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September 10, 2025

Are you deficient in these 7 overlooked nutrients?

Modern diets have drifted far from the nutrient-dense foods our ancestors relied on. But how did we get here? Over the years, fear mongering around saturated fat and cholesterol, the rise of veganism, and a cultural shift toward convenience and processed grains have all played a role. The result? A modern diet that’s simultaneously abundant and malnourished. We’re eating more food than ever before, yet becoming increasingly deficient in the nutrients that actually matter. The symptoms are everywhere… chronic fatigue that no amount of coffee can fix, fertility struggles that seem to come out of nowhere, and a growing list of health issues that doctors struggle to explain. Strong nutrition is all about nutrients. If you’re eating nutrient-dense whole foods and therefore getting a lot of nutrients in every day, you should have a lot of bases covered. But often, repetition of eating can still lead to nutrient deficiencies. So here are some niche nutrients you may not have heard of before, why they’re lacking in modern diets, and how to bring them back in. 1. Glycine Ever wonder why there is a rise in joint problems? All the way from knees to hips to bad backs, Glycine is one of the main building blocks of collagen, the protein that forms cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. Since about one third of collagen is made of glycine, it’s essential for keeping joints strong, flexible, and resilient. Modern diets low in collagen-rich foods (like bone broth and skin-on meats) often don’t provide enough. Beyond structural support, glycine also helps calm inflammation, protects cartilage from wear and tear, and supports recovery after joint stress. Simply put, without adequate glycine, your body struggles to maintain and repair the very tissues that keep your joints moving smoothly. It also plays a vital role in gut and overall health. Glycine helps strengthen and repair the gut lining, which is essential for preventing leaky gut and supporting nutrient absorption. It also fuels the liver’s detox pathways, balances neurotransmitters for calmness and better sleep, and reduces inflammation throughout the body. The problem? Modern diets are heavily focused on muscle meat while neglecting collagen rich foods like bone broth, skin, and connective tissue which are our whole food sources of glycine. This dietary shift means many people fall short on this crucial amino acid. So where do you find glycine? Bone broth, Bone in meats, skin-on chicken. Our grandparents got plenty of glycine because they ate the whole animal, not just the lean muscle meat. We've traded nutrition for convenience, and our joints are paying the price. 2. Choline Choline is an essential nutrient for brain health, liver function, and cellular repair, yet it’s one of the most overlooked deficiencies in modern diets. It’s a key ingredient in acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter that drives memory and learning, and it supports methylation, a process critical for detoxification and hormone balance. One study found that mothers who ate more eggs during pregnancy had children with sharper cognitive performance compared to those who ate fewer. This highlights how profoundly choline intake can shape brain development and lifelong mental function. But sadly most people don’t eat organ meats or enough eggs, which are the best natural sources of choline. Instead, modern diets rely heavily on grains, quick snacks, and processed foods, which contain very little of this powerful brain fuel and without adequate choline, we risk sluggish liver function, poor memory, and compromised brain development in the next generation. The best sources? Egg yolks and organ meats, particularly liver, keep it simple. 3.Vitamin K2 Vitamin K2 is often overshadowed by its cousin K1, yet it plays a unique and powerful role in directing calcium where it belongs. K2 helps shuttle calcium into bones and teeth while keeping it out of arteries and soft tissues, protecting both skeletal strength and cardiovascular health. Without enough, calcium can end up in the wrong places, leading to brittle bones and stiff arteries. Traditional diets provided K2 through foods like raw milk, butter from grass-fed cows, organ meats, and fermented foods. But modern diets rarely include these, leaving most people deficient. Pasteurisation, grain-fed dairy, and avoidance of animal fats have stripped away much of this critical nutrient. Even if you’re getting plenty of calcium or vitamin D, without K2 your body may not be using them properly. Restoring K2-rich foods is key to rebuilding the synergy between bones, teeth, and the cardiovascular system. 4. CoQ10 CoQ10 is a nutrient found in every cell, where it fuels mitochondria, the “batteries” that generate energy. Beyond energy production, CoQ10 acts as a potent antioxidant, protecting cells from damage and supporting heart health. Low levels are linked to fatigue, poor cardiovascular function, and accelerated aging. Many people are unknowingly running on low cellular energy. Making matters worse, CoQ10 levels naturally decline with age. And if you're taking statin medications for cholesterol, you're actively depleting what little CoQ10 you have left. Our ancestors got plenty of CoQ10 from organ meats, particularly heart and most of us have relegated these nutrient powerhouses to pet food while wondering why we feel tired all the time. 5. Magnesium Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions, supporting energy production, muscle function, sleep quality, and blood sugar regulation. It’s one of the most vital minerals for overall health, yet also one of the most commonly lacking. Deficiency shows up as fatigue, anxiety, cramps, headaches, and poor sleep. The problem isn’t just diet, it’s the soil. Modern agricultural practices have stripped magnesium from the earth, meaning today’s fruits and vegetables contain far less than they once did. Combine that with diets heavy in processed foods and refined grains, and it’s no surprise most people fall short. While magnesium-rich foods like red meat, whole milk, and wild caught fish help, using topical magnesium sprays or Epsom salt baths are a powerful extra boost. These can deliver magnesium directly through the skin, helping relax muscles, calm the nervous system, and promote deeper sleep. Without enough magnesium, the body struggles to relax, regulate energy, and maintain metabolic balance. Restoring it, whether through food, supplementation, or skin absorption, can make a dramatic difference in resilience and vitality. 6. Vitamin A Vitamin A is essential for immune defence, vision, skin health, and proper development. It helps the body fight infections, keeps the skin and gut lining strong, and plays a central role in eye health. Deficiency can show up as poor night vision, frequent illness, or dry, rough skin. While many people assume they’re covered by eating carrots or sweet potatoes, plant foods only provide beta-carotene, a precursor that the body must convert into active vitamin A (retinol). This conversion is inefficient in many people, meaning they never get enough of the usable form. True vitamin A comes from animal sources like liver, egg yolks, butter, and full-fat raw dairy. Without enough vitamin A, the immune system weakens, skin and mucous membranes lose integrity, and vision suffers. Reintroducing foods rich in true vitamin A can restore one of the body’s most powerful lines of defence. Just be careful with how much Vitamin A you consume, the upper safe limit per day is 10,000IU’s and you can easily reach this with just 100g serving of liver. 7. Taurine Taurine is a conditionally essential amino acid that supports heart function, brain signalling, bile acid production, and gut health. It helps regulate fluid balance, supports detoxification, and acts as a powerful antioxidant. Low taurine levels have been linked to fatigue, poor cardiovascular function, and impaired digestion. You can find Taurine almost exclusively in meat and seafood. Modern diets that rely on plant-based or highly processed foods often leave people under-consuming this crucial nutrient. Without enough taurine, the body may struggle to maintain healthy heart rhythms, proper bile flow for digestion, and optimal nervous system function. Including taurine-rich foods such as grass-fed red meat can support cardiovascular resilience, digestive efficiency, cognitive function and overall vitality, making it a critical but often overlooked nutrient in modern diets. If you've been feeling off lately, tired, foggy, achy, or just not quite yourself, the answer might be simpler than you think. Instead of avoiding the foods our ancestors thrived on, we need to embrace them again. Quality matters tremendously here. Seek out organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised foods whenever possible. These represent real differences in nutrient content that your body will notice. Your health is built one nutrient at a time, one meal at a time, one choice at a time. These seven nutrients might be forgotten by modern nutrition, but your body hasn't forgotten how much it needs them.

September 06, 2025

Why your immune system protocol isn't working (and what to do instead)

Most people treat winter like something gruelling to endure, accepting fatigue, frequent illness, and low energy as the norm, waiting for spring to come and fix everything. But winter was never meant to be survived in misery. Everything in nature is cyclical, and winter is just as important as summer when it comes to your health. It’s a season designed for nourishment, repair, and building the foundations of resilience from the inside out. But only if you know how to work with it. At the cusp of the changing seasons, this guide begins with what not to do, the common habits that leave most people depleted by February, and then shows you what to do instead. The issue with synthetic vitamin C Most people do this... Grab vitamin C tablets made from synthetic ascorbic acid at the first sign of a cold. While everyone reaches for vitamin C tablets at the first sign of a sniffle, your body craves the complete vitamin C complex found in whole food and your needs for this vital nutrient actually skyrocket during winter months. Here's why winter demands more vitamin C Cold weather creates significant oxidative stress as your body works harder to maintain core temperature. Indoor heating systems dry out your skin and mucous membranes, your first barriers against pathogens, requiring vitamin C for collagen production and tissue repair. Meanwhile, your adrenal glands, which produce stress hormones to help you adapt to seasonal changes and maintain energy, are among the most vitamin C-dense organs in your body. When they're working overtime during winter's shorter days and colder temperatures, they rapidly deplete your vitamin C stores. The difference? Synthetic ascorbic acid is just one component of the vitamin C complex. While being derived from GMO corn, ascorbic acid is doing more harm than good. Whole food sources provide cofactors that help your body actually absorb and use what you're giving it. Providing a more real and potent form of vitamin C from whole foods will always outperform ascorbic acid. Instead, do this... Acerola cherry and camu camu provide concentrated natural vitamin C, while seasonal kiwis and properly fermented sauerkraut offer this vital nutrient alongside beneficial bacteria that support your gut, your first line of immune defence. The vitamin D mistake everyone makes Most people do this... Take a vitamin D capsule to beat SAD and hope they’re covered. Synthetic vitamin D, especially when taken in isolation, doesn’t address the full picture. Your body doesn’t just need vitamin D. It needs the cofactors, light signals, and organ function to activate and integrate it. A pill can’t replace that. Instead, do this... Get natural light exposure morning, midday, and at dusk, even on cloudy days, this helps regulate circadian rhythms and supports vitamin D metabolism. Eat ancestral vitamin D-rich foods: wild-caught salmon, sardines, mackerel, and pasture-raised egg yolks. These offer a more bioavailable and complete form of vitamin D, alongside essential fat-soluble cofactors. Support the organs that activate vitamin D, your liver and kidneys, with bitter greens like dandelion and rocket, ensure you’re getting adequate magnesium, and stay well hydrated. Reaching for cold & flu tablets won’t fix it Most people do this... At the first sign of a stuffy nose or scratchy throat, they grab over-the-counter cold and flu tablets, chasing symptom relief instead of addressing the root cause. But your immune system isn’t asking for synthetic decongestants, it’s calling out for critical trace minerals that it relies on to function properly. And winter is the time when deficiencies in these nutrients become most apparent. Zinc directly supports white blood cell production while maintaining the integrity of your mucosal barriers. These barriers, from your nasal passages to your gut lining, are your first line of defence against pathogens. Oysters provide more bioavailable zinc than any supplement ever could, in a form your body can use instantly and effectively. Selenium works synergistically with iodine to support optimal thyroid function, which is crucial for maintaining your metabolic fire during winter. It also supports the production of glutathione peroxidase and selenoproteins that directly combat viral replication. Instead, do this... Reach for real, nutrient-dense foods that naturally contain these minerals in their most potent and absorbable forms: Oysters, liver & kidney for zinc Kidney & brazil nuts for selenium Grass-fed red meat for both, plus complete proteins and B vitamins that support overall energy and immune strength Why your diet needs to reflect the season Most people do this... Keep eating tropical fruits, smoothies, raw salads, or processed carbs, ignoring the body’s shifting seasonal needs. What to do instead... Cold weather drives up your thyroid and adrenal activity, increasing your need for warming, nutrient-dense foods rich in iodine, selenium, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin A, and zinc. Bone broths, stews, and slow-cooked foods provide easy-to-digest nutrients while warming the body from within. Root vegetables and squashes deliver steady energy, while warming spices like ginger and cinnamon support circulation and immunity. During winter, your body faces different conditions and challenges than it did in the summer. Seasonal eating isn’t just about eating with the seasons for the sake of it, it’s a biological truth. Your body’s needs shift with the seasons, and the foods nature provides at each point in the year are perfectly matched to those needs. Autumn is nature’s invitation to stock up. Root vegetables, squashes, apples, and late berries provide steady fuel, minerals, and antioxidants to prepare your immune system for the darker months ahead. This is also the time to ferment, preserve, and store food such as homemade jams that act as your nutrient insurance policy when fresh produce becomes scarce. Our ancestors understood this intuitively. They didn't eat the same foods year-round because their bodies didn't need the same things year-round. Summer's cooling foods like raw salads and tropical fruits would leave you depleted in winter, while winter's warming, slow-cooked stews and root veg will keep you thriving all winter long. Need some recipe ideas? We recommend our Venison Stew first. Why stopping movement backfires Most people do this... Stop movement altogether once the weather turns cold. One of the most overlooked aspects of winter wellness is the need to maintain movement and circulation when everything in nature seems to slow down. Stagnation is the enemy of vitality, and winter creates perfect conditions for both physical and energetic stagnation. When temperatures drop, most people naturally become more sedentary. This creates a cascade of problems: circulation slows, the lymphatic system becomes sluggish, and toxins that would normally be cleared through movement and sweating begin to accumulate. Your lymphatic system, a crucial component of immune function, only moves when you move. Even gentle daily movement like walking, stretching, or bodyweight exercises keeps this system flowing and your immune defences sharp. What to do instead... The goal isn't intense workouts that further stress your system during an already challenging season. Instead, think consistency over intensity. Consistent walks through the day, some light stretching, weightlifting, hiking or even just movement that’s enjoyable rather than torturing will serve you far better than sporadic high-intensity sessions. The lost art of sweating In summer, you naturally detox through your skin. Winter's bundled-up, sedentary lifestyle shuts down this crucial elimination pathway. Without regular sweating, your body struggles to release accumulated toxins, from environmental pollutants to metabolic waste products. What to do instead... This is where heat therapy becomes invaluable. Whether through sauna sessions, steam baths, or even hot baths with mineral salts, induced sweating mimics summer's natural cleansing processes. Regular sauna users consistently report fewer colds and respiratory infections and there's solid research backing this up. If you don't have access to a sauna, create heat at home. Hot baths with Epsom salts, followed by a cool rinse, can provide similar benefits while supporting mineral absorption through the skin. Why fresh air matters more in winter Most people do this... Stay inside for days at a time, then wonder why they feel foggy, anxious, or sick. While it's tempting to hibernate indoors all winter, this instinct works against your health. Indoor air during winter months becomes heavy with dust, mold spores, and chemical off-gassing from heating systems and reduced ventilation. This creates a burden on your respiratory system and immune function. Compare how you feel after spending a day outdoors in summer versus a day inside during winter. The difference isn't just about vitamin D, it's the quality of air you're breathing, the negative ions you're absorbing, as well as movement and the benefits of being out in nature. What to do instead... Getting outside daily provides measurable benefits: your lungs flush with fresh air, clearing indoor pollutants, natural light continues to regulate hormones even on cloudy days, cold air exposure boosts circulation and contact with natural environments restores electrical balance to your body. Sling a coat on and get out there! Daily practices such as grounding, direct skin contact with the earth (yes, even in winter), can massively help reduce inflammation in the body. Continuing to do this in winter is key. Stand barefoot if you're brave, but even touching a tree on a colder day has a similar effect. Protecting your immune defences overnight Most people do this... Stay up watching screens, overstimulated and disconnected from natural light cues, leading to poor sleep and hormonal imbalances. Winter's longer nights aren't just about enduring darkness, they're an invitation to optimise your most powerful restoration tool. The majority of deep physical repair happens between 10pm and 2am, when growth hormone peaks and your body directs energy into healing tissues, regulating the immune system, and detoxifying through the liver. Miss this window regularly, and your body misses its most potent opportunity to restore itself. Proper sleep during winter months sets the foundation for everything else: immune function, hormonal balance, mental clarity, and physical energy. What to do instead... Blocking blue light after sunset is key for circadian rhythm. Investing in blue light blocking glasses, beeswax candles and low to no blue light bulbs such as incandescent can all help you fall asleep quicker and gain a richer, deeper more restorative sleep. Even before sunset gets to its earliest, implement these from 7pm onwards! This supports your circadian rhythm and optimises hormones like melatonin and growth hormone that do their best work during quality sleep.

September 03, 2025

Make these 6 swaps to halve your food bill

It’s easy to feel like eating well is a privilege reserved for the wealthy. And it’s something many of us have had to navigate at one point or another. It’s undeniable that steak and organic produce can easily double your weekly bill. And as much as you may try to prioritise food spending above everything else, sometimes you just don’t have that money to spend in the first place. If you’re tired of spending more and feeling less nourished, here are six intelligent swaps that lower the cost of eating well, and significantly raise the nutritional bar while you’re at it. 1. Swap muscle meat for organ meat We’ve said it before and we’ll keep saying it… organ meats are unmatched in nutritional value and dramatically underpriced. Compare a £6 steak to a £2 pack of beef liver. One offers decent protein. The other offers retinol (true vitamin A), B12, folate, copper, zinc, iron, and more, all in a bioavailable form your body actually absorbs. Muscle meats are relatively low in micronutrients compared to organs. And consistently prioritising muscle meats without balancing them with collagen-rich cuts or organs can lead to amino acid imbalances over time. That might not show up immediately, but it matters in the long run. Butchers often have heart, tongue or liver sitting in the back fridge at a fraction of the price per kilo. Some even give them away for free. If you’re unsure what to ask for, or how to use the, we’ve written a full guide on the lesser-known, nutrient-dense cuts your butcher might be happy to hand over for next to nothing. 2. Make your own bone broth at home You do not need to spend £30 a week on branded bone broth. Most bones are either very cheap or completely free. Ask your butcher for: Marrow bones Knuckle bones Chicken feet, carcasses or necks Lamb spines or ribs They often have an abundance of these, and they rarely make it to the retail shelf. Simmer with filtered water, sea salt, apple cider vinegar and scraps (onion peels, herb stems, carrot tops). You’ll end up with several litres of mineral-rich, collagen-dense broth for less than the price of one retail jar. If it's your first time making bone broth, we've made you a recipe. Branded broth usually costs around £7 to £8 per 500ml. Homemade broth costs about £1 to £2 per two litres. The price difference is enormous, and so is the nutritional payoff. Use it for cooking rice, sauces, soup bases, or sip it straight in the morning for gut support and warmth. We even love to add it to our smoothies: Bone Broth Berry Smoothie. 3. Swap probiotics for ferments A bottle of probiotics can cost upwards of £35/month. A head of cabbage costs £1.50 and makes enough raw sauerkraut to last weeks. Homemade ferments like sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, and raw yoghurt contain diverse, living strains of beneficial bacteria, alongside postbiotics, enzymes, and acids that support digestion and mineral absorption. Most probiotic capsules contain only a few isolated strains, and many don’t even survive the stomach acid barrier. What to ferment at home: Cabbage (sauerkraut) Milk (kefir or yoghurt) Carrots + ginger (simple ferment) Cucumbers (brined pickles) 4. Swap imported ‘superfoods’ for seasonal produce You don’t need to buy açai, goji berries or papaya flown in from thousands of miles away. The term ‘superfood’ gets thrown around constantly, usually attached to something expensive and over-marketed. But here’s how we define a superfood… a food that is nutrient-dense, bioavailable, metabolically supportive in the season you’re in, and relevant to the environment you live in. That means not just what it contains, but when and where it was grown.Seasonal food isn’t just fresher, it’s coded with light, temperature and microbial signals that help your body adapt to its environment. In spring, bitter greens like dandelion and nettle support liver detoxification. In summer, berries rich in polyphenols help protect your skin from sun damage. In autumn, root vegetables ground your energy and support carbohydrate storage. And in winter, fermented foods and animal fats feed your immune system and metabolic warmth. These foods evolve alongside us. They hold information from the landscape, encoded through light cycles, soil composition and temperature, and deliver that information back to our physiology in real time. That’s what makes a food truly “super”. Not the distance it travelled or the price per gram, but its ability to support your body in this season, in this place. There’s a reason strawberries are so expensive in winter, they’re not supposed to be there. When fruit is grown out of season, it needs artificial light, heated greenhouses, long-haul transport, and cold storage, all of which drives up the cost while draining the flavour and nutrient content. That’s the logic of seasonal eating… better nutrition, better flavour, lower cost, if you follow nature’s clock. 5. Don’t underestimate sardines There are certain foods that don’t market well. Sardines are one of them. Small, oily, unglamorous, and possibly the most underrated food in the modern diet. Sardines are cold-water fish that sit low on the food chain, meaning they accumulate very little mercury. They’re wild-caught, fast-reproducing, and don’t require farming or antibiotics. They’re sold tinned, which makes them shelf-stable for years. But most importantly, they’re nutritionally dense in exactly the ways most people today are deficient. One tin of sardines contains high-quality protein, omega-3s, calcium, vitamin D, B12, selenium and more. They’re also one of the only whole foods that naturally contain creatine, a compound usually sold as a gym supplement, but essential for brain energy, physical strength, and fatigue resilience. Just one tin gives you around 150mg of creatine, plus the co-factors that help your body actually use it. 6. Shop from your local farmer In past generations, food was intricately tied to community. You knew who grew your vegetables, who raised the animals, who made the bread. The butcher wasn’t a brand, he was someone your grandmother traded lard with. Putting a face back to your food relationships means returning to a slower, more accountable food system, one where conversations replace packaging, and trust replaces labels. It also often means cheaper food. When you buy direct from farmers, butchers, or producers, you’re not paying for middlemen, supermarket markups, or glossy branding. You’re paying for the food itself. You can ask about bulk discounts, buy imperfect produce, get bones and offcuts that never make it to the shelves, or trade for what’s abundant. And when trust is built, prices often soften. Not through negotiation, but through mutual respect. A farmer might slip in extra eggs. A butcher might round down the weight. When someone knows you value their work, they often do what they can meet you wherever your family is financially at that time.

August 30, 2025

The hunter's mind in a farmer's world (the truth about ADHD)

ADHD isn't a modern invention, it's a modern diagnosis for ancient traits. We come from barefoot tracking and dawnlight pursuits, from a lineage of people who lived in motion, whose eyes scanned the horizon without rest, whose ears tuned in to the smallest rustle in the undergrowth. Before agriculture, we moved constantly, not because we were restless, but because life required it. Vigilance wasn’t optional, it was a rhythm engrained into our biology. Modern research reflects what our biology remembers. The DRD4 7R gene, heavily linked to ADHD, appears more often in nomadic populations. The same traits we label today as impulsive, distractible, or hyperactive, the hunger for novelty, the drive toward stimulation, the intolerance of monotony, were once celebrated adaptations. Hunters had to be responsive, unpredictable, alert, tireless. Their survival depended on it. Yet today, these same traits are punished. So what happens when a hunter’s brain is trapped in a farmer’s world? The mismatch Around 10,000 years ago, everything changed. We stopped moving with the herds. Stopped rising with the hunt. And we started planting. Waiting. Settling. The agricultural revolution turned nomads into farmers, and in doing so, it reshaped not just the landscape, but the human nervous system. Routine became survival. The chaos of the hunt gave way to cycles of sowing and reaping, orderly, seasonal, measured. And the brain, as it always does, adapted to the pressures of its environment. Those who thrived in agricultural societies were the ones who could wake up at the same time every morning, tend crops patiently, endure repetition without distraction. The world we live in now, with its school bells and inboxes, office chairs, long meetings, rigid schedules, and slow, distant rewards, is built in the image of this agricultural brain So when your brain struggles to comply… skips meals, forgets appointments, hyperfocuses on one task but can’t start another, it’s not a failure of willpower. It’s an evolutionary mismatch. A brain optimised for pursuit, trapped in a system designed for planting. Your brain isn’t confused, it’s asking for protein The hunter’s brain runs hot. It metabolises neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine at a faster rate, constantly seeking stimulation, reward, and motion. And because it’s so active, it requires more fuel, not just calories, but the right raw materials. Dopamine is built from tyrosine, an amino acid found abundantly in grass-fed red meat and eggs. But tyrosine needs help to convert it… B6, copper, zinc, iron. These are found, in their most bioavailable forms, in the parts of the animal we’ve largely stopped eating… liver, heart, bone marrow, yolk. So when your brain feels scattered, underpowered, or starved for focus, it might not be disordered at all. It might be communicating, clearly and consistently, its need for the specific inputs it evolved with: Tyrosine to make dopamine B vitamins for methylation and cognition Iron and copper for oxygen transport Zinc for memory and attention Fat for absorption Protein as the foundation of every repair and function The executive function paradox. When cooking feels impossible. Here’s the cruel irony… when your brain needs nutrient-dense food most, it feels impossible to prepare. ADHD makes the act of cooking, with all its steps, timing, sequencing, and planning, feel exhausting. You may know exactly what you should eat, but the decision-making required to get from fridge to fork often feels impossibly heavy. Traditional cultures didn’t expect each individual to cook every day. They prepared food in batches, in community, and with future fatigue in mind. Meat was preserved as jerky, salted and dried to last for weeks without refrigeration. Organ meats were blended into stews and pâtés that lasted for days. Broth simmered constantly over the fire, available whenever it was needed. Fermentation extended shelf-life and made nutrients more absorbable. Cooking was distributed among households to ease the mental load. Today, that can look like: Bone broth in the freezer A dozen boiled eggs on hand Organs that give you incomparable concentration of nutrients in just one portion Slow-cooked stews that feed you for days (for example see our Venison Stew recipe) Jerky in your bag when you're too tired to cook It’s about designing food systems that remove friction, so your brain doesn’t have to climb a mountain every time it needs to eat.The issue isn’t a lack of knowledge. It’s a mismatch between the need and the capacity to meet it. ADHD isn’t just in the brain, it’s in the gut The gut-brain axis is no longer theoretical, it is one of the most crucial systems involved in attention, mood regulation, and overall nervous system function. Your gut bacteria produce key neurotransmitters. Your vagus nerve, the bi-directional communication channel between your gut and your brain, is constantly reacting to blood sugar levels, inflammation, and microbial signals. When we look at children with severe ADHD symptoms… the meltdowns, the hyperactivity, the sleep issues, the inability to self-soothe, what we often find underneath is not a behaviour problem, but a gut problem. These children often also experience Food intolerances Skin conditions like eczema Immune sensitivity and constant colds Anxiety and sensory processing issues Difficulty with emotional regulation Now look what most children are eating Seed oils in nearly everything Refined carbs without fibre Artificial colours and preservatives (many of which have known hyperactivity links) Pasteurised dairy stripped of enzymes Cereal “fortified” with synthetic nutrients that the body barely recognises We’re feeding our children (and ourselves) food that overstimulates their nervous system while depriving their microbiome and brain of what they need to regulate, repair, and rest. Their blood sugar swings. Their gut lining becomes inflamed. Neurotransmitters can’t stabilise. And then we label them as “difficult.” Where to begin Collagen-rich broths release minerals and gelatine from bones and tendons, repairing the delicate lining of the gut Fermented foods like raw dairy, kefir & traditional ferments carry living microbe that replenish the gut’s biodiversity & encourage the production of GABA, a calming neurotransmitter that so many ADHD brains struggle to maintain Organ meats deliver B vitamins, iron, and trace minerals needed for nervous system regulation See our Gut Health Guide or our Kids Gut Health Guide Eating for dopamine, without the crash ADHD brains crave stimulation, but what they’re truly seeking is satisfaction. Not the kind that comes in bright packaging or instant flavour hits, but the slow, steady kind that quiets the mind and fills the body in a way that doesn’t ask for more. Modern food is built to excite, not to nourish. It spikes blood sugar, overstimulates the palate, and leaves you stuck in a loop of craving, grazing, decision fatigue, and constant searching. You feel it in the background noise of your day, the low-level distraction of always wondering what to eat next, mentally preparing the next snack even as you're chewing the last bite, never quite full, never quite done. But when you eat truly satisfying food, rich, grounding, animal-based meals with real fat, real minerals, and the textures your body recognises from a time long before nutrition labels, something changes. You’re no longer spending energy thinking about food all day, you’re simply fed, in the deepest sense of the word. There's no urgency to plan every bite, no exhaustion from constructing an entire day’s worth of meals in your mind before noon, no shame spiral because you didn’t “stick to the plan.” Just a quiet internal knowing “I’ve had enough”. What we call ADHD today may simply be the embodied memory of a different rhythm, one that thrived in movement, spontaneity, and deep sensory engagement with the world. And while we can’t return to the forests or the wild plains, we can bring pieces of that rhythm back into the everyday through how we eat, how we move, and how we nourish. The goal was never to erase your traits, dull your hunger for novelty, or force your focus into narrow lanes. The goal is to feed the brilliance that already exists, to give it structure, steadiness, and the ancestral materials it needs to function at its best. This is what it means to eat like a hunter in a farmer’s world.

August 27, 2025

6 ways to regain youthful energy

Do you ever wish you had as much energy as you did when you were younger? The ability to keep going all day no matter what? We’re often led to believe that declining energy levels are a natural part of getting older but the rise in young people experiencing chronic fatigue is worrying, with chronic nutrient deficiencies stemming from poor nutrition. Combine that with a lack movement and increased exposure to hormone disruptors and there's no wonder people are struggling for energy! Increased caffeine also isn’t the answer. Caffeine should be tool not a crutch that you need or else you cannot function. So is getting slower and feeling more tired year on year really just a natural thing that happens or can you do something about it? I believe by instilling these 6 ways you can regain some of that youthful energy and feel ready for anything, all day with no crashes. Let's dive into how you can regain that youthful energy! 1. Rekindle play & joy When was the last time you did a sport just for fun? Or went for a run without worrying about your Strava times or PB's? When we were young we didn't care how far we cycled, we just enjoyed being on our bike all day. So instead of always obsessing over PB's and targets, take time to do your sport or exercise just because you enjoy it with no conditions attached to it. How does this help you regain your youthful energy I hear you ask? Here's how this ties directly into regaining youthful energy: When you were a kid, play was effortless, you didn't need motivation or discipline, you just did it because it felt good. That kind of movement lights up your nervous system in a completely different way than goal-chasing or performance pressure. By removing the stress of targets, PBs, or "productive exercise," you shift your body out of fight-or-flight mode and back into play mode. This lowers cortisol, balances your nervous system, and makes movement energising instead of draining. The result? You tap into the same carefree energy you had when you were younger, where activity gives you fuel instead of leaving you burnt out. Play brings back presence, reduces stress, and makes movement fun again, which is exactly why it helps you feel youthful and energised. There will be plenty of time for focused training later.. So go for a drive with no destination, go for a walk with no route planned, pick up a sport and just enjoy it without attaching conditions for doing it, do things because you enjoy doing them. 2. Support mitochondria (your energy engines) Now back to more nutrition based information. Without fuel you'll struggle to have energy, at a young age your metabolism is fast, you probably ate a lot as a kid but stayed lean, able to play all day without crashing. This is what we want to aim for even as an adult, the all day energy that lasts without crashes and isn't dependent on if we have 3-4 cups of coffee or not. So what should you aim to get more of? Nutrients such as CoQ10 are incredible for the mitochondria, naturally present in heart Magnesium, responsible for over 300 processes in the body, without it you'll struggle Taurine and creatine from red meat and organ meat B vitamins from organ meats, eggs. Saturated fats (coconut oil, butter) are going to be much more satiating and a stronger fuel source than their alternative, polyunsaturated fats Move daily to keep mitochondria active (walking, resistance training). Moving more actually gives you more energy so if you're sat down all day working, try to find ways to move throughout your day and after work. 3. Reduce toxins & inflammation A body high in toxins such as heavy metals as well as being chronically inflamed is never going to be a body that feels alive and light. Both stopping heavy metals at the source along with supporting detox pathways like your liver, lymph and sweating are key for reducing your heavy metal toxicity. Firstly ditch the obvious: seed oils, ultra processed foods, and alcohol. If you are trying to gain energy by adding in more, instead address what you can remove. Highly inflammatory foods such as those containing seed oils will place a burden on your gut and body as a whole! Support detox with sweating (sauna, exercise) a 20 minute jog or fast paced walk followed by a 20 minute sauna session will have you detoxing heavy metals fast, make sure to prioritise hydration afterwards Liver supporting foods such as dandelion, bitter greens Watch for high heavy metal foods such as dark chocolate/cacao, greens powders and certain fish. You can read our Heavy Metal Detox Guide here. 4. Heal & nourish the gut If your gut is compromised your energy is going to struggle. Why? Because our gut uses energy to digest the foods we eat, and a compromised gut will struggle a lot more to digest and process the food we eat compared to a healthy sealed gut full of beneficial bacteria that can both absorb all the nutrients we give as well as digest food with minimal energy expenditure. You may be eating well but is your gut sealed to absorb these nutrients you are giving it? This is key to strong energy levels. Work to seal the gut, giving it beneficial bacteria and limiting or removing the gut irritants, watch how energy levels pick up. Read our gut healing guide here. 5. Fuel with clean, ancestral foods We've spoken about supporting the mitochondria but if you aren't getting enough food then there'll be little energy left over. Shying away from carbs and fearing them for fat gain is not going to help energy levels. A fast metabolism is reliant on a fuel source, simple carbs from fruit, honey, maple syrup, are all great to give your body its preferred fuel source in a way it can quickly digest. Complex carbs can be good but often these come at the expense of the gut and limiting grain intake can help free up energy that is spent digesting these grains. Focus on organic fruits, squash, raw honey, raw dairy, to boost your fuel stores. 6. Optimise hormones When you're young a lot of hormones are coming online in full force especially during puberty, but over the years bad nutrition, hormone disruptors and nutrient deficiencies take their toll. The good news is you don't need hormone replacement therapy to see a boost in your hormone health. Simply addressing nutrient gaps in your diet, fuelling your body with enough saturated fats and cholesterol for healthy hormone production as well as avoiding those hormone disruptors will go a long way in supporting your body. Moving your body, resistance training with weights and getting outdoors especially under sunlight will also help hormones immensely. Energy is often suppressed, it's not gone forever. So fuel your body right, find time for play, prioritise movement and getting outdoors and this energy will begin to come back in full force. Curious to learn more? You may be interested to read: 5 underrated longevity practices everyone should be doing

August 23, 2025

How to eat your skincare (meal plan)

Skin repair isn’t a 10-step routine or finding the perfect retinol. It’s built on minerals, fats, and foods that rebuild tissue from within. If your skin could write the menu for the day, it would look something like this… Before anything else... Bone Broth If there’s one skin ritual worth committing to, it’s broth. Not a product, not a treatment, a simple, simmered pot of bones. We could list the benefits of bone broth forever, but here are the main things that make it such a magical skin ally: Collagen: Bone broth is rich in type I and III collagen, the same types that make up our skin. But instead of applying collagen topically (which doesn’t absorb deeply), drinking broth allows your body to actually break down and rebuild the collagen matrix from within, boosting skin firmness, elasticity, and hydration. Glycine & proline: These amino acids are foundational for connective tissue, but they also support the liver’s detox pathways, lower systemic inflammation, and help modulate cortisol. High cortisol breaks down skin collagen. Gelatine: The visible sign of a good broth, that wobbly, jelly texture when cooled, s pure, bioavailable gelatine. It seals the gut lining (a key root cause in inflammatory skin issues), balances hydration, and restores suppleness to skin tissue. Minerals: Long-simmered bones release magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium in ratios the body understands. These minerals are vital for skin hydration, cellular energy, and barrier function. Without minerals, even your water intake won’t hydrate you at the cellular level. You can enjoy it simply on its own, it makes for the most comforting, warming drink on a cooler morning, but if sipping broth doesn’t appeal to you (or the weather’s too warm), try blending it into something more refreshing and subtly sweet… Our Bone Broth Berry Smoothie Blended with berries for antioxidants, coconut milk for healthy fats, and Greek yoghurt for a dose of probiotics and skin-healing zinc. Then comes breakfast....Kimchi Scrambled Eggs You can’t calorie restrict your way to healthy skin. Skin is built on abundance, of nutrients, of fat, of deep nourishment. Eggs are one of the best foods for skin. Especially the yolks. They’re rich in choline, which your body uses to build strong cell membranes, the literal structure of your skin. Choline also supports liver detoxification, which means fewer breakouts and clearer skin over time. A few forkfuls of fermented veg such as kimchi add billions of beneficial bacteria, helping to balance the microbiome, lower inflammation, and improve digestion. Dysbiosis, leaky gut, or poor digestion will often show up first on your face as breakouts, irritation, or dullness. When your gut is calm, your skin usually is too. Lunch: Bone Marrow Mash (with meat of choice) Midday is when your skin cells are most metabolically active, it's prime time for nourishment. And one of the most overlooked superfoods for skin? Bone marrow. Marrow is lipid-rich and full of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), known for reducing inflammation and supporting skin clarity and resilience. It also provides alkylglycerols, compounds that support immune function and repair, especially useful in conditions like eczema or acne. This isn’t just an ordinary mash. It’s a velvet-soft base of potatoes whipped with roasted bone marrow, creating a fatty, silky-rich side that delivers intense nourishment to the skin’s lipid barrier. Serve it with any meat of choice, steak, roast chicken, lamb, to round out the plate with protein, B vitamins and zinc, all critical for cellular turnover and skin healing. Snack: Matcha Latte Skincare Gummies We don’t skip sweet treats around here. Especially when they doubles as skincare. When it comes to skin elasticity, plumpness, and that firm, dewy texture that people spend hundreds chasing in clinics, you don’t always need needles or actives. Sometimes you just need the right ingredients in your kitchen. These little green gems are a daily ritual, easy to make, fun to eat, and genuinely one of the most effective ways to support your skin. Rich in EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), matcha helps protect skin cells from UV damage, oxidative stress, and collagen breakdown, three major drivers of premature ageing. Grass-fed gelatine gives these gummies their bounce, and that bounce translates straight into bouncy skin Dinner: Organ Bolognese Night is when your skin rebuilds. The body slips into rest-and-repair mode, hormones shift, collagen is synthesised, and cells renew. So if there’s one meal designed to support that deep overnight regeneration, it’s dinner. And while skincare brands will sell you serums laced with retinol, the truth is, the most potent, bioavailable source of vitamin A (the kind your skin actually uses) doesn’t come in a tube. It comes from food. More specifically, organ meats. Liver, heart, kidney, these ancestral cuts are rich in preformed retinol, the biologically active form of vitamin A that drives skin cell turnover, smooths texture, balances oil production, and even helps prevent breakouts and hyperpigmentation. The kind that actually works. Without the peeling, irritation or phototoxicity of synthetic creams. Bolognese is hands-down one of the easiest, most delicious ways to sneak in organs, even if you’re new to them. The flavour is mellow, the texture’s familiar, and the organs are finely blended into a rich tomato sauce that tastes like slow-cooked comfort food. No weird textures, no overpowering flavours, just a deeply nourishing, skin repairing dinner that your body will soak up overnight. Every recipe in this plan has been crafted to work with or without Organised. You choose the moment, whether it’s blended into your broth, stirred through your bolognese, or folded into something sweet. Your daily scoop, your way. Want to go deeper? We’ve created a full Skin Healing Guide that walks you through each skin struggle, from acne to eczema to topical steroid withdrawal, step by step. You’ll learn what’s really causing it, and of course, how to support your skin’s healing naturally.

August 20, 2025

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.

August 18, 2025

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.

August 16, 2025

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.

August 13, 2025

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).

August 07, 2025

How to heal from hormonal birth control

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.

August 07, 2025

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.