Julianne Taylor, Registered Nutritionist

10/05/2026

Could diet help reduce rheumatoid arthritis symptoms?

In our pilot study, 9 adults with rheumatoid arthritis followed an 8-week Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet after a 4-week period on their usual diet. The AIP diet removed foods such as grains, dairy, legumes, eggs, processed foods, alcohol, and nightshades, while emphasising vegetables, fruit, seafood, meat, and healthy fats.

The results were interesting:
• 7 out of 9 participants improved in patient-reported RA symptoms
• Fatigue, pain, and sleep scores improved in many participants
• Several participants moved into remission-level disease activity scores
• NSAID use decreased during the intervention
• Vegetable, fruit, fibre, and seafood intake increased substantially

However, not everyone improved. One participant’s symptoms worsened, and some experienced side effects including digestive symptoms and unintended weight loss.

This was a very small pilot study without a control group, so it cannot prove the diet caused the improvements. But it does suggest diet deserves further investigation as part of RA care and symptom management.

The big unanswered question:
Was it the food exclusions themselves… or simply a major improvement in overall diet quality?

Larger controlled studies are now needed to find out.

28/03/2026

Your blood test might make it look creatine is damaging your kidneys. But evidence says otherwise.

Here’s what’s actually going on 👇

Creatinine (the marker your doctor looks at) isn’t just about kidney function.
It’s also influenced by:
• Muscle mass
• Diet (especially meat)
• Exercise
• Creatine supplementation

So when you take creatine, your blood creatinine can go up —
not because your kidneys are failing,
but because your body is producing more of it.

That can make your eGFR (an estimated marker of kidney function) look lower…
even when your kidneys are working completely normally.

👉 This is where a lot of confusion happens.

If you train, have a higher muscle mass than average, eat high protein, and take creatine —
your labs can look worse on paper than they really are.

So what should you actually look at?

• ACR (urine test) → checks for real kidney damage
• Cystatin C → a more accurate blood marker if needed

And when you get your blood test:
• Don’t go right after a hard workout
• Be well hydrated
• Tell your doctor you take creatine

Bottom line:
Creatine can raise creatinine —
but that’s not the same as kidney damage (in healthy people).

If your labs changed after starting creatine,
it’s worth understanding the full picture before jumping to conclusions.

Full explanation + research in the article here: https://juliannetaylornutrition.com/2026/03/does-creatine-damage-your-kidneys/

09/03/2026

Just a praying mantis snacking on a smaller insect

24/01/2026

When there is no gym, a few basics include push-up variations like deficit push-ups. Single leg squats and deadlift variation with dumbbells for lower body.

24/01/2026

This paper has sparked big claims and even bigger debate.
But I’ve seen it called a study, a meta-analysis, and a systematic review.
It’s none of those. It’s a narrative review. And that difference matters.

A study collects new data.
A systematic review follows strict methods to analyse all available evidence.
A narrative review is an expert-written summary of selected research.

So how can you tell the difference?

A systematic review follows PRISMA guidelines. You’ll usually see:
• The title clearly stating “Systematic review”, “Meta-analysis” or “Scoping review”
• A PRISMA flow diagram showing how studies were searched and selected
• A formal quality appraisal of included studies
• Charts, tables and forest plots summarising results
• Transparent, reproducible methods

This is high-level evidence.

A narrative review usually has:
• No PRISMA diagram
• No defined search strategy
• No quality assessment
• Evidence chosen by the author

Which means we must be cautious.

Narrative reviews:
• Can cherry-pick studies
• May ignore conflicting evidence
• Often mix data with opinion
• Are not designed to test hypotheses
• Can unintentionally exaggerate certainty
• Are interpretive, not definitive

But they still have value.

Narrative reviews:
✨ Explore ideas
✨ Identify gaps in research
✨ Generate hypotheses
✨ Start scientific conversations

So when you see bold claims, pause and ask:
What type of evidence is this?
Because how evidence is gathered matters just as much as what it says.

20/01/2026

Twenty five years married to .mcneill.315 🥰

18/01/2026

The protein content in tofu varies widely.

One brand of firm tofu has 17g of protein per 100 grams and another 6.5.

If you are using tofu as your protein source for a meal- check the label. Aim for a firm or extra firm tofu with the highest amount of protein per 100 grams.

17/01/2026

I never imagined that trying a diet to see how it affected me would lead to a change in my health, a change in career direction, and ultimately a PhD.

This is my story, of how my own results led to a PhD study.

This is the first dietary intervention using a paleo or it’s more restrictive version the autoimmune protocol in people with rheumatoid arthritis in the world.

It is also the first dietary intervention anyone in New Zealand has conducted in people with RA.

♿️

16/01/2026

Vitamin D, often referred to as a hormone due to its synthesis in the body, plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health.

Its primary functions include regulating calcium and phosphate homeostasis, which is essential for bone mineralization, growth, and remodeling. This helps prevent conditions like rickets in children, osteomalacia in adults, and osteoporosis in older individuals.

Vitamin D enables proper calcium absorption in the gut.

Beyond skeletal health, vitamin D modulates immune function by influencing innate and adaptive immune cells, enhancing antimicrobial responses, and reducing inflammation, which may lower the risk of infections and autoimmune disorders. 

 It also supports cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis, potentially contributing to cancer prevention by inhibiting tumor progression.  

Additional roles encompass neuromuscular function, glucose metabolism (aiding in insulin sensitivity and reducing diabetes risk), cardiovascular health (by regulating blood pressure and inflammation), and brain function, including potential neuroprotective effects.  

During pregnancy, adequate vitamin D levels support fetal development and reduce risks like preterm birth. 

Emerging evidence highlights its involvement in skin health, such as managing conditions like psoriasis and acne through anti-inflammatory pathways. 

I used this at home Vitamin D test kit, which showed I may be insufficient. A follow up laboratory test will confirm that.

14/01/2026

14/01/2026

The NZ nutrition guidelines group legumes, nuts and seeds as interchangeable with fish, poultry and lean meat for protein. But are they really equivalent?

Let’s compare.

100 g cooked, skinless chicken breast gives:
• 31 g protein
• 2.5 g leucine (the key amino acid that triggers muscle protein synthesis)
• 4 g fat
• Very high digestibility (DIAAS 1.08)
Most of the rest is water.

Now kidney beans:
100 g canned kidney beans contain:
• 8 g protein
• 0.7 g leucine (sub-optimal for muscle protein synthesis)
• 9.5 g fibre (about ⅓ of daily needs)

To match the protein in 100 g of chicken, you’d need about 390 g of kidney beans (around 1⅔ cans):
• Protein: 31 g
• Leucine: 2.7 g (finally optimal)
• Carbohydrate: 47 g
• Fibre: 37 g
• Digestibility: DIAAS 0.63 (much lower than chicken)

Great for fibre and gut health – but very different nutritionally from meat.

What about nuts and seeds?
Peanuts do contain protein, but:
• Calories are very high because of fat
• Leucine is low (~1.5 g per large serve)
• Digestibility is low (DIAAS ~0.43 vs chicken 1.08)

They’re nutrient-dense foods, but not efficient protein sources for muscle or recovery.

Some plant proteins perform much better:

Pea protein isolate “meats” (per 100 g):
• 202 kcal
• 32 g protein
• 2.3 g leucine
• DIAAS ≈ 1.0

Extra-firm tofu (per 100 g):
• 152 kcal
• 17 g protein
• 1.4 g leucine
• DIAAS ≈ 0.97

So yes, legumes, nuts and seeds contain protein.
But they are not nutritionally interchangeable with animal protein when it comes to:
• protein density
• leucine content
• digestibility
• efficiency for muscle maintenance

Another interesting plant-based protein option is Quorn (mycoprotein, from fungi).

Per 100 g, Quorn provides:
• 98 kcal
• 14.9 g protein
• 1.2 g leucine
• 7.8 g fibre
• DIAAS: 0.99

This is impressive for a whole-food protein source.

They each have different roles:
🌱 Beans = fibre + carbs + some protein
🥜 Nuts = fats + calories + some protein
🐔 Meat/fish = highly efficient protein
🧬 Protein isolates & tofu = plant options closer to animal protein quality