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How to heal from hormonal birth control

By Brett Nethell

If you're one of the many women who's been on hormonal birth control for years, perhaps even a decade or more, you're not alone in questioning its long term effects. As awareness grows about how synthetic hormones can impact our bodies, more women are seeking ways to support their natural hormone recovery after discontinuing birth control.

The good news? Your body has a remarkable ability to heal and rebalance itself when given the right support.

Understand what happens when you stop

When you stop taking hormonal birth control, you're essentially asking your body to resume its natural hormone production, a process that was suppressed (though not completely shut down) while you were taking synthetic hormones. Whether you used the pill, an implant, or injections, your endocrine system needs time and support to find its natural rhythm again.

So supporting your body in this return to natural hormone production and regaining balance is key. One of the most important areas is in lowering estrogen since this is often heightened during hormonal birth control use, leading to what is called estrogen dominance.

Estrogen dominance (When "The female hormone" works against you

Estrogen is often labeled as "the female hormone," but the common belief that more estrogen equals better health is dangerously misleading. Many women are unknowingly struggling with estrogen dominance, a hormonal imbalance that can disrupt everything from mood to metabolism.

It's all about balance. Estrogen and progesterone are designed to work in harmony, but when estrogen becomes too high relative to progesterone (even with technically "normal" levels), estrogen dominance occurs. This imbalance has become increasingly common due to hormonal birth control, chronic stress, poor detoxification, processed foods, and exposure to environmental estrogens found in plastics, fragrances, and tap water.

To naturally bring about balance we want to support progesterone (the true female hormone) and lower estrogen levels to bring them back to balanced levels.

So what steps can you take to support your healing?

1. Swap to ancestral fats

Your hormones are literally made from fat, specifically cholesterol and saturated fats. If you've been following a low fat diet, it's time to reconsider. Your endocrine system needs fat to produce and regulate hormones effectively.

But firstly what type of fat should you avoid? That would be polyunsaturated fats, but why these fats in particular?

The PUFA problem

For decades, polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) found in seed oils like canola, soybean, and sunflower oil have been marketed as “heart-healthy” alternatives to saturated fats. But when it comes to hormonal health, particularly thyroid function, the science tells a different story.

PUFAs are highly unstable fats that oxidise easily in the body, creating free radicals and inflammation that wreak havoc on hormone balance. Their impact on thyroid function is particularly concerning, affecting metabolism at multiple levels.

Suppressed hormone production: PUFA”s inhibit thyroid hormone release and interfere with the conversion of T4 (inactive) to T3 (active thyroid hormone), effectively slowing your metabolism.
Estrogen dominance: Stored in fat tissue, PUFA”s promote inflammation that stresses the liver and impairs estrogen metabolism, worsening symptoms like PMS, heavy periods, and stubborn weight gain.
Cholesterol disruption: PUFA”s oxidise cholesterol, the building block of all sex hormones disrupting the production of progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone.

Hormone supportive alternatives

Instead of unstable PUFAs, choose fats that actually support your endocrine system:

Grass-fed butter and ghee
Coconut oil (particularly pro-thyroid)
Beef tallow
Pastured egg yolks
Fatty cuts of grass fed meat
Whole raw milk

These stable, saturated fats nourish your metabolism and support optimal thyroid and sex hormone function.

2. Prioritise nutrient dense foods

Think of nutrients as the building blocks and cofactors your body needs for optimal hormone function. After years of synthetic hormones, your body may be depleted in key nutrients essential for natural hormone production.

Key nutrients for hormone recovery include:

B vitamins (especially B6 and folate)
Zinc from oysters, organs and red meat.
Magnesium
Vitamin D
Vitamin A (retinol) from liver, eggs, and dairy for reproductive health
Vitamin C for stress support and collagen production
Omega-3 fatty acids for inflammation control
Cholesterol, the building block of hormones

Incorporating nutrient-dense foods like organ meats, oysters, and raw dairy into your weekly routine. Organ meat is incredibly nutrient dense which can provide you many of the key nutrients listed above, helping you to heal. They truly are natures multivitamin.

3. Support your liver

Here's what most people don't understand... estrogen clearance depends entirely on liver function. After the body uses estrogen, the liver breaks it down into metabolites that are eliminated through the gut. But when the liver becomes sluggish from alcohol consumption, poor nutrition, or toxin overload or when gut elimination is compromised by constipation or poor gut health, estrogen recirculates, worsening the dominance cycle.

Supporting liver function becomes critical for hormone balance. Key nutrients like B vitamins, magnesium, choline, taurine, and antioxidants help the liver safely process and eliminate excess estrogen. However, even optimal liver function means nothing without healthy gut elimination, daily bowel movements are essential to complete the detoxification process. To aid estrogen clearance in the gut we recommend a daily raw carrot salad.

But we cannot talk about healing without mentioning healing the gut, the gut and liver are also connected in what’s known as the gut-liver axis, healing the gut as you already know is so crucial to good overall health as well as hormone health.

4. Minimise hormone disruptors

As mentioned above lowering your consumption and contact with estrogenic foods and products is a key starting point, it’s very difficult to be perfect with this since many foods are packaged in plastic but just doing your best is enough...swapping from plastic bottles to a glass one, polyester gym kit to cotton, stainless steel cookware to non stick pans and wooden chopping boards to plastic ones.

Many women also don’t see the hidden hormone disruptors in many menstrual products, such as tampons and pads, instead opt for cleaner alternatives to these or 100% cotton period knickers.

Then the usual list of hormone disruptors such as perfume, candles, receipts, cleaning chemicals, again the list goes on, it’s often very difficult to avoid them all but try your best.

5. Honour your natural rhythm

As your cycle returns, learning to sync with its natural rhythm can accelerate your healing. This doesn't mean adding stress with rigid rules, but rather tuning into your body's needs throughout your cycle.

During your menstrual phase, consider choosing gentle movement like walking or restorative yoga over intense workouts, while allowing for more rest and sleep if possible. This is also an ideal time to nourish yourself with warming, iron-rich foods, more magnesium rich foods such as cacao and practice stress-reduction techniques like meditation or journaling that help you tune into your body's wisdom.

Your body spent years adapting to synthetic hormones, so be patient as it readjusts to its natural state. It has an incredible capacity for healing and by providing it with the right nutrients, reducing toxic load, and honouring its natural rhythms, you're giving yourself the best possible foundation for long-term hormonal health.

Published on: August 07, 2025

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6 ways to boost brain health

Brain fog, poor memory, and mental fatigue aren't just a case of getting older. Simple changes to what you eat and how you live can dramatically improve your mental clarity and cognitive function, as well as help protect you from brain related diseases later in life. Here are six ways that can transform how your brain feels and performs. 1. Swap polysaturated fats for saturated fats Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) from seed oils, including soy, canola, corn, sunflower, and rapeseed are highly unstable. They oxidise easily, especially at body temperature, producing free radicals that can damage neurons. Since the brain is about 60% fat, when PUFA becomes part of brain cell membranes, it makes them fragile and more prone to oxidative stress. This oxidative stress leads to the formation of lipid peroxides, toxic byproducts that inflame the brain. The consequences include impaired mitochondrial function, reduced neurotransmitter efficiency, and accelerated neurodegeneration, all of which contribute to brain fog and faster cognitive aging. Saturated fats, found in butter, coconut oil, and beef tallow are chemically stable and don't oxidize easily. When these fats make up brain cell membranes, neurons become more resilient to damage. Beyond structural support, saturated fats provide steady energy and help produce cholesterol, a key building block for brain hormones and cell repair. High PUFA consumption increases oxidative stress, making the brain more vulnerable. In contrast, a diet rich in saturated fats creates a stronger, more stable foundation for neurons, reducing free radical damage and supporting long-term cognitive function. 2. Support your gut health The connection between gut health and brain function is well-established, and it runs deeper than most people realise. The gut is often referred to as the second brain, and for good reason. It produces over 30 neurotransmitters, including around 90% of your serotonin and about 50% of your dopamine, both essential for mood regulation, focus, sleep, and emotional resilience. When the gut lining is compromised or the microbiome becomes imbalanced (due to stress, antibiotics, ultra-processed foods, or seed oils), it can trigger low-grade inflammation that reaches the brain. This inflammation contributes to common symptoms like brain fog, poor concentration, anxiety, and even depression. Supporting the gut is one of the most powerful, and overlooked, ways to improve cognitive function. Key gut-supporting foods include: Bone broth rich in glycine and gelatine, it helps repair and seal the gut lining Raw dairy provides beneficial bacteria, enzymes, and fat-soluble vitamins Fermented foods (in moderation) offer probiotics that help maintain microbial diversity Collagen-rich meats from joints and slow-cooked cuts support intestinal wall integrity Organ meats dense in B vitamins, zinc, and retinol which nourish gut tissue and detox pathways Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome and a strong gut lining doesn’t just support digestion, it builds the foundation for clearer thinking, improved memory, more stable energy, and a calmer, more focused mind. In short, if you want to think better, feel better, and age with clarity, start with the gut. Curious where to start? We have some resources... You don't need another overpriced probiotic or gut shot (our gut health guidemap) Read here 5 foods you think are healthy (but are secretly ruining your gut Read here Colostrum, the ancient remedy for gut health Read here 6 mistakes you're making to worsen your IBS Read here 5 "healthy" exercise supplements that are ruining your gut Read here 3. Eat more brain building nutrients Certain nutrients are especially important for brain function, and many people don't get enough of them from modern diets. Red meat Despite what you might have heard, red meat is one of the best foods for your brain. Grass-fed beef provides creatine, which fuels the energy centers in your brain cells. People who eat adequate creatine often experience better memory, faster thinking, and improved mental clarity, especially under stress. Red meat also contains taurine, an amino acid that helps balance brain chemicals and protects neurons from burning out under pressure. The iron in red meat carries oxygen to brain tissue. B12 supports the protective coating around nerve fibers. These nutrients work together to keep your brain sharp and resilient. Other key brain nutrients Egg yolks provide choline, which your brain uses to make acetylcholine, crucial for memory Fatty fish like salmon supply DHA omega-3s that keep brain cell membranes flexible 4. Step away from screens Constantly scrolling through short form content such as social media, reels, and short videos keeps your brain in a state of constant distraction. This “attention fragmentation” reduces your ability to focus, slows deep thinking, and can contribute to brain fog. Spending extended periods on long-form tasks such as reading books, writing, learning a new skill, or working on a creative project strengthens neural pathways and improves cognitive stamina. When you dedicate hours rather than seconds to a single activity, your brain practices sustained attention, problem-solving, and memory retention. Practical tips: Schedule phone-free blocks during the day to engage in focused work or learning Read longer-form content such as books, essays, or research articles to deepen comprehension. Practice “deep work” sessions of 60–90 minutes without interruptions. Engage in creative hobbies such as writing, drawing, coding, or music which stimulate multiple brain regions. Take mindful breaks outdoors to reset your attention and reduce mental fatigue. By stepping away from short, scattered attention and embracing focused, longer-form activities, you train your brain for clarity, better memory, and sustained concentration. 5. Protect your brain with antioxidants Your brain uses a lot of energy, which creates harmful byproducts called free radicals. As we touched on earlier, these can damage brain cells and speed up mental aging. Antioxidants neutralise these harmful substances and protect your neurons. Best antioxidant sources for brain health Berries like blueberries are packed with compounds that cross into your brain and directly protect nerve cells. Dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher) contains flavonoids that improve blood flow to your brain. Vitamin C is an amazing antioxidant, and getting this from acerola cherry provides a huge boost. Surprisingly, red meat provides carnosine, a powerful antioxidant that specifically protects brain tissue. Organ meats contain CoQ10, which supports the energy-producing structures in your cells. Brazil nuts and eggs provide selenium, a mineral that helps your body's own antioxidant systems work better. These foods work together to shield your brain from daily damage and keep your mind sharp as you age. 6. Move your body & prioritise sleep Physical activity and quality sleep are two of the most powerful ways to improve brain function, yet they're often the first things we sacrifice when life gets busy. Why movement matters Exercise increases blood flow to your brain, delivering more oxygen and nutrients. It also triggers the production of BDNF, a protein that helps brain cells grow and form new connections. Even as short as a daily 20 minute walk can improve memory and mental clarity but we recommend you do more walking than that if you can! The power of sleep During deep sleep, your brain activates its cleaning system, washing away toxic waste that builds up during the day. Poor sleep leaves these toxins in your brain, leading to fog and poor performance the next day. Create a sleep-friendly environment with blackout curtains and avoid screens for at least an hour before bed, block blue light as early as possible (7pm onwards) These simple changes can dramatically improve both sleep quality and next-day mental sharpness. Your brain has an amazing ability to improve at any age. These simple, practical changes can help you think more clearly, remember better, and feel mentally energised throughout your day.

Meet Hill Farm Real Food

If you’ve been with us from the start, you’ll already know Hill Farm. They were the first farm we ever brought on board to the Organised app. The first real test of what this whole idea could be, and the living, breathing heart of everything we stand for. Their food speaks for itself, rich, honest, and nourishing in ways supermarket shelves can’t replicate, but it’s their way of farming, their way of living, that makes you fall in love with them. But just because they need no introduction doesn’t mean their story doesn’t deserve to be told. The Aidley family have been stewards of this land since 1938, when Tim’s grandfather first started farming here and even today it remains a family farm, with Tim and Elaine joined by their three sons, Matt, Ben and Dan, all of whom are full-time on the farm. Dairy has long been the heartbeat of Hill Farm, but they’ve always shared their meat and eggs with neighbours, friends, and family. Over time, that circle grew. And in 2020, they did what many wouldn’t dare, they stepped away from the safety of the commodity food system and launched Hill Farm Real Food. Hill Farm is fully organic, but in practice, they go far beyond organic standards.Their calves suckle naturally. Their soil is never routinely cultivated. And all their animals are managed without antibiotics or pharmaceuticals of any kind. Instead, they use homeopathy, herbal medicine and natural remedies When we arrived at Hill Farm, the first thing we noticed wasn’t the fields, or the cows, or even the sweeping views from the ridge. It was the warmth. The Aidleys welcomed us not as visitors, but as family. Within minutes we were following Matt across dew-soaked pasture, hearing about the rotations of the herd and the life beneath our feet. The entire day unfolded like that, a gentle rhythm of conversation and activity. Matt is a wellspring of farming wisdom. Listening to him is like enrolling in the most accelerated course on regenerative agriculture you could imagine. He speaks with a kind of rapture, about soil as a living microbiome, about cows as ecosystem engineers, about how a healthy pasture can hold water, store carbon, and nourish both animals and people. The hours slipped away unnoticed. By late evening we realised we’d been so caught up in it all that we hadn’t eaten a thing. Of course, that hadn’t gone unnoticed by Elaine. She ushered us into her home with a knowing smile and before we knew it the table was heavy with food. Buckwheat sourdough pancakes, still warm from the pan. Sausages made from the farm’s own pigs. Fresh eggs, their yolks almost glowing. Butter so rich and yellow it looked like sunlight captured in a dish (in fact we ate it straight from the bowl with spoons like ice cream. We’ve debated ever since whether it was the sheer exhilaration of the day that made it taste so extraordinary, or whether Elaine’s cooking really is the best in the world. The truth is, it was probably both. You can order their food directly through the Organised app, and have it delivered straight to your doorstep. Hill Farm offers raw A2, organic, grass-fed milk, probiotic-rich raw kefir, and traditional cultured dairy including cream, whey, and buttermilk. They craft raw A2 cheeses and deeply nourishing bone broths, alongside small-batch ancestral fats like cultured ghee and grass-fed beef tallow. Their pasture-raised hens provide organic, soya-free, omega-3-rich eggs, and their regenerative farm produces poultry and grass-finished beef, including steaks like rump and sirloin, gluten-free beef burgers, mince bundles, and roasting joints. Beyond food, Hill Farm also handcrafts natural tallow based skincare, made with the same integrity they bring to everything they do.

Why you should eat dirty eggs

You're at the farmers market and spot a carton of eggs with a few feathers stuck to them, maybe a bit of straw. Your first instinct might be to reach for the cleaner carton next to it. But what if those "dirty" eggs are actually nature's perfectly designed package, and the sparkling clean ones from the supermarket have been stripped of their protective armour? Here's what most people don't know...that invisible coating on unwashed eggs, called the bloom or cuticle, is an ancient piece of biological engineering that modern food systems have decided we don't need. It's a perfect example of how we've complicated something that was never broken in the first place. Nature's perfect packaging gets washed away Every egg comes into the world with its own protective shield, a delicate coating made of proteins that seals the shell's 10,000-17,000 tiny pores. This bloom is 80-95% proteins, including antimicrobial compounds like lysozyme that actively fight harmful bacteria. It's the egg's first line of defence, and it's been keeping eggs fresh for millions of years before refrigerators existed. In the US, regulations require all commercial eggs to be washed in a chemical bath at temperatures reaching 115°F. This process strips away the entire protective bloom, leaving the shell porous and vulnerable. Once washed, eggs must be refrigerated constantly, they can only survive 2 hours at room temperature before becoming unsafe. Meanwhile, unwashed eggs with their bloom intact can sit on your counter for 2-4 weeks, or even 2-3 months in your fridge. Trading ancestral wisdom for supermarket aesthetics The modern food system has trained us to fear any sign that our food came from the earth. We want our vegetables uniform, our fruits waxy and shining, and our eggs pristine white or brown without a speck of evidence they came from an actual chicken. This disconnection runs so deep that finding a feather on an egg, proof it came from a real bird, makes us uncomfortable. Our ancestors understood something we've forgotten, that the dirtiest looking foods are often the most nourishing. They knew that soil on vegetables meant beneficial bacteria, that fermented foods that looked suspicious were medicine, and that eggs didn't need to be sanitised to be safe. They trusted the intelligence of nature's design because they had to, and their bodies thrived on this trust. The washing requirement stems partly from industrial farming practices where tens of thousands of hens are crammed into facilities, creating genuine contamination risks. But instead of addressing the root cause, the unnatural conditions, we've created an energy-intensive system of washing, sanitising, and constant refrigeration. It's the nutritional equivalent of taking antibiotics preventively instead of supporting your immune system. The hidden benefits your great grandmother knew When you choose unwashed eggs from pasture-raised hens, you're not just getting a longer-lasting product. These eggs often come from birds living the way chickens are meant to live, scratching in dirt, eating insects, basking in sunlight, and converting all that natural behaviour into nutrient density. Research shows eggs from truly pastured hens contain twice the omega-3 fatty acids, 38% more vitamin A, and 3-4 times more vitamin D than their factory-farmed counterparts. The deep orange yolks that seem almost red? That's what happens when hens eat their ancestral diet of grasses, seeds, and insects instead of processed corn and soy. Making the switch to dirty eggs Here’s how to start your switch: Get curious: Find your local farm or farmers’ market that sells unwashed eggs. We’ve put together a full Egg Sourcing Guide to help you know exactly what to look for. Think backyard hens: You’d be surprised how many councils allow a few chickens. There’s something deeply grounding about collecting your own eggs each morning. Trust your senses: A fresh egg has a firm yolk that stands tall, tight whites that don't spread thin, and a clean, neutral smell. These quality markers matter more than pristine shells. Start conversations: Ask your egg farmer about their practices. Do the hens forage? What do they eat? How old are the eggs? This connection to your food source is part of the medicine. We recently visited My Little Farm, one of the farms you can order from directly through the Organised app. Instead of being packed into sheds, they roam free in the fields, scratching and foraging alongside lambs and other animals. We got to meet the chickens ourselves, watching them sunbathe, peck at bugs in the grass, and roam around happily. You can see the difference in their lifestyle, and you can taste the difference in the eggs. Here are a few pictures from our visit, and the beautiful box of produce (dirty eggs included) we recently had delivered straight from the farm to our kitchen. When you choose unwashed eggs, you're not just making a choice about breakfast. You're voting for a food system that respects natural design, supports local farmers who refuse to industrialise, and acknowledges that our ancestors' food practices never needed changing. Your body knows the difference between real food and processed substitutes. Trust that knowing. Seek out those "dirty" eggs with their intact bloom, their deep orange yolks, and their connection to the land. Let them remind you that the best nutrition often comes in the most natural packaging, even if that packaging has a feather stuck to it.

6 ways to boost your mineral intake (that don't include food)

Think nutrition only happens at the dinner table? Think again. We've all been there, staring at our supplement cabinet, wondering if we're really getting enough magnesium, or scrolling through endless lists of synthetic supplements that promise to fix our mineral deficiencies. But here's something that might surprise you... your body can actually absorb nutrients in ways you've probably never realised. Your skin, your lungs, even the soles of your feet, they're all secretly working as nutrient gateways. And in some cases, these alternative pathways can be even more effective than supplements or forcing down another green smoothie. Ready to discover the world of non-dietary nutrition? Let's dive in. 1. Sunbathing Remember when your grandmother used to say "go get some sun"? Turns out, she was onto something. When UVB rays hit your skin, they trigger an almost magical transformation, converting 7-dehydrocholesterol (a compound naturally present in your skin) into vitamin D3. This isn't just about avoiding seasonal blues. Vitamin D orchestrates calcium absorption, fine-tunes your immune system, regulates hormones, and keeps your muscles functioning properly. The catch? Without adequate sun exposure, especially during winter months or if you live at higher latitudes, your body simply can't make this happen on its own. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to all sorts of health issues, so getting enough sun exposure in a sensible way will be helping your body immensely, after all why do you think your cat or dog loves to lay in those sun patches?... they are onto something. So that midday break in the garden isn't just for relaxation, it's helping your health more than you realise. 2. Swimming in the sea Sea swimming does more than just make you feel refreshed and salty. That seawater enveloping your body contains a complex cocktail of minerals that can actually penetrate your skin, especially during longer swims in warmer water. We're talking about magnesium for muscle relaxation, sodium for electrolyte balance, calcium for bone and nerve function, potassium for heart rhythm regulation, and iodine to support thyroid health. Even trace amounts of zinc and selenium make their way through, offering antioxidant and immune support. In Greece, doctors (especially in coastal towns and islands) sometimes write prescriptions for thalassotherapy, which includes swimming in the sea, exposure to sea air, and sometimes walking along the beach, particularly for joint problems, skin conditions, and recovery after illness. It’s rooted in both ancient Greek medicine (Hippocrates recommended seawater baths) and modern practice. 3. Epsom bath salts/magnesium spray Here's where things get interesting from a bioavailability standpoint. That warm Epsom salt bath you take to unwind? It's delivering magnesium directly through your skin, bypassing your digestive system entirely. This method is actually more bioavailable than trying to get magnesium from dietary or supplement sources. As well as being a much better option of absorption for the many people who struggle to absorb magnesium orally due to gut issues such as leaky gut. Epsom salts provide both magnesium (supporting over 300 enzymatic reactions in your body) and sulphur (crucial for detoxification and collagen production). Meanwhile, magnesium chloride sprays take things up a notch, their more targeted approach penetrates skin more efficiently, often creating that characteristic tingly sensation as it interacts with your nerve endings, which is a sign you are deficient in magnesium! 4. Grounding This might sound far fetched, but the science is surprisingly solid. The Earth's surface carries a negative electric charge, and when your bare skin makes contact with grass, soil, sand, or seawater, electrons can actually transfer into your body. These electrons act as natural antioxidants, neutralising free radicals and potentially reducing inflammation. It's essentially nature's way of helping you reset at the cellular level, no meditation app required. If you've ever had a stressful day and then taken to the garden with your shoes and socks off you probably noticed how calming it feels to finally ground. We are always looking for ways to get more antioxidants into our body through food which are important but we should also look to grounding which one of the best antioxidant you can “take” 5. Mineral hot springs Humans have been seeking out hot springs for millennia, and our ancestors were onto something. These geological wonders are like concentrated mineral delivery systems, with your skin absorbing magnesium for muscle relaxation, calcium for bone health, sodium and potassium for electrolyte balance, and sulphur for joint support and collagen production. The heat opens your pores, the minerals do their work, and you emerge feeling like you've been internally recharged. 6. Herbal oil steam inhalation While primarily known for respiratory benefits, steam inhalation from mineral-rich herbal preparations can deliver trace amounts of minerals through your lungs. Though the quantities are minimal, it's yet another example of how your body finds creative ways to absorb what it needs. What's fascinating about all these methods is how they bypass common absorption issues that plague oral supplementation, no stomach upset, no competition with other nutrients, no concerns about digestive efficiency. Your body is remarkably sophisticated at finding and utilising nutrients from unexpected sources. So the next time you're planning your wellness routine, remember... sometimes the most powerful nutrition can come from practices you do rather than what you eat. Ready to expand your nutrient absorption toolkit? Start with just one of these methods and notice how your body responds. After all, the best supplement might just be stepping outside barefoot or soaking in a warm bath. Curious about the mineral deficiencies almost everyone has, but no one talks about? Find out the 6 most common (how to recognise & how to replenish them).

Why stretching isn't fixing your pain (our guide to fascia health)

Ever noticed your organs stay eerily still while you dance, yet your hamstring tightness never fades? Beneath those daily mysteries lies a tissue called fascia, your body's hidden web that shapes movement and stores both physical and emotional trauma. Despite its vast roles, fascia was long ignored in medicine. Truly a case of seeing “muscles and bones” but not the matrix that connects them. What is fascia? In simplest terms, fascia is a three dimensional matrix of collagen fibres, fluid, and gel-like proteins enveloping every muscle, bone, organ, and nerve. Imagine a fine silk weave that both glides and transmits force. When healthy, fascia is supple, letting joints move freely and muscles coordinate seamlessly. But when compromised, whether by repetitive strain, stress, or past injuries, this silken web stiffens or forms adhesions, making stretching feel pointless and leaving you stiff or in pain. Wrapped around muscle fibres (endomysium), bundles (perimysium), entire muscles (epimysium), and even bones, fascia connects everything in one continuous line, much like a tablecloth that, when tugged in one corner, shifts the entire table setting. As a result, your achy calves can alter posture up to your neck. This interplay means fascia shapes how we move, stand, and even sense tension in our bodies. How fascia stores trauma Physical trauma Physical trauma clearly affects fascia. A sprained ankle or surgical incision, for example, triggers the fascia to lay down extra collagen fibres in repair. Scar tissue is essentially fascia that knits up a wound, but often in a haphazard, thicker way. These adhesions can tether tissues that should slide, leading to stiffness or pain around the injury site. Even remote injuries can have body-wide effects: a broken tailbone may set off fascial tightening up the spinal line, manifesting years later as neck pain. Repetitive strain or poor posture is a slower trauma: if you hunch over a desk daily, the fascia in your chest may shorten and thicken, “remembering” that position and resisting change. Over time, the body becomes literally moulded by these persistent fascial patterns. Emotional trauma More intriguingly, emotional and psychological traumas also seem to leave footprints in our fascia. Fascia is densely innervated with sensory neurons, directly linked to the autonomic nervous system, meaning it responds to stress, trauma, and even unprocessed emotions. When we experience a threat, our body instinctively contracts, tenses, or freezes, a primal response to protect itself. If unresolved, these tension patterns can become embedded in the fascia, manifesting as chronic stiffness, pain, or dysfunction long after the event. Emerging research highlights the two-way communication between fascia and the vagus nerve, our key parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) nerve. The vagus monitors fascia’s state and signals the brain to adjust tension accordingly. In other words, fascia may be a physical medium through which the mind-body dialogue occurs, our connective tissue as a canvas for the nervous system’s signals. Many bodyworkers and somatic therapists observe that when they release a particularly bound-up area of fascia, clients sometimes experience an emotional catharsis, memories or feelings resurging as the tissue lets go. This is why traditional stretching or strength training often fails to resolve deep-seated pain, because the root issue is not just in the muscles, but in the fascia itself. 3 essential steps to healing fascia Fascia may be prone to tightness, dehydration, or holding stress, but the good news is it’s highly responsive to care. 1. Water for the web Fascia is 70% water, but not all water hydrates fascia equally. When dehydrated, fascia becomes stiff, brittle, and prone to adhesions (small areas of stuck tissue that reduce mobility). Simply drinking more water isn’t enough your body needs the right minerals to retain it. Drink structured water: (naturally occurring in fresh fruits, raw dairy, coconut water, and bone broth). Add natural electrolytes: A pinch of sea salt with lemon in water works perfectly. Magnesium, for example, is essential for protein synthesis including collagen formation, and also helps muscles relax, preventing chronic tension in fascia. Zinc and copper are needed for collagen cross-linking and tissue repair. 2. Myofascial release One of the most direct ways to improve fascial health is through myofascial release techniques: physical methods that massage, stretch, or manipulate fascia to break up adhesions and restore its glide Here are some powerful tools and techniques to liberate your fascial network: Foam rolling: Rolling works by pressing on fascial adhesions and trigger points, helping to dissipate knots and encourage fluid exchange in the tissue. As you roll out a tight spot, you are literally smoothing out fascial wrinkles and stimulating fibroblast cells to remodel. (Tip: Roll slowly and pause on tender points for 30-60 seconds until you feel a release.) Vagus nerve stimulation: Interestingly, one way to release fascia is to work indirectly via the nervous system. Stimulating the vagus nerve can cause a cascade of relaxation in muscles and fascia. Techniques like slow deep breathing, humming or chanting, cold exposure (splashing face with cold water), or gentle gargling all activate the vagus nerve. When the vagus fires, it signals the body to shift out of stress model: heart rate slows, breath deepens, and crucially, fascia relaxes its tension. Resistance stretching: Traditional stretching usually involves relaxing into a pose, but resistance stretching adds an active component: you contract your muscles while lengthening them. This technique (also known as PNF stretching or eccentric training) engages the fascia more effectively. By resisting against the stretch (for example, pushing your heel down while pulling your toes toward you), the fascia is loaded under tension, which can break up internal cross-links and increase its length and elasticity. It It also stimulates the production of new collagen in a more orderly arrangement due to the tension applied. Yin yoga, in particular, is essentially a fascial release practice: by staying in a pose 3–5 minutes, you give the fascia time to yield (muscles might relax after 30 seconds, but fascia, being more viscous, takes a couple of minutes to truly stretch). This can flush out waste and even purportedly “flush toxins” from the fascia , easing chronic pain and restoring mobility Trauma release exercises (TRE): Use gentle fatigue of certain muscles to trigger involuntary shaking, which can discharge tension in the fascia and muscles, relieving stress. Such shaking or tremoring is thought to let the nervous system reboot and the fascia loosen (much like how gelatin jiggling softens). If you’ve ever had an intense workout and found yourself trembling, you’ve touched on this mechanism. Allowing your body to tremor or gently stretching while shaking can be a profound release. 3. Fuel your fascia with ancestral nutrition Fascia is metabolically active, and made up of collagen-rich proteins, meaning it needs collagen, minerals, and bioavailable nutrients to regenerate and stay pliable. Without the right nutrients, fascia can become brittle, weak, and prone to dysfunction. Consume gelatinous foods and collagen: Our ancestors intuitively nourished their fascia by eating the whole animal: boiling bones, skin, and tendons into bone broth, and slow-cooking meats with connective tissue. These traditional foods are rich in gelatine (cooked collagen) and glycosaminoglycans: exactly what fascia is made of. In the past, cooking down bones and fascia into broth provided a bounty of collagen peptides Fascia is integral to every step and stretch you take, and every emotion you hold. The key is recognising that stubborn pains often live in this hidden web, not just in your muscles. Whether you’re recovering from an old ankle sprain or an emotional upheaval, tending to fascia can help dissolve the barriers that ordinary stretches and workouts never touch, allowing you to discover a body that moves in harmony, bearing neither the weight of past injuries nor the grip of unprocessed stress.

5 steps to detox heavy metals

Step into any wellness corner of the internet and you’ll be told you’re heavy metal toxic. Mercury in your brain, arsenic in your skin, lead in your bones. And the solution, apparently, is to neck a green smoothie and “flush it all out”. Spoiler... that’s how a lot of people make themselves worse. The truth is, heavy metals are everywhere in our environment. And once inside us, they wedge themselves into enzymes, displace essential minerals, and disrupt the mitochondria that keep our cells functioning. But if you try to push them out too fast or without the right nutritional scaffolding, you risk redistribution, shifting them from somewhere relatively harmless (like your thigh bone) to somewhere catastrophic (like your hippocampus). And at best case? You’ve fallen for expensive wellness marketing. And there’s a lot more to say here about “detox”. Your body already comes equipped with exquisitely designed detox systems, liver, kidneys, lymph, skin, lungs. Given the right environment (nutrient sufficiency, deep sleep, low toxic exposure, and regular elimination) it can return to homeostasis without a single juice cleanse or enema. The problem is, most modern “detox” protocols do the opposite. They strip the body of nutrients, overwhelm the organs of elimination, and stir up stored toxins without providing a safe way out. Worse still, they often prey on the vulnerable, people desperate for relief from real symptoms, or struggling with eating disorders, selling quick fixes that leave them sicker, more depleted, and convinced they need even more detoxing. This isn’t what we believe here. Our approach is and always will be grounded in nourishment, long term safety, and respect for how the body actually works. 1. Stop them at the source Before addressing the heavy metals already stored in your body, it’s essential to reduce the amount coming in. Lowering ongoing exposure allows your detox systems to work on what’s already there, instead of constantly managing new arrivals. Where heavy metals lurk most... Water supply: arsenic, lead, mercury from old pipes, industrial runoff, and contaminated groundwater Cookware & kitchenware: aluminium pots & pans Personal care products: aluminium in deodorants, heavy metal contamination in makeup pigment Food chain: large predatory fish (tuna, swordfish, shark), rice (arsenic), cacao/chocolate (cadmium), leafy greens grown in polluted soil Household items: old paint (lead), batteries (cadmium, nickel), cheap jewellery and toys (lead, cadmium) Herbal supplements & seaweeds: spirulina, chlorella, and long-lived seaweeds that bioaccumulate metals 2. Stop drinking green powders Here’s the scariest irony. Some of the highest dietary sources of heavy metals are the powders and smoothies marketed to “cleanse” them out of you. Spirulina and chlorella are microalgae with an extraordinary ability to absorb metals from their environment. In nature, this makes them brilliant at cleaning up contaminated water. On your kitchen counter, it means they can arrive already loaded with lead, cadmium, arsenic, or mercury, especially if they’re poorly sourced, which is common in mass market wellness products. 3. Feed a well resourced liver Your liver is the body’s primary processing plant for toxins, including heavy metals, and it needs the right nutrients to function optimally. Phase I and Phase II detox pathways work in sequence to transform metals into forms the body can safely excrete, but this process depends on a constant supply of specific vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Magnesium and selenium are essential for antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase, which protect cells from metal-induced oxidative stress. Vitamins B6, B9, and B12 are required for methylation and conjugation, key reactions that package toxins for elimination. Amino acids like methionine, cysteine, and glycine physically bind to metals so they can be neutralised and removed. A well-nourished liver is far more effective at clearing toxins than one lacking these resources. Focus on nutrient-dense foods such as: Liver, heart, and bone broth for B vitamins, CoQ10, glycine, and minerals Egg yolks, dairy, and shellfish for choline, selenium, and methionine Seasonal fruit for the carbohydrates that fuel Phase II detox reactions The aim is to maintain a biochemical environment where the liver can process metals steadily and safely, rather than mobilising them without the means to escort them out. 4. Support slow and steady elimination Heavy metals exit the body through well established routes...sweat, urine, bile, and stool. For detoxification to be safe, these pathways must be working efficiently before any attempt is made to mobilise stored metals. If elimination is sluggish, toxins can be reabsorbed and deposited in more vulnerable tissues, exactly what you’re trying to avoid. Here’s how to keep each route clear and dependable: Sweat regularly: Engage in movement that raises your core temperature, use a sauna, or take hot baths. Sweating can remove measurable amounts of arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Aim for gentle but consistent sessions rather than occasional extremes. Maintain daily bowel movements: Metals excreted in bile need to leave the body promptly via stool. Gut supportive foods, adequate hydration, and magnesium-rich foods (or magnesium baths) help keep transit time short and predictable. Constipation invites toxins back into circulation through the enterohepatic loop. Protect kidney function: Drink clean, mineral-rich water and maintain electrolyte balance (sodium, potassium, magnesium). Avoid chronic dehydration and excessive diuretics, which can strain the kidneys and slow filtration Support bile flow: Bitter greens like dandelion or rocket, and choline rich foods such as egg yolks, can help maintain bile production and flow, a key route for fat-soluble toxins and metals. 5. Rebuild mineral reserves Toxic metals don’t just accumulate by chance, they often exploit deficiencies. Lead mimics calcium and takes its place in bone. Cadmium competes with zinc in enzymes and reproductive tissues. Mercury binds tightly to selenium, disrupting the enzymes that depend on it. When essential minerals are lacking, metals slip in and occupy their roles, but without performing the job. Restoring mineral reserves gives the body the means to gradually displace these imposters. Over time, as the real minerals become consistently available, the body will swap out the toxic stand-ins for the nutrients it actually needs. A mineral cheatsheet Zinc: Oysters, mussels, crab, beef, lamb, heart Calcium: Raw dairy, kefir, small fish with bones (sardines, anchovies), bone broth Selenium: Wild salmon, kidney, oysters, brazil nuts Magnesium: Cacao, heart, figs, berries, mineral rich water Potassium: Potatoes, oranges, beetroot, bananas, cherries Iron: Liver, red meat, spleen, shellfish, egg yolks Copper: Liver, oysters, dark chocolate, duck Manganese: shellfish, whole grains (traditionally prepared), tea What frustrates me most about the modern wellness world isn’t just that it gets detox wrong, it’s that it preys on fear. It takes genuine concerns and turns them into marketing hooks. Wellness should be the opposite of that. It should make you feel more capable, more nourished, more in tune with your body’s own intelligence. It should respect the fact that the human body already knows how to repair itself, given the right environment, and that actual healing is often quiet, steady, and unremarkable to watch. Since I’ve had my say, I’d love to hear yours... what wellness marketing scams annoy you the most?

Comments

2 comments

Apologies. My comment needed editing of its own and I couldn’t find a way to fix it. The last sentence “But unless I’ve got this all mixed up and my common sense is mikes off course…” should have read “miles off course.”

Re: How to heal from hormonal birth control
By Brett Nethell

I believe item Number 4 under the section entitled “So what steps can you take to support your healing?” contains a couple of switched around recommendations or else it’s the exact opposite advice offered by most natural health practitioners. Here’s how it reads now:

“4. Minimise hormone disruptors

As mentioned above lowering your consumption and contact with estrogenic foods and products is a key starting point, it’s very difficult to be perfect with this since many foods are packaged in plastic but just doing your best is enough…swapping from plastic bottles to a glass one, polyester gym kit to cotton, stainless steel cookware to non stick pans and wooden chopping boards to plastic ones.“

The last two items listed certainly seem to have been reversed in their order of healthiest practices according to my personal intuition and most often read recommendations. Should we really switch from stainless steel cookware to non stick pans which typically are coated with toxins that can leach into food and/or our environment? And should we truly forgo wooden cutting boards for plastic that can only further expose use to microplastics on a daily basis??

Perhaps this is an AI assisted transcript. But unless I’ve got this all mixed up and my common sense is mikes off course, it requires further editing.

Be well.

Cynthia

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