Low B12? Why it matters and what to do about it

I have seen so many vitamin B 12 levels from clients lately that are just so low that is mind boggling. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is essential for several key functions in the human body, including: Normal reference range for B12 is 110-600pmol/l here in New Zealand (and similar in other Western countries). Interestingly, and for reference, in Japan it

Your brain on MCT

As we age it is so important to practice health behaviours that mitigate accelerated ageing in an environment that encourages it. Importantly, looking after our brain to ensure it doesn’t suffer from the negative metabolic impact of ageing is key to this. In addition to rising rates of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, we

Myocarditis – some things to consider

All medications have side effects, and some medications are worse than others. Some people are going to be more affected by the side effects than others too. It’s no longer considered sensationalist to talk about the known side effects of the COVID vaccine. Dr Ashley Bloomfield here in NZ sent a letter to all general

Reverse dieting 102

Last week I introduced the concept of reverse dieting – if you need a reminder on that post, click here. Here’s some more information about who would most benefit from it. The first is anyone who needs to (or wants to) improve their day-to-day energy levels which are low due to a sustained period of

Body recomposition: two more strategies

In a follow on from a previous post, I have two other strategies (food forward, and tracking calories) that may appeal to you to help shift body fat and improve body composition. The other information I shared can be found by clicking here. Focus on a food forward approach This is making changes to the foods

Ketones and migraine relief

I’ve written about migraines before, and the book The Migraine Cure which, despite its name, is a really valuable resource for people who suffer regularly from a type of migraine. These can be unilateral, can include light and sound sensitivity, too much movement can be a problem, and a third of people have an aura phase and

Cold sores

There’s never a good time to feel that tingle on your lip that is a sign of a cold sore, a sure sign that you’ve pushed things beyond your ability to recover from them. The Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is the infection that causes a cold sore, the HSV-1 primarily responsible for cold sores on

Dietary triggers and mitigators of arthritis

Previously I’ve written about some of the nutritional considerations around osteoarthritis and what may benefit or increase the inflammatory process. I’ve recently been chatting with a friend around some other dietary triggers for both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and thought it would be good to consider for anyone who struggles with managing their condition. If you haven’t checked

Anxiety and COVID-19

Anxiety. It’s a human condition that we all experience and provides us with a significant evolutionary advantage. When we get that rush of catecholamines into the blood stream to prepare us to ‘fight or flight’ and a rush of blood to the brain too, it is alerting us that we need to be on our

Vitamin D and your immunity

There has been heaps of interest in vitamin D right now as the world is in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. I thought I’d share some major points out of a recent review paper that summarised why it is important and why your vitamin D status matters. Vitamin D3 is produced when the skin