Nicola Dean Naturopath Herbalist

08/01/2026

Jump - might as well jump 👯‍♀️

08/01/2026

I’d love to watch this programme.

06/01/2026

I’m a salt 🧂 craver 🍟

04/01/2026

True 💚

03/01/2026

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements and women benefit in unique ways:

✨ Lean strength (not bulky) – Helps you build strength without adding unwanted size
🧠 Brain & focus – Supports cognitive performance and mental energy
⚡ Strength & power output – Improves workout performance and endurance
🩸 Cycle energy support – May help support energy levels throughout the menstrual cycle
🦴 Bone support – Works synergistically with strength training for bone health
⏱️ Faster recovery – Helps muscles recover more efficiently
💧 Muscle hydration – Pulls water into muscle cells for better function
🔥 Prevents “skinny fat” – Supports lean muscle, which boosts metabolism
🌸 Menopause & perimenopause support – Helps preserve strength as estrogen declines
🧘‍♀️ Stress resilience – Supports cellular energy during physical and mental stress

Bottom line: Creatine = strength, energy, and longevity support for women at every stage of life.

💡 Tip: Most women do well with 3–5g daily, no loading phase needed.

28/12/2025

Researchers have identified five simple at-home fitness tests—10-second single-leg balance, 30-second sit-to-stand, the sit-rise test, push-ups, and grip strength—that predict heart disease risk and overall mortality more accurately than conventional screenings.

Failing these assessments, particularly for individuals over 50, indicates accelerated physical aging, but targeted exercises can reverse declines within weeks.

The article outlines performance benchmarks, step-by-step test instructions, and practical training tips to rebuild balance, lower body power, coordination, cardiovascular fitness, and hand strength for a longer, healthier lifespan.

28/12/2025

Your brain has a built‑in detox system. Here’s how to activate it.

It is possible to “detox” the brain in the new year by enhancing the organ’s natural waste-clearance systems.

The brain continually produces metabolic waste, including proteins linked to neurodegenerative diseases, and relies on the recently discovered glymphatic system to flush these out via cerebrospinal fluid and the lymphatic system.

Because accumulation of such waste is associated with cognitive decline, dementia, and conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, researchers are increasingly focused on how to optimize glymphatic function. Current evidence highlights sleep as the most robust way to enhance this clearance, with studies in animals showing markedly increased cerebrospinal fluid flow during sleep and hints that sleeping position, particularly side-sleeping, may further support drainage. Although human data are still limited, factors known to impair glymphatic function—poor sleep, sedentary lifestyles, and disrupted drainage—are all linked to worse brain health.

Beyond sleep, there’s growing evidence that lifestyle interventions such as regular aerobic exercise, specific breathing techniques, and possibly facial or neck massage could improve glymphatic activity. Long-term exercise programs have been associated with increases in glymphatic drainage in humans, while animal studies suggest exercise can roughly double clearance compared with sedentary behavior. Researchers have also identified superficial lymphatic vessels in the face and neck of animals, where gentle stroking dramatically increased cerebrospinal fluid flow, raising the possibility that massage may one day be harnessed to support brain detoxification. Yogic diaphragmatic breathing appears particularly promising, as it has been shown to increase cerebrospinal fluid velocity enough to potentially trigger a “rinse cycle.”

References (APA style)

Thomson, H. (2025, December 22). What I’ll be doing to help detox my brain in the new year. New Scientist.

Djalilian, H. (2022). Diaphragmatic breathing and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics. Journal of Applied Physiology.

28/12/2025

Myth buster!

Real, unprocessed salt is beneficial for maintaining electrolyte balance and supporting muscle function. Many myths around these foods stem from outdated information. Instead of avoiding them, enjoy butter, eggs, and real salt in moderation as part of a balanced diet to boost overall health and vitality. 🍳

24/12/2025

🦵 💪🏼 🫶

19/12/2025

Some say to grow stronger, you must push constantly.
Others preach rest as the ultimate healer.

The truth? Neither alone is enough.
Strength, resilience, and vitality live in the balance
in the rhythm between stress and recovery,
demand and repair,
challenge and compassion.

Muscles tear to grow.
The heart strains to strengthen.
The mind struggles to sharpen.

Too much push without pauses? You break.
Too much rest without challenge? You shrink.

If you are not oscillating between effort and care,
you are either cheating your potential…
or accelerating decline.

Life and the body were built for this tension.
Movement is medicine.
Challenge is growth.
Compassion is the pause that allows you to rise stronger.