 I'm absolutely ecstatic to share with you that my name has been published in an academic paper accepted for publication in the highly coveted BMC Public Health!  What is the title of the research paper?Evaluating differences in the clinical impact of a free online weight loss programme, a resource-intensive commercial weight loss programme and an active control condition: a parallel randomised controlled trial. (I love how it rolls off the tongue so easily). What was my role in the clinical trial?As the Nutritional Therapist, I was responsible for a group of individuals in a commercial weight loss programme. I supported the participants through a 12-week weight management programme which included:
What was the aim of the study?The aim of the research study was to compare the efficacy of three different (commonly used) approaches to weight loss. We divided volunteers into three different groups and measured the results. The three different weight loss groups were:
What are some of the health markers we measured? The markers we used to measure the volunteers' progress and compare results included:
So what is the best way to lose weight?Ah yes that age old question that everyone wants the answer to! Well the findings of this study suggest that both the online and face-to-face group approaches to weight loss are more effective than simply going it alone when it comes to short-term weight-loss. Both interventions were superior compared to the control group (going to the gym only) at achieving a reduction in body mass. For more tips on losing weight effectively in the longterm, check out my top tips here. What is the key takeaway message?Don’t go it alone when it comes to losing weight, getting fit and making lifestyle changes. Whether you find support online or offline, by being part of a supportive group and experiencing that sense of community, accountability and encouragement, may make all the difference. Find your tribe. Your supportive community could be your family, a Facebook group, your Registered Nutritional Therapist, or a commercial weight loss group (although choose this one wisely - no fads please!) I offer a range of nutrition packages which are designed to give you regular accountability and support. Book a call if you'd like to chat through your health issues and find a nutrition plan that will work for you. Massive congratulations to Mr Aidan Innes who wrote the academic paper and my colleagues and co-authors involved in this exciting project. Here is a link to the full paper: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-019-8061-x What is the BMC Public Health?BMC Public Health is an open access, peer-reviewed journal that considers articles on the epidemiology of disease and the understanding of all aspects of public health. 
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 Why is it that our favourite foods, the ones we have enjoyed freely since a young age suddenly start to trigger digestive problems? Symptoms may include:
Suddenly we are eating these every day foods knowing that we’ll spend the rest of the night either in the loo, or trying to conceal embarrassing gas, uncomfortable bloating, or even mysterious skin rashes. There are many reasons why gut health problems, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), come about and I've talked about that before in another blog post here. But the single biggest reason you keep experiencing gut health issues could be that you’ve got a leaky gut. Have you heard of 'leaky gut?' The single biggest reason you keep experiencing symptoms could be your 'Leaky Gut'.  What is leaky gut and how can I help prevent it?Put simply, our gut is delicate and is easily damaged by our lifestyle (diet, stress, partying, medications). Our entire gut is protected by just one layer, which is only one cell in thickness (the epithelium). And this covers a surface area the size of two tennis courts! That’s huge!! When this barrier becomes damaged over time (known as “leaky gut”), our immune system can start to overreact and produce inflammation. And this in turn may lead to symptoms like indigestion, excessive gas, bloating, intestinal cramping and food intolerances. Our immune system is expecting to see fully digested foods (like proteins broken down into amino acids) but suddenly it sees foreign, (partially digested) molecules. So it does what it is designed to do – attack and defend. Our body may start to produce IgG antibodies which make us feel unwell, inflamed and anxious. Often it is these IgG antibodies that are measured in a food intolerance test. Removing trigger foods and keeping a food journal is a helpful place to start on a gut healing journey but simply cutting out foods or starting a low-fodmap diet is not addressing the underlying issue, the lining of the gut! Is it possible to heal a 'leaky gut'?The good news is that the cells of the intestinal lining replace themselves every three to six days. Given the proper nutritional support your gut can repair itself quickly and you may reach a point where you can happily reintroduce your favourite foods.* *(This refers to food intolerances only and not allergy. If you have a true IgE allergy continue to avoid the food for life). I explain the differences between food allergy and food intolerance here). Discover how to support a leaky gut at my Learn to Love your Gut event in Edinburgh. At my ‘Learn to Love your Gut’ event, I’ll show you how to support the lining of your gut so you’re really getting to the heart of your gut health problems for good. You will receive:
If you're unable to make it along to any of my live events, check out my packages or book a call and we can discuss how best to support you going forward.  |
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