Shelley Osborne-Shaw

30/07/2025

The wisdom of Chinese medicine

20/07/2025

💪 So it’s not just about gains, it’s about goals, gut and values. Which one fits your vibe?

🧈Whey is rapidly absorbed, offering quick energy release and fast muscle recovery thanks to its high leucine content, but if you have a sensitive gut or lactose sensitivity this may not be the one for you.

🫛 Pea protein on the other hand digests more slowly, providing steadier energy, it contains more iron and fibre but is lower in leucine. It’s a good choice for sensitive guts, minimal chance of bloating.

🙌 Both are complete proteins but each aligns with different dietary needs and therapeutic goals.

🏃‍♂️ Match the protein to your physiology, not just your plate.

23/06/2025

What can you do to help support Butyrate production?

* Eat foods high in prebiotics, think onions, garlic, flaxseeds, lentils, asparagus, peas & beans.

* Enjoy fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir and miso.

* Aim to include a source of fibre with every meal such as leafy greens, nuts, seeds, whole grains such as whole wheat, brown rice and oats.

* Enjoy polyphenol rich foods such as dark chocolate, extra virgin olive oil, green tea and dark leafy greens.

* Avoid ultra processed foods and those high in added sugars as they feed your less helpful microbes which can crowd out the good ones.

* Make your plate colourful, avoid plates of beige food. Our gut microbes thrive on diversity.

* The take away here is that what you eat can really impact how you feel. Your gut doesn’t just digest it communicates and protects. By feeding your gut the right types of fibre you help it produce butyrate a tiny molecule with massive influence!

* I must add Butyrate is just one of the many powerful gifts a fibre rich diet brings to your body and mind.

💖 So consider your next fibre rich meal an act of self care because your gut and brain will thank you for it.

19/06/2025

Anxious, flat mood, bloated? Or just not yourself lately? Your gut might be trying to tell you something.

The gut and brain are in constant conversation, and when an imbalanced microbiome and/or inflammation disrupts that connection, it can show up as low energy, low mood or heightened anxiety alongside gut symptoms.

By calming the gut, supporting digestion, and gently nourishing the nervous system, we can bring the body back into balance. Your body’s not broken it’s just asking you to listen.

At my practice I offer nutritional therapy, acupuncture and gut testing to support all of these areas.

You don’t need to decode this alone, DM me if you want to chat more about these therapies and begin your Gut + Mood Reset Journey.

08/05/2025

Emotions and the body

Quite often we might say “I have butterflies in my tummy” or “I’m so sad my heart aches”. In Chinese medicine the emotions are associated with certain organs and regions of the body, and are thought to cause a particular movement of qi.

For example:

Anger is associated with the liver and causes the qi to move upwards

Worry is associated with the digestive system and causes the qi to knot

Sadness is associated with the lungs, it is heavy and can consume the qi

Joy is associated with the heart , it relaxes the qi

Fear is associated with the kidneys and causes the qi to descend.

When selecting acupuncture points to balance the emotions it is not about clearing an emotion it’s about encouraging it to transform by balancing the movement of energy in the body.

Interestingly a 2014 study including 701 participants used a topographical method to map bodily sensations of participants in relation to certain emotions. This included an increase in activity such as heart rate, heat, tension, breath or a decrease in activity.

Anger induced increased activity in the upper part of the body including the chest head and arms

Happiness enhanced sensation all over the body

Sadness induced heaviness in the limbs with reluctance to move and mild activity in the chest

Depression decreased sensation of activity all over the body.

Have you experienced physical sensation or symptoms triggered by emotions?

Sometimes we focus so much on the physical body, and yet most of us will find that we feel so much better physically when our emotions are settled, therefore let’s not forget about practices and therapies that simply help us to feel good in our hearts and mind.

04/05/2025

13/04/2025

Sometimes we just don’t know what to say!

When someone is stressed it is a sign they are struggling. By simply telling someone to chill out it will completely undermine the severity of their stress and the reality of their overwhelming emotions. This can make them feel like they are failing, somehow not coping where others are able to, or they may feel completely unsupported as their worries and anxieties are not understood.

It’s is so easy to tell someone to relax when you are already relaxed, but really when any of us are stressed we just need help. Stress can manifest in many ways including anger, sadness, shame, guilt or overwhelm but there is one thing that can lighten the load, kindness.

So although stress can seem spiky, harsh or cold when you are on the receiving end or even in the same room, simply show a little kindness, offer some help, or just pop the kettle on and lend an ear. When we respond to stress with stress it just becomes horrible, but kindness can go along way.

09/04/2025

Wonderful comment from a client today, I had to post it as I think it’s a really powerful comment. When you let go of habits that may be tricky to say goodbye to but then feel fantastic for doing so it’s a real achievement!
6 weeks into this plan and my client is nourishing her health and reaching her weight loss goals by already dropping 7lbs. As part of a structured plan simple changes can make a big impact on your health. What would be the one thing you would like to change about your food choices? Or a bad habit that you would like to break?

22/03/2025

I love receiving an amazing sample box from & . I can’t wait to try some of theses products, and share some with a few clients I have in mind. I’ve heard amazing things about liquid collagen and hyaluronic acid, I use this company all the time and love their products, I was also just about to recommend Bio.Me IB clinically researched probiotic to a client of mine to help manage symptoms of IBS. Invivo is my go to company for gut health support, I’ve seen great results using their supplements.
A new introduction to me are supplements, their formulations look amazing, Pause is particularly appealing to me with a blend of magnesium, Ashwaghanda, hops and L-theanine, super calming for the nervous system, sleep & stress support.
Oomph is for energy, mood & focus and Fogo is for menopausal support.

04/03/2025

04/03/2025

Natural light exposure has so many benefits!

Studies support that natural exposure to sunlight boost…

* Energy
* Productivity
* Positive attitude
* Focus
* Sleep quality

This may be due to the suns impact on serotonin production. 1 study measured the concentration of serotonin metabolite in 101 healthy males. It showed that serotonin turnover by the brain was at its lowest in the winter, but increased rapidly with exposure to bright sunlight.

So let’s not under estimate the power of Mother Nature! Go for that morning run, or lunchtime walk! Or simply sit in a room where the sun streams through and enjoy your morning cuppa!

18/02/2025

* The Mediterranean diet is known for its anti inflammatory effects. Chronic inflammation has been linked to mood disorders including major depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder and postpartum depression. Inflammation can affect the brain including disruption of brain chemicals.

* The Mediterranean diet is rich in polyphenols, these are strong antioxidant plant compounds found in foods such as Olive oil, berries, herbs, nuts, seeds and vegetables. Antioxidants help to protect our cells and reduce inflammation in the body. A recent review concluded that these protective properties may play a role in reducing the risk of depression.

* The Mediterranean diet is rich in prebiotics, foods that feed our good gut microbes. These microbes produce bioactive metabolites such as butyrate that can cross the blood brain barrier and reduce oxidative stress in the brain as well as influencing production of neurotransmitters.

* The Mediterranean diet is rich in omega 3 fatty acids which helps to lower inflammation and facilitates neurotransmission in the brain

What we eat can play such a big part in how we feel and our mental health. The main take away here is that whole food diets rich in plant foods with a good intake of omega 3 fats and fibre can support your mood and play a supportive role in managing depression. Of course we are all individual and a personalised approach to nutrition is often needed rather than simply adopting one dietary model. DM me if you want to find out more about how nutritional therapy can support you on your health journey.