We hear a lot about organic foods, but what does it really mean to eat organic? Simply put, organic eating means choosing foods grown without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, hormones, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Packaged foods must also be free from artificial additives, and all ingredients need to be organic. But is it truly better for your health? Let’s explore the benefits of organic eating.

Health and Environmental Advantages

Organic farming isn’t just good for your body—it’s good for the planet. Organic crops rely on natural fertilizers, like composted manure, which improves soil quality instead of depleting it.

Nutritionally, research suggests that organic produce often contains higher levels of antioxidants and important micronutrients such as vitamin C, zinc, and iron. In some cases, antioxidant levels in organic foods can be up to 69% higher. One study even found that organic berries and corn had 58% more antioxidants and as much as 52% more vitamin C than conventionally grown varieties.

Choosing organic could be like getting an extra 1–2 portions of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet, just by selecting organic options.

How Organic Plants Boost Nutrition

Because organic plants aren’t protected by chemical pesticides, they naturally produce more protective compounds—antioxidants—which we then absorb when we eat them.

Some studies suggest organic foods aren’t always significantly healthier than non-organic, but these often test individual chemicals in isolation. The combined effect of multiple pesticides and additives in a typical meal isn’t fully understood, so choosing organic produce where possible may offer extra protection over time.

Organic Dairy and Meat

If you consume dairy or meat, organic options provide real benefits. Organic dairy and meats typically contain higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and more micronutrients like vitamin E and iron. Omega-3s are linked to improved heart health and reduced inflammation, making organic dairy and meat a smart choice if your budget allows.

That said, fresh, varied produce—organic or not—remains the most important factor for overall health. Organic eating is a bonus, not a strict requirement.

If you’re serious about supporting your gut health, my online course, The Ultimate Gut Health Programme, is the perfect next step. It’s designed to help you calm your digestive system, avoid common triggers, and still enjoy delicious, satisfying meals.

This blog is just the tip of the iceberg — the course goes much deeper, giving you everything you need to truly soothe your gut, feel lighter, and reclaim your digestive comfort.

👉 Click here to get instant access and start feeling the difference today!

Watch Out for ‘Organic’ Processed Foods

Just because a product is labeled organic doesn’t automatically make it healthy. Organic snacks, fizzy drinks, and processed foods may still contain high sugar, trans fats, and salt. The advantage is that they are free from synthetic additives, but moderation is key.

The Clean Fifteen are the safest conventional choices, with minimal pesticide residue:

• Avocados

• Sweet corn

• Pineapple

• Onions

• Papaya

• Sweet peas (frozen)

• Eggplant

Bottom Line

The benefits of organic eating include higher nutrient intake, fewer chemicals, and environmental gains. Organic dairy, meat, and certain fruits and vegetables are especially worthwhile. But the biggest factor for health is eating a wide variety of fresh produce, whether it’s organic or conventional. Think of organic as a bonus—a way to maximize nutrition and minimize chemical exposure whenever possible.

Do you ever get frustrated that so many of our favourite fruits and vegetables are only in season for a short time? Berries, for example – especially if you have kids – can seem impossible to find at their tastiest outside of summer, so what’s best?  Here’s a rundown of fresh vs frozen.

Of course, you can buy strawberries, blueberries, and other fruits all year round… but they often lack flavour when out of season. That’s when the freezer aisle becomes your best friend.

When it comes to the fresh vs frozen debate, research shows that frozen fruits and vegetables are often just as nutritious as fresh – and sometimes even better!

What Studies Show About Fresh vs Frozen

Studies comparing fresh and frozen produce, including:

• Peas

• Broccoli

• Blueberries

• Strawberries

• Carrots

• Spinach

…found no significant difference in nutrient levels, including sensitive nutrients like B vitamins and folate, even after months in the freezer.

Why Frozen Can Be Just as Good – or Better

Fresh produce is often harvested before it’s fully ripe so it lasts longer while:

• traveling from farm to factory

• being transported to supermarkets

• sitting on shelves

• arriving in your fridge

If you’re serious about supporting your gut health, my online course, The Ultimate Gut Health Programme, is the perfect next step. It’s designed to help you calm your digestive system, avoid common triggers, and still enjoy delicious, satisfying meals.

This blog is just the tip of the iceberg — the course goes much deeper, giving you everything you need to truly soothe your gut, feel lighter, and reclaim your digestive comfort.

👉 Click here to get instant access and start feeling the difference today!

The downside? Unripe fruits and vegetables haven’t fully developed their vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, or flavour.

Frozen produce, on the other hand, is picked at peak ripeness, loaded with nutrients, and rapidly frozen to lock everything in.

Bottom line: with frozen fruits and vegetables, you get flavour and nutrition all year round.

Top 7 Tips for Using Frozen Fruit & Veg

1. Choose the best quality – organic if possible.
Berries are sprayed heavily, so organic frozen berries are a great choice.

2. Stock up on frozen peas.
They’re easy to find organically and perfect for quick meals.

3. Use within a few months.
Frozen produce keeps well, but nutrient levels slowly decline over time.

Takeaway

The fresh vs frozen debate doesn’t need to be stressful. Both can be nutritious and delicious, and frozen produce makes eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables all year round easy.

If you want to see my list of best foods to buy organic, check out my blog. Or, if you’d like a chat about your gut health or nutrition, book a FREE 30-minute call with me – I’d love to help you figure out what works best for you.

I had a really interesting question in clinic this week about how gut health affects other areas of the body. It’s a great question – because your gut is connected to almost every other system you have. One of the most common issues I hear about is constant fatigue – that ongoing feeling of tiredness that just won’t shift.

When you’re dealing with constant fatigue, it affects everything — work, family life, study, motivation and mood. If you feel like you’re running on empty all the time, it’s absolutely worth exploring why. Let’s look at how your gut could be playing a major role.

1. Impaired absorption – the link between gut health and constant fatigue

If your digestive system isn’t working at its best, it may not be breaking down and absorbing nutrients properly. That means key vitamins and minerals are simply passing straight through without being used.

Low stomach acid or poor enzyme production from the pancreas can reduce nutrient absorption — and this lack of nutrients may be a major reason for constant fatigue.

2. Your microbiome might be behind your constant fatigue

Further along the digestive tract, your microbiome (your gut bacteria) have a huge influence on digestion, hormone balance, mood and even sleep. All of these contribute to healthy energy levels.

Stress – whether emotional, environmental or from an infection – can disrupt your microbiome. When bacterial balance is thrown off, less desirable species or yeasts like candida may take over. This can affect both digestion and energy — leading to constant fatigue.

If you’re serious about supporting your gut health, my online course, The Ultimate Gut Health Programme, is the perfect next step. It’s designed to help you calm your digestive system, avoid common triggers, and still enjoy delicious, satisfying meals.

This blog is just the tip of the iceberg — the course goes much deeper, giving you everything you need to truly soothe your gut, feel lighter, and reclaim your digestive comfort.

👉 Click here to get instant access and start feeling the difference today!

Research has shown that people experiencing persistent tiredness often have lower bacterial diversity too. This is one reason I’m cautious about overly-restrictive diets for gut issues — a diverse diet helps build a diverse microbiome, which supports better energy.

4. Gut lining (mucosal integrity)

Your gut lining’s job is to keep unwanted particles out and allow nutrients in. When this lining becomes compromised, it can lead to what’s often called ‘leaky gut’. As particles pass through the gut wall, your immune system launches a response — this inflammation can create feelings of exhaustion and constant fatigue over time. Ongoing inflammation can gradually weaken the gut wall further, continuing the cycle.

What to do next

If you’re struggling with constant fatigue, it’s important to start with your GP to rule out anything urgent. But if those tests come back clear — and especially if you have accompanying gut symptoms — gut testing may provide the answers you’ve been looking for.

You don’t have to keep running on empty.

If you’re ready to explore what’s really going on, I’d love to chat.

👉 Book a FREE 30-minute call using the link below – so we can talk through your symptoms and see what the next steps might look like.

What if your heartburn isn’t caused by too much acid… but not enough?  In other words, a stomach acid imbalance. 

Yep — I know. It sounds backwards.
But when it comes to that burning, uncomfortable, can-someone-please-put-a-fire-exit-in-my-chest feeling… the story is very rarely what you think.

Most people assume that the answer to their symptoms is simple: acid reflux → too much acid → take antacids.
But for a LOT of people, that chain of logic is completely the wrong way round.

Let’s break it down 👇

The surprising truth about stomach acid imbalance

For many, heartburn and reflux are actually linked to low stomach acid — a condition called hypochlorhydria. And here’s the kicker:

👉 Every time you take antacids, PPIs or H2 blockers, you may be making the underlying stomach acid imbalance worse.

This is how people accidentally slip into a vicious cycle:

Low acid → poor digestion → bloating → pressure → acid creeping upwards → more meds → even lower acid…

…and round we go.

Now — this is NOT to say antacids don’t have a place.
Used occasionally? Totally fine.
Used regularly? That’s where things can unravel.

Prolonged low stomach acid has been associated with:

• Nutrient deficiencies

• Blood sugar dysregulation

• Fatigue

• More frequent digestive infections

• And a whole host of other issues linked to stomach acid imbalance

Antacids and their side effects

Before we go any deeper, remember that many antacids come with their own list of common side effects:

• Constipation

• Diarrhoea

• Nausea

• Low appetite

• Headaches

And PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) take things a step further by blocking the production of both stomach acid and pepsin — the enzyme that helps you break down protein.

No pepsin = poorly digested protein = bloating.
Bloating = pressure.
Pressure = reflux.

See how this ties together?

So what’s actually causing the symptoms?

Reflux happens when the valve (LES) between your oesophagus and stomach becomes leaky, usually because of pressure.

Why might that pressure happen?

If you’re serious about supporting your gut health, my online course, The Ultimate Gut Health Programme, is the perfect next step. It’s designed to help you calm your digestive system, avoid common triggers, and still enjoy delicious, satisfying meals.

This blog is just the tip of the iceberg — the course goes much deeper, giving you everything you need to truly soothe your gut, feel lighter, and reclaim your digestive comfort.

👉 Click here to get instant access and start feeling the difference today!

1. Hiatal hernia

Where the top of the stomach pushes upwards into the diaphragm.

2. Eating large meals

A very full stomach can push acid upwards.

3. Eating foods that don’t agree with you

Not “bad” foods — just “bad for you right now.”
Your carb tolerance may have changed. Your gut bacteria may have changed. You may be reacting to foods that were once fine.

4. Dysbiosis or SIBO

More gas → more pressure → more reflux.

5. Food intolerances

A sneaky and VERY common trigger.

So what can you actually do?

This is where detective work comes in. You need to understand the root of your stomach acid imbalance.

Start with simple nutritional shifts:

✔️ Reduce refined carbs and white grains
✔️ Increase fibre (fruit, veg, nuts, seeds)
✔️ Cut back on added sugars
✔️ Try probiotic-rich foods — but gently, especially if SIBO is a possibility

Want to get to the bottom of it?

If you’re nodding along and thinking, “This is literally me,” then let’s chat.

You can book a FREE 30-minute call with me so I can get a clear picture of what’s going on and give you personalised guidance that actually works for your digestive system.

If you’d like to find out which approach would work best for your digestive health, you can book a FREE 30-minute call with me here. We’ll chat about what’s really going on in your gut and whether I’m the right person to help you get it back on track.

If you’ve ever stood in the supermarket aisle wondering whether to grab the butter or the margarine, you’re not alone. The butter vs. margarine debate has been going on for decades — and it’s easy to see why!

We’ve been told that saturated fat is the enemy, yet newer research keeps challenging that idea. So what’s the truth? Is butter really bad for you? Is margarine actually the healthier choice? Let’s dive into the butter vs. margarine debate once and for all.

🥑 First things first – your body needs fat!

Fat is essential — for hormone production, brain function, cell health, energy, and absorbing key vitamins (A, D, E & K). The problem isn’t fat itself… it’s the type and quality of fat we eat.

That’s why the butter vs. margarine question is such an important one — both contain very different kinds of fats, and your body reacts to them in very different ways.

🌻 The Pros and Cons of Margarine

Margarine starts out as vegetable oil, which then goes through a heavy-duty industrial process (called hydrogenation) to make it solid and spreadable.

💛 The pros:

• It’s made from polyunsaturated fats, which can be heart-healthy.

• Some newer, vegan margarines use lovely oils like olive, coconut, or shea — and these are far better choices.

💔 The cons:

• Processing can damage those “healthy” fats and even create trans fats — the ones you definitely want to avoid.

• Many margarines are packed with additives to improve taste and texture.

• Most are very high in omega-6, which we already get far too much of. Too much omega-6 tips the balance and fuels inflammation, which sits at the root of most chronic health conditions.

👉 Bottom line:
If you’re vegan or avoiding dairy, choose a margarine that’s trans fat–free and ideally made with olive or coconut oil. Your local health food shop is a great place to look.

When it comes to butter vs. margarine, margarine can work in moderation — just choose wisely and avoid the ultra-processed ones.

If you’re serious about supporting your gut health, my online course, The Ultimate Gut Health Programme, is the perfect next step. It’s designed to help you calm your digestive system, avoid common triggers, and still enjoy delicious, satisfying meals.

This blog is just the tip of the iceberg — the course goes much deeper, giving you everything you need to truly soothe your gut, feel lighter, and reclaim your digestive comfort.

👉 Click here to get instant access and start feeling the difference today!

🧈 The Pros and Cons of Butter

Butter has had a bad rap thanks to the saturated fat debate — but the butter vs. margarine story isn’t so black and white. In fact, minimally processed butter from grass-fed cows is a rich source of valuable nutrients.

🌿 The pros:

• Vitamin K2 – essential for bone and heart health, and even linked to cancer prevention.

• Butyrate – a fatty acid that nourishes your gut lining and supports a healthy microbiome.

• Omega-3 fatty acids – for brain and skin health.

• Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) – helps with fat metabolism and lean muscle maintenance.

🥥 So, who wins the butter vs. margarine debate?

In truth, variety is best. Different fats offer different benefits, and your body thrives on a mix. Here are some top options to rotate into your diet:

• 🫒 Extra virgin olive oil

• 🥥 Coconut oil

💬 The takeaway on butter vs. margarine

Both butter and margarine can have a place in your diet, depending on your needs and preferences. The real goal is to minimise ultra-processed options and focus on variety and quality.

If you’d like some guidance on choosing the right fats (and foods) to support your gut and overall health, I’d love to help.  Use the link, below, to book a FREE 30 minute call with me, and we can discuss the best approach for you. 

If you’d like to find out which approach would work best for your digestive health, you can book a FREE 30-minute call with me here. We’ll chat about what’s really going on in your gut and whether I’m the right person to help you get it back on track.

You might think gut health is all about food — but your microbes would disagree!  Here are some big reasons why exercises for gut health are key.

Even if your diet isn’t perfect, regular movement can dramatically improve the balance of your gut bacteria. In fact, research shows that people who exercise regularly can boost the amount of beneficial microbes in their gut by up to 40%.

That’s huge.

When you move, your body produces more of a special compound called butyrate — a short-chain fatty acid made by friendly gut bacteria. Butyrate helps reduce inflammation, strengthens your gut lining, and supports healthy cell renewal in the digestive tract. In short, it’s essential for keeping your gut in great shape.

Exercise has been shown to increase beneficial bacteria such as:

• Lactobacillus

• Akkermansia (a superstar species that’s often lacking)

• Bifidobacterium

These are some of the key players that keep your gut — and your immune system — thriving.

How Movement Keeps Things Flowing

Another big benefit? Exercise helps reduce your gut transit time — the amount of time it takes food to move through your digestive system.

When food lingers for too long, unwanted bacteria can start to multiply and cause bloating, sluggishness, or even constipation. Regular movement keeps everything ticking along smoothly.

If you’re serious about supporting your gut health, my online course, The Ultimate Gut Health Programme, is the perfect next step. It’s designed to help you calm your digestive system, avoid common triggers, and still enjoy delicious, satisfying meals.

This blog is just the tip of the iceberg — the course goes much deeper, giving you everything you need to truly soothe your gut, feel lighter, and reclaim your digestive comfort.

👉 Click here to get instant access and start feeling the difference today!

Can Exercise Ever Be Too Much for Gut Health?

Yes — it’s all about balance.

Going from no movement to overdoing it too quickly, or training at very high intensity without recovery, can actually backfire. It may raise stress hormones and inflammation, which can lead to symptoms like bloating, cramps or even a leaky gut.

The sweet spot? Consistent, moderate activity that gets your body moving but doesn’t leave you drained.

2. Break up your sitting time
If you’re at a desk all day, stand up, stretch, and walk around every hour. Even short breaks help your digestion and circulation.

3. Go for a daily 20-minute walk
Walking is one of the best exercises for gut health — gentle, calming and great for your mood. It also helps your stomach digest protein more efficiently and boosts your absorption of polyphenols (plant nutrients that feed your friendly gut bacteria).

Balance is Everything

When it comes to exercises for gut health, gentle consistency always wins over intensity.

Aim for a mix of movement that you actually enjoy — whether it’s yoga, Pilates, walking, or dancing around your kitchen. These all activate your body’s “rest and digest” mode, which is where true gut healing happens.

If you’d like to find out which approach would work best for your digestive health, you can book a FREE 30-minute call with me here. We’ll chat about what’s really going on in your gut and whether I’m the right person to help you get it back on track.