Nutrition

You are what you eat, an overused phrase but a true one nonetheless. Food has the power to achieve longevity and determine how the body and brain functions throughout our lifetime. A healthy diet is one that supplies all the nutrients that the body needs to function and flourish, and reduces the intake of foods that promote inflammation and cause damage to the body. Consequently, a good nutritious diet will provide energy and nutrients to the body but will also prevent and protect against disease.

Various dietary components will contribute to different aspects of health and wellbeing including:

  • Protection against disease (1-4)

  • Supporting optimal brain health (5-6)

  • Providing fuel and recovery nutrients for exercise performance (7)

  • Supporting optimal gut health (8) which supports immunity, kidney health, mental health, colon health and nutrient absorption

  • Maintaining a strong immune system (9)

  • Reducing inflammation in the body (10-11)

  • Supporting optimal energy levels (12) and reducing fatigue (13)

  • Improving control of blood sugar and therefore reducing risk of developing type 2 diabetes (14)

  • Supporting positive mental health (15,16)

  • Supporting the formation of strong and healthy bones (17)

The list of health benefits are endless and as our Co-founder Beth Cragg is a qualified Sports Nutritionist, we are passionate about helping you improve your nutrition habits so you can reap the many benefits of a healthy and balanced diet.

Food has the power to achieve longevity and determine how the body and brain functions

References:

  1. Dinu M, Pagliai G, Casini A, Sofi F. Mediterranean diet and multiple health outcomes: An umbrella review of metaanalyses of observational studies and randomised trials. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018;72:30–43.

  2. Serra-Majem, L., Roman-Vinas, B., Sanchez-Villegas, A., Guasch-Ferre, M., Corella, D., & La Vecchia, C. (2019). Benefits of the Mediterranean diet: Epidemiological and molecular aspects. Molecular Aspects of Medicine, 67, 1-55.

  3. Sánchez-Sánchez, M. L., García-Vigara, A., Hidalgo-Mora, J. J., García-Pérez, M. Á., Tarín, J., & Cano, A. (2020). Mediterranean diet and health: A systematic review of epidemiological studies and intervention trials. Maturitas, 136, 25-37.

  4. Becerra-Tomás, N., Blanco Mejía, S., Viguiliouk, E., Khan, T., Kendall, C. W., Kahleova, H., ... & Salas-Salvadó, J. (2020). Mediterranean diet, cardiovascular disease and mortality in diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies and randomized clinical trials. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 60(7), 1207-1227.

  5. Gómez-Pinilla F. Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2008;9(7):568–78.

  6. Meeusen, R. (2014). Exercise, nutrition and the brain. Sports Medicine, 44(1), 47-56.

  7. Burke, L. M., Hawley, J. A., Jeukendrup, A., Morton, J. P., Stellingwerff, T., & Maughan, R. J. (2018). Toward a common understanding of diet–exercise strategies to manipulate fuel availability for training and competition preparation in endurance sport. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism, 28(5), 451-463.

  8. Rossi, M., Johnson, D. W., & Campbell, K. L. (2015). The kidney–gut axis: Implications for nutrition care. Journal of Renal Nutrition, 25(5), 399-403.

  9. Gill, S. K., Rossi, M., Bajka, B., & Whelan, K. (2021). Dietary fibre in gastrointestinal health and disease. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 18(2), 101-116.

  10. Ismailova, A., & White, J. H. (2021). Vitamin D, infections and immunity. Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders, 1-13.

  11. Lu, C. C., & Yen, G. C. (2015). Antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activity of functional foods. Current Opinion in Food Science, 2, 1-8.

  12. Serafini, M., & Peluso, I. (2016). Functional foods for health: the interrelated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory role of fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and cocoa in humans. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 22(44), 6701-6715.

  13. Tardy, A. L., Pouteau, E., Marquez, D., Yilmaz, C., & Scholey, A. (2020). Vitamins and minerals for energy, fatigue and cognition: A narrative review of the biochemical and clinical evidence. Nutrients, 12(1), 228.

  14. Pedlar, C. R., Brugnara, C., Bruinvels, G., & Burden, R. (2018). Iron balance and iron supplementation for the female athlete: a practical approach. European journal of sport science, 18(2), 295-305.

  15. Meyer, K. A., Kushi, L. H., Jacobs Jr, D. R., Slavin, J., Sellers, T. A., & Folsom, A. R. (2000). Carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and incident type 2 diabetes in older women. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 71(4), 921-930.

  16. Firth, J., Gangwisch, J. E., Borsini, A., Wootton, R. E., & Mayer, E. A. (2020). Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing?. Bmj, 369.

  17. Limbana, T., Khan, F., & Eskander, N. (2020). Gut microbiome and depression: How microbes affect the way we think. Cureus, 12(8).

  18. Sale, C., & Elliott-Sale, K. J. (2019). Nutrition and athlete bone health. Sports Medicine, 49(2), 139-151.