Lyn Wetzig's Whole of Life Nutrition

19/04/2026

07/02/2026

Your gut: a 7-meter assembly line extracting every usable molecule with molecular specificity.

This figure maps how different sections of the gastrointestinal tract specialize in absorbing specific nutrients. From the stomach to the large intestine, each region has a defined biochemical role that determines how vitamins, minerals, fats, and amino acids enter the body.

1️⃣ Stomach – preparation and partial absorption
The stomach begins protein digestion through acid and enzymes while absorbing a few small molecules such as water, ethanol, and some minerals.
🟢 Example: Copper, iodide, and fluoride can pass directly through the stomach lining, but most nutrients remain bound until released in the small intestine.

2️⃣ Duodenum – the entry point for minerals and fat-soluble vitamins
As chyme from the stomach mixes with bile and pancreatic enzymes, the duodenum becomes the main site for mineral and fat-soluble vitamin absorption.
🟢 Example: Calcium, iron, magnesium, and vitamins A, D, E, and K are absorbed here, often requiring bile acids for solubility.

3️⃣ Jejunum – primary absorption zone for macronutrients
The jejunum’s extensive villi and microvilli surface area make it the key site for nutrient uptake.
🟢 Example: Lipids, monosaccharides, amino acids, and small peptides are efficiently absorbed, along with B vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin.

4️⃣ Ileum – absorption of specialized compounds and vitamins
The ileum completes digestion and reclaims nutrients not absorbed upstream.
🟢 Example: Vitamin B12 binds to intrinsic factor for absorption here, while bile salts and fat-soluble vitamins are recycled back to the liver.

5️⃣ Large intestine – water recovery and microbial synthesis
Although most nutrients are absorbed earlier, the colon plays a key role in fluid and electrolyte balance and produces additional vitamins through bacterial fermentation.
🟢 Example: Gut microbes synthesize vitamin K and biotin, while fermentation of fiber yields short-chain fatty acids that fuel colon cells.

Your gut is not a single absorption site but a coordinated system of specialized regions—each tuned to extract specific nutrients with precision, ensuring that every molecule from food is used efficiently to sustain life.

04/02/2026

From Ross Walter

Today (February 4th) is World Cancer Day, to raise awareness of many different types of cancers, which affects most of us in some way directly or indirectly, and is the cause of death of one in two men and one in three women. These are incredible statistics, but not in a good way.

If you know me or have read some of my articles here, you may know that the topic of cancer comes up a lot, because it has been my main area of interest in natural health treatments for many years.

I was initially drawn to natural cancer treatments because the general public believe that this is the biggest and baddest of health problems (yes, even more than covid!), because a diagnosis of "cancer" fills people with such dread and fear, that it reminds people that we really are mortal. We shouldn't fear cancer at all, but welcome it as it is your body giving you warnings and telling you that it is not liking what you are doing to it. It may take some time to change this perception of cancer, but we can start now.

My fears of cancer disappeared when I started reading cancer research over 15 years ago, when I found that your body's white blood cells, in particular the Cytotoxic CD4+ T-cells and NK (Natural Killer) cells, have a primary task every day in our bodies to find and destroy virus-infected AND cancer cells! Hence it is your own immune systems that CAN and DOES fight cancer every day!

I have linked a short video showing this - your immune system cells attacking cancer cells and destroying them! Watch this video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntk8XsxVDi0

This information and this video highlights the importance of your immune system for the prevention and treatment of cancer! Just as a strong and healthy immune system is needed for the prevention of infections, such as the current coronavirus circus, your immune system can prevent and fight cancer too!

Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery are NOT the only options for cancer treatment! These actually don't help you much at all, because both chemotherapy and radiotherapy (ie, chemical therapy and radiation therapy, respectively) actually CAUSE more cancer by poisoning the body and destroying the immune system - the main part of your body's defence against cancer! It just doesn't make sense to do this. The medical system also does not offer any advice for prevention of cancer, which I believe is much more important!

I still read a lot of cancer research, and I put this knowledge into practice with my clients. There is no one cure for cancer (and never will be using the medical system model) as treatment requires a personalised and holistic (whole body) approach using a combination of correct nutrition and avoiding some specific foods, supplementation, stress relief and management, detoxification, mindset, lifestyle, exercise and other treatments. Each person's causes for their cancer will be different to the next person, hence why any cancer treatment MUST be a personalised one based on finding all the root causes of each person's cancer - which is not done in the medical system.

If your immune system is not strong, or you get frequent infections or illnesses, or if there is a family history of cancer or autoimmune conditions, preventative investigations can be done to reduce your risks. This is where I can help - this is what I do!

20/01/2026

This is part 1 of my article on critics to the recent food pyramid posts:

I’ve noticed from a number of negative comments on my recent posts on the new US food guidelines and food pyramid, that some people or critics who are following specific diets have no clue about nutrition and health.

Some people are concerned with seeing meat and fats at the top of the new food pyramid, which has symbolically been turned upside down literally and figuratively! Other people have issues with grain-based foods, including whole grains, now being the least recommended foods, often saying “but where will you get the fibre from?”!

Part of the trouble is that the general public have been brainwashed and lied to for decades on what foods are healthy or not, or which foods we actually need in our diet, from the previous food pyramid design, social media influencers, and other biased beliefs. It’s not easy to accept that previously-held beliefs were perhaps false, and to take on and accept new evidence or beliefs.

The previous food pyramid and food guidelines in the USA, Australia, and other countries, were all influenced by lobbying and sponsorships from food industries, or in other words, those involved in the past food guidelines were paid to tell lies about recommendations, to protect profits for the food industry. For example, the previous food guidelines in Australia, although published by the NHMRC being a government body, was actually the result of a tender which was won by the Dietitians Association of Australia for a little over $500,000. So it was actually the DAA who produced the food guidelines! And at the time, the DAA were sponsored and paid by many food industry companies, including junk food companies and processed food companies, and so the dietary guidelines were massively biased to these processed food companies, and not based on quality evidence or published studies. This is why they promoted lots of high carbohydrate grain-based processed foods, but recommended low fats, low salt, low cholesterol, packaged foods. And not much real foods.

The same can be said for many so-called health organisations such as the various heart health organisations and charities, diabetes organisations, cancer organisations, etc all around the world! They too are sponsored by processed food companies for favourable recommendations, rather than the truth based on evidence.

The previous food pyramid or food plate models allowed sweets, chocolate, sugary drinks, fries, alcohol, donuts, ice cream, biscuits, and more! In what insane universe are these foods healthy and being recommended in the food guidelines?!

We’ve had 50 years of nutrition lies and propaganda, and this is why our overall health has gone backwards ever since. Despite the so-called good food guidelines and recommendations of the past, we’re experiencing epidemics of so many chronic health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancers, and these have actually got worse with the previous guidelines. Something had to change!

This is why the recent changes to the US food guidelines and food pyramid are a GOOD change to the lies and propaganda of food and nutrition, which everyone has been fed for decades! I actually don’t think the recommendations went far enough, but it’s a good start.

I will follow this up with another article on this topic, as my rant went on a bit longer than I initially expected!

Stay healthy!

09/01/2026

Further to my previous post on the new food pyramid announcement in the USA, there are some further comments I’d like to make on this topic, based on various questions and comments people have made on the post or from other sources.

• We don’t need the food pyramid – who really bases their food choices on the pyramid? Do I as a Nutritionist show the food pyramid to patients and explain how they should base their meals on this? No! But the food pyramid, being the previous ones or the new one, do represent a broader set of food guidelines which can influence the public, but in a simpler and visual way, and without having to read the more detailed guidelines. The visual pyramid can be used to educate the public, and children in particular, as I still remember learning the pyramid at different times in my past.

• The updated food pyramid isn’t completely ideal – In my opinion there are some things in the new food pyramid or guidelines which I disagree with or I think could still be further improved. I’ll likely talk about this in another article soon.

• It’s not ideal for everyone – We are not all the same! So there’s no one diet or even one food pyramid which is ideal for everyone. People with different ethnicities have different genetics for the foods that are better for them, or not so good for them. Then there’s individual tolerances or intolerances to certain foods, or other factors which can determine if a food is going to be healthy and beneficial for someone, or will cause symptoms and health issues. Hence dairy foods won’t be ideal for many people, or even grain-based foods being recommended in the new food pyramid, won’t be good for many people.

• Many people and even practitioners are shocked at the reduction of grain foods – Good! Grain-based foods are over-consumed and over-hyped non-essential and highly processd foods. They are generally not healthy even in small amounts, with minimal nutritional content, but with many anti-nutrients, being too high in carbs, and often laden with toxic agricultural chemicals too. Hence it’s good that the HHS have massively reduced grain recommendations in the new food pyramid. Replacing grain foods with other better nutrient-dense foods can negate any alleged issues of reducing these foods, and can even improve nutritional levels.

• There should be a summary of the changes, to briefly explain why these changes were made to various food groups, so that people don’t have to read the detailed guidelines. I’ll look at doing this soon.

• There perhaps should be a similar diagram of foods to avoid, to give the new food pyramid some context or clarity. I’ll look at this soon!

• Some people have been losing their heads over the major reduction of grain foods in the guidelines – GOOD! People don’t understand that they have been lied to and misled on the alleged health benefits of grains, whether they be whole grains or refined. The new guidelines don't say no grains, but just reduced from a ridiculous 6-11 serves of grains per day, to at most 4.

• Will the new food pyramid and guidelines change anything? Some critics of the new pyramid don’t believe it will, or that people will follow it at all. But they forget that people HAVE been following all the previous versions of the food pyramid and their related food guidelines, which included a ton of highly processed crap, too many carbohydrates, not enough protein, not enough healthy fats, and other issues.

The old US food pyramid and food guidelines were full of bad nutrition and food advice which supported the processed food industries and junk food companies who actually had a say in those guidelines! Now they don’t have a say and we have a much better set of food guidelines as a result.

The previous food guidelines have contributed to the many epidemics of chronic disease, not just in the USA, but all around the world. Despite all the food guidelines for many decades promoting higher carbs, lower fats, lower salt, lower cholesterol, and more grains, the incidences of chronic disease has skyrocketed to ridiculous levels that have never been seen before. Something was seriously wrong about those food guidelines, so I commend the HHS and those involved in the new guidelines to have done something about this and make some big changes.

It’s been great to see my previous article reach so many people, and that there has been so much interest and discussion on this topic! It’s a discussion that has been far too long in coming, and needed to be had.

Stay healthy!

07/01/2026

Just eat food the way God made it. Just eat real food.

A new announcement has been made in the USA regarding food, nutrition and health!

With 70% of Americans overweight or obese and more than 50% are diabetic, and 70% have at least one chronic disease, this affects every American family. This is despite decades of modern nutrition “science” and government food guidelines, so something had to change.

90% of US healthcare spending goes into “treating” people with chronic diseases. The epidemic of chronic diseases have happened because real food has been pushed aside in favour of convenience foods, fast foods, processed foods, junk foods, as well as very bad nutrition advice being promoted to everyone, even by the government and alleged health authorities.

These health epidemics are not confined to America, but to almost all countries of the world.

With many changes occurring in the USA since their last election, likely led by Robert Kennedy Jnr as the Health and Human Services Secretary, as the boss of the department of health, a new era in health and REAL FOOD has started!

This means real food which nourishes the body, restores health, brings back energy, builds strength! This has started with fixing and reclaiming the food pyramid and giving real nutrition advice again!
I’m sure people recall the “food pyramid”, as you probably learnt this when you were even in primary school! But the first food pyramid was invented in 1924 by a Dietitian called Mary Barber, who was working for the Kelloggs company! She decided to put grain based foods at the bottom of the food pyramid, being the section of the pyramid to eat the most of, because that’s what Kelloggs produced – grain based foods and cereals! It was just a marketing ploy and not based on any nutrition science at the time. Or any nutrition science since.

So now the USA and HHS has a new food pyramid to help improve the health of Americans, and hopefully people in other countries too. I’ve said this many times over many years – “Just eat real food”!

The previous food pyramid recommended having 6-11 services of grains every day! THIS IS INSANE! This will cause major blood sugar issues due to the amount of carbs being metabolised into glucose, and the high levels of inflammation and oxidative damage from the high blood glucose, gluten, toxic folic acid, and toxic chemicals that the grains are exposed to in their production.

Many people have commented in the past that the food pyramid is upside down! That we should be eating LESS grain based foods, and more of the health fats which have been demonised in all previous food pyramids to be the foods to eat the least amount of. The new 2026 food pyramid fixes many of the issues of the biased and dangerous previous food pyramid, by placing grain-based foods still at the bottom of the pyramid, but the pyramid has been inverted, so now the grain foods are the foods you should be eating the LEAST! Or not at all, in my opinion…

The new US food pyramid and dietary guidelines can be found on this new website:

https://realfood.gov/

The new US food pyramid has been added as the picture for the article. I'll put the old pyramid in the comments.

I’ll go into more detail on the new US food guidelines once I have read it all, and I will post more information then.

As a Clinical Nutritionist, these changes to the food pyramid and food guidelines are a massive step in the right direction to improving the health of so many people! But there are some limitations or issues I still have with this plan.

Not everyone is the same. So no diet or food guidelines will work for everyone. People from different ethnicities have different genetics which defines the types of foods they should eat or can tolerate or not. So dairy and wheat or grain-based foods are still likely to be a health issue for a LOT of people who traditionally have never consumed these foods and they don’t have the genetics to metabolise them.

Hopefully we can see something similar here in Aus soon, but I'm not holding my breath!

I'd love to see the faces and reactions of the Dietitians in the US coming into work today and find their entire world has been turned upside down!!! They will be crying into their sugar-laden cereals with low fat soy milk!

What are your thoughts on these changes?

Stay healthy!

01/01/2026

22/12/2025

Cinnamon powder is an effective styptic due to its high tannin content, which draws skin together and tightens the capillaries. It is also anti microbial so aids in preventing infection. (Cayenne pepper is another styptic.) I sliced my thumb on a tin and it bled profusely. I sprinkled ground cinnamon on it, the bleeding stopped and the skin is together. I will put a Band-Aid on it to protect it.

13/10/2025

A wonderful response to my presentation for the CWA on Useful Weeds. 45 people plus children attended and a lot of interest expressed. My thanks to Sue, Nancy and the CWA committee for inviting me and opening this to the Crows Nest community.

24/09/2025

Learning…

15/09/2025

Tonight’s Go Vita Chill and Chat. Thank you, Margaret and all who joined in!

02/09/2025

Webinar