Articles by Hannah McMartin

Are you finding yourself stressed and overwhelmed? If you feel increasingly irritable and have that feeling of being on edge, you may need to support your nervous system.

Digestion is the essential process in the body where food is broken down and the essential nutrients are released and absorbed. A lot can challenge the optimal function of our gut and there are many factors to consider that influence this complex system. Threats to digestion can seriously impair wider health and wellbeing, so supporting robust digestive function is essential. 

Does all health originate in our gut? Our gut is a key adaptive system that mediates many functions and is thus central to health and disease. But poor gut health, combined with the challenges of the modern life and our complex environment, can often leave us feeling uncomfortable, sluggish, and sensitive to foods.  

Do you have sore, painful, stiff, injured, or loose joints/ligaments, or are you prone to injury or concerned about supporting your joints?

Addictive disorders are increasingly growing as a result of the mental, physical and financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.1 In particular, the social isolation created by the pandemic has also driven a rise in addictive behaviours2 as a result of increased anxiety.1 These revolve around the consumption or use of a stimulus that drives feelings of pleasure; stimuli may involve agonists, which are substances capable of binding to and activating a neurotransmitter target cell e.g. alcohol, cocaine, caffeine, nicotine and sugar, or environmental stimuli such as smart devices and exercise. Seemingly ‘healthy’ habits can also drive addictive behaviours, highlighted by psychological conditions like orthorexia, which is characterised by an obsession with eating ‘clean’ eating.3