Julianne Taylor, Registered Nutritionist

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.

04/07/2025

NZ Powerlifting Nationals 2025. I competed a couple of days after the end of a 3 month powerlifting study run by at AUT Millennium in Auckland NZ. The study was designed to compare training with pin squats and bench to normal comp ones. My own experience was that pin squats improved my squat the most. I hit 105kg at one point. I’m working on bringing that to competition. Anyhow in Nationals I was hoping to break my squat record. And I did by 0.5kg, hitting 101.5kg at 51.7kg body weight. My deadlift remained the same as last year, 117.5kg, as the study was designed to maintain rather than increase this. Bench was my disappointment- I fluffed my second lift so only hit 52.5 on my last one. Lesson learned, don’t jump the press command.

Next up is worlds in Capetown in October and I’m training for that.

25/06/2025

Scam alert:

04/04/2025

My scoping review (one of three projects from my PhD) is now published open access. I am interested in the studies that assess whether food sensitivities play a role in rheumatoid arthritis. I found that - yes - there is consistent evidence that some people respond to certain exclusions, however most of the studies I found were not high quality, or recent. Some of the studies showed some people appear to have clear reactions (increase in RA flares or symptoms) to certain foods. Exclusion diets consistently result in decreased RA symptoms, many of these diets contain a small selection of foods, typically a protein like fish or lamb, a few vegetables and one or two fruits and filtered or spring water. After the exclusion foods (or food group like dairy) are added back one at a time, usually two days apart, and the reaction assessed. If there is an increase in symptoms the food is kept out of the diet. The most common foods (when all study results were compiled) were wheat, corn, dairy, eggs, pork and beef, although many other foods were identified. However, a point that is often not considered is that all the exclusion diets increase diet quality, i.e. diets consistently remove all processed foods, additives, and alcohol. This leaves whole processed foods, with meals cooked from scratch. This in itself has an effect on RA disease activity, even without excluding foods. As a recommendation for people with RA, that would be the place to start. Most people following a western diet consume around 40 % highly processed foods high in additives. That is foods that are made from white flour, sugar and added fats and oils. The scoping study is in Nutrition Research Reviews. You can view it here. [Arthritis New Zealand] https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954422425000083.

24/01/2025

🚨 Are You Taking Too Much Vitamin B6? 🚨

Taking excessive amounts of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) can lead to serious health issues, including nerve damage. While B6 is essential for brain development, immune function, and metabolism, more isn’t always better.

People can easily get too much if they take a multivitamin, then add single supplements that contain added vitamin B6. For example zinc complex, magnesium complex and others.

A clinical study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that chronic high doses of B6 can cause sensory neuropathy, leading to symptoms like tingling, numbness, or burning pain in the hands and feet. These symptoms can persist even after stopping the supplements.

Simon, featured in a recent Guardian article, experienced just this. He took multivitamins daily without realizing they far exceeded his B6 needs. Over time, he developed debilitating pain and numbness in his extremities. A pathology test revealed his B6 levels were toxic, and his symptoms began to improve only after he stopped taking the supplements.

💊 The recommended daily intakes in NZ is around 1.3-2 mg for adults, per day. If taking supplements avoid high-dose ones and ensure no more than 50mg per day in total. Always read labels, and check you are not additively taking far too much.

Pyridoxal 5’ phosphate (PLP) and pyridoxamine 5’ phosphate (PMP) are the active coenzyme forms of vitamin B6, and are included in some more expensive supplements instead of the pyridoxine form.

More of B6 can be found here: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB6-HealthProfessional/

21/01/2025

I competed once in powerlifting last year (focussing on my PhD) I continued to train, less, but consistently. I managed to maintain my strength, and break a New Zealand squat record in Masters 2 and 3, 52kg with a 101kg squat, almost double body weight.

The PhD continues and I’ll be finished this year.

The area I’m researching is dietary strategies for rheumatoid arthritis. My focus is on food sensitivities that increase RA symptoms.

04/01/2025

🧀 Parmesan Cheese: Protein, Calcium & Flavour🧀

Did you know Parmesan delivers 16.8g of protein, (67 cal) 550mg of calcium, and just 13.2g of fat (119 cal) per 50g serve?

Compared this to creamier cheeses like Brie or Camembert (which often have far more fat - 20g, and less protein- 6g) for the same sized serving🌟

🔬 Why Parmesan is Lower in Fat, Higher in Protein & Rich in Calcium:
1️⃣ Aged to Perfection: Parmesan’s long aging process reduces moisture, concentrating protein and calcium.
2️⃣ Hard Cheese Advantage: Hard cheeses like Parmesan have less fat and more protein per gram compared to soft cheeses.
3️⃣ Calcium King: Parmesan’s aging process and low water content means the calcium is concentrated, making it one of the most calcium-rich cheeses! 🦴
4️⃣ Skimmed Milk Base: Made with partially skimmed milk, Parmesan naturally has a lower fat content while retaining all its nutrients.

Enjoy sprinkling it on pasta 🍝, or using it in snacks.

Your bones and muscles will thank you!

02/01/2025

🧀 Cheese: Fat or Protein? Let’s Talk! 🧀

Cheese is often thought of as a protein-rich food, but in terms of macronutrients, it’s better classified as a fat source. Take this French creamy blue cheese for example:

✨ Per 50g serving:
🔹 Protein: 6g - 24 calories
🔹 Fat: 20.5g (14g of this is saturated fat)- 184.5 calories

While cheese provides some protein, its fat content is significantly higher, making it a deliciously indulgent fat source!

Protein rich cheeses are those with reduced fat like cottage cheese.

🧀 Cheese tip: Enjoy your creamy blue, however if you are watching calories, keep your portion small.

19/10/2024

I was pretty stoked to be awarded a Blue Award, given to university students who excel at sport while achieving academically.

In the last year, I’ve managed to become a world champion as well as breaking records both National and Oceania. I’ve been chugging along on my PhD, all going well I’ll have some published papers and a thesis completed in the next few months.

What a year. I could not have accomplished all this without support, from family especially hubs, .mcneill.315, my PhD supervisors and my coach .