Probiotics have become one of those nutrition and health buzzwords in recent years. This isn’t surprising seeing as the research into this area is growing rapidly with many exciting discoveries being made about their role in our health. It seems like everyone is jumping on the probiotic bandwagon, from restaurants offering kombucha on their menu to skincare brands using probiotics in their formulations, as well as a wide range of probiotic formulations being available on the

There are many different types of birth control, some hormonal and some not, so not all will affect the body in the same way. The oral contraceptive pill (OCP) more commonly known as the pill is one form of hormonal contraception that contains synthetic hormones including ethinyl estradiol and progestins which mimic the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone. The pill is commonly used among women for a variety of reasons. Like most medications, the pill can have some unpl

Winter is here and it seems that everyone is sniffling and picking up bugs! No one likes being sick, especially when it affects your day to day activities such as your training. A question we’re commonly asked here at The Fit Clinic, is how you should manage your training and nutrition when you’re under the weather. Should you train or should you rest? Should you decrease calories? Should you supplement your diet? Training One of the hardest things when it comes to your train

Vulvovaginal candidiasis, more commonly known as vaginal thrush, is quite a common condition which will affect around 75% of women in their life. Thrush is caused by an overgrowth of a fungus candida around the vagina area. Symptoms include a thick white discharge, itchiness, burning and redness. Any woman can get thrush but some may be more at risk. This includes women who are on certain medications or antibiotics, pregnant women and those with diabetes. The most common trea

Turmeric - is it the new wonder supplement? From superfood lattes (we discussed these in detail last week) to face masks, to juices and supplements - Turmeric has become all the rage. It’s been touted as having benefits from being anti-inflammatory to anti-cancer. What makes turmeric so special? Curcumin, which is a polyphenol, is the primary bioactive substance in turmeric and gives turmeric its bright yellow colour. The presence of curcumin is the reason turmeric has gained

Poo is a normal part of the digestive process. Our toilet habits and number twos may not be an ideal topic fit for the dinner table, nevertheless it is a completely natural and essential bodily function, and can also tell you a lot about your gastrointestinal and digestive health. Poo consists of waste products that are eliminated from the body including undigested food particles, bacteria, bile, salts and other substances and can vary in colour, texture, amount and odour. Th

Gone are the days of having the option of tea or coffee when ordering at a coffee shop. Now the list is endless, with superfood lattes making an appearance in many places. From matcha lattes and charcoal lattes to turmeric lattes - The list is endless! But are they really all that super? Are they actually that healthy? It seems like the answer to anything in nutrition is, it depends! And once again, the answer here isn’t black and white so yes, it depends. Let’s look at them

Holidays and travelling are arguably one of the most exciting parts of the year. However, it can also make some people a little nervous. Will all of their hard work be put to waste? Do they need to count macros? Here are our top tips to stay healthy when you’re away! 1. Get your steps in.. Have you ever looked at the steps on your fitness tracker when you’re away and exploring a new city? Walking around a city is one of the best ways to see it and get your steps in! This is

The alkaline diet, also known as the acid-ash diet, is based on a theory that foods can change the pH of our bodies based off their acidity or alkalinity. Advocates of the diet state that acidic foods such as meat, grains, dairy and fish are harmful to health and are the root of many chronic health problems whereas alkaline foods which mainly comprises of certain fruits and vegetables and select nuts promote health. The diet has claimed to be a miracle cure for many diseases

What is PCOS? PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. PCOS is a reproductive disorder caused by elevated levels of androgens in women. Insulin resistance, irregular periods, acne, cravings, cysts on the ovaries and difficulty losing weight are all reported in PCOS. While PCOS used to be thought of as one condition, it’s now recognised that there are actually different types of PCOS with different root causes. These include: 1. Insulin Resistant PCOS, in which high fasti

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition in which tissue that is similar to the lining of the uterus grows in other parts of the body such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus and bowel. This tissue acts like uterine tissue and sheds during menstruation but cannot be excreted by the body. This results in pain, scar tissue and adhesion formation. Heavy, painful periods are a hallmark symptom of endometriosis alongside severe abdominal pain, endometrial cysts, bloat

Iron is needed by the body to produce red blood cells. It’s a component of haemoglobin in red blood cells which carry’s oxygen around the body. There are two different types of iron - Haem iron and non-haem iron. Haem iron is better absorbed by our bodies than non-haem iron. This absorbable iron is found in animal foods. One of the richest sources is liver, but it’s also found in beef, lamb and pork. Sources of non-haem iron include green leafy vegetables such as kale, egg yo

Dairy free diets are growing in popularity. Are they another fad or are they the real deal? Is lactose intolerance even a real thing? Yes, it is! Lactose intolerance is when someone produces too little of the enzyme lactase. Lactase is a digestive enzyme that breaks down the milk sugar lactose in dairy products such as milk, cheese, yoghurt and ice cream. This food intolerance is very common in some populations such as the Asian population for example. Lactose intolerance usu

A growing number of people are now choosing to reduce their meat consumption. There are many reasons for this, including ethical and environmental reasons. While typically people associate less meat with going vegan or vegetarian, you don’t have to go completely vegan or plant based. ‘Flexitarianism’ is growing in popularity. This is where people reduce consumption of certain animal products such as meat but don’t cut anything out completely either. Instead, they make a consc

“I always feel so bloated after eating bread… I’m definitely gluten intolerant.” How many times have you heard someone say this? Gluten-free seems to have grown in popularity over the past number of years with “going gluten free” being a pretty normal thing to do. But is gluten actually bad for us? Is it true that we’re all gluten intolerant? Or is this just another diet myth? Firstly, what is gluten? Gluten is actually a protein. This fibrous protein is made up of glutenin a

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the airways. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and wheezing. It’s still not entirely clear what causes asthma. It’s thought to develop due to a combination of factors such as our genetics, the environment we live in and other factors such as how our immune system develops from our time in the womb and throughout our lives. Does diet play a role? Research in recent years has started to look at env

The real deal or expensive pee? Branched chain amino acids, commonly known as BCAAs, are a really popular supplement and one that we're asked about a lot at The Fit Clinic. They come in tablets, powder and even fizzy drinks in every flavour under the sun. It seems like everyone recommends them. But are they actually any use? BCAAs are a group of three essential amino acids - Leucine, isoleucine and valine. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Leucine is a particula

Can our genes actually affect our weight loss efforts? The short answer is - Yes, they can! Genes play a really important part in many outcomes including body composition, weight loss and exercise outcomes to name a few but they’re not the only thing that matters or determines our faith! Here is an important equation to understand… Genes + Environment = Outcome Think of your genes like the blueprint of your body. We inherit them from our parents. We can’t change the genes we

Carbs.. Some love them, some dislike them and some think they’re the source of all the evil in the world. Over the years many myths surrounding carbs. Who can forget the famous one about eating carbs after 6pm making you fat? So, is a low carb diet the key to fat loss? Like most things in nutrition, the truth rests somewhere in that grey area between black and white. We believe that different approaches work for different people. No two people are the same, so no two approach

Cheat meals - Burgers, pizza, ice creams, pop tarts, cake. Cheat days became popular in the fitness industry a few years ago with the rise of clean eating. A cheat day is defined as “a day on which a person following a diet disregards restrictions on the amount or kinds of food they can eat.” The idea behind cheat meals is to allow people the freedom to eat whatever they want to satisfy any cravings they might have. Firstly, the term isn’t that useful. When you think of the t