Nutrition Solutions

28/09/2021

NATIONAL CHOLESTEROL MONTH - OCTOBER 2021

It is National Cholesterol month throughout October, so I am offering one of my books - Cholesterol – The Essential Guide - FREE with every October consultation to help reduce/manage cholesterol. What does a consultation like this include?

- Dietary advice so you can reduce foods that increase 'bad' cholesterol and triglycerides, and eat more foods that increase 'good' cholesterol
- Advice on supplements that can help to lower your cholesterol level
- Option to have your cholesterol measured with a finger prick blood test - the sample goes back to the lab for Total cholesterol, LDL, HLD, triglycerides and cholesterol ratio to be measured - but test kits need to be ordered in advance
- Bring along your latest NHS cholesterol test results and I will calculate your triglycerides/HDL ratio for you - this is the most accurate predictor of a cardiovascular event, or cardiovascular disease.

In addition to this focussed consultation you'll go away with a great DIY guide on managing your cholesterol for life. Cholesterol - The Essential Guide discusses the lesser known truths about cholesterol and its role in cardiovascular disease, and explains how different foods, lifestyle interventions (such as stress and exercise) and medications affect your cholesterol metabolism. A wealth of practical, simple tips help you to adapt your diet and lifestyle, enabling you to improve and manage cholesterol levels.

Appointments are available at Elixir Health Foods, Bodhi Practice and the Newquay Chiropractic Clinic, or by zoom. Contact Sara on 07919 110440 or email sarakirkham@yahoo.co.uk for more information or to book an appointment.

23/03/2021

An egg a day keeps the doctor away?

Eggs have a high cholesterol content and have often been associated with an increased risk of elevated serum cholesterol levels and heart disease. Studies have shown conflicting results, with some studies showing associations and others not. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of over five million people and 763 studies evaluated the association between egg intake and the risk of heart disease.

Egg intake was not associated with heart disease and this was evident even in people who ate at least one egg per day. Even in people with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, egg intake was not associated with heart disease. It was concluded that egg consumption does not increase the risk of heart disease. The results did show that higher egg intake was often associated with an otherwise poor diet, so it is possible that other dietary elements have contributed to increased occurrence of cardiovascular disease, and not consumption of eggs after all!

It is crucial to eat a balanced and varied diet - so use eggs to make nutritious, simple and quick meals such as scrambled egg with smoked salmon, mushroom, red onion and rocket, Mediterranean frittata with olives, tomatoes, peppers and asparagus, or poached egg with avocado on sourdough toast.

For more evidence-based research and simple meals, book a session with Sara to help overhaul your diet. Appointments available at Bodhi Practice, Hawksfield Cornwall, Newquay Chiropractic clinic and Elixir Health Foods in Wadebridge. Contact sarakirkham@yahoo.co.uk or call 07919 110440.

09/02/2021

Can you become intolerant to a food overnight?

Food allergies and intolerances are not always congenital or genetic - in fact most issues occur through physiological changes as our environment, body physiology or diet alters. Food allergies are thought to affect 200 million people worldwide, and food allergies and intolerances are becoming more frequent in older adults. There are several potential causes:

1) Nutrient deficiencies can become common as we age - in addition to dietary choices that may limit certain nutrients, our digestive secretions tend to reduce, which leads to insufficient protein digestion and increased risk of food allergies.
2) The integrity of the gut lining can become inflamed and allow food allergens to pe*****te into tissues where they can trigger an immune response.
3) Age related effects on the gastrointestinal mucosa decreases our tolerance to food allergens.
4) Age associated alterations of the gut microbiome may favour the development of food allergies and intolerances.

But the good news is that many of these issues can be resolved through dietary adjustments and/or supplement support - and of course you can get a food intolerance test (208 different foods) or food allergy test - to see what you are reacting to, which is a great starting point.

Contact Sara on 07919 110440 or at sarakirkham@yahoo.co.uk for more information on getting a food intolerance/allergy test, or having a nutritional therapy consultation at Bodhi Practice Hawksfield Cornwall, Newquay Chiropractic Clinic or Elixir Health Foods in Wadebridge.

05/01/2021

The ABCD and E of an anti-COVID diet

With COVID infection still increasing, and new strains of the virus emerging, we cannot simply rely on a vaccine to limit the impact of this disease. There are some simple dietary steps you can follow to support your immune system, helping your body to deal with any infection.

Vitamin A
This vitamin helps to maintain the structure of the cells in the respiratory tract and gut, helping the body’s first line of immune defence. Vitamin A also helps to make antibodies, which neutralise the pathogens that cause infection. Vitamin A is found in oily fish, egg yolks, cheese, tofu, nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes, and beta carotene, found orange and dark green vegetables, can be turned into vitamin A.

B vitamins
B6, B9 (folic acid) and B12 vitamins contribute to the body’s first response to a pathogen, helping the body produce natural killer cells, which destroy infected cells. B6 and folic acid are found in legumes, green leafy vegetables and nuts, and B6 is also in fish and meat. B12 is in eggs, meat and dairy, fortified soya milk and fortified yeast.

Vitamins C and E
When the body is fighting an infection it creates oxidative stress and free radicals, which creates inflammation. Vitamins C and E are anti-oxidants that help to protect cells from oxidative stress. Vitamin C also helps to produce other immune cells to complete the immune response. Good sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, berries, kiwi, broccoli, tomatoes and peppers. Vitamin E is found in nuts, green leafy vegetables and vegetables oils.

Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a potent immune modifying vitamin, and there is mounting evidence of its effectiveness in moderating COVID-19 severity. It has been shown to reduce inflammation in the lungs, and some immune cells use vitamin D to help destroy pathogens that cause infection. Early intervention with Vitamin D supplementation in SARS-CoV-2 infections have reduced severity of the infection and lowered admissions to intensive care, and a review of 25 studies found that vitamin D supplements can help to protect against acute respiratory infections.

We make most of our vitamin D through sunlight exposure, but it’s difficult to make enough in the UK between September and March. Food sources include eggs, oily fish, some fortified milks and margarines, and mushrooms.
Other important immune supportive nutrients such as zinc, iron and selenium can also be found in the foods listed above, so a healthy, balanced and diverse diet should provide all of these micronutrients.

If you would like help to create a healthy, immune supportive diet, or would like advice and support on supplementation that may help, please contact Sara for a zoom or telephone consultation by calling 07919 110440 or emailing sarakirkham@yahoo.co.uk. Where clinic appointments can be taken, these are available at Newquay Chiropractic clinic, Bodhi Practice Hawksfield Cornwall, or Elixir Health Foods in Wadebridge.

05/12/2020

Really pleased to join Elixir health foods as their resident nutritional therapist - appointments available via zoom or at Elixir. See the first of their Elixir Inspire videos here for more information on nutritional therapy at Elixir.

Elixir Health and Sara Kirkham (Nutrition solutions) discuss all things nutrition. An introduction to the benefits of nutrition. If you would like to book an...

03/11/2020

Weight gain over lock down? Think again!

Considering how the last lock down led to comfort eating (and drinking!), if you want to come out of this lock down feeling healthier, lighter and energised, rather than heavier, bloated and tired, take action now. Let me help you with a 4 week plan based on your individual food likes/dislikes, with weekly free support designed to get you through lock down without piling on the pounds.

An initial weight loss session will create an eating plan based on your typical food intake (with adjustments!), and several key dietary elements proven to aid weight loss will be added to your plan. You can check in via email, text or What's App each week to help keep you on track. With expert support on hand throughout, a new you can emerge from lock down! Add on a follow up appointment after the 4 weeks to fine tune your eating habits and plan next steps.

Plan options
Be lighter after lock down initial appointment £40
Before and after lock down sandwich £70 for 2 x 1 hour sessions
Add £10 to either plan to include a health overview

It's business as usual as nutritional therapy is not a therapy listed for lock down and the clinics are still open, so get in touch by calling Sara on 07919 110440 or at sarakirkham@yahoo.co.uk to arrange a zoom/telephone appointment, or an appointment at Bodhi Practice, Newquay Chiropractic clinic or Elixir Health Foods.

28/10/2020

Are you hungry after eating?

If you find that you have low blood sugar levels up to 2 hours after eating, or 4-5 hours later, you may have reactive hypoglycaemia. Reactive hypoglycaemia is linked to elevated insulin secretion - after we eat, we secrete a hormone called insulin to bring blood glucose levels back down to normal, but if we eat sugary foods, or even too many starchy carbohydrates, too much insulin may be secreted, causing low blood glucose (hypoglycaemia).

Extreme hunger a few hours after eating can also occur if the initial insulin secretion after eating is too low, and then the resulting high blood glucose triggers an excessive late phase insulin secretion. Anything that increases insulin secretion can lead to reduced insulin sensitivity and weight gain, and is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes.

A recent study including 37,895 diabetic patients from 98% of general practices in England has shown that between Feb 16 and May 11 this year, 30% of those with diabetes had COVID-19 listed on the death certificate. Poor blood sugar control prior to infection was strongly associated with COVID-19-related death, independent of other risk factors. Obesity (BMI of 30 or over) is also significantly associated with COVID-19 mortality.

With a few simple dietary adjustments I can help you reduce your blood glucose (HbA1c) and improve insensitivity, reducing insulin resistance, weight around the middle, and risk of type 2 diabetes. If you'd like to get your blood glucose checked with a HbA1c test, or book in for a diet makeover, contact me on 07919 110440 or at sarakirkham@yahoo.co.uk for an appointment at Bodhi Practice, Hawksfield Cornwall or Newquay Chiropractic clinic.

22/09/2020

Cancer and integrative therapies

For anyone with a cancer diagnosis or for those caring for someone with cancer, or if you have a family member with cancer, this online event provides information about nutrition, exercise, mindfulness and alternative treatment options. Guaranteed to be packed with information and useful tips - register here at:

Your Life and Cancer two LIVE online events taking place over two weekends from 26-28 September and 10-12 October 2020 designed for anyone who is effected by cancer and interested in finding out more about Integrative Medicine, combining conventional treatments with lifestyle and complementary thera...

21/09/2020

Would you like a health MOT?

A range of health tests are available from the labs that I work with, and Medichecks have just launched their new Advanced Nutrition Test. We can measure all of the following with just a few drops of blood in this simple fingerpick blood test:

- HbA1c to check blood glucose levels
- Cholesterol markers
- Inflammatory markers
- important minerals such as zinc and magnesium which could be causing symptoms such as heartburn, reflux, anxiety or poor sleep
- Iron, B12 and folate - if any of these are reduced it can explain low energy levels
- Vitamin D levels - very important in the current climate as low vitamin D affects immune function (and mood), and research shows that a healthy vitamin D status can reduce the risk and the severity of COVID 19 infection.

All of these can be measured in a half hour nutritional therapy appointment at Bodhi Practice, Hawksfield Cornwall or at the Newquay Chiropractic clinic. The test on it's own is £109, or add on a diet check to receive simple and effective ways of making your diet super-healthy for an all-in-one cost of £139.

Contact Sara on 07919 110440 or at sarakirkham@yahoo.co.uk, or simply message me below to book an appointment.

25/08/2020

Can your bowel microbiome affect your weight?

The gut microbiome is an ecosystem of an estimated 10~100 trillion microorganisms and there is increasing research on the important role these bacteria play in supporting our health and weight. Faecal microbiota transplantation is a relatively new field, where patients receive faeces from a healthy donor to help repopulate their intestinal tract with healthful bacteria. A recent review has reported that patients with clinical obesity or metabolic syndrome had improved insulin sensitivity and reduced HbA1c glucose levels after 6 weeks of faecal transplantation, but these improvements were short-term only. This suggests that:

1. The microbiome can affect metabolism and weight
2. The 'foundations' within the bowel must be right in order for probiotic bacteria to implant and grow, rather than simply 'pass through'.

Weight loss and weight maintenance are about much more than calorie balance... for specialist advice and help with weight loss, get in touch with an expert. You can even arrange appointments to come along with a friend in your COVID19 'bubble' - save money by booking a joint appointment and support each other in your weight loss journey!

Book an appointment now at Bodhi Practice Hawksfield Cornwall, or the Newquay Chiropractic clinic. Weight loss appointments are £40 per hour for an individual, or £60 for two in a bubble (90 minute appointment). Call Sara on 07919 110440, email sarakirkham@yahoo.co.uk or simply post a message below.