There are some very simple things you can do to support your immunity against a virus infection. Of course, the basics such as keeping away from people with a virus; washing your hands thoroughly before preparing food or eating, and after touching anything someone else has touched; using hand sanitiser in those situation where you can't wash your hands; and wearing a face mask to prevent inhaling a virus from the air. 
Read on to learn what supplements may help prevent a virus infection, or at least minimise it. 

Zinc is an important mineral where it helps support immune function; plays a role in detoxification; keeps skin, hair and nails healthy; metabolism; supports digestion; wound healing and tissue repair; and growth.
Dietary zinc deficiency has been associated with impaired growth and development in children, complications in pregnancy, and immune dysfunction with increased susceptibility to infections both bacterial and viral. Check my handy food list...

Results of a recent “proof of concept” trial on mild cognitive decline and early Alzheimer’s disease was published in May this year in medRxiv.org. Currently the medical model of treating Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment is the single drug approach which has not been found to be effective.  
In the trial 25 patients with Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment aged 50 to 76 years participated in the trial. In the group were 13 women and 12 men. 
All patients were evaluated with a series of tests including pathology testing, cognitive assessments, gene testing and functional medicine tests. 

​An area of health that I specialise in is cognitive health where I see patients who would like to prevent cognitive decline and patients who have been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or have early Alzheimer's disease. I also see the adult children of people with dementia or Alzheimer's who really don't want to follow in their parents footsteps. Unfortunately it is a growing area of health and also one that we can do much to prevent if we look after our cognitive health early on. In this article I have made a simple checklist of a few things for you to consider that will make a difference. It doesn't take much to turn down the "drivers" of cognitive decline. 

Sleep, or at least good quality sleep, can be elusive for many people and one of the most frustrating issues for them. During sleep your body repairs and heals. It's an essential part of good health. For example, lack of sleep has been linked to an increased risk of weight management issues, poor immunity, Alzheimer's, dementia and depression. 
Ensuring my patients have good sleep is an important part of their program of care. It can be a good idea to take a look at your sleep hygiene practices. Are you doing all you can to sleep well?

​How would you like to eat and live in such a fashion that helps reduce the ageing of your body? And, how about maintaining a healthy weight and reducing your risk of heart disease, arthritis, gout, dementia, diabetes and cancer? Or perhaps you or a family member are already dealing with one of these health problems and would love to reduce the symptoms? Many people believe that you have to live like a monk to keep truly healthy and this is not quite correct. Certainly having some monk-like qualities may help, but it all comes down to a little simple maths. 

The Food Crafters is a new brand of gluten-free cookies that are low in added sugars and refined carbohydrates. There are three flavours in the range: Ginger & Date; Double Coconut; and, Raw Cacao. They were developed "to provide really delicious alternatives for people with gluten and dairy intolerance, and for those who want to keep sugars to a minimum". For sweetness dried fruit, honey, black strap molasses and stevia are all used. Total sugars per 50g cookie is up to 6g which is 

Here's my top tips for preventing depression or feeling "flat" over the winter months. Aside from exercise I have included some diet hints that really do help. 

• Exercise - do aerobic exercise three to five times per week for at least 30 minutes. It will oxygenate your brain, making you feel more alert and motivated, and raise endorphin levels (the feel-good brain chemicals). And,