19/11/2025
My first point of significant study was a Degree n Health and Community Studies at Liverpool University. I had to submit 2 Dissertations for this. One was on Complementary Medicine 'Faith, Fashion or Fiction' (still an area of interest) and the second was on Diseases of Western Civilizations' examining mainly physical health issues such as Diabetes, Coronory Heart Disease, etc'
I remember the penny drop moment when I realised we had been at our healthiest in the war as there was no access to sugar and refined foods and much of what we ate, we grew.
Over the years this understanding through research has focused on understanding this in more detail and the term Ultra processed has really hit the mark in messaging.
Eating wholefoods and seasonal vegetables (much easier to buy organic food when it is in season) together with good sources of protein and fats is the foundation of keeping well and most of us can find places where out diet can be better for us.
This is particularly important to prevent illness, rectify a health issue from skin to digestive issues and to take us into a health old age.
So, perhaps a midweek pick me up might be to do a wee audit of your diet. How can you ensure your diet is nutrient rich knowing this will underpin both your physical and emotional health? This is part of a first consultation but you can look at this yourself.
I often recommend what to include more of in someone's diet rather than radical removals although sometimes this is necessary for a period of time.
But the message is clear (from this large study). Avoiding ultra processed foods is better for everybody. Let's hope the government and schools pick up on this fully, I genuinely believe no UPF in schools would make a huge difference to children's health.
Let Food be Thy Medicine, and Medicine be Thy Food'.
It is increasing our risk of a range of chronic diseases, including obesity and depression, a major review says.
