M Nutrition Pty Ltd

15/01/2022

27/08/2021

PMS, fibroids, endometriosis, adenomyosis and estrogen-dominant breast cancers are conditions that are connected with excess estrogen.

Although the cause of these conditions are still unknown, holistic practitioners often work with getting to the root drivers of excess estrogen in these people.

There are a few drivers of estrogen dominance of which the microbiome is one. To understand this, we must first understand the liver's involvement.

Our liver is responsible for aiding the removal of used estrogen out of the body. It does this by adding a molecule onto the used estrogen and then sending this new double molecule through the bowels for removal.

In some people, their microbiome within their gastro-intestinal tract, can break-apart this double molecule which then free's up the estrogen to be reabsorbed back into the body again. Over time, this can contribute to estrogen dominant states.

The bacteria within the microbiome that produce an enzyme called beta-glucoronidase, are responsible for cleavering this double molecule and freeing up the estrogen.

If you suffer from any of the conditions mentioned above and would like to understand if your microbiome, diet or lifestyle is contributing to estrogen dominance, then get in touch with Aisha today. There are many strategies available to normalise hormones.

Aisha, like many of those before her, has walked an estrogen-dominant breast cancer journey and understands this hormonal health journey well.

21/08/2021

Our Immune System:
It may be a surprise to some that our immune system needs more than just adequate nutrition to function optimally. Lifestyle factors also play a major part.

In terms of nutrients from food the key players are zinc, vitamin A, C & D, omega-3's & adequate protein. Fibre from plant food also ensures a healthy microbiome which positively impacts the immune system.

However, the focus of today is to shed light on the lifestyle factors affecting immune function, because these are sometimes forgotten.

So let's talk about stress. Stress is the pesky thorn in the immune's system side that promotes the release of a hormone called cortisol. Chronic excess cortisol production suppresses the immune system.

The good news is that if we adopt regular habits into our daily routine, we can ensure cortisol has a circuit breaker to allow prioritisation of the immune system.

Consider the following:
1. Get adequate refreshing sleep.
Chronic poor sleep and fatigue can increase the release of cortisol.

2. Regular daily exercise
Moderate exercise at least 30 minutes per day can promote immune system function and wellbeing and keep our metabolism primed.

3. Meditation / Deep Breathing / Yoga
Consider this for at least 10 mins per day. It can slow your heart rate and cortisol production. Practice when you are not stressed so that your body is in the habit for when days get tough. An excellent habit to have for life.

4. Play - HAVE FUN!!
Endorphins released from having fun suppress cortisol! Carve out time each week to ensure you engage in what brings you joy.

5. Don't smoke & reduce excess alcohol
These both negatively affect the immune.

21/08/2021

This recipe is full of fibre and phytonutrients to feed the beneficial bacteria of your microbiome.

Basil Pesto Recipe:
- 2 big bunches of basil (leaves picked)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 200g parmesan cheese
- 100g pine nuts
- 100ml olive oil
- 1 lemon (grated rind and juice)

Place all in a food processor and blend.
Split into small portions and freeze to use any time over meat, seafood, in salads, on vegies.

21/08/2021

Research shows that low gut microbial diversity has been associated with several chronic diseases including inflammatory bowel diseases, metabolic disorders, neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses.

Considerable research effort is currently focused on understanding how this low diversity contributes towards these disease states.

What we do know is that our beneficial gut bacteria love to eat prebiotic fibre from plant food. When this occurs, these beneficial microbes produce by-products known as short-chain-fatty-acids which provide us with many health benefits.

Prebiotic fibre also promotes the growth of beneficial microbes which then contributes to the diversification of the microbiome. To increase your intake of prebiotic fibre, consider including legumes such as chickpeas, lentils and beans as well as whole-grains and vegetables, to most meals.

If you find that you suffer from intestinal discomfort and bloating when you increase plant food, then you may need to see a Nutritional Medicine Practitioner to assess your gut health and/or microbiome. Individualised nutritional protocols can be prescribed to promote gut restoration and tolerance to a vast range of dietary fibres.

Aisha from M-Nutrition is open for Consultation. Call any time to discuss.

21/08/2021

Beetroot, Carrot & Ginger Soup Recipe:
A make-ahead meal, for the time poor who want to eat right and promote microbiome diversity.

In a large pot over low heat, add 1-2 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion roughly diced, 1 leek white part only, 3 garlic crushed & 2 tbsp ginger. Saute for 10 mins.

Add 1/2 tsp dried turmeric, 3 medium beetroot peeled and chopped, 2 large carrots diced, 1 green apple peeled and diced and 3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 mins until beetroot is tender. Turn off the heat and allow to cool a little.

Add 3/4 of a 270ml can of coconut cream and then blend with a stick blender until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning or consider some maple syrup if your beetroot is particularly earthy.

Garnish with a drizzle of the reserved coconut cream, mint leaves and pistachio's.

This freezes well. Enjoy.

21/08/2021

Green veg and fruits are packed with goodness. Leafy greens contain vitamins such as A, C, E and K and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, zinc and iron. They also contain prebiotic fibre which favourably feed our microbiome.

All of these nutrients ensure many different bio-chemical pathways, chug-along nicely. When we lack certain nutrients, bio-chemical pathways can become 'stuck' and we can then start feeling ordinary.

Leafy greens include kale, spinach, baby spinach, lettuce, watercress, cabbage, micro-greens and herbs. Other green veg include broccoli, beans, peas and artichokes for example. It is best to aim for a variety - try and mix them up and not stick to the same favourites every day.

Another green thing to think about - is the outdoors. The green outdoors can lift our spirits, improve our mood, provide us with vitamin D, reduce tension and now research is demonstrating that it can lower cortisol, stress and cardiovascular disease.

With Sydney well into its 5th week of lockdown in the midst of winter, let us ensure we prioritise outdoor time as we would anything else in our day. Consider setting up a table and chairs in a sunny section of your yard or balcony to read; head to the park; find a local walking track; ride a bike or simply lay on the grass and look up at trees and the clouds.

Let's think green, every day.

21/08/2021

Focusing on a diverse range of plant foods, ensures a diverse intake of different types of fibre and polyphenols - both of which feed our microbiome favourably.

To keep things simple, sometimes it's easier to have some small tin's of legumes handy such as a four-bean mix, black beans, lima beans, chic peas or lentils. Simply rinse and throw them in a bowl with other chopped salad items or left over veg and a palm-sized portion of protein for a hearty lunch.

My Microbiome Go-To Lunch Recipe:
Combine 1 x 115g tin of four-bean-mix, a handful of chopped lettuce, half a diced capsicum, left over cooked diced sweet potato or pumpkin, 1/2 cup of left-over cooked brown rice, handful of cherry tomatoes, half an avocado, shredded left over chicken. Drizzle with lemon and olive oil dressing and sprinkle with pine nuts or pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!

21/08/2021

Vitamin A plays a major role in the regulation of our immune system and also n the nourishment and repair of the mucosal layer of our intestinal tract.

The mucosal layer of our intestinal tract helps separate the microbiome from the intestinal wall. Since 70-80% of our immune system resides in the intestinal wall it is important to maintain a healthy mucosal lining so that the immune system does not overact to the microbes.

Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A within our body. Plant foods that are rich in the colours of red, orange, yellow and dark green, have high beta-carotene content. Examples of these foods include paw paw, carrots, capsicum, sweet potatoes, broccoli, spinach and kale.

If you have intestinal complaints or immune dysfunction such as autoimmunity, Aisha Thomson from M-Nutrition is a Nutritional Medicine Practitioner who is trained to help. Feel free to get in touch today.

21/08/2021

Nature is healing.

Yoshifumi Miyazaki, a forest-therapy expert and researcher, found that people who spent 40 mins walking in a cedar forest had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, compared to when they spent 40 mins walking in a lab.

Other studies have also linked spending-time-in-nature to symptom relief for health issues such as heart disease, depression, anxiety and attention disorders.

So consider daily outside-time for yourself. It may provide you with the reset you were looking for whilst also getting a daily hit of Vitamin D which is needed for immune system regulation and bone health.

21/08/2021

Avocados are rich in dietary fibre as well as a monounsaturated fatty acid called oleic acid.

The fibre, pectin, has been shown to increase populations of the beneficial microbe, Faecalibacterium, within our microbiome. Low quantities of this bacteria have been associated with an increased risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease relapse.

In addition, this bacteria consumes the fibre to produce short-chain-fatty-acids (SCFA's). Our own intestinal cells use these SCFA’s as an energy source, which contributes to the overall health of our intestines.

With respect to cardiovascular disease, regular avocado consumption is associated with lower body weight, increased satiety (fullness after eating) and a reduction in cholesterol. The oleic acid has been shown to inhibit the growth of unwanted microbes in the microbiome.

Consider a humble avocado with your meal today!

21/08/2021

Nutritional Benefits of Bone Broth:
In a bone broth, the minerals from the bones leach into the water/broth providing a liquid gold of nutrients.

Minerals from the bones include calcium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, potassium, sulphur and silicon.

Nutrients from the marrow include vitamin A, vitamin K2, omega-3's, omega-6's, iron, zinc, selenium, boron and manganese

Nutrients from connective tissue include glucosamine and chondroitin.

In addition, when collagen is cooked (which is present in all of the above) it turns into gelatin. Gelatin is an important building block for the protective mucosal layer of the gut.

Chicken Bone Broth Recipe:

In a slow cooker, place 1 organic chicken carcass, 2 chicken necks, 1 chicken wing, 1 chicken feet, 2 carrots chopped in half, 2 celery sticks chopped, 1 onion chopped in half, 6 peppercorns, 1 tbsp sea salt and 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar. Cover with water to the top. Set the slow cooker to low for 6-8 hours (or longer). Strain and place in glass jars. Use as base for cooking rice, soups, legumes and more.

21/08/2021

Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain.

Bromelain can function as a digestive enzyme for us, taking the load off our own digestive system. It can help break down large protein molecules to smaller peptides. To gain benefit from this effect, pineapple should be consumed with your protein meal.

Bromelain has also been shown to exert anti-inflammatory activity, however, it's mechanism is not completely understood. Research suggests that bromelain can reduce allergic airway disease, especially of the sinuses.

Pineapples are also loaded with Vitamin C. Together with collagen, Vitamin C can aid in the repair of the intestinal lining tissue and promote optimal gut junctions.

21/08/2021

Overnight oats Recipe:
For the time poor, who desire to be nourished.

Recipe
In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 cup greek yoghurt or kefir, 1 grated red apple, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp fresh grated ginger.

Place this mixture into serving glasses and place in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, top with your favourite berries and/or diced kiwifruit and enjoy.

Nutritional Benefits:
Rolled oats contain a soluble fibre known as beta-glucans, which feed the beneficial bacterial within our own microbiome producing SCFA's that provide great health benefits to us.

Greek yoghurt or Kefir contain strains of probiotics that can cross-communicate with our own residential bacterial to promote optimal health.

Apples contain a fibre known as pectin which is also a soluble fibre and favoured by our beneficial bacterial in our microbiome, increasing their diversity.

Ginger has been shown to improve the movement of the gastrointestinal tract that is governed by the migrating motor complex (MMC). This ensures that contents of the intestine move forward for digestion and excretion in a purposeful time.

Ginger also has anti-nausea, antibacterial & anti-fungal activity and has been shown to have a pronounced inhibitory affect against candida albicans.

21/08/2021

Our intestines have a few layers. From the outside working towards the inside, we have the intestinal wall, then a mucosal layer, our microbiome layer and then the luminal space for our food to move through. There is much to be said about each layer, however, for now we'll focus on the intestinal wall.

When our intestinal wall is functioning well, it decides/selects what nutrients can pass through to the bloodstream.

In people with dysbiosis, ie; overgrowths of the wrong microbes, these bugs can disrupt this gut lining and allow some unwanted or large molecules to pass through. This in-turn can promote an immune response or inflammation and unwanted symptoms.

Vitamin C is a vitamin that is used, along with other nutrients, to restore the gut wall integrity. Vitamin C aids with increased collagen synthesis within this layer.

Vitamin C is water soluble, your body does not store vitamin C, it can easily be excreted through urine. You need to consume it regularly throughout the day.

Vitamin C has many other benefits including optimising immune system function and fighting free radicals.

If you have gut symptoms or need a hand with understanding your gut barrier function, Aisha from M-Nutrition is open for consultations. Get in touch today.

21/08/2021

Anthocyanins are responsible for the red, purple and blue colours, found in fruits and vegetables.

Evidence shows that these pigments are consumed by the gut microbes and can favourably increase the populations of the beneficial bacteria known as Bifidobacterium spp.

In addition, scientific studies have observed their effect to reduce the unwanted bugs known as pathogens, such as Clostridium histolyticum.

If you would like your microbiome to promote health benefits for you, then increase your intake of red, purple and blue colour foods daily.