Hormones | Fertility | Prenatal | Gut health | Anxiety
To celebrate sleep week, which runs from 12th-18th March, I chatted with Kip & Co about the importance of sleep on our overall health and wellbeing. For my top tips on supporting a restful night's sleep, you can read the full article in their online magazine by clicking here.
Stomach acid, or hydrochloric acid (HCl), is essential for healthy digestion. It's responsible for the digestion of carbohydrates and proteins in the stomach. Without enough stomach acid, we cannot break down our food properly. This can leave us feeling bloated or full very quickly.
Morning sickness can be so incredibly debilitation and for some women, e.g. with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), it can be worse than childbirth itself! Some tips to manage morning sickness include...
Thrush is a super common women’s health complaint. It’s caused by an overgrowth of Candida albicans, a type of fungus, which can happen when there is too little other beneficial bacteria (probiotics) such as Lactobacillus to help keep the levels in check. The vaginal ecosystem should be dominant in Lactobacillus, which keeps the vaginal pH acidic, to keep other problem causing microbes at bay.
Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency worldwide, so if you've been told you have low iron and been prescribed an iron tablet by your GP, you're not alone. However, not all iron tablets are created equal...
Urinary tract infections (UTI's) are common and annoying. They are generally caused by an overgrowth of bacteria in the urethra/urinary tract - commonly the culprit is E.coli. Usually there should be a relative abundance of good bacteria - Lactobacillus - which keeps the E.coli at bay, however when this bacterial balance becomes imbalanced, E.coli can overgrow and a UTI can rear it's head.
Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) is a complication that can arise in pregnancy. When it happens, the aminonic membrane (the sac) surrounding the baby breaks (ruptures) before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Once the sac breaks, there is an increased risk of infection.
It's that time of year again... cold and flu season. What we eat, drink and think has a dramatic effect on our immune system and general health and wellbeing. Here are my top tips for preventing colds and flus...
Gestational diabetes is diabetes which occurs during pregnancy (gestation). Gestational diabetes is usually diagnosed between weeks 24-28 by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). It causes elevated levels of blood sugar/glucose levels which can affect the pregnancy, the health of the mother and the health of the baby.
The vagus nerve is the 10th cranial nerve and is the longest nerve in the body. It is the nerve that connects the brain to the digestive system and vice versa. The gut-brain axis is controlled by the vagus nerve. Activation of the vagus nerve can be beneficial in treating both digestive disorders and supporting healthy mood.