How to sleep better during menopause

Sleep is such a vital part of our health. Good quality sleep is key to keeping our mind and body in good shape; lack of adequate sleep can lead to illness, problems with memory and concentration and even mental health issues. That’s because adequate sleep helps to process thoughts, learnings, memories and with mood and healing. Our body and mind crave sleep and ideal is approximately eight hours of balanced sleep a night (1). Unfortunately, many menopausal women report suffering from sleep issues when going through the transition, and even before (during peri-menopause) and after (post-menopause). Hormonal changes impact on the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone). This means that cell reparation and brain improvements that are necessary to staying youthful and healthy are all impaired as we age (2). This explains why post-menopausal women are almost twice as likely as men to be struck with Alzheimer’s, with prevalence increasing with ageing (3). However, all is not lost. There are ways to improve sleep that most women can benefit from, with Anatome dedicated to helping customers to sleep better. Here are 5 tips for better sleep prior, during and after the menopause transition.

  1. Stay active during the day, but slow down by evening. Exercise may sound like an unusual addition to sleep, but in fact our bodies are built for movement and activity helps our minds to think clearer and our bodies to tire out for when the sun goes down. Ideally, moderate exercise is best with regular movement during the day. 30-90 minutes daily with part of that targeting muscle strengthening keeps our metabolism working at peak and helps our bodies to then be happily tired and ready for bed when bedtime calls. Exercise during the day helps to promote sleep at night while also reducing daytime drowsiness (4). HIIT workouts are great when time is limited. Avoid exercising too close to bedtime though as that could actually keep you awake. If that’s the only time available, opt for calmer workouts, such as yoga or pilates, which help stretch the body while calming the mind.
  • Give your digestion time to rest. Going through the change is already taxing on your body and takes a lot out of you. Hot flashes and night sweats may keep you awake at night but your digestion doesn’t have to. Eating just before bed not only is likely to lead to acid reflux and other stomach issues as you lay down with a full belly, but also severely interferes with sleep. While normally sleep should prioritise your mind, with thoughts and learnings being put into order, instead your body needs to focus on digesting your food, which means less restorative and effective sleep (5). This then leads to tiredness the following day because of sleep that wasn’t deep enough to be restful. Help your body towards better sleep by giving your digestion a rest before bed. Ideally, this means stopping eating approximately 3-4 hours before laying down to sleep. If that’s not in the cards every day, try skipping dinner (or eating it early) several times a week, or at least ensure dinner is your smallest meal (not your biggest as many do).
  • Keep a healthy sleep ritual. Let’s be honest, much of what we do, we do because it’s part of a daily routine. Having a regular routine means that our body often responds with hunger at certain usual times of the day because that’s when we normally eat. Well we can create a similar routine for our sleep, so that our body responds with sleepiness exactly when we should be getting ready for bed. If we’re normally night owls, it may initially be difficult to shift sleep cycles. That’s why the Anatome sleep products are so helpful, as they assist in shifting your current rhythm to a healthier one. The Reset, Relax and Sleep supplement (which should be taken an hour before your desired bedtime) serves to guide your body into that natural sleep rhythm. The Lavender Pillow Spray, Sleep Candle, Sleep Diffuser and Sleep Diffuser Oil all help your body to relax into sleep by emitting a soporific aroma into the air that your body then interprets as a sign of bedtime. Anatome also has 4 Sleep Essential Oil Blends specially dedicated to different obstacles people encounter while trying to sleep that can be applied to the body or used in a bath alongside the Relax + Sleep Bath Salts. In fact, soaking in a comfortable bath before bed is a great way to soothe tired muscles while also moving our body into a relax and sleep mode. There’s also a Sleep Tea that promotes relaxation and sleep that is the ideal blend for after dinner. Every Anatome Retail Consultant is trained to help with basic questions about sleep products offered, and for a more dedicated session clients are invited into the clinic available once weekly with a dedicated Sleep and Wellness Specialist.
  • Get your daily dose of melatonin. Melatonin is the body’s natural sleep hormone which ideally should be produced as the sun goes down. Sadly, melatonin production starts to decline in women at around the age of 35, which means good quality sleep will begin to decline soon after (2). However, that doesn’t mean that sleep will elude us ever after. In fact, one way towards more effective melatonin production is through sun exposure. Another is by keeping a healthy sleep ritual so that our body is accustomed to a certain circadian rhythm. This is why those who work night shifts or travel through different timezones often suffer with bouts of insomnia when attempting to settle into a regular rhythm again. Not to worry, Anatome’s Sleep Supplement contains 5-HTP which helps the body to produce melatonin when it needs it, alongside other key sleep aids, such as magnesium, valerian, ashwagandha (an adaptogen that promotes either relaxation or sleep depending on use), chamomile and lavender (both known for their rest-inducing effects).
  • Make your place of sleep very sleep-friendly. Good quality sleep begins with a sleep-friendly environment. If the last thing you want is to get into your bed, then postponing sleep will become the norm. Hence, focus on creating that ideal, comfortable sleep environment. Make sure your bedroom, and especially your bed, are clean, comfortable and welcoming and that your mattress is one you enjoy laying on. Pillows should be soft but not too high and some cultures remove pillows entirely when they sleep to encourage a flatter sleep surface. Use blackout blinds to keep the light out while you sleep and opt for a sleep mask to cover your eyes during the hours that you want them shut. Opt for sheets and pillow cases that are a high cotton count and spray them 5 minutes before bed with the Lavender Pillow Spray to further induce sleep. A silk sleep mask will likely feel nicest on eyes and you can add a small dab of your favourite Sleep Oil to the sides (avoid dabbing too close to eyes) for additional sleep help. Keep technology on airplane mode or silent mode while you’re in bed to avoid being disturbed while you sleep, as any sleep disturbance at night will interfere with the depth of sleep necessary for full restoration of mind and body.

Sleep is such a crucial part of keeping you healthy, youthful and feeling full of vitality that it is something that needs to be prioritised on a regular basis. Though sleep inevitably worsens as we age, there is much we can do to maintain good quality sleep and Anatome is built around the desire to help customers towards that elusive ideal rest.

Is curcumin the anti-inflammatory compound we all should be taking?

Curcumin is also being studied for reducing the inflammation that accompanies other chronic diseases, including dementias and cognitive decline as well as heart disease and even type 2 diabetes and autoimmune disorders.

Chances are that even if you’re not that clued in to what the latest buzz words in nutrition are, you’ve probably heard quite a bit of buzz about curcumin, the active compound that gives turmeric it’s’ lovely orangey pigment and potency. Turmeric has been utilised in Ayurvedic medicine for its’ anti-inflammatory benefits for many decades and it has become synonymous with health over the last 5 years.

Many studies have linked curcumin with reducing inflammation of all kinds, including in chronic disorders and even reducing cancer tumours. In fact, it’s being studies alongside chemotherapy and has been shown to be more effective with chemo than chemotherapy alone. 

Curcumin is also being studied for reducing the inflammation that accompanies other chronic diseases, including dementias and cognitive decline as well as heart disease and even type 2 diabetes and autoimmune disorders. It’s also recently been linked with anti-aging, as technically reducing inflammation also reduces the rapidity of the ageing process. It’s no wonder that the turmeric latte is being touted as your latest “health” drink.

Although turmeric (and curcumin), which is used in a vast degree in Indian cuisine, is in fact very helpful in reducing inflammation, it is not without its’ negatives. For one, the solubility and actual effectiveness of normal turmeric, as used in cooking or in that turmeric latte, is difficult to gauge. There is work being done on creating medicinal analogues with set pre-determined quantities to be used for inflammation reduction where solubility (how much of it you actually get into your body) and stability can be set, but this is still in testing mode despite curcumin being added to many supplements.

Curcumin supplements may also not be for everyone. For example, those on statins should exercise caution when taking curcumin as it theoretically can cause liver issues or keep the statins in the system longer than intended. Also, there is research with mice showing that curcumin could potentially cause lung cancer growth in those who smoke regularly. This is directly contradictory to research that showcases that curcumin reduces tumours from prostrate, breast, pancreatic and other cancers. But it still should be considered.

Want to know if curcumin is appropriate for your specific situation? Click here to book in a free call with Julia Keller, Nutritional Therapist, Naturopath and Clinical Hypnotherapist.

No such thing as a magic pill

I have collected a group of these doctor heroes who have been brave enough to stand up against many peers and say that enough is enough and that we need to educate clients on the fact that there is no magic pill that will take away their ailments because the only magic comes from a change in diet and lifestyle.

It’s taken it’s fair time, but finally we are moving more into a time when more doctors than ever are starting not practice something I saw misnamed as “anti-medicine”. This sounds worse than what it is but it is seen as basically speaking up against overly-zealous often unnecessary, and mostly without educating the client, medical intervention. Over the course of my years of training and practice in the world of natural therapy (coaching, hypnosis, NLP, nutritional therapy…) I have collected a group of these doctor heroes who have been brave enough to stand up against many peers and say that enough is enough and that we need to educate clients on the fact that there is no magic pill that will take away their ailments because the only magic comes from a change in diet and lifestyle.

Interestingly enough, most of the diet and lifestyle recommendations that these doctors suggest are simple and super effective. They are also my bread and butter and what all Nutritional Therapists spend their entire practice advising clients on. The fact that my profession exists and that there are now multiple schools educating hundreds every year on just these simple but extremely necessary changes is a testament to how sought after they actually are. The age of Covid, with its proof of the need to think about health always, has made us all hyper-aware how ill health can literally be deadly with just a single big ugly seemingly-uncontrollable disease. Those who had the most significant health issues were the first to be seriously affected, while those who benefited from good health, youth and vitality were mostly totally spared (some completely without symptoms at all).

Suddenly immune health has become a topic of discussion among not just those of us who make it our life work. Just as suddenly everyone has started to become hyper aware of certain supplements and vitamin depletions. More and more medical doctors have began speaking up about the importance of taking care of health through diet and lifestyle. And this article attached is an ode to another one of the heroes joining the fold making my job of educating clients that much easier. Dr Aseem Malhotra, a Cardiologist, resonates in his new book in his personal battle against the over-prescribing of statins and the under-prescribing of key diet and lifestyle changes.

READ FULL ARTICLE

I’ve raged my own battle too, but on ageing. My complete pursuit in helping people to stay youthful and full of vitality and not propped up by drugs as they age has brought me to pursue my masters focusing on boosting longevity. And as I move forward in my research, so will the information I share with you all here. So stay tuned. I’m also launching a very informative online program soon that will take you through 12 weeks towards a healthier, more youthful you. I’ll be starting pre-launch of this soon. Meanwhile, you can now work with me onlin or now in person at a new venue (with another new venue coming soon). Details to follow in upcoming newsletters or if you can’t wait, book a free call with me here:

What’s health got to do with it?

In what I do, there’s a concept known as “inflammaging” that describes what causes many to become so unhealthy as they get older.

Someone I know closely was ill, so ill in fact that we went to visit this person at hospital. The thing about being in a hospital thinking about illness is that it brings you back to where illness begins…

In essence, illness is in fact the absence of health to some degree. To become ill, our health has to be dampened somewhat, that can be by a virus or an infection or some kind of pathogen that we come into contact with. Normally a strong immune system will be able to fight off such a pathogen and keep our health intact and we stay healthy and none the wiser. Our body is an incredible machine: take care of it properly and it will keep us together long term.

But as soon as we are depleted, weaker than usual, or our immune system is compromised in some way, then we leave it vulnerable and our health is like an army under attack who hasn’t eaten or slept for days: tired, weak and easy to conquer. Unfortunately weakening our immune system is something that’s done much too easily. Stressing too much over an upcoming deadline, exams, work…? Partying too hard for a few days/weeks? Chronically underslept (fewer than 7-8 hours per night for more than a week)? Exercising too little (or too much)? Have a loss in the family or other emotional turmoil? Eating a not so great diet on a regular basis? Holding onto too much extra weight? Well you get the idea. It’s very easy to live a less than ideally healthy life. And I didn’t even mention toxins from living in a big city or breathing in unclean air, drinking unfiltered water, drinking too much alcohol, taking drugs (illegal or prescribed), eating processed food, drinking processed beverages and so much more. With all that can break our immune system down, it’s surprising all of us aren’t chronically ill… Or are we?

The truth is although the mortality rate has dropped somewhat thanks to modern medicine, people aren’t necessarily living longer and they’re certainly not living healthier. In fact most over a certain age are being propped up by medications which have plenty of known side effects (normally dealt with by being prescribed other medications that are there to handle these side effects). Recently a well-meaning man in his early 60s on statins said to me “of course I’m on a statin. Everyone over 50 should be on a statin; it’s just safer”. Unfortunately, the doctor who put him on the statin had no time to educate him on the potential long-term side effects and the fact that his very slightly-elevated cholesterol could be lowered by much healthier ways: such as changes in diet and more exercise.

The truth is it’s easy to be convinced that there’s some magic pill that will solve our health issues and help us live longer without any sacrifices of giving up an unhealthy lifestyle. Most people become very attached to their bad habits and think the find enjoyment in them because they don’t realise just how much pleasure there is in feeling healthy and youthful even as you age. I’ve seen enough healthy elderly to know it’s possible for all of us, but of course it means giving up some bad habits that we may have grown attached to.

In what I do, there’s a concept known as “inflammaging” that describes what causes many to become so unhealthy as they get older. Over time, unresolved chronic inflammation just grows and causes premature ageing, joint and bone issues, plaques on arteries, debilitated lungs, brain problems, etc. That inflammation causes the ageing that we see and want to avoid.

So while there really is no magic pill to fix your health issues (despite what the pharmaceutical industry would have you believe), the magic that we seek is within (and without) and is our personal power to change our health and actually live healthier longer, staying youthful and staying active.

My goal in what I do is to empower you to do just that. That’s why I’m soon launching my 12 week program for slowing down ageing. Trust me, if you’re over 40, this is something you will want to see. Soon I’ll be telling you how you can access this pre-launch at incredible pre-launch prices. Stay tuned. And please forward this email to whoever you think can benefit.

Take care of your heart this Valentine’s Day!

Hi there!

On Valentine’s Day, the temptation may be to think of your heart in terms of love. After all, that’s what the heart symbol stands for on this day which aims to celebrate couples and make everyone who isn’t part of one feel more alone than usual.

But your heart isn’t just the organ most associated with falling in love, it’s actually also one of the most important organs to help your body pump blood and oxygen where it needs and hence to help you stay alive. So this Valentine’s Day, why not be kinder to your heart than ever, especially if you’re guilty of over-indulging on processed foods or beverages or in particularly heart-unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking too much or eating too much meat, too much salt (and too few vegetables) on a regular basis. 

These bad habits, combined with low exercise or too much stress (or both) can lead to issues such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and high cholesterol. Normally, when these issues get really bad, your doctor will then prescribe some kind of pill: either statins to lower your cholesterol or anti-hypertensives to reduce blood pressure. The problem is that every medication you take will come with some kind of not so great side effect (which your doctor will often prescribe another pill to relieve). 

The end result can hence become (as we see often in many elderly) a polypharmacy situation of perpetual pills to control or reduce the side-effects of other pills. There are many reasons why this isn’t particularly great for your health (and especially not for your liver, which is almost as important as your heart in keeping you alive).

Luckily, there’s quite a lot you can do naturally by changing your diet and lifestyle either before you’re on this road to multiple pills and even if you’re already partially there. For more information as to how you can help yourself, watch this video below. Want more help to get your heart into gear the healthy way?

Statins: The most prescribed drug to try and avoid if you can

In fact, this incredible man turned out to be in his late 70s but looked about 45. That was when I knew what my niche would be: helping people to age as well as he’d managed to.

When I was studying Naturopathy, before I knew too much about the many chronic diseases I’d be helping people manage or try to avoid in the future, I had a favourite lecturer who I knew was rather old, but looked and moved very young. In fact, this incredible man turned out to be in his late 70s but looked about 45. That was when I knew what my niche would be: helping people to age as well as he’d managed to.

This lecturer had already outlived most of his genetic plan (most men on his family line died around middle age from one of many chronic diseases, propped up by several prescription drugs from their 40s). He was “as fit as a fiddle” and he knew his body well and worked hard to keep it in optimal shape. I was incredibly impressed to say the least!

This was also the first time I’d heard a lecturer speak quite as candidly and vocally about the negative effects of statins. Most of my Nutrition lecturers skirted around the issue telling us how to help clients on statins so that they could avoid the all too often repercussions of dementia and prevalence towards other chronic issues. This lecturer, however didn’t hold back. “Statins are dispensed now like candy because doctors don’t bother to distinguish between the different forms of cholesterol or to educate patients on how to keep their cholesterol in check. No one wants to do the work of actually staying healthy. They just want to eat whatever they want and lay in front of the TV. Then they just pop their pills and think everything will be better when actually the pills make it all worse. The only patients who should ever be on statins are those with familial hypercholesterolaemia, and even those we can make a big difference to if caught early enough.” The focus of my work into longevity began right then and there.

Clearly it would be an uphill battle. Convincing clients that what they eat and how they live their life today will affect 10+ years from then was already a challenge. Getting them to change how they eat and sacrifice foods that have no nutritional benefits and many downsides, but that taste great and are highly addictive (processed foods) makes the challenge even greater. Add to it the health benefits of plant foods that don’t taste quite as captivating that I have to convince my clients to learn to enjoy and the challenge seems downright impossible, especially when many clients think they can just pop a pill and make every issue go away (without any thought to the side effects).

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1530690/statins-side-effects-soft-skin-tissue-infections-risk/amp

Luckily I’m made of strong stock and don’t mind a challenge. Lucky too is that I find this to be my calling. And to boost that, research is on my side. The health benefits of simple, but critical, lifestyle changes and diet changes cannot be overstated and have been studied in droves. The side effects of drugs, like statins, are also now being uncovered and there are plenty of functionally-oriented medical doctors who are happily singing the same tune as us Nutritional Therapists. 

Plus the wellness industry is growing and viruses like Covid killing off the unhealthy first are bringing awareness of the importance of health like never before. So maybe this is finally the right time to help people take care of their health today to ensure a better tomorrow.

Are you on statins or other drugs you’re having second thoughts about now? Book a free phone call with me here to discuss your options.

The nutrient your body needs to function.

Magnesium is key for keeping your body working, your brain in peak performance and your mental health in top form

Our body is a miraculous thing. It is what we show the world of who we are and if taken care of properly, our body will take care of us. While we are born with a certain level of predestination in what our genes will and can manifest, much of what becomes of our body (and consequently of our essence) is up to us. That’s why taking good care of what we’re born into is so important.

Magnesium is one nutrient that is incredibly important for how well our body functions. Our muscles, our cells, our sensations and even our brain and mental health are all dependent on sufficient magnesium intake.

The article below discusses the many version of magnesium supplements available when what we’re taking in isn’t sufficient. However, magnesium can be found in so many foods that help to keep us healthy. Dark chocolate is probably the most popular treat where magnesium can be found. In fact, a craving for chocolate can often actually be your body’s way of telling you that your magnesium intake is insufficient.

Many fruit and vegetables also have magnesium, among them avocados (which are surprisingly a fruit not a vegetable and which are a favourite to add to smoothies) benefitting from the highest levels, as well as well as bananas (eat them before they’re ripe to avoid the sugar overload) and leafy greens. Other foods with high magnesium levels are nuts and seeds, tofu, legumes, fatty fish and some whole grains.

Magnesium is key for keeping your body working, your brain in peak performance and your mental health in top form. If you’re not sure you’re getting enough, consider boosting levels with a magnesium supplement (check out the various supplements on the market in the attached article).

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/magnesium-types

Want to know how else you can keep yourself in optimal shape to be healthy for now and many years from now? Book a free call with me here.

Why women benefit from phytoestrogens

If you’re reading this and you’re a woman 40 or above, you’ve probably heard at least a bit about the benefits of phytoestrogens. If you’re reading this and you’re a man, don’t ignore this article as it can be useful for a woman in your life. And if you’re a woman under the age of 40, read ahead as every piece of advice I give works best if started early, so the earlier you give these things a go, the better you’ll fare as you age.

So what are phytoestrogens and why are they a big deal?

Well first of all, let’s consider why women began looking for phytoestrogens in the first place. These days with all of us, particularly women, living longer, while not necessarily changing how long our reproductive cycle is (more on this later), it means that we spend much more time living through and after menopause: which is a somewhat uncomfortable thought for many women. While changes in diet and lifestyle can make a significant difference in how we live, how long we have to reproduce is dependant primarily on our genetics and when we first started menstruating as it is highly reliant on our quantity of eggs. So if you look at your mother and your mother’s mother and consider when they went into menopause, most likely yours will be at around the same time, give or take. There are lifestyle and diet changes, however, that can not only shorten how long we have until menopause, but can also prolong it. If you wish to postpone your menopause as much as you can given your genetics and youth, book a free call with me here to find out more. For instance, women who smoke tend to reach menopause earlier than women who don’t, with average age of menopause in general around 51.4 years old. Chemotherapy, radiation and physical removal of the ovaries will also accelerate menopause, as can higher BMI.

For women who have already began menopause, particularly when that menopause is uncomfortable and causing issues, the medical world has developed HRT. HRT can help to reduce such issues as fractures and bone loss, as well as cardiovascular issues and even dementia. However, unfortunately, HRT has had some very bad press due to some rather nasty side effects, such as breast and ovarian cancers being more likely, along with DVTs, strokes and other issues. To avoid serious side-effects as much as possible, women are told not to use HRT for longer than necessary, so that they have a time limit on how long they should be on the hormones. Some time later, the medical community came up with a more natural approach using bio-identical hormones, which is a safer alternative, although the long-term effects of this are still being researched, with the research so far looking rather promising with much fewer consequences over HRT and similar benefits.

So what if you don’t wish to use hormones at all and want a more natural approach? Well that’s where phytoestrogens come in. In a review conducted by Moreira et al., 2014, phytoestrogens are described as compounds in various foods that resemble estradiol. The foods that contain the most phytoestrogens are soy-based products, such as soybeans, tofu, tempeh… In the countries where these are eaten the most, women suffer fewer menopause-related issues and easier transitions, as well as later menopause.

Moreira et al., 2014, goes on to categorise phytoestrogens into 4 categories: isoflavones, lignans, coumestans and stilbenes. While isoflavones are based mainly on soy and soy derivatives, they are also present in clover and alfalfa. Lignans, another category, are the most prevalent in nature, and are present in many plants: including flaxseed, oat and berries. Coumestans and stilbenes are less prevalent in the diet and are less well-studied. While Coumestrol is found in clover and alfalfa sprouts and lima bean and sunflower seeds, among other sources, Resveratrol is the most studied stilbene, present in grapes, peanuts and cranberries, as well as in wine (and could be the secret to the health benefits of red wine — in moderation of course).

Although more research is needed on just how many phytoestrogen-based foods one needs to consume to make a significant difference in menopause symptoms and to prevent serious post-menopause related issues, the current research coming out has been very positive in the effect of phytoestrogens as a natural alternative to hormone therapies. Obviously, each woman must choose what’s right for her on an individual basis. If you’d like help with this process, book your free call with me here: https://healthyageing.as.me/schedule.php

Thanksgiving Is A Chance To Practice Being Thankful

For me, confronted with health issues of my children, my immediate instincts of someone constantly studying the latest in wellness and health instantly kicked in. I learned more about how to heal Corona quickly by trying it out on my daughter. I learned more about protecting the rest of us in the family from becoming sick by trying remedies out on myself and my youngest.

Thanksgiving is a chance to practice being thankful. 

Recently, my eldest daughter was sick with covid. It wasn’t a particularly great time for her being ill as holidays were coming up and their trip abroad with dad was booked.  I, in turn, had way too much on my plate to be able to stay home and be sick, not to mention a small dog that no one else was going to walk for me. “I have no time to be sick!” was my usual retort when friends and relatives inquired concerned about our health. While my younger one could hide out in other rooms of the house, as a mother, my first job was to care for my children and ensure they got well. Hence I spent much time in looking after my daughter putting her health concerns above mine.

It’s interesting how we tend to pay more attention to something when it’s missing than when it’s as and where we expect it to be. As a Nutritional Therapist, I spend most of my time these days dealing with health in one way or another, always aware of what is out there health wise and doing my best to ensure optimum health for me and my family, along with for my clients. But while I ensure that we all live a healthy lifestyle and eat a mostly healthy diet at home, I don’t focus specifically in on our health until something isn’t working.

Isn’t this how most of us have lived up until the Corona crisis began? Health was something we didn’t pay much attention to when we had it. It wasn’t a particular concern for most until suddenly the entire world was presented with a health crisis that no one knew exactly how to get out of. Suddenly, all of society, including all the normal rules of living were changed to protect what few had even considered much before: health. 

For me, confronted with health issues of my children, my immediate instincts of someone constantly studying the latest in wellness and health instantly kicked in. I learned more about how to heal Corona quickly by trying it out on my daughter. I learned more about protecting the rest of us in the family from becoming sick by trying remedies out on myself and my youngest. As it happens, my experiments proved highly successful for our small family. My sick daughter was very quickly better, while myself and the other child managed to stay healthy and not get sick. The children were able to go away on holidays as planned and my dog didn’t have to miss any of his usual walks.

Whether it was due to my knowledge of nutrition or due to my persistent focus on keeping my family healthy, we were luckier than most and came through Corona relatively unscathed. I was grateful for the health we’d protected up to that point and I added a gratitude meditation and thanked the universe again for the journey that brought me to the direct awareness of the importance of health that happened before the entire world began suffering from this serious health epidemic that has claimed so many.

These days media and news of all kinds focuses in on fear, not on hope. So that everyone walks around being scared of being sick rather than grateful for being healthy. As a believer of the Law of Attraction, I can see how what we focus on tends to be what is realised. This focus is true for the use of language as well. Gratitude should be used abundantly in both the way you think and the way you speak.

According to the Law of Attraction, we tend to attract what we think, whether it is positive or negative and whether it is thought consciously or even very unconsciously. Hence, focusing on the fear of becoming ill is exactly what gives strength to the growth of illness. Gratitude is a way to turn that feeling of fear on its’ heel and to force us to look for that which we value and for what we do have. Once we realise what we have, we can then work better to protect it. Hence we begin to look after our health not because we fear losing it but because we want to keep healthy for as long as possible. And if not already healthy, focusing on health helps to bring us closer towards what we want (not what we lack).

Now that we’re soon to celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving, it’s a wonderful time to focus on learning how to focus on the art of being thankful, as it is in fact an art. Learning to look for what we like rather than focusing on what we lack or what we fear is something that most don’t do naturally but need to learn to. 

The upcoming festive holidays and the New Year, is a great time to think about what we value most in our lives and in the people that we are close to. When I spend time thinking about what annoys me about my kids, they seem to become more annoying. However, as soon as I consider the many aspects of their unique and interesting personalities that I adore, I suddenly realise again just how special they are, and how grateful I am for having them.

Gratitude has the magic ability to help us see the world through rose-coloured glasses, suddenly becoming keenly aware of how beautiful and wonderful it really is. Wouldn’t you rather see things that way than through the other glasses that come from complaining and irritation: those that leave your life feeling empty and your soul constantly wanting? Even more so, wouldn’t you rather focus in on what you want more of than what you want less of. Well the choice of focus is up to you, so choose well. 

Need help focusing on health and improving it. Book a free call with me here: https://healthyageing.as.me/schedule.php

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” — Thornton Wilder


~ Julia

The FINAL rule of the POWER 9!

According to several studies about behaviour, conditions that you wouldn’t think could be contagious actually are (but not in the way you think).  This is relating to both negative conditions, such as obesity, and negative habits, such as overeating, smoking, drinking too much and even indulging in the wrong kinds of foods (diet soda, anyone?). The same is true for positive lifestyle habits, such as exercising, eating right and even thinking proactive, positive thoughts. 

That’s why the people you surround yourself with make such a significant difference to how well you yourself live and the habits you adapt. If you end up in a group where everyone is always complaining about everything, you find yourself more inclined to find something yourself to complain about (by the way, complaining and negative mindset takes years off your life). On the other hand, if the group of people you hang out with practice gratitude meditation and think positively of the world around them, you end up also feeling grateful and positive about the world and the people in it (gratitude and positivity can add up to 30% more life into your years). 

So who you choose to surround yourself with makes a big difference. That’s not to say that you should cut all negative people out of your life completely (especially if they include family and old friends), but perhaps consider limiting time spent with them if you can and take what they say with a grain of salt and don’t let them infect you with their negativity disease (which is all too easy to catch if you let yourself).

Remember that it’s very difficult to convince a negative person of the benefits of being positive. Most negative people think of themselves as “realistic” and they believe anyone too positive is not seeing the horrible world for what it truly is. They may accuse you of being trapped in a fake reality or in a “happy bubble”. Well it turns out that being blind to negativity can add serious years of health to your life. In fact, most of the centenarians in the Blue Zones (and in general) suffer from this same blindness. They may face hardship like everyone else, but they focus on the positive and get on with things with as much optimism as is possible in the situation. Spend your time with these positive people and catch what they have instead. Trust me, it’s much better for your health.

So that’s the last point of our 9 point series on how to age healthier. But that’s just one piece of research and just the start. Stay tuned as I’ll be bringing you plenty more in due course.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE!

Ready to get started with ensuring you age well, book a free wellness taster call with me here and find out how you’re likely to age based on your current diet & lifestyle.

Rule#8: put loved ones first.

I once read one famous writer (who’s name I can’t recall) say that the decline of modern society can be viewed in how we dump our elders as soon as they’re no longer useful to us. In the US especially, and in other “more modern” Western societies, elderly get put into nursing homes once they’re too old to be any “real use to anyone”. There was one Native American tribe I read about some time back (no longer in existence) where elderly who were too old to be put to work were sent off into the forest as a sacrifice to the wild spirits there. Not surprisingly, that tribe didn’t survive long.

In the longest-lived areas of the world that boast the greatest numbers of centenarians, elderly are respected and cherished. Families often live as one big unit either sharing a home with ageing parents who help to look after children or else living within easy walking distance of each other. In our “modern” Western world we often move far away from family, sometimes to the other side of the country or even across the world. Children see it as a right of passage to make their way into the world somewhere far away from the influence of family. Hey I’m guilty myself of that transgression: moving to London far away from where my family lives. And I’m left missing them ever since.

But what does it really bring? Loneliness, the feeling of an empty nest when children leave, the stressful life of a big city…

In the Blue Zones, loneliness isn’t really an issue as families always have each other and everyone puts loved ones first. It means that children are raised with the love of grandparents and even great grandparents and elders look forward to getting older and watching their families grow. Most couples mate for life and look forward to the expansion of their family tree over time. Families enjoy the help of all family members to make life easier and alleviate some of the stress, and respect the wisdom and insight that age and long life brings. Elders are valued rather than dismissed. Hence they look forward to a long life as they see plenty to live for.

In our modern Western world elders often feel bad for being a nuisance to the younger generation and come to a point where they feel they have little to live for. Once we give up on life, what more is there to keep us here?

The family dynamics of the Blue Zones is something we should all strive for rather than aiming to get away from. If we valued the older generation more, imagine the wisdom we would have the pleasure of finding. Rather than now when we dismiss those who aren’t young as “old fashioned” and “not modern”. When we’re young we think we own the world and that it owes us everything. But what we forget is that eventually (should we be so lucky), we will also be the elders. And how we treat our elders is how we show our children that it’s ok to treat us.

Want to make sure that you live a long and healthy life for your children and your children’s children? Book a free 20 minute call with me here:

Rule 7: Belong to a Community !

Sadly, one of the repercussions of our fast-paced world of scrolling for the next best thing to distract us from whatever isn’t working, is that we often find our friendships superficial and our community lacking or non-existant. 

In the Blue Zones, community is one of the pillars of survival that longevity is built on. And community isn’t just a superficial group of people you exchange pleasantries with every once in a while in a group setting you attend when there’s a religious festival or some kind of celebration. It’s a group that you meet with regularly that actually and truly has your back. 

In the Blue Zones, almost all of the surviving centenarians interviewed belonged to a faith-based community. Apparently, attending a faith-based service in a community of people you’re friendly with once a week can add up to 14 years to your life. Wow, no one told you that when they tried to get you to go to services!

Community also adds a feeling of belonging somewhere, so that you have a group of people who are happy to see you and ask about you even when you’re older and alone (or younger and alone, whatever the case may be). There is no substitute for that feeling of belonging somewhere, especially with a community of people who know you well.

Need help finding ideas of where to belong? Book a free call with me here: Book a free call with Julia here:

Rule No 6: Moderate Wine Intake!

Ok so I must admit that out of  Buettner’s 9 rules uncovered for longevity, this is the only one which surprised me. Ok yes we’ve all become somewhat more aware of the power of red wine for health and longevity-boosting thanks to it being replete in resveratrol. But from what I gathered, there’s more resveratrol actually available in a handful of red grapes than a glass of red wine so I’ve just upped my grape intake. However, apparently wine (especially the red variety) isn’t just beneficial due to its’ resveratrol content.

The interesting findings behind the benefits of red wine drinking in 4 of the 5 of the Blue Zones actually extends to how it’s drunk and how much of it is consumed. While consuming 1-2 glasses daily (depending on weight) can be beneficial for health, consuming more than 3 at a single sitting actually has the opposite effect and can hurt you more than help you. So that means no saving up your glass daily and consuming 7 in one go!

In addition, in each of the Blue Zones where wine was consumed (as well as in most of the Mediterranean culture where the Mediterranean diet has been hailed for its’ longevity-boosting benefits), wine is never consumed on one’s own. Rather it is part of a ritual of a meal eaten with friends, family and/or other good company and is partaken in as part of that sit down together and enjoy good conversation and a nice glass of wine. 

So the purpose of the wine becomes very different than how some use it in the Western world. It isn’t meant to drown out your sorrow or erase bad memories. Rather it’s part of a daily ritual of de-stressing and celebrating good company with good company. And maybe that kind of covers the crux of what the Blue Zones are all about and why people there live longer on average than anywhere else in the world. Life there might be a bit slower than in the big cities, but it’s focused on living the moment, celebrating good company, getting away from stress for a while (and not in front of the tv) and enjoying every moment of the time with the people who are important to you (stay tuned for the rest of the Power 9 rules to longevity which hit on this point even further).

Until then, I’m sure you already are thinking about all that you can do to boost your longevity. Want to know how you measure up? Book a free call with Julia here:

Rule No5: Plant Based Diet!

If you’ve read anything about health lately, including any books on the topic or any of my newsletters or social media, you probably already know about the importance of a plant-based diet and a plant slant to the way you eat.

While eating too much meat (especially red and processed meat) in your diet has been linked with inflammation and cardiovascular issues and increased cholesterol, plants (and fungi) have almost all been linked with positive benefits. These benefits aren’t limited to reducing inflammation and improving metabolic health, they also extend to improving your gut health. In fact, plants (including tubers, fungi, leaves, cruciferous…) are what your gut buddies prefer to eat over all other food. 

The more plant-based your diet, the more you feed the good gut bacteria responsible for boosting health and longevity. Conversely, the more inflammatory your diet (full of sugar, processed food and drinks, copious not organic meat…) the shorter your healthy lifespan will be. 

It’s no surprise then that all five of the Blue Zones have a plant slant to the way they eat. Meat is a rare enjoyment eaten maximum once weekly (and in most of the Blue Zones even less often). 

So in case you missed the main point: in areas of the world where more people than anywhere else in the world live to be over a hundred (without the help of medications propping them up), these people eat a mostly plant-based diet. That means loads of salads, plant-based protein and copious vegetables. If this hasn’t sold the idea of plant-based eating to you, I’m not sure what will. 

How about that plants extend longevity thanks to copious antioxidants, gut-friendly fibre, inflammation-lowering vitamins and minerals and so much more. 

Should you need examples: broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables have been studied in depth for their cancer-preventing properties, kale has been linked to reducing blood pressure and cholesterol naturally (as has avocado, sweet potato, beetroot, garlic and other leafy greens, among others). Mushrooms have been so well studied for their amazing anti microbial, anti parasitic, anti bacterial and anti inflammatory properties that they now have quite a few studies (mainly from Asia where the life-giving benefits of mushrooms have been revered for centuries) showcasing their effectiveness to boost the success of cancer-fighting traditional medical interventions (such as chemotherapy) and their ability to encourage cancer cell apoptosis (the dying off of cancer cells). 

Plants (and I include tubers and fungi in this category) are limitless in their health-boosting potential and you should consider it your daily duty to eat at least 8-10 servings (fistfuls) of them if you want to live a healthy and long life filled with youthfulness and vitality.

Rule 4: Eat Until 80% Full

In the majority of the Western world, we seem to have a tendency towards overeating. Anyone who’s spent enough time in the US is well aware of the favourite holiday dedicated to the art of over-eating: Thanksgiving. And of course obesity is unfortunately now becoming much too common an epidemic of those who overindulge on a regular basis.

In the Blue Zones, where both obesity and chronic diseases of all kinds are much less prevalent, people follow the rule of eating until 80% full. Calorie restriction is a regular practice that doesn’t have to be planned and that has incredible longevity-boosting benefits.

I’ve always found calorie restriction as one of the easiest ways to improve health while also improving the waist line. Limiting eating to 2-3 meals daily (with no snacking in between) and increasing the time between the last meal and the first one, from 12-16 hours, is a great way to improve insulin resistance (reducing the chances of diabetes or metabolic disorders later on). Weight reduction is one added benefit, but so is improving your appetite response so that your body knows when it’s full and tells you so (which reduces the chances of over-eating in the future). Allowing your body rest between meals and a longer fast is also good to give your digestive system a break. It also helps your gut microbiome to improve its’ balance and your good gut bacteria likes the break while the bad gut bacteria wants you to keep feeding (especially on processed food and sugar).

Stopping eating when only 80% full will give you a better sense of just how much food you actually need. It also means often limiting food to the healthier parts: salad and protein, preferably stopping before desert (which will again favour good gut bacteria as the bad guys live on sugar and processed carbs). Remember that your gut microbiome impacts not just your weight (poor gut microbiome mix has been linked with obesity in many studies) but also your immunity (reducing inflammation as one of the benefits of improved mix). In the Blue Zones, where people live healthier longer and where most are at their ideal weight, this is a regular practice. Isn’t it time to try this easy practice for yourself? Try eating slower and make meals more of a stand-alone activity (rather than eating on the run). This will help you to limit food intake and stop in time.

Need more help with this? I also do hypnotherapy to reduce cravings. To book a free call to find out more, click here:

Rule 3: Downshift from that stress

Let’s just be real here. Unless you’re a munk living on top of a mountain (and if you’re reading this you’re probably not), stress is likely a regular part of your life. Most likely, it’s a much more regular part than you’d like to admit (even to yourself) and one that you haven’t been managing particularly well up to now.

Rest assured though that it isn’t the lack of stress that leads to long healthy life but the adequate management of that stress. The people who live in the Blue Zones aren’t naturally gifted with a stress free life; they just know how to downshift from that stress on a regular daily basis.

Each Blue Zones area downshifts in a different way. For some it’s prayer, for some meditation or yoga (or tai chi). For others it’s just a mid-day nap, called a siesta. The idea is the same, however. To stop whatever is causing stress and just take a much needed break to tune out and tune back into whatever makes you true to you: whatever makes you tick and drives you in the first place. It’s a time to tune into breath, into hope, into rest (and hence into the the much needed parasympathetic sense inside you).

Adding some parasympathetic into our very sympathetic-dominated lives is key to staying youthful and healthy longer. Deep breathing, meditation, yoga… have all been linked with improving our gut microbiome and our gut microbiome being healthy and well-balanced has been linked with us being healthy and well-balanced. That includes positive mental health as well as good physical health. Who would have thought it can be as easy as 1-2-3 (rule number 3 that is).

Need help downshifting? I was a hypnotherapist even before I was a Nutritional Therapist, helping stressed out corporates to downshift through meditation and those who wanted to reach goals that seemed too far away to do so through visualisation.

Rule 2: Live a life full of purpose

We all have different things in life that keep us going and give us a reason to wake up in the morning: whether it be our work, our hobbies, a great relationship, our children or grandchildren or some passion or dreams we live for. The idea is to find something with enough meaning for us to keep us going day in day out.

As we age, our bodies don’t quite work as they used to and we don’t continue to look as we used to. There are many things to moan and complain about as ageing itself is definitely not a fun process. So we need something we’re excited and passionate about to keep us going and to keep us vibrant and youthful.

Youth is excitement and passion after all: it’s having something that drives us and keeps us motivated. That’s why having a purpose to live and keep going for is so important. It keeps us feeling younger and more excited about life. It also makes us way more interesting to be around. People with drive have that natural spark in their eyes; they’re more fun and exciting to be with too. They’re usually not the ones waiting for something to happen because they have something that drives them forward. One of the complaints about people retiring is that they lose their spark as they lose their something to live for. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Retirement can be the ideal opportunity to finally pursue one’s hobby or true interest. Most important is to find some purpose to keep you going, wherever it comes from.

For me that purpose is partially my family (especially my kids and adorable puppy) and partially my drive to help everyone live healthier and stay youthful longer. What’s your purpose? Share what drives you with us by replying to this newsletter or by adding what drives you below this message for your chance to win a free Nutritional assessment session (worth £179).

The power 9: rule#1

As I mentioned some time back, I’m now pursuing my masters in Personalised Nutrition. My focus is of course on how to help us all to age in the best way possible in order to promote longevity and health span.

One of the great benefits of the masters is the access I have to the latest research on the topic. One of my most prized findings was some research from Dan Buettner and others about the 5 “Blue Zones”: 5 areas
in the world where there live the most centenarians. These areas are: Sardinia, Italy; Icaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Loma Linda, California (Seventh-Day Adventists).

Buettner uncovered something he named “the power 9”: 9 key things that most people who live to a ripe old age in all 5 Blue Zones do that helps them to age so well that they live to their 90s and beyond. Over the course of the coming months I’ll be sharing these 9 key things with you each week so stay tuned, but here is the first of the nine:

Rule 1: Include regular movement in your day

Let’s be honest, we’re all busy people with too few hours in a day and too much to do. We don’t really have time to put too many anti-aging changes into place; but at the same time we also don’t like the idea of ageing. If we could choose, we’d remain young and fit forever, yet we don’t want the sacrifices we make to stay youthful to be too big.

Let’s be honest again. Very very few of us even think about sacrificing anything we love to stay young and fit for longer until it’s much too late and time has already caught up with us.

As a Nutritional Therapist, Hypnotherapist and Naturopath specialising in helping people to age more slowly and to stay healthy longer, I have a very tight fine line to walk with what I can advise that people will actually follow. Give a weight loss plan that will ensure weight loss (being overweight is highly ageing) but also that demands sacrifice and buy in will be limited. Give a plan that demands less sacrifice and results will be limited. It’s a tough balance.

That’s one of the reasons why I so love the data coming out of the Blue Zones: 5 areas where people live longer better and where there live the highest number of centenarians globally. Because people in these areas just live a healthier life naturally, without the need for feeling like they’re sacrificing anything.

And, after all, why should giving up processed junk food, fake sugar (or sweetener) filled fizzy drinks, cigarettes and other unhealthy habits feel like such a sacrifice? But mostly why should adding regular daily movement into every single day feel like something that’s difficult or challenging to do?

People in the Blue Zones don’t have gym memberships and they don’t force themselves to train for marathons. They just walk regularly instead of driving somewhere. They work in their gardens. They put together their own furniture. And they walk to and from local shops with their groceries instead of having them delivered. Movement is something naturally and easily added to their every day. They dance with friends when they feel like it or when music inspires them. They walk in nature and to visit friends and family. Movement is something naturally included in every day.

So why should adding movement be something difficult or challenging to do? And if they can do it, why can’t all of us? Adding movement into every day shouldn’t be something we need to measure with an Apple Watch or Fitbit, but if it helps you get inspired by closing circles or measuring steps, by all means. I shouldn’t have to tell clients an amount of time to minimally move, but about 60-90 minutes a day is ideal and 30 minutes a minimum.

That means any movement by the way. Even just getting up to make yourself a tea is a start. If you need inspiration, take a walk every day for at least a half hour in nature somewhere if you can, or even just to your local shops or around your nearest shopping centre if that’s all you have. Another half hour of movement you can get by bouncing around, dancing, doing a workout on YouTube or spending time in the gym (if you enjoy it). And the last half hour you can get just by moving around your home if you make sure to add some regular movement. Time yourself if you must, or just make sure and move. This is one of the easiest additions you can make to your life that will have a tremendous benefit to your weight.

More additions coming in the next weeks with each of the Power 9 rules uncovered from the “Blue Zones” research.

Want to get started on living longer better and staying healthier and more youthful?