Julianne Taylor, Registered Nutritionist

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

09/01/2026

🧠 Could gut bacteria help trigger multiple sclerosis (MS)?
MS develops in genetically susceptible people, but genes alone don’t explain who gets the disease. Known environmental factors include low vitamin D and Epstein–Barr virus infection, and for years, scientists have also suspected the gut microbiome.
In this study, researchers went beyond association and tested function. They transferred gut bacteria from 2 pairs of identical twins, one with MS and one without, into germ-free mice genetically prone to MS-like disease.
Only microbiota taken from the ileum (the end of the small intestine) of MS-affected twins triggered disease in the mice. Two bacterial species; Eisenbergiella tayi and Lachnoclostridium, were identified as dominant in sick animals. Importantly, stool samples did not tell the same story, highlighting that where we sample the microbiome matters.
This is a proof-of-concept study, not definitive proof that bacteria cause MS. Human samples were limited and the findings need replication. But it provides some of the strongest functional evidence yet that specific gut microbes may act as environmental triggers for MS in susceptible individuals.
The gut–brain–immune connection just got a little clearer.
🔗 Read the paper: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2419689122
Hashtags

05/12/2025

A series of photos from the IPF powerlifting world champs

22/11/2025

Muscle benefits of omega 3

Most people take omega-3s for heart health… but they also change your muscle tissue.

Not just inflammation.
Not just triglycerides.
Actual muscle biology.

This diagram breaks down what happens to omega-3 fats (EPA + DHA) once they enter your system, and why they influence insulin sensitivity, energy use, fat storage, and even protein synthesis.

1. It starts in the gut.

Omega-3s come in through the diet → absorbed in the small intestine → packaged into chylomicrons and VLDLs.

2. They move through the bloodstream.

From here, EPA and DHA end up in HDL particles, plasma, and eventually… the muscle membranes themselves.

3. Once omega-3s enter muscle, everything changes.

They modify the fatty acids sitting in the surface of muscle cells, leading to:

• Better insulin sensitivity
• Better glycogen use
• Less fat stored inside muscle
• Higher metabolic flexibility

This is one of the reasons omega-3 intake improves glucose control, even without changing calories.

4. Omega-3s activate a whole network of enzymes (phospholipases).

These enzymes shift the “internal messaging” inside muscle cells:

Lipase D → boosts long-chain omega-3 phospholipids

Lipase C → influences IP3/DAG signaling tied to protein synthesis

Lipase A2 → drives eicosanoid pathways tied to new sarcomere formation

In simple terms:
Omega-3s don’t just sit in the membrane — they signal the muscle to build, repair, and use energy differently.

5. The end result?

Muscle that’s richer in long-chain omega-3s shows:

• Better insulin response
• Less intramuscular fat
• Less energy wasted on fat synthesis
• Potential improvements in protein synthesis
• Better metabolic function overall

This is why omega-3s keep showing up in studies on athletic recovery, lean mass retention, aging, and metabolic health.

Your muscles aren’t just passive tissue — they’re listening to everything you eat.

And omega-3s speak their language.

doi:10.1051/ocl/2024011

19/07/2025

This is Deb. At 53 she embarked on a higher protein diet and a weight resistant exercise programme with coach Jason Seib. Over months her muscle built and her body fat decreased. She is post menopause.

The second photo has been widely circulated. It shows what the shift in body composition looks like between an older person who maintained muscle through exercise and one who did not. from this study “Chronic Exercise Preserves Lean Muscle Mass in Masters Athletes”

You can read the blog post here. It has a number of cool pics illustrating others whose body composition changed but weight stayed the same

https://paleozonenutrition.com/2012/04/25/what-does-your-body-look-like-on-the-inside-more-reasons-to-lift-weights/



These photos are from a blog post I wrote back in 2012. I had started training at a Crossfit gym around 2009, when I was a nutrition coach. I became really interested in the role of muscle in health, both its links to longevity, bone strength and in menopause (I was perimenopausal at the time)

I was already a convert to a diet with optimal protein, combined with low glycemic while food carbs and healthy fats. That I became hooked on when I discovered the Zone Diet.