Dandelion Natural Health

19/11/2025

The world’s largest scientific review warns that consumption of UPFs poses a seismic threat to global health and wellbeing

08/09/2025

Could a simple vitamin deficiency be affecting your child’s ADHD?

A recent review found that children with ADHD often have significantly lower levels of vitamin B9 (folate) and B12 than other kids.

These vitamins help the brain make chemicals that control attention, focus, and mood. When levels are low, children may struggle more with inattention, impulsivity, and mood swings.

Around 30–50% of people carry a common MTHFR gene variant, which makes it harder to convert folate and B12 into the active forms the brain can use.

These active forms, called methylated B vitamins, are important for attention, focus, and mood.

Foods rich in these vitamins include leafy greens, eggs, fish, and fermented foods.

Supplements should be labelled methylfolate (5-MTHF) or methylcobalamin.

This doesn’t mean B vitamins cause ADHD, but ensuring adequate intake may help reduce some symptoms.

Simple nutritional steps could make a real difference in how your child feels and functions every day :)

(Study reference: Razavinia et al., 2024)

06/09/2025

An article I wrote about seed oils and the importance of omega balance:

You’ve probably heard that seed oils — like sunflower, soybean, corn, rapeseed, and safflower oil — are “toxic” or “inflammatory.” But the truth is more nuanced:

04/09/2025

Irritated but not surprised when this hit piece on supplements arrived in my inbox this morning… 🙄

ZOE’s latest podcast makes sweeping claims about supplements that risk misleading the public. Oversimplified soundbites undermine client care and distort what the evidence actually shows - even if they may conveniently boost sales of “diet-only” solutions, they do not reflect the nuance required in nutrition science or clinical practice.

Amongst the falsehoods, inaccuracies and exaggerations:

1. “Supplements have no benefit for healthy people.”
– This ignores contexts such as vegan diets, pregnancy, B12 deficiency and other genetic tendencies, where supplementation is essential.
(Stabler SP. Clinical practice. Vitamin B12 deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(2):149–160.)

2. “Vitamin D supplementation is unnecessary, even if lab tests show insufficiency.”
– Just wrong and I’m willing to bet all by fibromyalgia patients would beg to differ after the relief of level correction! Also contradicts international guidance on deficiency and insufficiency.
(Ross AC, Manson JE, Abrams SA, et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96(11):1911–1930.)

3. “Probiotics don’t work because they are not native gut bacteria.”
– Ignores substantial and emerging research demonstrating clinical benefits.
(Hill C, Guarner F, Reid G, et al. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2014;11(8):506–514.)

4. “Observational studies showing low vitamin levels in disease are always misleading (reverse causation).”
Oversimplifies nutrient–disease relationships and dismisses clinical nuance.
(Manson JE, Bassuk SS. JAMA. 2018;319(17):1814–1815.)

5. “Multivitamins offer no benefit in older adults.”
– Overgeneralises, evidence suggests benefits for prevention and risk reduction.
(Chen X, Song Z, Yin Z, et al. Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1789.)

Nutrition science deserves balanced, evidence-based discussion. Supplements, when applied judiciously, are an important tool for supporting health, particularly when tailored to the individual, sourced from high quality ingredients at therapeutic dosages, and used safely alongside any medications. Broad dismissals risk misleading the public and undermining patient care.

💚

In this episode, we debunk the vitamin supplement industry and find out whether your daily multivitamin could actually be causing more harm than good.

28/05/2025

This is hardly news to nutritionists, who have been raising concerns about the Western diet for many years. The rise in aggressive bowel cancers among younger adults reflects the impact of a food system that often prioritises ultra-processed convenience over long-term health. The link between poor gut health, processed foods, and chronic disease is well known to those who understand that our microbiome reflects what we eat.

It’s encouraging that microbial factors like colibactin are now receiving attention, but it’s disappointing that it takes a cancer epidemic to highlight what preventative health practitioners have long emphasised: diets rich in fibre, whole foods, and microbial diversity are essential for preventing disease, not just a passing trend. It’s a shame that many people aren’t told how the foods marketed to them can harm their health, often without their knowledge.

Cases of bowel cancer are rising so rapidly among young people it looks set to become the leading cause of cancer deaths

25/04/2025

11/04/2025

A recent study has raised concerns that current vitamin B12 recommendations may not be sufficient to protect against cognitive decline, particularly in older adults. Even when B12 levels are within the "normal range," lower levels of active B12 (holo-TC) have been linked to slower cognitive processing and brain changes, such as white matter damage. This is particularly concerning because subtle deficiencies can be missed by standard serum B12 tests, which measure total B12 rather than its bioactive forms.

This highlights the importance of deeper diagnostics, like MMA testing, to detect functional B12 deficiencies that standard tests might miss. Elevated MMA is a more sensitive marker of B12 deficiency, as it reflects impaired cellular function. Additionally, as we age, reduced stomach acid production makes it harder to absorb B12 from food. Causes of low stomach acid include aging, chronic stress, zinc deficiency, infections like H. pylori, and the widespread use of acid-reducing medications called Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs), which should be highlighted here.

PPIs can impair vitamin B12 absorption by reducing gastric acid secretion, which is essential for releasing B12 from food proteins, potentially leading to deficiency with long-term use. Studies have shown that prolonged PPI use is associated with lower serum B12 levels and an increased risk of deficiency-related complications such as cognitive decline and neuropathy.

It’s frustrating that although we know low stomach acid is far more common than high stomach acid—and that they share similar symptoms—for some reason this information still isn’t being communicated effectively to GP offices that regularly prescribe PPIs. Older women in my nutrition clinic often suffer from reflux symptoms, digestive upset, and osteopenia or osteoporosis, and I know before they tell me that they have been taking PPIs for some time and have come to me for an alternative approach to supporting their digestion.

When we work on diet, trigger foods, boosting the microbiome, and reducing inflammation in the gut, they feel much better. Supporting stomach acid production naturally through dietary changes can also make a significant difference in improving digestion and nutrient absorption.

Another key nutrient for preventing cognitive decline is vitamin D, and many people are deficient due to limited sun exposure and inadequate dietary intake. We help them understand that unless they have good magnesium levels—which most people don’t—they are also unable to synthesize enough vitamin D. Magnesium acts as a cofactor in the activation of vitamin D both in the liver and kidneys, making it essential for maintaining adequate levels.

Working with a nutrition professional to optimize digestion and ensure proper nutrient absorption can really empower people to support their brain, bone, digestive health, and more as they age, so they stay in good shape for longer. We want not just a good lifespan but a great healthspan.

Current recommended levels of vitamin B12 might not be sufficient to protect against neurological decline.

21/01/2025

This eye opening documentary looked at studies showing how household expenditure on food went from:

58% on fresh ingredients
26% on convenience foods
In 1980…

To:
28% fresh ingredients
44% convenience foods
By 2000.

Nearly tripling UK obesity rates from 7% to 20%

What about today?

Today on average, 57% of calories consumed by whole UK population comes from ultra processed food (UPF).

But it’s worse when we focus on younger people with children consuming 64% UPFs and Teens 68% UPFs 😱

Shockingly 1 in 5 people in the UK gets 80% of their calories from UPFs

Ultra-processed foods are linked to health issues like obesity, diabetes, and poor gut health, particularly in children, whose developing bodies are more vulnerable to harmful additives and imbalanced nutrition.

23/12/2024

Last clinic day before Christmas! I’m grateful to have taken on so many new clients this year✨ As always I’ve learned so much, enjoying the privilege of helping others to make small changes and big improvements to their health and happiness. Wishing you all a peaceful Christmas break 🎄

17/12/2024

One of the recent success stories in clinic. So very thankful to this lovely lady for waving her anonymity to leave me this Google review. 💚
It’s not something I expect, when people are sharing confidential health details with me.
So grateful that I get to hold space for lovely clients like this, and improve their quality of life so much 🙏🏼

I’m always clear with my clients that nutritional therapy is not medical care or treatment, but that helping people to understand their own unique health history and support the body systems in need, they can achieve wonderful results from a root cause level. 

Love what I do ✨

03/09/2024

After well earned summer relaxing, travelling or saving, for many it’s nearly time to pack up and head to uni! This year I am one of the nervous parents sending their young adult away for the first time 😬
I know one of the biggest worries for parents is that their child will be well nourished and rested as we head into the winter season, whilst juggling lectures and workload in between the fun 📚🍻🥗
I’ve prepared a free university mini guide for students. To grab your copy, simply comment or DM me the word UNI. Good luck everyone!

15/06/2024

Just me n’ Patrick Holford, sitting in a tree (T.A.L.K.I.N.G.) 😆
Another great day at the summer party at .manor in Kent. Many thanks!
Great to chat and network with other practitioners and suppliers in the crazy weather! ☀️ ☔️ 💨