Was ist die Webseite?

Nutrition A - Z by Sandra Mikhail

Startseite
Schweiz
Zürich
Nutrition A - Z by Sandra Mikhail

A fad-free hub of wellbeing advice focused on gut health, sports nutrition, food intolerance and all

"Healthy comes in different shapes and forms so
forget about a “one-size fits all” approach." Sandra Mikhail is an internationally-known accredited practising dietitian, the founder and director of Nutrition A-Z and co-founder of The Wellbeing Hub. She holds a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Monash University, Australia), a Master of Advanced Studies in Nutrition and Health (ETHZ) and is a member of the Dietitians Association of Australia. She is also currently part of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Sports Nutrition Program. Being a globe-trotting dietitian, she has extensive experience in clinical practice, nutrition consulting and health promotion, working in Australia, the UAE and Switzerland. Her main areas of specialty are digestive disease, sports nutrition and corporate health working with popular brands and partners such as the Swiss Football Club FCZ, She's Mercedes, Style, Adobe and Lululemon to name a few. As a mental health advocate, her workshops and articles on stress and nutrition have gained popularity internationally where she was personally invited by Arianna Huffington to contribute to her global platform Thrive and has appeared on CNN to talk about nutrition and stress in the workplace.

02/03/2026

This so-called biohacker states in his caption that “Our mood isn’t random — it’s biochemistry.” Perfectly written out by Chat and is correct.

But biochemistry is not the same as “eat this, fix depression.”

Yes, nutrients like selenium, magnesium, B6 and polyphenols play roles in human physiology. Yes, tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin. And yes, the gut produces serotonin.

But here’s what gets skipped:

▪️Gut-derived serotonin does not cross the blood brain barrier.

▪️Tryptophan crosses the BBB and is a precursor to serotonin but transport into the brain is tightly regulated and competitive.

▪️Correcting a deficiency is not the same as treating a psychiatric disorder.

Depression is multifactorial, we’ve got genetics, neurochemistry, stress biology, inflammation, trauma, sleep, hormones, environment.

Remember that food can support mental health but it does not “program happiness.”

Be wary of anyone reducing a complex medical condition to a grocery list. And yes, biohackers tend to have this reductionist thinking...

✅Want to follow some greats out there for brain health?

They’d definitely have a lot to say about this😅…

24/02/2026

🌙Every Ramadan, someone tries to “biohack” the tradition of breaking fast with dates because of a potential glucose spike.

Zoom out for a minute...

After 12 -16 hours of fasting, your glycogen stores are low. A small amount of easily digestible carbohydrate like 1–3 dates is physiologically appropriate. A transient rise in blood glucose after fasting is normal endocrine function, not metabolic failure.

And culturally? Dates are part of a practice that dates back over a 1000 years rooted in Islamic tradition.

Not everything needs to be filtered through a CGM graph and we shouldn’t be culturally tone deaf.

How do our clients break Ramadan fast? This is just a very basic template and needs to be personalised:

▪️Break fast with 3 dates plus hydration and a handful of nuts if sugar spikes are indeed a concern
▪️Iftar: Lentil and vegetable soup
▪️Dinner: Grilled protein of choice + protein toppers (feta or edamame) with a fist-sized portion of carbs and vegetables
▪️Suhoor: Greek yoghurt + chia + nuts + berries
▪️Hydration throughout

Health is metabolic but also cultural and you can respect both. Not everything needs to be biohacked...

🤔 And finally…Question any biohacker’s formal qualifications before taking on their advice. Do they have a formal uni degree in nutrition? Are they medically trained in gut health?

20/02/2026

🤔Leaky gut needs collagen to repair? NO.

🙅🏽‍♀️First, “leaky gut” isn’t a medical diagnosis. The clinical term is increased intestinal permeability, and it occurs in specific medical conditions. It is not a blanket explanation for everyday bloating or digestive issues.

▪️Supports gut lining integrity?
There is currently no strong human evidence showing oral collagen repairs tight junctions in healthy individuals. Once ingested, collagen is digested into amino acids,it doesn’t travel intact to “seal” your gut.

▪️Supports digestive repair processes?
Repair depends on removing triggers (infection, gluten in coeliac disease, inflammation, medications), immune regulation, and microbial metabolites like butyrate. Not simply adding one structural protein.

▪️Naturally rich in L-glutamine?
Collagen is not uniquely glutamine-dense compared to other protein sources. And glutamine supplementation mainly shows benefit in severe stress or critical illness, not in well-nourished populations.

▪️Maintains healthy nutrient absorption? NO

▪️Regulates digestive function?
Digestive function involves acid secretion, pancreatic enzymes, bile flow, motility, the enteric nervous system and microbiome activity. We do not have clinical trials showing collagen meaningfully improves these systems.

Collagen is protein. Protein has value. But reducing complex mucosal immunology to a flavoured tub of collagen is marketing not gastroenterology.

16/02/2026

🥴You cannot diagnose gut issues from a microbiome test. This clinic’s ads are false and misleading.

❗️Microbiome testing is not diagnostic. What it offers is pattern recognition, hypothesis generation, and often a useful tool for patient engagement and education. But it does not provide definitive answers or clinical diagnoses.

❗️We still don’t have universally standardised reference ranges, and we certainly don’t have clear cause-and-effect conclusions for most of what these reports claim to show.

Seeing “high” or “low” bacteria on a report does not automatically explain someone’s symptoms.

And perhaps most importantly, the microbiome is dynamic. It can shift within weeks depending on:

▪️Diet
▪️Travel
▪️Stress levels
▪️Illness
▪️Medications
▪️Hormonal changes.

A single stool sample is simply a snapshot in time.
Microbiome testing can be interesting. It can even be useful in the right context. But it should never replace clinical assessment, medical history, and evidence-based investigation.

If someone is diagnosing you solely from a microbiome report, that’s not good medicine. See your gastroenterologist.

14/02/2026

🚨 Glamourising once-a-week poops to your half a million followers is NOT a flex.

Here’s the deal👇🏼

💩 According to medical criteria (Rome IV), fewer than 3 bowel movements per week is considered constipation, regardless of how “easy” it feels.

🧬 A zero-fiber diet = starving your gut microbiome. Beneficial bugs like Bifidobacteria and F. prausnitzii rely on plant fibers to produce short-chain fatty acids that: ✔️ Support your gut lining
✔️ Lower inflammation
✔️ Regulate motility

🥦 No plants = no prebiotics = reduced diversity = not ideal for long-term gut or immune health.

✅ Can some people feel better temporarily on a carnivore diet? Sure, especially with gut issues.
❌ But long-term exclusion of plant foods isn’t backed by science as optimal or sustainable.

Remember: Regular, healthy poops are a reflection of a balanced gut, not just meat sliding through once a week.

🚩Glamorising sluggish digestion is what I would call a red flag and steak & butter gal is a walking RED FLAG.

12/02/2026

Yes to oats. Yes to barley. Yes to chickpeas.
No to fear-mongering. 🙅‍♀️

You’ve probably heard fear-mongering claims about lectins, gluten, or shockingly, “fibre”, but here’s what the science actually says:

✨ These foods feed your gut bacteria, support regularity, and promote the production of butyrate: a short-chain fatty acid that lowers inflammation and protects your gut lining.

🧬 They’re also key to supporting your oestrobolome, the collection of gut microbes that help metabolise and regulate oestrogen. Balanced oestrogen = better periods, moods, skin, and more.

🥣 Oats: A powerhouse of beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre that feeds your gut microbes and supports blood sugar balance (hello, hormone harmony).

🌾 Barley: Rich in prebiotics and beta-glucan, it’s been shown to lower cholesterol, improve insulin sensitivity, and support bowel regularity. Unfortunately, if you’ve been diagnosed with coeliac disease, barley is off the menu.

🧆 Canned chickpeas: Affordable, gut-loving, and packed with fibre + plant protein. Rinsing reduces oligosaccharides that may cause bloat and lectins? Cooked and canned = no issue.

Together? These pantry staples are some of the most hormone-friendly and gut-supportive carbs you can eat. Not foods to fear.

Got a question about these 3? Pop them in the comments below 👇🏾.

04/02/2026

Because when Benito says, no to wellness wankery, so should you! ⁠
What else could we have added? Let us know in the comments! ⁠⁠⁠

13/11/2025

🤯Stop listening to “experts” with random credentials!

Here’s the truth: lactose-free milk is still milk.

The only difference is that lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose, is added making it easier to digest for those with lactose intolerance.

Nothing’s been “stripped away.” You’re still getting the nutrients your body needs. And while we’re on the topic, there is no consistent evidence that dairy products are inflammatory in adults. Multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials indicate that dairy consumption is either neutral or associated with modest reductions in key inflammatory biomarkers

🌾Now, let’s not forget...for people with coeliac disease or non-coeliac wheat sensitivity, gluten-free products are a medical necessity. It allows for diversity and choice.

So when someone says that “anything free-from is bad,” it tells you more about their lack of scientific understanding than about the food itself.

09/11/2025

Save the Date: Frauen & Immunsystem Webinar 10.11.2025 mit ⁠
⁠Anmeldung here: https://buy.stripe.com/bJeeVdePP5ar6wCezc9ws0a

Das Immunsystem von Frauen ist einzigartig – geprägt von Hormonen, Genetik und besonderen Nährstoffbedürfnissen. Das macht es einerseits stark, andererseits auch anfälliger. In diesem Webinar erfahren Sie, wie sich die kalte Jahreszeit auf die weibliche Immunität auswirkt und was Sie tun können, um gesund und energiegeladen durch den Winter zu kommen.⁠
⁠
Was wir behandeln werden:⁠
⁠
✅️Wie Hormone und Genetik die Immunabwehr von Frauen beeinflussen⁠
✅️Saisonale Belastungen: Vitamin-D-Mangel, Viren, Stress und Schlafstörungen⁠
✅️Ernährung, Schlaf und Lebensstilgewohnheiten, die den grössten Unterschied machen⁠
✅️Ein praktisches „Winter Immunity Toolkit“ für den Alltag⁠
⁠
- Dies ist ein 45-minütiges Webinar mit anschliessender Q&A.⁠
- Preis: CHF 23: inklusive Aufzeichnung und PDF "Winter Immunity Toolkit"⁠⁠⁠

Adresse

Zürich

Webseite

http://www.nutrition-az.com/

Benachrichtigungen

Lassen Sie sich von uns eine E-Mail senden und seien Sie der erste der Neuigkeiten und Aktionen von Nutrition A - Z by Sandra Mikhail erfährt. Ihre E-Mail-Adresse wird nicht für andere Zwecke verwendet und Sie können sich jederzeit abmelden.

Die Praxis Kontaktieren

Nachricht an Nutrition A - Z by Sandra Mikhail senden:

Verknüpfungen

Wollen Sie Ihr Praxis zum Top-Klinik in Zürich machen?

Our Story

"Healthy comes in different shapes and forms so forget about a “one-size fits all” approach." Sandra Mikhail is an internationally-known accredited practising dietitian, a nutrition blogger as well as the founder of Nutrition A-Z and co-founder of The Wellbeing Hub. She holds a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Monash University, Australia), a Master of Advanced Studies in Nutrition and Health (ETHZ) and is a member of the Dietitians Association of Australia. She is also currently part of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Sports Nutrition Program.

Being a globe-trotting dietitian, she has extensive experience in clinical practice, nutrition consulting and health promotion, working in Australia, the UAE and Switzerland. Her main areas of specialty are digestive disease, sports nutrition and corporate health working with popular brands and partners such as FCZ, Lululemon and Roots to name a few. As a mental health advocate, her workshops and articles on stress and nutrition have gained popularity internationally where she was personally invited by Arianna Huffington to contribute to her global platform Thrive and has appeared on CNN to talk about nutrition and stress in the workplace.

Nutrition A-Z is YOUR nutrition and dietetics hub to scientifically-based and fad-free practice! We cover a number of areas tailored to your needs from digestive disorders and diabetes management to corporate health and sports nutrition.