slowly-changing, it is “more in the context of ‘Better do crosswords and talk to people daily so we don’t get Alzheimer’s,’ or ‘Better see a doctor if I’m feeling depressed.”

With all the discussion about mental health, as a society, we still remain focussed on treating the symptoms of disease. Little attention is given to cultivating a well mind. Good health is, however, about more than the absence of disease and that’s why I whole-heartedly recommend ‘A Well Mind’ to you dear Reader. As well as being informative and engaging, this book is refreshing to read. Positively uplifting in fact. As Parkinson Roberts says, “You have more control over the wellbeing of your mind than you might currently believe.” This is a message that I am keen to share as it can make such a profound difference to one’s overall health and treatment outcome.

Imagine if in school we had lessons on cultivating a well mind. Imagine being given tools to calm our nervous system, tools to ward off anxiety and depression, foods to nourish and heal our mind. Imagine if we were taught that we are not our thoughts; rather, we are an audience who has the power to choose which thoughts to watch and nurture, and which thoughts to dismiss. Imagine if we were taught how to rewrite the narrative in our head, and let go of what doesn’t serve us.”
Lisa Parkinson Roberts PhD

Published by Exisle Publishing, ‘A Well Mind’ (RRP £12.99) is a comprehensive and holistic guide to improving your wellbeing by eating well and maintaining healthy routines. Dr Parkinson Roberts looks at why the health of one’s mind is just so important. She investigates nutrition, sleep, stress management and exercise to achieve optimal mental health and to help you to regain control of how you feel. She likens her journey to reduce inflammation in her body and mind to that of a person embarking on a weight-loss journey.

The Author’s candour, her realism and compassion is striking. This is an author and academic who knows what she is talking about, not just from years of study and clinical practice (she has a PhD in Nutrition Science) but from deep and at times, most painful experience. Her personal journey makes the book all the more compelling to read and her passion and curiosity shine through.

Lisa Parkinson Roberts, Ph.D. Author of ‘A Well Mind’

Diagnosed with Bipolar at the age of fifteen, also depression and OCD, Dr Parkinson Roberts has struggled with mental health for most of her life. She now manages her mind by using “food as medicine”. Dr Parkinson Roberts found successful methods for coping and she shares these tools and her academic expertise with her readers. She learned an important lesson during her journey: “struggle can alchemize into growth, and we all struggle; the struggle just presents differently for each of us.”

‘A Well Mind’: In Summary

Parkinson Roberts explores the Gut Brain Axis, the role of the microbiome, and explains how the diversity of our good bacteria and the foods we eat influence our mind and emotions. She highlights important nutrients, vitamins and minerals to consider for optimum mental, emotional and physical health.

Supported by the latest scientific research and case studies, the Author also explores Epigenics; the benefits of immersing in nature, mindfulness techniques; the importance of breathing properly, nourishing food and nurturing relationships; the value of community and the value in finding gratitude, purpose and meaning. Dr Parkinson Roberts is only the second person I know to reference Eudaimonic wellbeing in the context of contemporary wellness. One of my mentors, Patrizia Bortolin, the innovative Spa Director at Preidlhof and a leading Transformational Wellness Coach is the first. I must take Patrizia a copy of the book when I go to Italy!

Aside from the solid nutrition and lifestyle advice, I particularly like Dr Parkinson Roberts’ mind-changing or ‘shift’ exercises. These are very helpful – powerful too. I place a great deal of importance on mindset in my own nutrition work with clients. Our thoughts affect our gut health, our emotions, our behaviour, and vice-versa! Indeed, our overall health. Our thoughts and emotions can also manifest in physical symptoms. It was a ‘change of mind’ that helped me in my own past struggles with ulcerative colitis. One day, I changed my mind. I decided to be well… that I really was going to get better. That mental shift was profoundly life-changing.

The beauty of a well mind is that it alters the landscape surrounding us. We can move from living in the past, and with it anxiety and regret, or from being caught up in the future, and with it uncertainty, to experiencing each day
mindfully and calmly.”
Lisa Parkinson Roberts, Ph.D

Dr Lisa Parkinson Roberts, I salute you! ‘A Well Mind‘ is a keeper! I will enjoy recommending this book to my clients and revisiting it time and again. Thank you!

January 20, 2021May 4, 2023

PHQ-9 Assessment for Depression

Now, more than ever, mental health forms a major component of my work in nutrition. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented increase in stress among communities and individuals, worsening or triggering mental health conditions such as depression.

I now offer a free online PHQ-9 assessment. The PHQ-9 is a simple, 9-question instrument for screening, diagnosing, monitoring and measuring the severity of depression.

PHQ-9 is one of the most used depression screens among Primary Care workers, clinicians and researchers. The assessment is endorsed by a number of leading health organizations, including the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The assessment takes 3 minutes to complete.

The PHQ-9 evaluation, together with the Creyos Health cognitive assessment, gives you a far deeper insight of what is going on with both your cognitive and mental health. These scientifically-validated assessments help further inform your personal nutrition and care programme, providing quantifiable evidence.

How do we evaluate the PHQ-9 Assessment?

We evaluate your PHQ-9 alongside other clinical considerations including the findings from your initial in-depth nutrition consultation. For instance, were your current symptoms triggered by a psychosocial stressor(s)? What is the duration of the present episode and are you receiving any other treatment or support? To what degree are your symptoms impairing your usual work and activities? Is there a history of similar episodes? Is there a family history?

Reasoning-Cognitive-Health-Nutrition-Kent

How does depression relate to digestive health and nutrition?

There is mounting evidence that the good bacteria in the gut (our microbiota) influence our brain and our mood. And indeed, it is the food that we eat that determines the types of bacteria that inhabit our gut. Some bacteria are beneficial but others are not and may contribute to inflammation in the body. This is where a targeted and individualised holistic nutrition programme may be beneficial: to help rebalance and strengthen your gut microbiome and help reduce inflammation.

Our gut bacteria produce hundreds of neurochemicals that the brain uses to regulate basic physiological processes as well as mental processes such as learning, memory and mood.. Our gut bacteria manufacture about 95 percent of our serotonin, which influences our mood and sleep patterns.

Depression-nutrition-gut-brain-connection

People with chronic inflammatory diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and autoimmune disorders are at greater risk of developing depression. Depression can also be one of the symptoms of many inflammatory neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. Depression may even be a risk in developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life.

How does inflammation contribute to depression?

Studies support that the brains of patients with depression have higher levels of inflammation. Their microglia – the brain’s immune system cells – are also more active. This increased activity could end up being detrimental, leading to changes in how the brains cells function and communicate.

Another study found that people with depression had more neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes and inflammatory proteins in their blood compared to those without depression. This is another indicator of inflammation in the body in general.

Additional benefits of a Cognitive Health and PHQ-9 Assessment

Research shows that even if your focus is not mental health, a quick measure of depression can be beneficial. Depression and cognition are associated with a wide variety of mental and physical illnesses. A study published in JAMA Psychiatry (Sullivan et al., 2013) found that depression was associated with accelerated cognitive decline among type 2 diabetes patients. The greatest decline occurred in patients with a PHQ-9 score of 10 or more at baseline and 20 months later. The researchers propose that depression may be causing or worsening the risk of dementia.

Another study (Hawkins et al., 2016) involved patients with heart failure, who have high rates of depression and cognitive impairment. The researchers found that certain PHQ-9 scores predicted performance in multiple cognitive domains. They suggest treatments known to affect depression and cognition, including CBT and physical exercise, may be most impactful on this population.

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December 2, 2020April 27, 2023

Grammatical Reasoning is Affected by Mental Health … and Being Underwater

In the Creyos Health Assessment I send clients, there’s a Grammatical Reasoning task. You need to work out the meaning of verbal statements, and then determine if they are true or not. The score provides a scientific measure of how well you combine verbal abilities with reasoning skills to solve problems. Some people find the task simple, but for others, the task can be quite challenging. Changes to nutrition, sleep, fitness and stress can improve your score however.

The Grammatical Reasoning task was first developed to measure the mental capabilities of divers. Divers often show signs akin to drunkenness after swimming to extreme depths. In fact, you can observe impairments in Grammatical Reasoning from depths of around 30 metres. In an interesting twist, it would appear that it isn’t only depth or compressed air responsible for impairment, but the stress of being at sea as well. Click here to watch Adrian Owen, chief scientific officer – Creyos Health, explain the science behind Grammatical Reasoning.

Grammatical-Reasoning-brain-coral — *Ocean Brain Coral*

Why Test Grammatical Reasoning?

Verbal reasoning is associated with mental health factors, like stress, and extends to anxiety and depression. Recently, Goodall et al. (2018) found that depressed youth consistently scored lower in verbal reasoning tasks. The conclusion: “the findings support the need to consider neurocognitive functioning when treating youth with depression.” Poorer attention, verbal memory, visual memory and verbal reasoning skills are also identified in youth with depression.

We all have a subjective idea of how our brains are doing. For instance, what’s your definition of ‘fine’ compared to mine? Some days you might experience “brain fog” but, on other days, feel like you can conquer the world. Just how much better are we on those good days? Can health and lifestyle changes making a difference? That’s where the Creyos Health Assessment is really useful, it helps quantify those subjective feelings. It enables us to determine what is supporting us on the good days so that we can have more of them.

Where does this fit with Nutrition?

We don’t pay much attention to our brain but our cognitive health affects all areas of life. Every second of every day. When our brain is performing, every activity in our daily life is just easier. Such as remembering where you put your mobile phone or planning the layout of your new room. What’s more, the brain and bowel (‘The Second Brain’) are in constant dialogue, they are intrinsically linked. For me, the CBS Health Assessment is a useful indicator also of your underlying gut health.

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Scientifically-validated, the measures help me assess, monitor, and manage core areas of cognition to tailor every nutrition programme. What’s more, you get a fuller appreciation of how changes in nutrition, exercise, movement, sleep, social engagement can improve your overall health.

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September 22, 2020September 22, 2020

Stay Positive: Dementia Study Shows Benefits

Are you glass half full or half empty? It might sound like a slightly odd question but it’s one that I ask my nutrition clients in their initial 90-minute nutrition consultation. Do you generally have a positive or negative outlook on life? The answer provides just one of a series of ‘compass readings’ which help guide me down the various vitamin, mineral and disease pathways on every client’s individual health road map. Depending on the answer, I might ask other questions, such as ‘do you hoard or throw away?’, and ‘do you find yourself thinking about the past, or more about the present or the future?

These questions are helpful for the purpose of differential diagnosis: are you just feeling a bit down at the moment or are you suffering from depression? And, if it is depression, how severe is it, and might it be symptomatic also of another health condition? Is it a symptom of mental health, or is it more of an emotional symptom, or is it a combination of both?

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Various emotional, physiological, mental, nutritional, environmental and lifestyle factors contribute to the rich fabric of your health, and YOU as an individual. That’s why it’s so important to consider symptoms within the context of the whole person, not in isolation. Nowadays, I see more and more people prescribed antidepressants for symptoms not even related to depression. And yet, antidepressants can disrupt gut health and studies show that the ‘Gut/Brain Axis’ is integral to preventing anxiety and depression. So the vicious circle starts, but this is where nutritional interventions can help.

A recent study found that persistently engaging in negative thinking patterns may raise the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, found that people who exhibited higher repetitive negative thinking (RNT) patterns experienced more cognitive decline over a four-year period. They also experienced declines in memory (an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease), and they were more likely to have amyloid and tau deposits in their brain.

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About the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Study

For the Alzheimer’s Society-supported study, the research team from UCL, INSERM and McGill University studied 292 people over the age of 55 who were part of the PREVENT-AD cohort study, and a further 68 people from the IMAP+ cohort. Over the course of two years, the study participants responded to questions about how they typically think about negative experiences, focusing on repetitive negative thinking patterns like rumination about the past and worry about the future. The participants also completed measures of depression and anxiety symptoms. They assessed cognitive function, measuring memory, attention, spatial cognition, and language. Some (113) of the participants also underwent PET brain scans, measuring deposits of tau and amyloid; these two proteins cause the most common type of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, when they build up in the brain.

Positive Findings

The study found depression and anxiety were associated with subsequent cognitive decline but not with amyloid or tau deposition. Thus suggesting that chronic negative thinking could be the main reason why depression and anxiety contribute to Alzheimer’s disease risk.

The researchers say RNT should now be further investigated as a potential risk factor for dementia. And that psychological tools, such as mindfulness or meditation, should be studied to see if these could reduce dementia risk.

“Depression and anxiety in mid-life and old age are already known to be risk factors for dementia. Here, we found that certain thinking patterns implicated in depression and anxiety could be an underlying reason why people with those disorders are more likely to develop dementia.” Said Lead author Dr Natalie Marchant (UCL Psychiatry).

“Taken alongside other studies, which link depression and anxiety with dementia risk, we expect that chronic negative thinking patterns over a long period of time could increase the risk of dementia. We do not think the evidence suggests that short-term setbacks would increase one’s risk of dementia.”

The researchers suggest that RNT may contribute to Alzheimer’s risk via its impact on indicators of stress such as high blood pressure. Other studies have found that physiological stress can contribute to amyloid and tau deposition.

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“Our thoughts can have a biological impact on our physical health, which might be positive or negative. Mental training practices such as meditation might help promoting positive while down-regulating negative-associated mental schemes.” Said co-author Dr Gael Chételat (INSERM and Université de Caen-Normandie)

“Looking after your mental health is important, and it should be a major public health priority, as it’s not only important for people’s health and well-being in the short term, but it could also impact your eventual risk of dementia.”

The researchers hope to find out if reducing RNT, possibly through mindfulness training or targeted talk therapy, could in turn reduce the risk of dementia.

I wish the researchers every success in the next phase of their study. I’m so delighted that more research is going into adopting a more multi-therapeutic, holistic approach to treating and preventing Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Of course, we live in particularly testing timings with Covid, but the advice to stay positive is a good prescription for us all.

To book an online Cambridge Brain Sciences Health Assessment and an in-depth nutrition consultation with Charlotte Fraser, contact: enquiries@naturopathic-nutrition.com.