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5 biggest health lies we’ve all been told

By Kaya Kozanecka

5 biggest health lies we’ve all been told 5 biggest health lies we’ve all been told

We were raised on rules. Eat less, move more. Avoid fat. Trust the label. But the modern health narrative is built on a house of half truths. Clever marketing disguised as medicine.

So many of us have pursued “health” with the best intentions… only to end up depleted, dysregulated, and disconnected from our bodies.


Let’s unravel the 5 biggest health lies we’ve all been told...

1. “Fat makes you fat”

This one did more damage than we may ever fully understand. It birthed a generation terrified of butter, yolks, and cream, and ushered in an era of low-fat yoghurts, spray oils, skim milk, and metabolic dysfunction.

But your body doesn’t just tolerate fat, it requires it. Cholesterol, found in animal fats, is the precursor to all major sex and steroid hormones: oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, and aldosterone. Without enough cholesterol, and the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K2) that accompany it, your body can’t make or regulate hormones properly.

And hormones aren’t a luxury. They govern everything… your metabolism, your mood, your menstrual cycle, your sleep, your immune system, your digestion, your ability to handle stress, and your capacity to build or repair tissue.

To starve the body of fat is to starve the body of hormonal intelligence.

It’s not fat that disrupts health, it’s the absence of nutrient-dense, ancestral fats and the presence of industrial, inflammatory ones that confuses your cells and drains your vitality. So bring back the butter. Embrace the yolks. Honour the sacred role of fat, not just as fuel, but as the foundation of hormonal harmony.

2. “Health comes from discipline”

We’re sold the idea that the healthiest people are the most self-controlled. That if you just push harder...wake up at 5am, smash cold plunges, track every macro, resist every craving, you’ll earn health through willpower.

But here’s the truth: micromanaging your body into submission isn’t health, it’s stress. And chronic stress is the fastest way to wreck your hormones.

This kind of rigidity sends a constant message of danger to your nervous system. Cortisol stays high. Progesterone and testosterone drop. Thyroid function slows to conserve energy. Over time, this leads to burnout, hormonal dysregulation, and deep physical depletion.

When you're constantly forcing yourself to override hunger, rest, or instinct, you’re not getting healthier. You’re just getting better at ignoring your body’s signals.

There’s a reason people in many European countries remain active and metabolically healthy without obsessing over workouts or macros. They integrate healthy practices into their life, rather than fitting their life in around their health goals. Try letting go of control for a few days, or even a few weeks. Let your body lead. Move in ways that feel good that day, not because it’s on the schedule. Rest when you're tired. Eat when you're truly hungry. Pay attention to what shifts. Often, when you step away from high-intensity training and lean into slow walks, time in nature, and nourishing meals (meals full of fat dare we say), you start to feel lighter, calmer, even leaner. That’s not a fluke. It’s your nervous system and metabolism responding to safety, rhythm, and trust. If there's anything to take away from this...ditch the calorie counting app.

3. “As long as your macros are right, it doesn’t matter what you eat”

This is one of the most modern health lies, unfortunately still shared even by nutritionists and health coaches (And can we blame them? This is the framework they were taught).

Hit your protein goal with powders. Get your fats from nut butters. Fit in your carbs with cereal or rice cakes. As long as the numbers add up, it must be fine… right?

Wrong. Because food isn’t just maths, it’s biological information. Your body isn’t tracking grams. It’s absorbing nutrients. It’s listening for co-factors, enzymes, and mineral content.

  • You can hit 120g of protein from whey isolate, but if you’re not getting retinol (true vitamin A), zinc, copper, and bioavailable amino acids from whole animal foods, you won’t produce balanced hormones or build resilient tissue.
  • You can hit your carb targets with processed granola bars, but without glucose from ripe fruit and potassium from root veg, your thyroid will stay sluggish, and your blood sugar will swing.
  • You can hit your fats with sunflower oil, but these oxidised, PUFA-rich oils inflame the gut, damage cellular membranes, and dysregulate hormonal signalling.

Macros tell you quantity. But your hormones respond to quality, to real, whole, ancestral foods...  eggs, organs, raw milk, seasonal fruit, bone broth, wild fish, grass-fed meat. The foods that built human health long before nutrition was quantified.

3. “If you’re tired, you’re just lazy”

We’ve been conditioned to see fatigue as a moral failing.
 Push harder. Drink more coffee. Squeeze in another workout. Keep going. No excuses.

But waking up with consistent energy, creativity, and excitement to work on your goals isn’t just about mindset, it’s a reflection of your metabolic health.

When you feel chronically tired, it’s often because your body is struggling to produce energy at a cellular level. This is metabolic dysfunction, and it frequently goes unrecognised.

You might notice it as

  • Waking up tired, even after a full night’s sleep
  • Relying on caffeine to function
  • Energy crashes after meals
  • Cold hands and feet
  • Brain fog, sugar cravings, or mood swings

For women, chronic fatigue often points to low thyroid function, sluggish liver detoxification, adrenal dysregulation, or low progesterone, especially in the second half of the cycle. For men, it’s commonly linked to poor blood sugar regulation, low testosterone, or overtraining without proper recovery. And for both, one of the most overlooked contributors is the overconsumption of oxidised seed oils, which impair mitochondrial function and hormone signalling.

Additionally, without adequate minerals (like magnesium, sodium, copper), glucose from whole food carbohydrates, quality sleep, and nervous system regulation, the body shifts into a chronic stress state. You stop running on real energy, and start running on adrenaline.

But that’s not sustainable. Over time, the body compensates by slowing down everything…hormone production, digestion, libido, immune response, all in an effort to conserve what little energy remains.

The focus shouldn’t be on more willpower, it should be on metabolic repair…balanced, mineral-rich meals, stable blood sugar, slow mornings with sunlight, deep sleep, and creating conditions of safety in the body. When these foundations are in place, energy returns naturally, and effort no longer feels like a battle.

5. “Your body is broken, it needs to be fixed”

This is the lie quietly embedded in almost every wellness message we’ve been sold…

That your body is a problem. That your symptoms are malfunctions. That your hunger is a threat. That your emotions are too much. That your cycle is unreliable. That your skin, weight, or energy need managing. It’s the reason we chase fixes. New protocols. More supplements. Better control. But here’s what no one tells you…

Your body isn’t broken. It’s responding, perfectly, to the environment it’s in.

  • Bloating isn’t a malfunction…it’s a digestive system asking for less stress and more support.
  • Missing periods aren’t random…they’re a sign your body doesn’t feel safe enough to reproduce.
  • Acne might be your liver struggling to process excess estrogen or inflammatory oils
  • Low libido, hair loss, anxiety…these aren’t flaws. They’re feedback.

And when we suppress these signs with medication, distractions, or constant correction, we don’t heal, we just silence the alarm.

Instead of asking, “How do I fix this?”, start asking, “What is my body responding to?” Healing isn’t about adding more, it’s about removing what’s interfering with your body’s ability to self-regulate. That might be industrial seed oils disrupting your metabolism. Environmental toxins placing an unseen burden on your liver. Overtraining and under-eating keeping your adrenals in overdrive. Or even staying in close contact with someone who keeps your nervous system in a constant state of fight or flight. Start there. When the interference is gone, your body knows exactly what to do.

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Published on: June 24, 2025

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You can’t see them. You can’t taste them. But they’re there. Coating the spinach that looked so vibrant in your fridge drawer. Hiding in the wheat flour that made your child’s morning toast. Drifting through the air of rural fields, then settling into rivers, breast milk, umbilical cords. We’re talking about pesticide, and specifically, glyphosate. In 2015, the World Health Organisation classified glyphosate as a “probable carcinogen.” In 2020, it was found in 80% of urine samples tested in a CDC-backed survey. In 2023, it showed up in breast milk, umbilical cords, rainwater Pesticides were designed to kill. Insects, weeds, fungi. But life is interconnected, and what damages one system rarely stops there. Let’s walk through it. What these chemicals do, to the body, to the earth. And how, piece by piece, we can opt out. What is glyphosate, and why is it everywhere? Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide on Earth. Originally patented as a metal chelator (meaning it binds to minerals), it’s the active ingredient in Roundup, a weedkiller sprayed across lawns, playgrounds, and, most worryingly, our food system. But it’s not just sprayed on GMO corn or soy. Glyphosate is now routinely sprayed as a drying agent on non-GMO staples too: oats, wheat, chickpeas, lentils, barley, sugarcane. That “healthy” oat milk? Likely harvested with a dose of Roundup just days before processing. This means even if you're not eating GMO foods, you're still likely ingesting glyphosate through everyday staples. And it doesn’t just disappear. How glyphosate affects human health Glyphosate was designed to kill weeds by disrupting the shikimate pathway, a metabolic route absent in humans but present in our gut bacteria. Which matters more than most realise. Gut ecology collapse: Glyphosate reduces keystone species like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, while favouring more harmful strains. It also loosens tight junctions in the gut lining, paving the way for intestinal permeability (aka leaky gut). The result? A primed landscape for food intolerances, chronic inflammation, and autoimmune flares. Neurotoxicity: Studies have linked glyphosate exposure to neurodevelopmental disorders in children and neurodegeneration in adults, likely due to inflammation, oxidative stress, and gut-brain axis disruption. Mitochondrial dysfunction: Glyphosate inhibits cytochrome P450 enzymes, key players in both detoxification and energy production. Over time, this can manifest as persistent fatigue, sluggish metabolism, brain fog, and hormonal chaos. Your mitochondria take the hit long before symptoms become clinical. Endocrine disruption & DNA damage: Even at trace levels, glyphosate has been shown to mimic or block hormones, disrupt endocrine signalling, and impair fertility. It’s been detected in placental tissue, fetal blood, and breast milk. In lab models, glyphosate has caused DNA fragmentation and epigenetic shifts, suggesting its impact may span generations, not just lifetimes. What it does to animals & ecosystems Pesticides don’t just vanish after they do their job. They drift, seep, and linger, long after the sprayer moves on. And they’re anything but selective. Pollinators under siege: Glyphosate messes with the memory of bees and their sense of direction, so they can’t find flowers, or worse, can’t find their way home. It weakens their immunity, leaving hives vulnerable to disease. And when glyphosate isn’t enough, neonicotinoids step in, a class of insecticides that act like nicotine for insects, paralysing their nervous system and killing off colonies en masse. Soil microbes and mycorrhizae: Glyphosate disrupts the intricate symbiosis between fungi and plant roots. It kills off microbial communities, reducing soil fertility and carbon sequestration. Wildlife exposure: Glyphosate doesn’t stay in the fields. It’s been detected in the livers of wild deer, the tissue of freshwater fish, and even the feathers of migratory birds. Once in the system, it bioaccumulates, climbing the food chain, just as it does in humans. Animals don’t get a label warning them it’s toxic. They just suffer the consequences. We recently visited My Little Farm, a beautiful patch of land in the West Sussex quietly reclaiming what it means to farm in harmony with nature. They’re doing everything right: rotating animals through pasture, composting scraps into soil gold, letting wildflowers grow in the margins to feed bees and beneficial insects. No chemicals, no shortcuts. But beneath the surface of all their progress is a quiet grief. Because just over the fence, neighbouring farms still spray pesticides like water. Pesticides drift on the breeze, run into shared waterways, soak into communal soil. Even those determined to reject the system aren’t immune to it. It’s the heartbreak of trying to heal land in a world still poisoning it. So why is glyphosate still legal in the UK? The short answer: regulation often lags behind research, and economic interests tend to speak louder than soil health. Despite mounting evidence linking glyphosate to gut disruption, endocrine interference, and ecosystem damage, it's been re-approved in the UK until at least 15 December 2026. Glyphosate keeps fields looking tidy and profit margins intact. But health? That’s harder to monetise. Until it becomes politically profitable to prioritise health over convenience, glyphosate stays in circulation. Okay… but what can we actually do? 1. Buy organic, especially these foods You don’t need to buy 100% organic to make a difference. The Dirty Dozen (updated annually by the EWG) lists the most pesticide-contaminated produce, things like strawberries, spinach, grapes, and apples. Start there. Opt for organic versions of these if nothing else. And know this: most glyphosate isn’t just sprayed on fruits and veggies. It’s used to desiccate (dry out) crops like wheat, oats, legumes and soy before harvest. This means your biggest exposure might be coming from: Conventional oats (cereal, granola, snack bars) Non-organic bread, pasta, and crackers Soy-based snacks and processed foods Look for organic, glyphosate-residue free, or sprouted options when possible. 2. Even better, each seasonally and locally… Most large-scale, conventional produce is grown to withstand long-distance transport and long shelf lives, which often means heavy pesticide use. Crops are sprayed not just during growth, but again post-harvest to prevent mould, bruising, and spoilage during shipping. Imported fruits are sometimes even fumigated at border control. But when you buy from local growers, especially small-scale or regenerative farms, those chemical pressures disappear.  Food is harvested closer to ripeness, handled gently, and sold within days, not weeks. Many local farms don’t need to rely on glyphosate or synthetic fungicides because their produce doesn’t have to travel thousands of miles or survive supermarket storage. And when you eat what’s in season, you also avoid the out-of-season imports most likely to be chemically preserved. That said, here’s the catch: local doesn’t always mean spray-free. Many small farms still use conventional pesticides or herbicides out of necessity or habit, even those selling at your weekend farmer’s market. That’s where the Organised app comes in. We personally vet every producer listed, connecting you with farms that use organic, regenerative, and chemical-free practices with full transparency. 2. Can you wash it off? Sort of. Here’s what works. Even with the best intentions, it’s unlikely you’ll avoid pesticide exposure completely. So when they do make their way into your kitchen, the goal is simple: reduce the load. While you can’t wash away everything, you can remove a significant amount of surface residue with the right methods. Water: Removes some pesticide residue, but not systemic ones like glyphosate (which is absorbed into the plant). Most people use tap water to rinse their produce, but it’s worth remembering that municipal water often contains added fluoride, chlorine, and trace pharmaceuticals. It really isn’t ideal for daily washing, especially when your goal is to reduce chemical exposure, not swap one kind for another. If you have a water filter, use that water for rinsing when possible. Baking soda bath: One of the best. Soak produce in 1 tsp baking soda per 2 cups water for 15–20 mins. Rinse well. Vinegar: Mix 1 part vinegar with 3 parts water and soak for 10–15 minutes. This helps reduce surface bacteria and pesticide traces, though it’s not as effective as baking soda for removing chemical residue. Best used in combination with a scrub or soak. Commercial produce sprays: Mostly overpriced. Stick with baking soda. Peeling produce helps (for apples and cucumbers especially), but remember, nutrients are often concentrated in the skin.  3. Build a body that's harder to poison We can’t avoid every toxin, but we can be less vulnerable to them. The goal isn’t sterile avoidance. It’s resilience. Support detox pathways Your liver transforms fat-soluble toxins into water-soluble compounds your body can eliminate via bile, urine, and sweat. But it can’t do that efficiently when undernourished or overwhelmed. Bitter greens (like dandelion, rocket, chicory): stimulate bile flow, which helps the liver eliminate waste and break down fats. Bitters also support digestion and gently encourage elimination. Beets: rich in betaine and antioxidants that support phase 2 liver detox, the stage where the liver packages toxins for excretion. Dandelion root tea: a daily gentle tonic that supports both the liver and kidneys, improving filtration and waste removal. Replete the minerals glyphosate steals Glyphosate chelates minerals like zinc, magnesium, and iron, leaving cells depleted. The solution? Re-mineralise, the ancestral way. Organ meats (especially liver): The most bioavailable source of iron, zinc, copper, B12, and real vitamin A (retinol). Liver nourishes the blood, supports the thyroid, and replenishes what glyphosate quietly drains. Bone broth: When simmered long and slow with vinegar, bones release glycine, collagen, calcium, magnesium, and other trace minerals essential for rebuilding tissue and supporting liver detox. Add seaweed or eggshells for an extra mineral boost. Sea salt (true sea salt, like Celtic or Himalayan, contains over 80 trace minerals needed for adrenal function, hydration, and enzyme activity.) Shellfish like oysters: one of the richest natural sources of zinc. Repair the gut Glyphosate weakens tight junctions in the intestinal lining. Healing the gut requires both nourishment and microbial reinoculation. Gelatine-rich broths (especially from chicken feet or marrow bones): deliver glycine, proline, and collagen to rebuild the gut lining and calm inflammation. Fermented foods (like sauerkraut, kefir, and raw yogurt): reintroduce live bacteria that diversify the microbiome and restore balance post-antibiotics or pesticide exposure. Raw dairy: rich in probiotics, enzymes, and fat-soluble vitamins like K2 that support both digestion and bone health. Eliminate seed oils: they promote inflammation and feed pathogenic microbes, worsening gut permeability and dysbiosis. Sweat it out Your skin is a detox organ. Many toxins,including heavy metals, phthalates, and BPA, are excreted through sweat. But modern life rarely gets us hot enough to open those channels. Infrared sauna (or traditional sauna): 2–4 times per week can enhance detox via sweat, lower inflammation, and mobilise fat-stored toxins. Epsom salt baths: magnesium sulfate supports liver detox and calms the nervous system. Add baking soda for extra draw. Rebounding or light cardio after sweating: helps the lymphatic system move residual waste out of tissues. Move your lymph The lymphatic system is like your body’s internal drainage network, carrying toxins, cellular debris, and immune cells. But unlike blood, lymph doesn’t have a pump. It needs movement to circulate. Dry brushing: use a stiff natural bristle brush before showering, brushing toward the heart to stimulate lymphatic flow. Deep squats: compress and release lymphatic nodes in the groin and hips, supporting lower-body drainage. Walking barefoot (earthing): discharges positive ions from inflammation and rebalances the nervous system while stimulating lymphatic flow through natural movement. Tongue scraping: an ancient Ayurvedic practice that removes toxin build up. Our part for the earth It’s not just our bodies that are overwhelmed. The soil, the water, the pollinators, they’re all bearing the brunt of chemical agriculture. Buy from UK farms using regenerative practices, those rotating animals on pasture, composting naturally, and skipping the sprays. The Organised app can help you find them. Compost your scraps instead of binning them, even a small countertop caddy keeps nutrients cycling back into the land instead of releasing methane in landfill. Plant wildflowers and herbs for pollinators, lavender, borage, marjoram, and skip the weedkiller in your garden. What goes down your drain ends up in waterways. Choose soaps, shampoos, and low-tox household products that biodegrade safely. And if you have even a windowsill to spare, grow something. Every small act of stewardship, every garden left unsprayed, every meal sourced from real soil, adds up to a quieter, cleaner, more resilient countryside. The problem with pesticides is real, but so is our power to opt out... Every time you cook from scratch, choose food that hasn’t been sprayed, or support a farm that feeds the soil instead of stripping it, you shift the tide. This isn’t about being perfect, it’s about participating. Every system you step outside of is a step toward repair.

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5 steps to restorative sleep (& our sleepy milk recipe)

5 steps to restorative sleep (& our sleepy milk recipe)

Behind closed eyes, a thousand vital processes unfold. Immune cells mobilise. Memories are etched into the brain. Tissues rebuild. Hormones fall into rhythm. Sleep is not a passive pause,  it’s your body’s deepest repair state. But in the modern world, our biology is constantly outpaced by our lifestyle. Artificial light tricks our circadian rhythm. Screens spike cortisol. Ultra-processed food, late-night emails, and overstimulation keep the nervous system on high alert. And so, we lie in bed, wired but exhausted. True sleep, the kind that rejuvenates you on a cellular level, must be cultivated. Here’s how to reclaim it. 1. Oxygenate with evening air There’s a quality to evening air that’s hard to name but easy to feel…cooler, quieter, often rich with the scent of soil and distant trees.  When you step outside in the evening and fill your lungs with fresh air, you’re oxygenating your blood, feeding your mitochondria, and gently lowering cortisol. Unlike indoor air, often stale, recycled, and high in CO₂, the outdoor atmosphere in the evening tends to carry a higher concentration of negative ions, especially in areas with moving water or greenery.  These ions have been shown to enhance serotonin production, modulate immune response, and reduce oxidative stress, collectively supporting mood stability, reducing systemic inflammation, and priming the parasympathetic nervous system for deeper states of rest. Give yourself 10 quiet minutes at dusk, no headphones, no distractions. This doesn’t have to mean sitting still. Maybe it’s walking home from work. Maybe it’s catching up with your partner on the porch, or stretching in the garden. Watch the colours deepen, the temperature shift. Let your body register the day’s closing. 2. Create a sanctuary for rest Your body is always listening to your surroundings. And when it sees daylight bulbs, hears buzzing electronics, or senses warmth and stimulation at 10pm, it delays the internal shift toward sleep hormones. So give your body what it craves, a cave. A sanctuary. The right textures, scents, and sounds can transform even the busiest mind into one that welcomes rest. Temperature is key. Studies show we fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer in a cooler room, ideally around 16–19°C. Darkness matters too: even dim ambient light can suppress melatonin by over 50%, keeping your nervous system alert and hormones out of sync. Then there’s sensory noise. Busy rooms, clutter, synthetic fabrics, and electronics create invisible static. They keep the brain scanning. But soft natural bedding, tactile textures like linen or wool, and even gentle scent cues can transform your room into a sensory haven. Treat your bedroom as a sacred space. Overhead lighting has no place here, let the soft glow of a lamp or the flicker of beeswax candles bathe the room in warmth. While the market overflows with expensive reds, a simple red incandescent bulb often does the job beautifully (and affordably). Keep electronics out of reach, their silent hum is never quite neutral. Drape your bed in natural fibres like linen or organic cotton, fabrics the skin recognises, breathes through, rests into. And lower the thermostat just a touch more than you think you need. Your bedroom should feel like the kindest place you enter all day, cool, quiet, and ready to receive you. 3. Hum to tone the vagus nerve Sleep is not a flip of a switch. It’s a soft descent, a neurological unwinding. But most of us carry the static of the day straight into bed: tight jaws, shallow breath, minds whirring like open tabs. To truly fall asleep, the body must feel safe. And the nervous system, not the mind, decides when that moment comes. One of the most overlooked yet powerful tools to signal this safety? Humming. The vagus nerve, your body’s longest cranial nerve, is a master regulator of the parasympathetic nervous system. It weaves through the lungs, heart, gut, and brainstem, and plays a direct role in calming inflammation, regulating digestion, and triggering melatonin release. Humming activates this nerve through vibration. As your vocal cords gently buzz, the vagus nerve is stimulated, heart rate slows, cortisol begins to drop, and your brain receives the message. It doesn’t have to be a chant or a ceremony. It can be as simple as humming along to a favourite song while you tidy the kitchen or brushing your teeth with a soft drone in the back of your throat. Try it in the bath, while stretching, or even curled under covers. 4. Harness the pharmacy of the earth Long before pharmaceuticals promised eight hours in a bottle, we brewed, bathed, and honoured sleep as a ceremony, one led by earth’s own pharmacy. Start with the herbs. Chamomile and lavender, rich in apigenin and linalool, are not just comforting aromas, they act on GABA receptors in the brain, quieting the chatter. Lemon balm, a cousin of mint, calms the nervous system and stabilises mood by modulating cortisol and supporting serotonin. And valerian root, with its earthy, grounding flavour, is known to reduce sleep latency, the time it takes to fall asleep, by gently dampening neural excitability. Then, the minerals. Magnesium, in its most absorbable forms (magnesium glycinate, magnesium chloride), plays a vital role in over 300 enzymatic processes, many of which govern muscle relaxation, nerve signalling, and melatonin production. A warm Epsom salt bath before bed doesn’t just relax the body, it helps draw magnesium through the skin, lowering cortisol and improving sleep quality. For something simpler, rub a magnesium spray into your legs and feet.  5. End with sleepy milk, your nightly anchor The human body thrives on predictability. Just as the sun sets at the same time each evening, your body craves a rhythm to unwind. Rituals, simple, intentional acts, signal to the brain that it’s time to transition from wakefulness to sleep. They create a buffer, dissolving the stress of the day and preparing the mind for deep rest. One of our favourite rituals? Our warm, mineral-rich... Sleepy milk Ingredients 300ml (1½ cups) raw milk 1 chamomile tea bag 3 cardamom pods 1 cinnamon stick (or 1 tsp ground cinnamon) ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 tbsp Organised A crack of black pepper Optional: 1-2 tsp raw honey For the full method read here. Glycine, the amino acid abundant in collagen, tells your body it’s time to sleep by subtly lowering core temperature. Tryptophan from raw milk feeds your melatonin cycle, supported by the calcium, vitamin A and D that help shuttle it across the blood brain barrier. A teaspoon of raw honey provides a slow, stable burn of glucose, protecting your body from those early morning cortisol surges that jolt you awake at 3am. Drink it slowly, by candlelight and as a companion to your favourite evening activity. Let it become something your body looks forward to, a sensory cue that tomorrow will come, but tonight is for replenishment.

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Our guide to children’s gut health

Our guide to children’s gut health

Have you ever noticed your child’s moods shifting like the wind, meltdowns at twilight, restless nights, skin rashes out of nowhere? Modern science now shows what ancestral wisdom has long known... these outward signs often begin deep within the gut. Gut dysbiosis in children can look like: Tantrums and mood swings that seem to flare without warning Skin issues like eczema, rashes, or unexplained hives Digestive troubles: constipation, bloating, and tummy aches that won’t quit ADHD-like symptoms: fidgeting, trouble focusing, a mind that never settles These are not “bad behaviours”, they’re the gut crying out for balance. Inflammation in the gut lining, sparked by modern foods and environmental stressors, can let immune triggers slip through. The result? An immune system stuck on high alert, a brain flooded with stress signals, and a child whose calm is buried under the noise. The good news? Children are remarkably resilient. And their gut is incredibly adaptive when given the right roadmap. Why gut health is everything in childhood The gut sets the tone for almost everything in a child’s development. Here’s why it matters so deeply: The gut-brain axis: A superhighway of nerves and signals connecting the gut to the brain, influencing everything from focus to calmness. Neurotransmitter production: The gut microbiome produces serotonin and GABA, the very chemicals that soothe and steady our minds. Immune regulation: A healthy gut teaches the immune system to respond appropriately, reducing allergies, sensitivities, and inflammation. Nutrient absorption: Every cell-building, hormone-balancing, brain-feeding nutrient? It’s absorbed in the gut. When the gut is nurtured, children are more likely to have steady energy, balanced moods, and a spark of curiosity. But when it’s under siege, by refined sugars, seed oils, additives, antibiotics,  things shift. The gut gets leaky. The brain gets foggy. And kids start to struggle. The microbiome’s first birthday A baby’s birthday is also the birthday of their independent microbiome. As the mother’s body labours to bring forth new life, it also performs an ancient microbial dance. During a vaginal birth, the baby is bathed in microbes from the birth canal, a messy, miraculous first inoculation that coats the newborn’s skin, eyes, mouth, and gut. This is nature’s intended welcome committee for the infant immune system. Breastfeeding extends this gift. Far more than nutrition, mother’s milk is alive, teeming with beneficial bacteria, enzymes, and special sugars designed to nourish the infant’s newly seeded microbiome.  Breast milk is effectively “feeding the friends”, promoting the growth of beneficial microbes that, in turn, protect and nourish the baby. It’s a symbiotic relationship between mother, baby, and microbiome. Breast milk also carries maternal antibodies (IgA, etc.), immunoglobulins, antimicrobial proteins, and even maternal immune cells that patrol the baby’s gut, all of which work together to prevent infection and inflammation while the infant’s own immune system mature. But what if breastfeeding isn’t possible? Life doesn’t always unfold like you want it to. Even when breast milk isn’t an option, raw milk and colostrum can be allies as children grow. Raw milk, unprocessed and enzyme-rich, is closer to what a baby’s biology expects: a living food filled with beneficial bacteria, immunoglobulins, and bioavailable nutrients. When bottle-feeding, practice skin-to-skin contact (bare chest cuddling) , nature’s quiet bridge, offering microbial exposure and warmth that mimic nursing. Four key nutrients to nourish the young gut 1. Raw milk Raw milk is one of the most nourishing, bioavailable foods for children’s gut health,  and it’s no coincidence. Its composition closely mirrors that of human breast milk, making it a natural bridge from infancy to childhood. Living enzymes: Raw milk contains lactase and lipase, enzymes that help children break down milk sugars and fats more easily, reducing digestive distress that many experience with pasteurised dairy. Probiotic microflora: Unlike pasteurised milk, raw milk teems with beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, seeding the gut with friendly microbes that support immunity and calm inflammation. Immunoglobulins and lactoferrin: These immune-modulating proteins in raw milk act like quiet guardians, soothing the gut lining and regulating immune responses, much like the protective factors found in breast milk. Bioavailable minerals: Calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus in raw milk are highly absorbable, supporting strong bones, steady moods, and gut motility, the rhythmic flow of digestion. For children moving beyond breastfeeding, raw milk offers a natural, nutrient-dense continuity, a whole food that’s alive, gentle, and perfectly in tune with a growing body’s needs. Always choose raw milk from healthy, pasture-raised animals on trusted farms, where rigorous testing ensures safety and quality. 2. Colostrum Even more potent than raw milk is colostrum, the first milk of mammals, a concentrated source of immunoglobulins (like IgA), lactoferrin, and growth factors that train the gut’s defences and strengthen its lining. Even in small amounts later in childhood, bovine colostrum can support children with eczema, allergies, or gut imbalances, a gentle, ancestral way to guide the immune system toward balance 3. Collagen On a misty morning, an ancient grandmother might have brewed a calming herbal broth for a child who was “acting up,” not realizing she was helping the young one’s gut as much as their mood.  Collagen, found in bone broth and gelatinous cuts, provides glycine and proline to rebuild the gut’s protective lining and reduce inflammation. For children, collagen is especially helpful after antibiotics, during growth spurts, and for skin issues like eczema. Its calming effect on the nervous system also helps ground sensitive, fussy moods. If can’t sneak bone broth in, try this Bone Broth Berry Smoothie. 4. Organs Organ meats were revered by ancestral cultures for building strong, resilient bodies. Liver, heart, kidney,  these are all encompassing multivitamins, brimming with iron, B vitamins, CoQ10, and bioavailable minerals that feed not just the gut, but also the growing brain. Liver is especially rich in retinol (true vitamin A), iron, and choline,  all critical for immune resilience and calm moods. Heart fuels mitochondria (the energy engines in every cell) and supports focus and clarity. Even a tiny sliver of organ meats can provide a powerful microbial and nutrient boost. But what if my child won't eat these? We know. Liver, colostrum, and collagen can feel like hard sells. Try getting a toddler to ask for kidney over their favourite snack. Even with all the science and ancestral wisdom, we’re still up against fussy eaters and tiny tastebuds. That’s why we often get asked: “Can I give Organised to my kids?” The short answer? Absolutely. Not only can you,  it’s an incredibly nourishing additions you can make to their diet. Organised is built entirely from whole foods. No synthetic vitamins, no stevia or gums, no filler ingredients. It’s gentle, bioavailable, and incredibly supportive during the years when their little bodies and brains are developing at full speed.  How to give Organised to children  For little ones, we suggest starting with one scoop instead of two. You can blend it into raw milk, kefir, or a smoothie, or for a weekend treat try these Animal Based Pancakes (a little one crowd pleaser we promise). The taste is mild and slightly sweet (thanks to raw honey, maple, and dates), making it a stealthy and effective way to upgrade your child’s nutrition,  especially for picky eaters. Plenty of parents call it their “secret weapon”,  because let’s face it, if your child won’t touch liver, this is a brilliant way to cover key nutrient gaps and support their foundation. And if you’ve ever spoken to Niall, our founder, about his four little brothers (all under the age of 12)... …he’ll tell you all about the legendary banana milkshake. It’s just raw milk, banana, a scoop of Organised, and a bit of raw honey. That’s it. And whenever he makes it, those boys fight over who gets the biggest glass. For some more recipes your little ones may just fight over: Animal Based Fruit Gummies Homemade Bounty Bars Gut Healing Marshmallows Strawberries and Raw Cream Beef Organ Cacao Mousse Beyond the plate Let kids get dirty Mud under fingernails, the scent of earth after rain, the gentle scratch of grass on bare legs, these are not just fleeting joys, but ancient practices that fortify a child’s gut and mind. The soil teems with friendly microbes, tiny teachers that train the immune system, balance inflammation, and nurture a gut garden as diverse as a forest meadow. Let children play in the garden, dig their toes into the soil and cuddle the family dog. And avoid oversanitisation. Our quest to keep everything spotless for children, we might be depriving them of beneficial microbes. The so-called “hygiene hypothesis” and research on farm children show that kids allowed to encounter farm animals, soil, and the outdoors tend to have stronger immune systems and fewer allergies, partly because their microbiomes are richer. In one famous study, Amish children raised on traditional farms (with daily exposure to barnyard dust and raw farm milk) had astoundingly low rates of asthma and allergies compared to their modern counterpart. Start ferments early A teaspoon of sauerkraut brine, a sip of fizzy kefir, these ancestral ferments are microbial gifts, alive with strains that soothe inflammation and craft neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA. When woven into a child’s diet early, these living foods can anchor a lifetime of gut harmony. Even the smallest taste of fermented veggies is a gentle invitation for friendly microbes to set up camp, building resilience from the inside out. You can even freeze kefir or yogurt into little dots as “probiotic popsicles” for teething babies. These foods provide natural probiotics that survive stomach acid and colonise the gut. Many babies love the sour tangy taste if given the chance. Guard sleep and sunlight Sleep is when gut microbes do their quiet work, repairing, replenishing, and calming the immune system’s reactive fires. Sunlight, in turn, fuels the creation of vitamin D, a cornerstone of gut lining integrity and mood balance. Make space for rhythms. Early light, consistent bedtime, outdoor play,  these are old tools that still hold incredible power. Mind the gut during stress or illness If your child does hit a rough patch, say a stomach flu, a round of antibiotics, or a stressful life event, pay extra attention to their gut. During viral illness, focus on easy to digest broths and probiotic-rich fluids to help the gut recover. In times of stress (like moving homes or starting a new school), it can help to avoid junk food “treats” and instead use nourishing comfort foods, think warm milk with a bit of honey and cinnamon, or a homemade popsicle made from yogurt and berries, to keep their gut and mood steady.  Teach the gut garden  As they grow old enough to understand, teach your kids about their “good bugs.” You don’t have to get too technical, even a 4 year old can grasp that there are tiny helpers in their tummy that love certain foods and hate others. Many children get fascinated knowing they have an inner garden. This can lay the foundation for them to make healthy choices on their own later, because they’ll have an internalised understanding of food’s impact beyond just taste.

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More than just a supplement

All-in-one, 100% grass-fed beef protein powder, enriched with collagen, colostrum and beef organs. Designed to replace multiple supplements using whole-food nutrition.

Inside organised

Beef Protein

Bovine Collagen 

Bovine Colostrum

Bovine Organ Complex

(Liver, Heart, Kidney, Spleen, Lung)

Celtic Sea Salt

Raw Honey

Maple Syrup

Organic Dates

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Blue packaging for the 'Organised' whole food organ blend product, emphasizing nutrition and longevity benefits.

NO SUGAR ADDED

NO FLAVOURINGS

NOTHING ARTIFICAL

NO STEVIA OR ERYTHRITOL

NO PESTICIDES