If you want to improve your diet contact nutrition expert Angela Walker through the book appointment tab above.

Fabulous Nutrition is a London based Nutritional Therapy Clinic, addressing functional imbalance in the body with bespoke nutrition programmes. Whether you have a diagnosed condition, want to improve digestion problems, lose weight, slow the effects of aging or kick-start a new health regime, Angela Walker at Fabulous Nutrition can help. www.fabulousnutrition.co.uk.

Wash the curly kale, chop off the thick stalks and chop or rip up. Drizzle with olive oil and rub it in to make sure it covers all the leaves. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt (Himalayan is the best), some diced garlic and dried chilli. Pop in a pre-heated oven and cook for a few minutes; you want the kale to be crisp but not burnt. Serve as a side dish.

If you want to learn about how to improve your diet contact nutrition expert Angela Walker through the book appointment tab above.

Fabulous Nutrition is a London based Nutritional Therapy Clinic, addressing functional imbalance in the body with bespoke nutrition programmes. Whether you have a diagnosed condition, want to improve digestion problems, lose weight, slow the effects of aging or kick-start a new health regime, Angela Walker at Fabulous Nutrition can help. www.fabulousnutrition.co.uk.

The results are pretty impressive. They’ve found 3.3 million different genes from the samples taken, that’s 150 times more genes than in the human genome. About 40% of those are shared with at least 50% of the group, so we all have a core of the same bacteria in out guts. Each individual in the study has at least 160 different bacterial species.

One of the objectives of the study is to look at the function of these bacteria and work out which are contributing to our health and which seem to be more present in those with bowel disease or with obesity. That part of the study is on-going, but what they have revealed a functional core within the microbial genes, functions which are required for the whole ecosystem the ‘minimal human gut metagenome’. This set of functions is 3 times larger than had been previously thought. So this human host-bacterial interaction is clearly instrumental to our health yet we still have so much more to learn about it.

If you want to learn more about digestive health contact nutrition and digestion expert Angela Walker through the book appointment tab above.

Fabulous Nutrition is a London based Nutritional Therapy Clinic, addressing functional imbalance in the body with bespoke nutrition programmes. Whether you have a diagnosed condition, want to improve digestion problems, lose weight, slow the effects of aging or kick-start a new health regime, Angela Walker at Fabulous Nutrition can help. www.fabulousnutrition.co.uk.

Source :Qin et al A human gut microbial gene catalogue established by metagenomic sequencing. Nature. 464, 59-65

Angela Walker will be offering nutrition sessions at Jiva Healing retreats to Turkey in June 2011 and at the ’sassy’ Littleton Mill from 26th to 30th Jan 2010.

If you want to learn more about toxin avoidance and detoxification contact nutrition and detoxification expert Angela Walker through the book appointment tab above.

Fabulous Nutrition is a London based Nutritional Therapy Clinic, addressing functional imbalance in the body with bespoke nutrition programmes. Whether you have a diagnosed condition, want to improve digestion problems, lose weight, slow the effects of aging or kick-start a new health regime, Angela Walker at Fabulous Nutrition can help. www.fabulousnutrition.co.uk.

A study published earlier this year looked at the microbial mass of diabetic and healthy populations and found that the level of Bifidobacterium species were significantly lower in the diabetic group [1]

What we eat affects the microbiota in the gut. A high fat diet will increase a certain type of bacteria (Gram negative) bacteria in the gut produce bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS); it is thought that LPS stimulate the inflammation cascade seen in diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome[2].

The Bifidobacterium are gram positive; which is why they are likely to be lower in diabetics.

More reasons why a low fat diet, with plenty of fibre (beans, pulses, whole grains) to ‘feed’ the good bacteria is a good idea.

This also means it makes good sense to look at optimising the bacterial populations and overall gut function whenever you have an obesity, metabolic syndrome or diabetic situation.

For more information on nutrition please contact Angela Walker at Fabulous Nutrition.

Fabulous Nutrition is a London based Nutritional Therapy Clinic, addressing functional imbalance in the body with bespoke nutrition programmes. www.fabulousnutrition.co.uk

[1] Wu et al (2010 Molecular Analysis of Intestinal Dominant Bacteria in Diabetes Patients. Curr. Microbiol 61:69-78

[2] Cani et al (2007) Metabolic Endotoxemia Initiates Obesity and Insulin Resistance. Diabetes. 56

Summer Boot Camp for Fabulous Nutrition

The Grove luxury spa in Hertfordshire is holding another bikini boot camp this summer and has called in some expert advice. We will be running a Nutrition class for all the guests as well as consulting on a healthy menu for the five day programme.

See the website for more details.

Fabulous Nutrition is a London based Nutritional Therapy Clinic, addressing functional imbalance in the body with bespoke nutrition programmes. www.fabulousnutrition.co.uk.

Fabulous Nutrition is involved with a number of programmes with integrated solutions to health including Right Body Image.

For more information please contact Angela Walker at Fabulous Nutrition on 07775 582 332 or ange@fabulousnutrition.co.uk.

• Soak tablespoon of seaweed (Hijike or Arame) in water for 10 minutes.

• Slice salmon (wild, sustainable please!) fillet into strips and sauté gently in juice of one lemon for a couple of minutes

• Chop vegetables into small sticks: 1 small carrot, ½ courgette, 3 small broccoli florets & stalk, ½ onion, 1 leek, 1 chunk of ginger (3 cm).

• Heat olive or sesame oil or coconut oil in a large pan and sauté the onions; add in the rest of the vegetables and 2 tablespoons of water.

• Cover and allow to cook for a couple of minutes.

• Drain the seaweed and add to the pan along with the salmon. Allow to cook gently; the salmon should be under done rather than over.

• Add in bunch of chopped coriander.

• Add more water if it looks too dry.

• Just before it is finished, spoon out a little of the juice and blend it with 1 tablespoon of white miso paste, put blended mix back into the pan and stir, take it off the heat.

• If you are trying to lose weight or improve body composition, then you want to reduce starchy carbohydrates, in which case serve this on its own or with some extra leafy green vegetables. Otherwise you can serve this with buckwheat noodles or brown rice.

This is a good example of a well-balanced meal, containing a good protein, good fats, fibre and a wide range of micronutrients and phytonutrients. Seaweeds contain high levels of minerals that can be lacking in land vegetables due to demineralisation of soils. They are also thought to bind and draw out toxins.

Fabulous Nutrition is a London based Nutritional Therapy Clinic, addressing functional imbalance in the body with bespoke nutrition programmes. www.fabulousnutrition.co.uk.

For more information please contact Angela Walker at Fabulous Nutrition on 07775 582 332 or ange@fabulousnutrition.co.uk.

This weeks story is Fiona who at 58 wanted to lose weight and feel more energised. She didn’t feel that she had any major health issues, but I did identify some metabolic imbalances which made it a bit more difficult of her to lose the weight she wanted to. We decided that she would follow my 21 day detox programme and I think Fiona’s own testimonial speaks for itself:

“I am truly amazed at what a transformation in only 3 weeks.

My grown up family had suggested (not too subtly) that I needed to lose weight and cut down on my alcohol intake.  As a widow, in my late fifties and working full time within the field marketing industry, I had got into the habit of coming home from work, heating up something quick and easy to eat and settling down most evenings to either a few gin and tonics or a bottle of  wine to help me unwind. Whilst I accepted that my weight was on the high side and I was now buying larger sizes of clothing I had convinced myself that this was all part of the aging process.

With a winter sunshine holiday on the horizon though, I really wanted to feel more energetic and look better so, encouraged by my family, I decided to follow the 21 day detox programme.  Not only have I lost half a stone in weight, lost 2 inches on my waist and hips and my waistline seems much lower down now, but most importantly I certainly do have more energy, vitality and focus and no longer find myself waking up on the sofa to find that I have missed the end of the programme that I had been watching.

I have never been one for faddy diets and this programme is certainly not one of those. However the discipline of following the programme has taught me that fresh, simple foods can be so delicious as well as far more nutritious. I cannot state that I followed the meal plan religiously – however I did not eat anything that wasn’t on the list, I never felt hungry and the biggest surprise of all for me was that I did not feel the need to have that gin and tonic!  I really loved the nutritional shakes and will probably continue having these on a regular basis as part of my new eating regime.

I now feel fabulous and can’t wait for my holiday.” Fiona, 58, Oxfordshire

For more information please contact Angela Walker at Fabulous Nutrition on 07775 582 332 or ange@fabulousnutrition.co.uk. Fabulous Nutrition is a London based Nutritional Therapy Clinic, addressing functional imbalance in the body with bespoke nutrition programmes. www.fabulousnutrition.co.uk

We are exposed to different types of mercury: elemental, inorganic and organic mercury. Organic mercury is considered the most toxic and most common form and is the type found in Fish [1]. This form of mercury can be easily absorbed in the gut and can cross the blood brain barrier.

Once in the body, mercury can inhibit other important minerals such as zinc and selenium. It can cause problems with digestion,  the heart, kidneys & nervous system. It can inhibit white and red blood cell formation and cause dysfunction in the immune system. In other words, we really don’t want any mercury in our bodies! We are able to detoxify and excrete mercury, but this in itself will use up the bodies antioxidant and detoxification resources. It is also very individual. If someone is already in a weakened state then their ability to detoxify and eliminate any mercury will be severely compromised.

So, if we are trying to avoid mercury, then should we avoid fish? It is the larger fish, such as tuna and swordfish, that are more likely to accumulate toxins such as mercury (it seems to be a simple case of the longer they live and the more they eat then the more mercury they can accumulate). So the best advice is to avoid these fish if your health is at all compromised or if you are pregnant or trying to conceive (as organic mercury can cross the placenta). For everyone else, then I would suggest that limited amounts of these fish, say once a week or once a fortnight is absolutely fine. Fish, especially oily fish, are a great source of the very long chain fatty acids, which we can’t find in many other foods. So do try to include other, smaller types of oily fish, such as Mackerel and Sardines. There are some recipe ideas here: http://fabulousnutrition.co.uk/good-fish-dish/

If you are concerned about mercury toxicity then seek the advice of a nutritional therapist. If the signs and symptoms suggest that mercury or other heavy metal toxicity is an issue a functional laboratory test can confirm this and is important to do before undertaking a detox programme.

For more information please contact Angela Walker at Fabulous Nutrition.

Fabulous Nutrition is a London based Nutritional Therapy Clinic, addressing functional imbalance in the body with bespoke nutrition programmes. www.fabulousnutrition.co.uk

The first one is from the World Cancer Research Fund, and has some really tasty sounding, well balanced ideas;

This second is Fat Free Vegan; again, lots of tasty and healthy ideas and seems to be updated quite regularly

Enjoy!