Our brains comprise of an almost unimaginably complex set of chemical interactions, that occur every moment, often unnoticed in our day-to-day lives. At the heart of these interactions, three chemical messengers or neurotransmitters are responsible for a significant amount of what occurs in our brains: Serotonin, Dopamine and GABA. These neurotransmitters are largely responsible for our mood, motivation, and sense of well-being. Understanding how these three important neurotransmitters affect our emotional well-being helps inform us of what practical steps we can take to give our body and min ..read more

Why is it that some people find it easy to lose weight and others don’t? Several factors influence how our body processes fats, carbohydrates and other nutrients, but one of the most important systems at play is our metabolism. Metabolism is what we call a series of biochemical reactions within our bodies, that regulate energy production, utilisation and storage. Our metabolic rate has a deep and complex link to our ability to exercise and remain physically fit and it’s important to understand how one affects the other. In this week’s blog, I’d like to discuss what determines our metabolic ra ..read more

Muscle soreness will be a familiar feeling for anyone who has tried to push the edge of their physical limit. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or brand new to the gym, the soreness you can experience in your muscles after exercise can be off putting and serves as a mental and physical barrier to engaging in the physical activities you love. Understanding why muscle soreness occurs and what you can do to counteract it is a great way to support your exercise routines, and can also help prevent injury and help maintain a healthy body. In this week’s blog, I’d like to explore the science behind m ..read more

The term inflammation comes up a lot in both our blog and across the health and wellness industry. It’s easy to get the impression that inflammation is innately negative, and something to be feared. However, inflammation (or specifically acute inflammation) is a normal and healthy response from our body to help us fight pathogens and infections that can make us seriously ill. But chronic inflammation, where the body regularly experiences prolonged or localised inflammation, can cause serious and even debilitating pain. In this week’s blog, I’d like to take an in-depth look at what causes infl ..read more

The key to staying mobile is not to stop moving. It seems simple, but it is easy to underestimate how much harder it is to get active after a period of inactivity. For many people getting active and mobile is a simple question of finding the time and motivation to do so. But for many others, getting active can mean facing pain and discomfort caused by our bodies. For those who struggle with mobility getting out to a gym or going for a jog in the park may not be an option. However, by starting with small exercises at home, we can slowly build up our muscles, balance and fitness to a point wher ..read more

We need water. Living on a planet that is covered 71% by water, we have a long history of depending on water to grow crops, transport ourselves and most importantly stay hydrated. Much like the earth we live on, we are mostly made of water, around 60%. Water is essential for human survival, we can survive up to three weeks without consuming food, but only three days without water. Our bodies utilise water for a huge range of processes from regulating our body temperature, clearing out our kidneys and digestive systems and keeping our joints lubricated and supple. But we are not drinking enoug ..read more

The world doesn’t make it easy to stay active. Many of us these days find ourselves tethered to a desk, sitting down on our commutes or just too busy to find some time to stretch exercise and get our bodies moving again. When we find ourselves static for too long, your body can begin to lock up and it can get progressively harder to get mobile and stay mobile. So it’s important we find a way to make the most out of our circumstances and develop some habits to keep us healthy, supple and mobile. In this week’s blog I’d like to examine the benefits of staying active, and what we can do to keep ..read more

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as superfoods. Superfood was a term coined by The United Fruit Company in the early 20th century to help market bananas to a public that had recently gained access to a wide range of exotic fruits. Marketed as a diverse source of healthy nutrition, doctors endorsed this new superfood as a cure or preventative measure against a variety of illnesses and afflictions. One hundred years later, the term superfood describes a range of foods that are high in nutrients that keep us fit, healthy and disease-free. With such a wide array of foods touted as superfoo ..read more

As we get older, the one consistent factor of life is change. Ageing is something we all face, but ageing comes with a set of health-related changes and challenges that we all have to face. As we age, it becomes harder to maintain our physical health and stay flexible, supple and mobile. But you are not powerless against the forces of ageing, and with a little work and dedication, it’s possible to mitigate and avoid some of the worst consequences of ageing. In this blog, I’d like to examine what practical steps we can take to age as gracefully as possible and stay mobile in our later years. T ..read more

Getting active and staying active may be one of the most important factors in maintaining our independence and keeping healthy and mobile. Once we start slowing down, it can become difficult to get active and moving again. Over the last month, we have partnered with cricket legend and philanthropist Ian Botham to help promote the benefits of physical exercise and get Britain moving more. But what does that mean? And what other initiatives and programs can we access to get support while we try to get mobile? In this week’s blogs, I’d like us to look at a range of services and schemes you can a ..read more