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What is dietary fibre? Dietary fibre used to be referred to as ‘bulk’ or ‘roughage’, but we now know that it is so much more than that. Broadly speaking, fibre refers to a group of substances in plant foods (such as fruit, vegetables and grains) that can’t be broken down completely by the digestive enzymes in our bodies. These substances include waxes, lignin and polysaccharides (like cellulose and pectin). Soluble and insoluble fibre Fibre can come in the form of both carbohydrates and proteins, and it is often categorised according to its solubility into soluble or insoluble types. Both are...

Why is exercise important? There is a common misconception that, if you are slim, you don’t need to keep active to stay healthy. But regular exercise is important for everyone, not just for those people who are carrying extra weight. Our bodies are designed to be in motion; they are not intended for a sedentary lifestyle (which is more and more common in the modern age of TV, computers and gaming). They crave physical activity and need this in order to thrive, stay strong and function properly. And this message has arguably never been more important or pertinent than it...

What happens when your bad bacteria outnumber your good bacteria? Dysbiosis is the technical name for a microbial imbalance on or inside the body; in other words, an imbalance of good versus bad bacteria. This condition most commonly affects the digestive tract (and, more particularly, the stomach and intestines), but can also occur on any exposed surface or mucous membrane, such as on the skin or in the vagina, lungs, nose, ears, nails or eyes. Intestinal dysbiosis Poor digestion and/or a toxic gut creates the perfect environment for intestinal dysbiosis – the overgrowth of harmful flora in the gut. What’s...