Mad Diet

22/02/2026

One in three of us have high blood pressure costing a cool £2.1 billion per year. It’s often dubbed the “silent killer” showing no symptoms until it’s too late.

Magnesium and beetroot juice along with a daily walk are easy ways to keep BP in check. But this latest clinical trial also shows a gentle mind-body practice may be just as good as drugs!

We’re not talking about flying Karate Kid kicks or Matrix-style gymnastics. We’re talking about easy flowing movements to balance breath and posture we can all do at home in the living room.

Ba Duan Jin is a form of medical qigong that’s been practiced in the Far East for millennia. Why not stick on Youtube and give it a go and ye’ll be catching flies with chopsticks in no time! www.maddiet.co

Baduanjin’s slow, structured movements delivered reductions similar to certain medications, offering a scalable option for long-term heart health.

20/02/2026

100% CONTAMINATED (and how our ancestors knew better!)

A new UK analysis found that every single plant-based meat and drink alternative sampled contained mycotoxins.

Not some. Not most. All of them!

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by fungi that grow on cereals, grains and legumes. When those crops are harvested, milled, and ultra-processed… the toxins don’t magically disappear. They concentrate.

These nasties are linked to hormone disruption, immune suppression, respiratory problems, gut inflammation, brain fog, fatigue, liver stress, metabolic dysfunction and more.

This isn’t theory – it’s established toxicology.

Fungus loves warmth and humidity. It thrives in hotter climates. The UK’s cooler, temperate conditions naturally suppress fungal growth — which is why locally grown grains consistently show lower contamination levels.

But most plant-based fake meat and drinks rely on soy and legumes imported from warmer regions, stored for long periods, and heavily processed before landing on supermarket shelves.

Then we’re told it’s clean, green, and healthy?

This isn’t about attacking plants or folk who don’t eat meat. It’s about shining a light on ultra-processed meat and dairy alternatives masquerading as health food.

Our ancestors knew better.

The Rowan tree (Sorbus aucuparia) was sacred in Scotland and not just for scaring off fairies! Rowan sprigs were placed in barns alongside stored grain. Twigs stirred through milk to prevent spoilage. Berries simmered into decoctions to “cleanse” the body.

This wasn’t mere fairy folklore. Rowan contains sorbic acid — a natural antifungal compound. Our ancestors didn’t have chromatography equipment. They had observation and traditional wisdom passed down the ages.

The keepers of that wisdom were the famous MacBeths – hereditary physicians to the clans. They taught our ancestors how to protect crops, livestock and people using native trees and herbs. Health began in the forest, not the pharmacy!

Today we don’t need to hang Rowan branches in the pantry but we do need to think about where our food comes from. That starts by choosing locally grown grains, shorter supply chains, less processing and more real food.

It also means getting more antifungal herbs on our plates - oregano, thyme, and garlic for starters. Compounds in turmeric also break down fungal cell membranes and help keep these nasty mycotoxins at bay.

Suzanne.x

16/02/2026

What happens when women of childbearing age don’t consume anywhere near enough iodine?

Or when 50% of UK women have a genetic variation that blocks their ability to convert beta-carotene into vitamin A?

One in three children now have sight problems which is often blamed on too much screen time or not playing enough outdoors.

Is it time we remembered why our ancestors thrived on dairy with fish and organ meats on their plates?

New study worth a swatch for those who need to go to Specsavers. www.maddiet.co

Humans develop sharp vision during early fetal development thanks to an interplay between a vitamin A derivative and thyroid hormones in the retina, Johns Hopkins University scientists have found.

12/02/2026

Did you know that 40% of us don’t take a bath these days? Showering may be quicker and save on bills but at what cost to our health?

Bathnights for us was every Sunday and Wednesday – often sharing the same water! Matey provided bubbles for us and mum soaked for ages in Radox or Epsom Salts from the chemist.

This latest study reminds us that sitting in a hot bath for 15-30 minutes does way more than relax muscles. It triggers a hormonal response similar to exercise, dilates blood vessels, increases blood flow, and lowers arterial pressure.

Add Epsom Salts to the water for extra magnesium and then a wee cup of cocoa before bed. The hot bath, minerals and flavonoids may be just the ticket for better sleep and heart health. www.maddiet.co

A review highlights hot water immersion's potential in lowering blood pressure, emphasizing it as an adjunct therapy alongside traditional treatments.

11/02/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who supports our organic farm and believes in food produced properly.

Our olives are grown on our own organic finca in the Terres de l’Ebre Biosphere Reserve. This unique corner of Catalonia is recognised by UNESCO for getting the balance right: protecting biodiversity while practising genuinely sustainable agriculture.

This is a place where pesticides are well and truly poo-pooed, and working with nature — not against it — is paramount.

Each October, we hand-harvest our olives while they’re still mostly green. It’s harder, slower work, but it’s how you lock in those vital polyphenols — the bioactive compounds that give early-harvest extra virgin olive oil its colour, flavour, and health benefits.

From the grove, the olives travel to a nearby village, where they’re cold-pressed the very same day at an 18th-century stone mill. There are only three of these traditional mills left in the whole of Spain. No chemical farming. No mass production. Just human hands, time, and care… the auld-fashioned way.

Once pressed, we transport the oil ourselves all the way to Scotland, then ship it directly to you.

No brokers. No mystery blends. No shortcuts.

That’s whole-chain traceability. Absolute transparency. And olive oil that tastes nothing like what you’ll find on supermarket shelves.

Here’s a wee video showing the entire journey — from our finca to your table — and why we call it pure green medicine.

Thank you again for supporting small-scale organic farming, real food, and producers who still do things the right way.

Suzanne.x

PS – the wean is now a strapping lad and kept fit harvesting and humphin’ the olives!

10/02/2026

Some see it as a friend. Others a personal physician. But it is incapable of compassion and often gives us a bum steer.

We wouldn’t call a beautician to fix a leaky roof so why trust a bunch of technocrats with our emotional wellbeing?

These Ayn Rand aficionados are in it for the money and altruism isn’t part of their lexicon. Faithless objectivists building spiritually-devoid algorithms to superficially cure our ails.

Is it time we looked within, listened to our elders, and sought help from local specialists we know and trust?

In this age of deception, it’s hard to see the wood for the trees, but we won’t find enlightenment or healing from cunningly designed bots. www.maddiet.co

It found people using AI for health reasons found it hard to identify what advice they should trust.

05/02/2026

The right type of olive oil really matters for brain health. In fact, this latest study suggests that consuming regular olive oil may actually accelerate cognitive decline!

Only extra virgin olive oil protects brain cells by boosting a specific type of bacteria in the gut. Those wee microbes are called Adlercreutzia – and are less abundant in folk with Alzheimer’s disease.

The polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil feed Adlercreutzia which then transform these bioactive compounds into neuroprotective metabolites that protect brain cells.

Early harvest EVOO contains the highest amount of polyphenols – especially oleocanthal - which is locked in when the olives are still green.

Oleocanthal gives early harvest EVOO its peppery taste. The magic compound that feeds Adlercreutzia bacteria and stops those nasty amyloid plaques from accumulating in the brain. www.maddiet.co

Background Over the past decade, emerging evidence has shed light on the role of the gut microbiota in the interface between diet and brain health. Olive oil, particularly virgin olive oil, a key component and major fat source in the Mediterranean diet, has exhibited widespread healthful benefits, i...

29/01/2026

Here we go! It just goes to show when enough of us speak out they eventually take action.

Remember – organic food means less toxic pesticides on our plates. Growing crops organically also provides up to 29% more magnesium, and higher levels of iron and vitamin C – nutrients most of us are low on.

Plus, organic food contains more powerful antioxidants – up to 69% more phenolic compounds compared to chemically-farmed crops.

These compounds are what help protect us from diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and cancer – and that’s why producing more local organic food is a no-brainer. www.maddiet.co

In Scotland, the value of the organic market has grown by 20.6 per cent in five years.

28/01/2026

Oats used to be a big part of our diet. For thousands of years our ancestors ate porridge, oatcakes, skirlie, and sowens - long before statins came to town.

This latest study shows that eating oats can lower cholesterol levels in a matter of days! The humble oat helps gut bacteria produce ferulic acid that helps stop a wee enzyme from synthesising cholesterol in the liver.

That enzyme is called HMG-CoA reductase – the primary target of statins!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – is it time we got back to our native diet?

Scotland is self-sufficient in oats so let’s get this traditional food back on our plates. www.maddiet.co

Oat consumption boosts gut microbiota-derived phenolic metabolites, driving cholesterol-lowering effects and improving lipid metabolism in metabolic syndrome.

26/01/2026

PLASTIC IN DRINKING WATER IS WRECKING OUR GUTS… and eating processed food makes it worse!

New research shows that plastic nanoparticles in drinking water don’t just pass through the body. They damage gut barrier function, disrupt fat metabolism in the liver, and amplify glucose intolerance.

The damage is significantly worse when combined with a Western diet. In other words, processed food doesn’t just harm health on its own — it magnifies the biological fallout of plastic exposure.

This isn’t another daft wellness conspiracy theory. The studies show:

• Plastic nanoparticles weaken the gut lining, making it more permeable
• Fat metabolism in the liver is disrupted even at low exposure
• Blood sugar control goes to pot
• Processed food makes all of this worse!

So, when people ask why obesity and liver disease is exploding, this is a big part of the answer:

PLASTIC EXPOSURE + PROCESSED FOOD = COMPOUNDING DAMAGE TO THE GUT-LIVER AXIS.

The good news is this damage can be reversed. Research shows we can reduce the impact by:

• Filtering tap water to lower plastic intake
• Eating real food cooked from scratch
• Using quercetin, a plant flavonoid repeatedly shown to protect and restore gut barrier integrity and mitigate intestinal damage caused by plastic nanoparticles

Study after study demonstrates that quercetin helps tighten junctions in the gut lining — exactly the structures plastics damage. You’ll find this polyphenol in capers, red onions, broccoli, berries and red wine.

In today’s crazy world we can’t avoid plastic pollution. But we can protect ourselves by eating proper food, drinking clean water, and getting more quercetin on our plates.

Suzanne.x

25/01/2026

Puffing too much green? Cow fart mania out of control? The tallest nation on earth seems to have forgotten how meat and dairy consumption led to their high stature!

Not so long ago the Scots were the tallest people in Europe but that went Pete Tong when we ditched our native diet.

So, as we tuck into our haggis, neeps, and tatties tonight just remember all those vital nutrients on our plates and the hard-working farmers who brought that food to our table.

Let’s uphold our traditions and defend our food culture from those hellbent on destroying it.

Happy Burns Night!

Amsterdam is set to ban meat advertising, reflecting a wider cultural shift taking place within the Netherlands.

21/01/2026

Who knew? Here’s yet another study of 36,000 UK adults confirming what we’ve known for yonks.

Remember – the current RDA isn’t fit for purpose and won’t raise our bloods above 75nmol/L – the threshold for immune support.

Most of us are nowhere near that number – especially at this time of year when lurgy season is in full swing.

That’s why we should all take 2000IU of vitamin D3 every day with plenty of magnesium in our diet to metabolise the sunshine vitamin. www.maddiet.co

Nutrient reduces risk of hospitalisation from respiratory infections