Are you suffering from candida overgrowth?  The anti-candida diet can significantly reduce your symptoms and rid your body of candida fungal infection.  It is a low carb anti-inflammatory diet to heal the gut and nourish the body.  Read on to learn about the what foods you should avoid and which foods you can eat on an anti-candida diet.

Do you suffer from an irritable gut, chronic fatigue, frequent migraines, skin rashes, or recurring thrush?  These seemingly unrelated symptoms could be an indication that you have an overgrowth of candida yeast in your gut.  Read on to learn more about candida overgrowth and how to overcome it.

Do you take the stairs or ride the escalators? 
Little moments of physical activity can add up to more calories burned than you think.  
Here's why moving your feet can help maximise your N.E.A.T. and help you burn more calories.

What is N.E.A.T.?
When it comes to losing weight we understand the need for more calories burned and less calories consumed.  We tend to focus our energy on Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (E.A.T) which is the energy expenditure (calories burned) we get from intentional exercise.  Whether it’s going for a run, training at the gym, playing a sport, etc, we focus on these short periods of intense activity to burn more calories. 
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N.E.A.T or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis is the energy expenditure from everything else that we do that isn’t a) exercising or b) sleeping.  The moment we get out of bed we are burning calories and contributing to our total N.E.A.T.  The more active we are in our daily lives the more calories we will burn, whether it’s taking the stairs, walking the dog, commuting to work, doing the gardening, or even washing the dishes, these activities can burn from 50-300 calories an hour and it all adds up.  One hour of exercise may burn 200-1000 calories depending on intensity, but consider how many more calories you could burn through daily movement in the remaining 15-18 hours you spend awake.  
 
So many of us are working from home now and it’s easy to get caught up and glued to your desk.  Make the most of the lifted lockdown and schedule regular walks or reasons to get up from your desk and just get moving:  Track your step count and take the scenic route to get your morning coffee, take a walk on your lunch break, choose the stairs not the lift or escalators, use a stand-up desk.  Anything to give you a reason to be on your feet and moving more.  Although walking to and from your fridge or snack cupboard doesn’t count!    

Superhero power pose! Pow!

An awesome little trick that I use to help me find that extra oomph to get me through a tough training session is to stand like a super hero between my sets.
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I take a wide stance, stand tall with a proud chest, and head held high for 2 minutes.

Our body language is a great indicator of how we are feeling.  Small closed postures can indicate vulnerability, low energy, fear, and lack of confidence – negative feelings.  Where open postures that take up space show strength, confidence, and power – positive feelings.

So if our body language can show how we may be feeling, we can reverse that mind-body connection and change how we feel by changing our body language.

A Harvard University study showed that by holding powerful postures for 2 minutes, not only did people feel more confident and were willing to take higher risks, their hormones responded accordingly, showing increased levels of testosterone in anticipation of winning, and decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. 

Amy Cuddy one of the lead researchers in that study discusses their findings and how our posture not only affects other people’s perceptions of us, but how we perceive ourselves.

Watch her TED talk on the findings HERE and see how not only can you “fake it until you make it” but “fake it until you BECOME it”

 
So our body language has a lot to say about us – so what message do you want it to say when you next step up to that squat rack?   

Keeping to your new year resolutions can always be a bit of challenge.  Especially if it’s something that is very new to you, or something that is out of your regular routine of life and out of your comfort zone.  We start the year with gusto, but as we dive deeper into the long dark month of January it can get harder to maintain.  And before you know it, your new goal has fallen by the wayside, abandoned on the side of the road like an old Christmas tree. 

​So how do we stick to our new resolutions?  Read on to find out some tips to help you stay on track, and how to make resolutions that you can actually stick to in the first place, giving you a much higher chance of success. 

Can you fix flat or over pronating feet?  This is a question I often get asked by clients, and my answer has changed over the years of my PT career as my knowledge and understanding has developed.  I have consulted countless physios, osteos, and podiatrists to help me and the state of my feet (and subsequently the rest of my body) and it's fair to say that there is a lot of debate as to whether over pronation and flat feet can be fixed or even if they need to be fixed.  In this blog I share what I have come to learn and understand about my own feet, explain what over pronation is, the difference between that and having flat feet, and discuss whether orthotics help or hinder.   Read on to learn all about feet and whether you can correct over pronated or flat feet

Sleep is glorious.  It is probably one of my most favourite things to do and I look forward to going to bed every night.  I look forward to bedtime and sleep, when I can finally switch off, rest and recuperate from the day’s stresses, wake feeling refreshed and anew, and ready to face another bright new day.  If only it was always that easy to get a good night’s sleep, to fall asleep easily, sleep enough hours, and wake feeling completely rejuvenated every single morning.  But alas, modern day civilisation provides us with so many obstacles to a peaceful restful slumber.     Read on to learn about why we can struggle to sleep and get 14 great tips to improve your sleep.

Do you struggle to get your 2 litres of water in a day?  Maybe you get so busy that you forget to drink any, or you fill yourself up with endless cups of coffee, tea or soft drinks (they still count as fluids right?).  Or perhaps you simply just don’t like the taste of water.  Whatever the reason is for your low water intake there are some simple things you can do to help you guzzle down and stay hydrated.   Read on to learn 12 simple tips to help you drink more water. ​