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5 steps to eliminate brain fog

By Kaya Kozanecka

There are moments when your mind feels like it’s buffering. Your body’s upright, eyes on the screen, but your thoughts suspended in static. No amount of caffeine clears the haze. This isn’t just fatigue. It’s a quiet dissonance in your internal landscape. A system out of sync, depleted of the core elements that once kept it sharp. Cognition isn’t just cerebral. It’s mineral. It’s mitochondrial. It’s the subtle conversation between light, fat and the quiet intelligence of your gut.

Here are 5 ancestral (and often ignored) steps to sharpen cognition by nourishing the systems that hold it.

1. Eat to fuel your neurotransmitters

We’ve been sold the idea that the brain runs on glucose alone. Yet, the human brain is made of nearly 60% fat. And not just any fat: it’s built from cholesterol, phospholipids, and saturated fat, ancestral materials that modern diets have all but exiled. These fats form the scaffolding of your thoughts. They create the membrane walls of neurons, protect the myelin sheath like beeswax around a wick, and allow for quick, efficient communication between brain cells.

More striking still? Neurotransmitters, those invisible messengers behind mood, memory, motivation, depend on a constellation of specific nutrients: B12, choline, zinc, and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K2). Without them, we don’t feel focused. Or calm. Or human. These don’t come from oat milk lattes or cereal bars. They come from the foods your great-grandmother considered staples.

Choline fuels acetylcholine, the spark behind memory, focus, and muscle activation.
B12 + heme iron support oxygen delivery and protect the fatty insulation around nerves.
Saturated fat stabilises neural membranes and nourishes the folds of the brain itself.

Bone marrow, once prized by every traditional culture, is one of the most powerful sources of these fats. Its silky, golden richness provides the raw material for neural regeneration, while also delivering fat-soluble vitamins that modern food has stripped away. Alongside marrow, grass-fed butter, raw cream, and suet carry the saturated fats that stabilise brain tissue and keep electrical signals sharp and clean. Rotate in grass fed organs during the week to keep B12, zinc, selenium, and CoQ10 levels optimal for neural function.

2. Morning Light > Morning Coffee

Before the brain thinks, it orients. And nothing orients it more powerfully than the sun.

As morning sunlight hits your retina, it sends signals deep into the hypothalamus, resetting your circadian rhythm and initiating a hormonal cascade. Cortisol rises naturally, not in stress, but in readiness. Serotonin production begins. Melatonin fades. Your brain is told: it’s safe to wake up now.

Without this signal, the body doesn’t know what time it is. Cortisol spikes too late, or not at all. Focus drifts. Sleep becomes fragmented. And no amount of caffeine can override a mistimed circadian rhythm.

Morning light carries a unique blend of blue and infrared wavelengths that no screen or lamp can replicate. It entrains the brain to the rhythms of the earth, syncing the invisible clocks inside your cells.

Skip your phone. Step outside within 30 minutes of waking, yes, even if it's cloudy. Let your bare eyes meet the morning. No sunglasses, no glass between you and the sky. Ten minutes is enough to reset the system. If possible, expose your skin too, your body absorbs light not just through the eyes, but through the skin, influencing everything from metabolism to mood. Consider making this a ritual: warm bone broth or raw milk in hand, bare feet on the earth, breath slowing with the light.

3. Rebuild the gut to clear the mind

The mind may sit in the skull, but much of its chemistry is brewed in the gut.

Over 90% of your serotonin, the neurotransmitter of calm, clarity, and contentment, is made not in the brain, but in the lining of your digestive tract. The gut is also where inflammation begins, or ends. And inflammation is the silent saboteur of cognition.

When the gut is compromised, so is mental clarity. Bloating, irregular digestion, food sensitivities, these aren’t just digestive issues. They’re signs that the gut-brain axis is frayed. That the microbial ecosystem responsible for regulating mood, focus, and hormonal balance is struggling to survive.

Traditional cultures knew this long before clinical trials did. They didn’t count bacteria. They fermented. They simmered bones. They ate bitter herbs and cleansing roots with each meal.

Start building your microbial foundation with intention. Add a tablespoon of sauerkraut or a small glass of raw kefir with your meals to introduce diverse, ancestral bacteria. Make a batch of broth on Sunday, simmering bones with bay leaves, garlic, and sea salt, and sip it warm between work blocks to support gut lining and blood sugar.

4. Ditch the hidden brain hijackers

There are silent saboteurs woven into modern life that fray your nervous system slowly, invisibly, day after day. They don’t announce themselves like caffeine crashes or sugar highs. Instead, they dull the mind over time, interrupting neurotransmitter function, hijacking your dopamine circuitry, and robbing you of deep, restorative sleep.

We’re talking about seed oils oxidising quietly in your cells. Synthetic “natural” flavours overstimulating taste receptors while offering nothing real to feed on Plastic packaging leaching xenoestrogens. Even background noise, constant scrolling, and artificial scents, these are the invisible stressors that jam your neural pathways and fog the mind.

Your brain is electrical. It relies on clean signals, fat-based insulation, precise mineral flow, undisturbed hormonal cycles. When those signals are drowned out by noise, chemicals, fake light, rancid oils, the system begins to stutter. Sleep becomes shallow. Focus fractures. Brain fog settles in, not from lack of productivity, but from exposure.

Swap industrial oils, canola, rapeseed, sunflower: for ghee, tallow, or cold-pressed olive oil. These stable, ancestral fats nourish your brain’s cellular membranes and support healthy inflammation responses. Ditch plastic-wrapped, ultra-processed snacks for whole food alternatives: boiled eggs, cheese, seasonal fruit with sea salt, or simply leftovers fried in butter. And begin to detox from artificial inputs beyond food. Ditch synthetic perfumes, heavily fragranced laundry products, and plug-in air fresheners that overload your olfactory system. Instead, crack a window. Burn beeswax or tallow candles. Reintroduce your senses to natural quiet, wind, birdsong, stillness. Even a few minutes of true sensory rest can calm the nervous system.

5. Re-mineralise to reboot focus

You are not just made of flesh, you are made of current. Every thought, every movement, every sensation is carried by the invisible dance of ions across neural membranes. But spark requires substance. And that substance is mineral.

Sodium carries the signal. Potassium balances it. Magnesium calms the current, while calcium tightens the synapse. These minerals are not optional—they are the conductors of cognition. Without them, thoughts slow, attention drifts, and the mind begins to flicker.

But here’s the catch: they’re the first to go under stress. Sweating, overhydrating, drinking diuretics like coffee, eating processed or nutrient-depleted food, even “clean” habits like downing litres of plain water without salt, all quietly drain your mineral reserves. Over time, the body becomes depleted, and the brain slows down, not from lack of sleep or effort, but from lack of spark. Our ancestors drank from mineral-rich springs, consumed salt with reverence, and nourished their tissues with organ meats, raw milk, and long-simmered broths.

Begin each morning with a glass of warm water and a pinch of sea salt. This ancient tonic gently activates adrenal function, jumpstarts hydration, and reminds your cells what it feels like to hold charge. Throughout the day, support mineral balance with raw milk (nature’s original electrolyte drink), homemade bone broth, and mineral-dense foods: oysters and mussels for zinc and copper, marrow-rich broths for calcium and glycine, seasonal fruits with sea salt, and bitter greens sautéed in ghee to stimulate bile and absorption. If your focus fades mid-afternoon, don’t reach for caffeine, reach for minerals. Often, it’s not energy you lack. It’s conductivity. And above all, don’t fear salt. Your cravings for it aren’t weakness, they’re wisdom. Salt is not the enemy of health. It’s the foundation of electrical life.

Brain fog isn’t a flaw in your productivity, and your brain doesn’t need another hack. It needs raw inputs: light, fat, minerals, stillness, and microbial support. The things it evolved with. The things we’ve slowly phased out in favour of convenience.

Rebuilding focus starts by rebuilding the systems that hold it. And that begins with small, consistent choices: morning light, broth between meals, sea salt in your water, and nutrient dense meals rooted in tradition.

Published on: May 14, 2025

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7 red flags to look for when buying your food

In a world where food has become something to sell rather than something to nourish, we have to become more discerning than ever. Supermarkets are full of beautiful packaging, clever marketing, and “healthy” claims that can easily cloud the truth. But beneath the buzzwords, many modern foods are stripped of their essence, devoid of real nourishment, integrity, and life.Here are 7 red flags to look out for... 1. Fortified or “enriched” labels You’ll often see bread, cereals, flours and even snack bars marked as “fortified with iron, B12, folic acid” or “enriched with vitamins and minerals”. This is a red flag, not a selling point. When foods are stripped of their natural nutrients during processing, manufacturers often try to add them back in synthetically. But these lab made versions aren’t well absorbed by the body, and in many cases (like synthetic iron or folic acid), they may even disrupt natural mineral balance or overload sensitive systems. True nourishment comes from food that contains these nutrients inherently, not food that needed to be rescued by a factory. 2. Food that looks perfect, and tastes like nothing If your tomatoes are huge, red and glisten in the sun, but taste like water… Those strawberries that appear flawless, but don’t carry the nostalgic scent of being freshly picked. If your eggs crack open to reveal pale, flat yolks that break without resistance and leave no richness on your tongue… These are signs of nutrient depletion, often due to monocropped soil, rapid growth cycles, and produce bred for shelf-life rather than flavour or mineral content. Trust your senses. If it doesn’t smell like food, feel like food, or taste like food… it probably isn’t nourishing like food either. 3. "Low-fat” or “fat-free” versions of traditional foods It all started to go wrong when we were first taught to fear cholesterol. Once revered as a vital part of the human diet, cholesterol suddenly became the villain of the century, blamed for heart disease, clogged arteries, and poor health. But in reality, cholesterol is not the enemy. It’s the precursor to hormone production, a raw material your body needs to create estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, and vitamin D. And hormones? They’re the invisible conductors of nearly every system in the body, from metabolism to mood, digestion to detoxification, reproductive rhythms to deep sleep. Traditional cultures consumed whole animal fats, raw or cultured dairy, liver, egg yolks, and rich broths, because they understood, intuitively or directly, that fat was life-giving. It carried flavour, satiety, and soul. It nourished mothers through pregnancy, supported children’s brain development, and grounded the body in times of stress. But then came the low-fat era. Low-fat yoghurt? Usually pumped with sugar, gums or starch to mimic creaminess. Fat-free dressings? Full of seed oils, artificial flavourings, and emulsifiers. Lean meat only? A recipe for nutrient imbalance, blood sugar instability and metabolic stress. The human body was designed to grow and be sustained on whole foods, not manipulated versions engineered for market trends. And fat, in its unprocessed, ancestral form, was never the problem. It was the processing all along. 4. “Natural flavours” in the ingredient list This one sounds harmless, even good, but it’s actually a legal loophole that allows manufacturers to hide hundreds of synthetic chemicals under one innocent-looking label. “Natural flavour” doesn’t mean it came from a whole food source. It just means it originated from something natural... and was then chemically altered, stabilised, and engineered for intensity. These engineered flavourings override your body’s natural satiety cues and train your palate away from real food. They hijack the senses. 5. Seed oils hidden in everything Seed oils (like canola, sunflower, soybean, grapeseed, and rice bran oil) are some of the most common, and most inflammatory, ingredients in modern food. They’re often used in products marketed as healthy: hummus, plant milks, snacks, protein bars, roasted nuts and almost every premade meal you can find in the supermarket (even the seemingly healthy ones, and ready-to-go sides like olives or marinated cheeses). Why is this a red flag? These oils are highly processed, deodorised, and heated to unstable temperatures. They oxidise quickly, are often rancid before you’ve even opened the packet, and interfere with mitochondrial function, metabolic health, and hormonal signalling. This wasn't the fat our ancestors thrived on. Like them, we should cook with tallow, butter, ghee, duck/goose fat or coconut oil, fats that are stable, nourishing, and deeply satiating. 6. Plastic-wrapped animal products When meat or fish is pre-packaged and shrink-wrapped in plastic, especially with long use-by dates, it’s often been treated with preservatives or packaged in modified-atmosphere gases to delay spoilage. You’re also far less likely to get nose-to-tail options or fattier cuts this way. Instead, you’ll find standardised, lean, sanitised meat designed for shelf appeal, not nutrition. Better to find a local butcher or farmer who can offer you the richness of the full animal: liver, kidney, heart, fat, marrow bones and more. 7. Health-washing buzzwords like “high-protein” or “farm-raised” Modern food culture is full of trend-driven labels that mean... very little. “All natural”? Means nothing. “High-protein”? Often translates to synthetic isolates, sugar alcohols and artificial flavouring. “Keto”? Usually just low-carb junk food loaded with additives and poor-quality dairy. Even “farm-raised” isn’t a regulated term. And “high welfare”? Just a marketing phrase, used by brands and supermarkets to soothe your conscience, not to guarantee the care or conditions behind the food. These buzzwords sound good, but they don’t ensure any specific farming practices, housing standards, or animal wellbeing. Instead of chasing labels, ask yourself: Where did this food come from? Would my ancestors recognise this? Was it grown, raised or made with integrity? Because not every food with a health label is nourishing, and not every nourishing food needs a label. That’s why we built the Organised app, to make it easier to meet the humans behind your food, ask better questions, and support producers who truly care for land, animal and community. This is the future of food, and it’s wildly, beautifully old-fashioned.

How to guide your dad (or loved one) back to health

Because he taught you everything, and now you’re watching him suffer. He likely doesn’t talk about declining energy, softer muscle tone, or the creeping fatigue that never fully lifts. Maybe he jokes about it, calls it “just getting older.” Testosterone levels fall, gut health suffers, and vitality fades quietly. And often, no one tells men how to get it back. Let’s be honest. If you’re deeply into health, as we know you are, it’s likely you feel this frustration. You’ve done the research. You’ve seen the results. And it hurts. You know he doesn’t have to feel like this. You’ve felt the difference a yolky egg, a walk in the morning sun, or a spoon of liver can make. And all you want is for him to feel that too. And yet, how do you help the people you love without sounding like a tinfoil hat wearing cult leader? Let’s talk about it. 1. Start with empathy, not evidence No one wants to be told they’re doing everything wrong, especially by someone they raised. Don’t lead with the PubMed citations. Instead, lead with how the changes made you feel. “I was waking up foggy every day. Now I actually feel clear-headed by 9am.”“I’ve been trying a few things that really helped my energy/gut.” That’s the hook. Then you can casually sneak in: “It’s mostly from upping my minerals and adding some real food protein.” That’s it. The seed is planted. 2. Upgrade his staples, without changing the menu He doesn’t need to give up burgers. He needs better burgers. Start by rewilding the foods he already eats: Add a spoon of liver to minced beef for his usual spaghetti bolognese. Offer crispy potatoes in beef tallow instead of vegetable oil. Swap supermarket cheddar for raw milk cheese from a local farm. Some other quick swaps: White bread → fresh sourdough or sprouted speltFlavoured yogurt → kefir or raw yogurt with fruit and cinnamonToasted sandwich → pastured eggs, sourdough, raw cheese The point isn’t to “healthify” his plate. It’s to anchor him back to real nourishment, the kind that’s recognisable and satisfying. Help and then teach him how to make better versions of what he already loves. 3. Bring back the foods he ate as a child It’s also very likely that many of the foods he ate as a child are the very ones that his body craves the most. Remember the kidney pie? Liver with mash? Oxtail soup? Or if your dad didn't grow up in the UK, it's likely his culture had it's own nose-to-tail dishes. Long before he heard the propaganda that eggs raised your cholesterol and margarine was a heart healthy choice, there’s a chance he ate these foods. He doesn’t need a nutrition lecture. He needs to remember how good real food used to taste, and how good it can still make him feel. You don’t have to convince him to eat liver with a fork (though that’s great too). Blend it into beef mince. Stir it into chilli. Use Organised in coffee, broths, sauces or shakes. 4. Give him a win, fast A properly balanced breakfast. A pinch of sea salt to mineralise their water. People are more likely to continue something that makes them feel better immediately. Enter... The “Gateway Shake” for skeptical dads They don’t need to know it’s full of organs. They just need to know it tastes like a creamy milkshake, and makes them feel sharper by 10am. Blend... 2 scoops of Organised 200ml raw or full fat milk 1 tsp raw honey 1 banana (frozen if you want a thicker texture) A dash of cinnamon or nutmeg 5. Understand that testosterone is a key player (and it’s not just about libido) Testosterone isn’t just a male hormone, it’s a metabolic engine. It fuels drive, energy, muscle tone, mental clarity, and emotional resilience. And while it’s true that testosterone levels gradually decline with age (about 1% per year after 30), the more accurate truth is this: testosterone doesn’t just drop because you’re getting older, it drops because the body is being depleted. Poor sleep, chronic stress, processed food, blood sugar instability, and low intake of animal based nutrients all interfere with testosterone synthesis. Add in environmental toxins (plastics, seed oils, pesticides), statins, and endocrine disruptors, and the body simply doesn’t have what it needs to keep hormone production steady. By age 50, many men are running on low testosterone without ever being told what’s happening. The signs are subtle but significant: Lower motivation or confidence Declining muscle tone despite exercise Irritability or emotional flatness Slower recovery, brain fog, and persistent fatigue But it’s not irreversible. Read our 5 tips to naturally boost testosterone. 6. Make him a weekly bone broth Cartilage is nearly 60% collagen, yet most modern diets barely supply what’s needed to maintain it, let alone rebuild it. As collagen breaks down with age, joints grow stiff, inflamed, and creaky. Painkillers might mask the discomfort, but they don’t restore what’s lost. That’s where food steps in. A weekly batch of homemade bone broth, simmered low and slow with marrow bones (or chicken thighs, or oxtail), cartilage, and a splash of vinegar, becomes more than just nourishment. It’s raw material for his knees and hips: glycine, proline, gelatine, and minerals that support the repair of connective tissue. Pour it into jars to drink daily or use it as a base for soups and stews. It should gel when cooled, a sign of rich collagen content. Need a recipe? Here's ours. If you don’t live nearby, or cooking isn’t your thing, high quality broth can be bought, just ensure it’s slow cooked and the only ingredients are the bones, herbs and sea salt. 7. Encourage him to tell stories and learn new things As men age, the fear of memory loss often lingers quietly. Slower recall. “What did I come in here for?” Brain fog. And worse, no clear guidance on what to do about it. Cognitive decline can range from mild forgetfulness to serious conditions like Alzheimer’s over time. In ancestral societies, elders remained integrated in the community. They told stories, advised the young, practiced crafts, and had a sense of purpose. This mental engagement is crucial. Your dad may not want to meditate, but he might love: Picking up an old hobby (woodworking, chess, puzzles) Playing cards or socialising more Learning a new instrument or language Enjoying movement out in nature. Physical exercise has huge benefits for cognitive function. It increases blood flow to the brain, reduces inflammation, and promotes neurogenesis (growth of new brain cells). Additionally, spending time in varied natural environments provides mental stimulation, the smells, sounds, and sights of nature are rich sensory input that keeps the brain engaged (and it’s relaxing). Our brains evolved in nature, not in sterile indoor spaces, so regularly reconnecting with outdoor environments can sharpen attention and lift mood (some call it “ecotherapy”). Even having plants at home or a garden to tend can be beneficial for mental agility. Get him outside in the morning sun, and into nature often. 8. The best medicine might just be your company And perhaps the most powerful part? These moments become time together that nourishes you both. Supporting his brain doesn’t need to look like another health protocol, it can look like a walk along the coast, fixing something in the shed, or playing cards on a Sunday afternoon. You don’t need to call it “neuroplasticity” for it to matter. Join him for a forest walk instead of Sunday lunch in the pub. Teach him how to make bone broth, or better yet, let him teach you a recipe from his childhood. These shared rituals create new neural pathways and new memories. It's not about telling him what to do. It's about reminding him who he is. Why this is so hard (and so important) If you’ve done the work to heal your gut, rebuild your hormones, or crawl out of chronic fatigue, watching someone you love not do the same is heartbreaking. You know they could feel better. And yet, often our parents are stubborn. Or change is scary. It’s okay to be frustrated. It’s okay to care deeply. So even when it’s slow… Even when they resist…It’s about walking beside them. Holding space for change. Sharing what worked for you, and inviting them to try, without pressure. Healing doesn’t need to be solo. It can be shared, sacred, and even joyful. One meal. One walk. One conversation at a time.

5 small tweaks to get more nutrients from your food

There’s a smarter way to nourish, and it’s not what mainstream nutrition told you. It’s not about piling on more ‘superfoods’. It’s about getting more from what you’re already eating. The body doesn’t absorb nutrients in isolation. It recognises them in context, bound to fats, paired with enzymes, woven into food that speaks the same biological language we evolved with. What you absorb matters far more than what you consume. The good news? You don’t need to eat more, spend more, or supplement your way out. You just need to eat smarter. These 5 micro adjustments dramatically increase your nutrient absorption, no capsules required... 1. Pair smart. Absorb more. Certain vitamins, minerals, and compounds work together in ways that unlock their full potential. Without that synergy, even the most nutrient dense meal can fall short. Your digestive system is a discerning filter, always asking: Can I use this? And the answer depends on what that nutrient arrives with. Fat helps absorb vitamins. Acid helps unlock minerals. Enzymes activate co-factors. Take iron. The form found in plants (non-heme iron) is notoriously difficult to absorb, but combine it with vitamin C (like a squeeze of lemon or a glass or orange juice), and absorption can triple. Or fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K. Found in foods like liver and egg yolks, they need dietary fat to make it across the gut wall. Then there’s zinc and B6, two critical nutrients for hormones, skin, and metabolism. Zinc helps convert B6 to its active form, and B6 helps zinc get where it needs to go. Even humble black pepper plays its part, increasing the bioavailability of curcumin in turmeric by up to 2000%. Let your meals become nutrient stacks. Don’t fear butter on your veg. Think “what helps this absorb?” as often as “what’s in it?” When food is paired intentionally, the body listens more deeply. Curious which combos work best? We've made you a guide. 2. Switch to raw dairy Raw milk is more than creamy nostalgia. It’s a living, enzymatically intact food, and a missing puzzle piece for many. Unlike pasteurised milk, raw milk contains lactase (the enzyme needed to digest lactose), as well as bioavailable calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, D, and K2, all in a form the body recognises. Pasteurisation denatures proteins and kills off beneficial microbes. But raw milk, especially from grass-fed cows, delivers the full symphony: enzymes, fats, minerals, and immune-supporting compounds like lactoferrin and immunoglobulins. Raw cheese, kefir, and cultured butter are not just easier to digest, they actually feed the microbiome, build the gut lining, and carry fat-soluble vitamins deep into the tissues that need them most. Swap your afternoon snack for raw milk. Add it to your coffee, your smoothie, or enjoy it straight in the sun. Let it nourish you the way milk always did, before it was tampered with. 3. Soak or ferment before you cook Grains, seeds, nuts and legumes come with their own natural defences: phytic acid, lectins, and enzyme inhibitors, all of which can block mineral absorption and irritate the gut lining when eaten raw or unprepared. But soaking, sprouting, or fermenting? That’s the ancestral unlock. Traditional cultures soaked beans, fermented porridge, and sprouted bread long before modern science could explain why. These practices reduce anti-nutrients and increase bioavailability, meaning the body can actually access the zinc, magnesium, iron, and B vitamins within. Even sourdough isn’t just about flavour. Fermentation pre digests gluten and breaks down phytic acid, making minerals in the flour more absorbable. Soak your oats overnight in raw milk. Sourdough your grains. Fuel your mornings with sprouted buckwheat pancakes. A little prep transforms humble foods into nutrient powerhouses. 4. Sneak in organ meats There is no food more nutrient dense, gram for gram, than organs. Revered across every ancestral culture, yet quietly abandoned in the modern diet. Take liver: just one tablespoon delivers More bioavailable vitamin A (as retinol) than an entire bowl of carrots (or bowl of any food for that matter). Essential for fertility, immunity and vision. A complete spectrum of B vitamins, especially B12 and folate, vital for energy, detoxification, and brain function Highly absorbable iron, copper, and zinc, in the exact ratios your body needs to avoid imbalance CoQ10, choline, and amino acids that fuel mitochondria, support mood, and promote metabolic health Heart is abundant in taurine and CoQ10, essential for cardiovascular support and cellular energy. Kidney offers selenium, DAO enzymes for histamine breakdown, and rare peptides that support detox and immune balance. Spleen, the richest food source of heme iron, supports red blood cell production and oxygen delivery. Yet most of us didn’t grow up eating these sacred foods, and they can feel intimidating. But they don’t need to be centre stage to make an impact. Blend liver into ground beef (start with 10–20%). Stir a spoonful of Organised powder into sauces, broths, or your morning smoothie. Add heart to stews, or kidney to pies. Hidden nourishment is still nourishment. 5. Eat with the seasons, and the light they were grown under Most of us know that seasonal eating is fresher. But few realise it’s also coded. Plants don’t just grow in soil, they grow under light. And that light is information. Every leaf, fruit, root and berry is imprinted by the angle of the sun, the length of the day, and the quality of the light spectrum it was exposed to. This is known as photobiomodulation, light shaping biology. Just as your skin makes vitamin D in response to UVB, a beetroot grown in July at 52°N latitude has a different photonic signature than a banana grown at the equator. The pigments it produces, the enzymes it expresses, the minerals it draws up, these are not random. They’re adaptive signals, timed to support the organisms (you and me) living under that same sun. In other words: nature syncs our food to the same light environment we live in. Spring greens are rich in bitters that clear out stagnant bile and reset digestion after winter’s heaviness. Summer berries, saturated in red and blue pigments, buffer UV exposure with antioxidant power. Autumn roots store energy for colder months, helping regulate blood sugar and support thyroid health. Winter brassicas are packed with sulphur compounds to support detoxification when indoor living ramps up toxic load. But when we eat produce flown in from a different hemisphere, like Peruvian blueberries in January, we’re digesting signals meant for someone else's season. And here’s the next layer: your own body responds to light, too. Sunlight on skin sparks vitamin D production. But that vitamin D doesn’t work in isolation, it relies on co-factors like vitamin A, K2, magnesium, and calcium… all found in ancestral, nutrient-dense foods. That’s the synergy. When you pair seasonal food with seasonal light, something profound happens. A yolky egg and raw milk in the morning sun. Sardines with buttered greens on the porch. A crisp apple under an autumn sky. These are not just meals, they’re signals. Alignments. The kind your body recognises and remembers. Let light guide your plate, and your day. Eat foods that grew under your local sun. And eat them in its presence. Sit outside for breakfast. Let the light hit your skin. Visit a local farmer’s market and ask what was picked this week. Eat what grew under your sky. The closer your food is to your current latitude and season, the more fluently your body will understand its message. And one more thing, perhaps the most foundational of all… Your gut is the gatekeeper. You can eat the most nutrient-rich diet in the world, but if your gut lining is compromised, if inflammation has frayed the tight junctions of your intestinal wall, those nutrients might never make it into your bloodstream. This is the hidden cost of modern living: antibiotics, seed oils, pesticides, stress, and processed food can all contribute to gut permeability (aka leaky gut), reducing nutrient absorption and triggering immune dysregulation. We would never pretend that healing your gut is a small change. It’s a journey. But it is one of the most powerful needle-movers you can make in your health. We’ve created a full Gut Repair Guide to walk you through it, alongside a Gut Health Meal Plan to get you started with foods that restore, not inflame. Explore the guide hereGet the meal plan here Because nourishment isn’t just about what you eat, it’s about what your body can receive.

Healing your body after pesticide exposure (Our guide)

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.

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.

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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So much good info here and in all of your articles. I can feel my life and body changing just reading :)

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