The Glycemic Index (Gi) is a tool that measures how carbohydrates affect blood glucose levels. It then ranks the quality of carbohydrates based on this score. Carbohydrates are an essential part of our diet since they provide fuel for the brain, most other organs and muscles during exercise. However, not all carbohydrate foods are equal. High GI carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to spike and then crash, whereas low GI foods are digested and absorbed more slowly. This slow release of gl...

INGREDIENTS 280 grams Asparagus; 1 1/2 cups Cannellini beans; 3 cloves Garlic, small; 1 bunch Kale; 1 cup Leeks; 1 Lemon; 2 tsp Lemon thyme, fresh Condiments 2 tbsp Lemon juice plus more to finish; Pasta & grains 170 grams (dry); Baking & spices 1/4 tsp red capsicum flakes; 1/2 tsp pink salt 1/4 tsp black pepper; Oils & vinegar 5 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin; Liquids 1/3 cup Reserved pasta water   INSTRUCTIONS If your asparagus is on the thicker side, slice in half vertically ...

Fermented foods and beverages are becoming increasingly popular. You can now find kombucha on tap in bars, sourdough bread in cafes and more varieties of yoghurt, sauerkraut and kimchi in your local supermarket. Fermented foods have been part of the human diet for centuries, and were initially produced as a way to preserve foods, improve flavour and eliminate food toxins. Today, more people are turning to these foods for their potential health benefits 1, 2. What are fermented foods?
Fermen...

The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract contains an abundant and diverse microbial community that gathers more than 100 trillion microorganisms. Gut bacteria are key regulators of digestion along the gastrointestinal tract; commensal bacteria play an important role in the extraction, synthesis, and absorption of many nutrients and metabolites, including bile acids, lipids, amino acids, vitamins, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Gut microbiota have a crucial immune function. Gut microbi...

The DUTCH test stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones and involves collection of a small amount of urine on filtered paper four times a day. Measuring Hormones. Why? While hormone blood tests are a useful tool, they are not the same as the DUTCH test. Blood and saliva tests don’t measure cortisol rhythms and estrogen metabolism and do not track hormone replacement as thoroughly, not being sensitive enough to see the different levels of estrogen, which can be an iss...

Faecal calprotectin is a byproduct of inflammation that is triggered by the immune system in the gut. When the gut’s defence system detects pathogens, it uses inflammation to attract immune cells to the digestive system. This can also happen in autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, which are members of the inflammatory bowel disease group. In early stages, gastrointestinal inflammation attracts neutrophils, immune cells that prevent harmful bacteria fro...