John Barnes Nutrition

John Barnes Nutrition Fully qualified nutritionist fascinated by food and passionate about harnessing its power to change lives, one bite at a time.

Knowing that you are genetically more likely to develop Alzheimer's might at first seem like a curse - but what if this ...
02/10/2025

Knowing that you are genetically more likely to develop Alzheimer's might at first seem like a curse - but what if this knowledge could give you the power to change your fate?

Building on last week's discussion of Alzheimer's prevention, this post examines the role of genetics in assessing current risk and outlines actions that can be taken based on genetic insights. The most powerful predictor of Alzheimer's is the APOE gene. This gene provides instructions for making a protein called Apolipoprotein E (APOE), which is crucial for transporting cholesterol and other fats in the body and is essential for brain health. There are three versions (alleles) of the gene E2, E3 & E4 with one being inherited from each parent leaving six possible combinations which have profoundly different effects on your risk of developing Alzheimer's.

Finding out that you are in the 2% of the population who carry the highest risk E4/E4 genetic combination could be life-changing information (which is why genetic counselling is essential before any results are discussed). The power of good diet and lifestyle choices can far outweigh the risks posed by any genetic combination. Your genes load the gun - your lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Knowing your APOE status means becoming both better informed and more able to compensate for your genetic variation. A nutrient dense diet low in sugar and saturated fat combined with regular movement and social interaction can offer significant protection regardless of your genotype. The lifestyle recommendations necessary to prevent Alzheimer's also protect from stroke, heart attack and diabetes.

Each time you are tempted to stay on the sofa and open the fridge, this awareness could persuade you to get on the road and open your lungs. Knowledge is both power and a powerful driver of habit change.

A comprehensive APOE report and professional interpretation costs £295. The report also includes genes involved in methylation, inflammation, toxicity and neuroprotection which enables you to take preventative action by adopting personalised nutrition and lifestyle changes to optimise your future, long term health.

Alzheimer’s is almost always a choice’ is an intentionally provocative statement aimed to spark debate and raise awarene...
21/09/2025

Alzheimer’s is almost always a choice’ is an intentionally provocative statement aimed to spark debate and raise awareness about an issue we often collectively ignore - burying our heads in the sand, hoping it won’t affect us, or assuming we’re powerless to act.  
 
This ‘choice’ is both relevant - being World Alzheimer’s Day - and painfully personal for me as a carer for a parent with Alzheimer’s. I am not alone in witnessing the cruel progression of this disease: watching someone you love being steadily stripped of their personality, character and independence with each passing day.
 
Unfortunately, for many of the population, Alzheimer’s is far from a choice. If you were born in the wrong postcode, in a food desert or lack the information, motivation and resources required to protect your brain from the onslaught of the modern world, pollution, inactivity and Big Food, Alzheimer’s becomes less of an option and more of an inevitability. This a societal and governmental issue that requires urgent action especially as the tide of new cases continues to rise at a rate that threatens to drown both our healthcare and financial systems.
 
If you are fortunate to have the resources and knowledge, then there is plenty of individual action you can take today to protect your brain tomorrow. Eating a nutrient dense diet is key - omega 3 fats, essential B vitamins, anti-oxidants and fibre - all proven to be protective – along with keeping an active body and mind. Equally important is reducing your exposure to the toxins that can damage your grey matter – refined carbs, sugar and saturated fats, smoking, alcohol and environmental pollutants.
 
Of course, there are genetic factors at play with Alzheimer’s and some of us may need to be more vigilant than others. Be assured, however, that besides the particularly rare Familial Alzheimer’s Disease, the lifestyle and dietary choices you make have far more impact on the disease than the genes you carry.
 
Get in touch to find out more about protecting your brain or how metabolic and genetic tests can assess your personal risk. Knowledge is both power and a powerful motivator.

‘Alzheimer's is almost always a choice’ is an intentionally provocative statement aimed to spark debate and raise awaren...
21/09/2025

‘Alzheimer's is almost always a choice’ is an intentionally provocative statement aimed to spark debate and raise awareness about an issue we often collectively ignore - burying our heads in the sand, hoping it won't affect us, or assuming we're powerless to act.

This ‘choice’ is both relevant - being World Alzheimer's Day - and painfully personal for me as a carer for a parent with Alzheimer's. I am not alone in witnessing the cruel progression of this disease: watching someone you love being steadily stripped of their personality, character and independence with each passing day.

Unfortunately, for many of the population, Alzheimer’s is far from a choice. If you were born in the wrong postcode, in a food desert or lack the information, motivation and resources required to protect your brain from the onslaught of the modern world, pollution, inactivity and Big Food, Alzheimer’s becomes less of an option and more of an inevitability. This a societal and governmental issue that requires urgent action especially as the tide of new cases continues to rise at a rate that threatens to drown both our healthcare and financial systems.

If you are fortunate to have the resources and knowledge, then there is plenty of individual action you can take today to protect your brain tomorrow. Eating a nutrient dense diet is key - omega 3 fats, essential B vitamins, anti-oxidants and fibre - all proven to be protective – along with keeping an active body and mind. Equally important is reducing your exposure to the toxins that can damage your grey matter – refined carbs, sugar and saturated fats, smoking, alcohol and environmental pollutants.

Of course, there are genetic factors at play with Alzheimer’s and some of us may need to be more vigilant than others. Be assured, however, that besides the particularly rare Familial Alzheimer's Disease, the lifestyle and dietary choices you make have far more impact on the disease than the genes you carry.

Get in touch to find out more about protecting your brain or how metabolic and genetic tests can assess your personal risk. Knowledge is both power and a powerful motivator.

Arguably, we should all eat less sugar as this is probably the single most powerful way to improve metabolic health.If y...
31/07/2025

Arguably, we should all eat less sugar as this is probably the single most powerful way to improve metabolic health.

If you have a variant on the TCF7L2 gene however, you should be even more vigilant of the sugar and refined carbohydrate levels in your diet. This gene variant can significantly influence how your body handles sugar and those with a less efficient version have a 50% increased chance of developing type 2 diabetes.

Having this gene does not mean you are destined to develop diabetes, but it does mean that your body will not manage meals with high levels of refined carbohydrates efficiently therefore your diet and lifestyle choices become even more important.

From a functional nutrition perspective, it may be beneficial to limit refined sugars and high-glycemic carbohydrates, focus on fibre-rich whole foods to slow glucose absorption, prioritise healthy fats and proteins with each meal, and maintain regular physical activity to improve insulin sensitivity.

If you have a family history of type 2 diabetes, you may want to consider exploring genetic testing to better understand your risk.

Knowledge is power. This is just one of many ways by which understanding your genes can help you make more targeted and preventative health choices.

DM if you would like to find out how to eat for your genes.

Tired of managing symptoms without real answers?Chronic fatigue, bloating, skin issues, brain fog, stubborn weight - the...
28/07/2025

Tired of managing symptoms without real answers?

Chronic fatigue, bloating, skin issues, brain fog, stubborn weight - these aren’t just “normal” or something you have to live with. They’re signals from your body telling you something deeper is going on.

Functional testing and personalised nutrition can go beyond simply masking symptoms with medications to discover the root cause of many common health problems.

Digging deeper with DNA analysis and targeted lab testing can reveal a nutrition-first approach to help address gut imbalances, hormonal dysfunction, chronic inflammation, blood sugar instability and nutrient deficiencies.

Using these tools to find out why symptoms are happening helps create a plan to restore balance from the inside out.

Because healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s about understanding your body’s unique story and giving it exactly what it needs to thrive.

Ready to feel like yourself again - or maybe even better?

�If I had to sum up everything I have studied to date, all the scientific papers I have read along with the feedback fro...
21/07/2025

�If I had to sum up everything I have studied to date, all the scientific papers I have read along with the feedback from clients about health improvements they have enjoyed. That would be it.

It’s simple advice - but it’s powerful and is the message most robustly supported by decades of research across epidemiology, clinical trials, nutrition science, and public health.

This does not mean becoming vegan or vegetarian or even leaving behind the treats and indulgences you enjoy (in moderation of course). It simply means putting more whole plant foods into your meals and snacks - eat leaves, stalks, stem, seeds, roots and tubers, eat the skins and the pips. Eat them raw, streamed, fried, roasted or fermented. Eat them as close to their original, natural form as possible, before they have been ground, processed, refined and purified.

Eat an abundant and diverse variety of colourful plants and make them the centre of your plate. Eat more of them, more often, and your health will improve.

🌱 Eating more plants can:
�✔️ Extend your lifespan and improve your healthspan (how well you live, not just how long)�🫀
Protect your heart and reduce the risk of heart disease�
💪 Help manage your weight in a sustainable, satisfying way
🧠 Improve mood and boost mental health
�⚖️ Balance blood sugar and lower your risk of type 2 diabetes�
🧬 Reduce inflammation and your risk of many chronic diseases�
💩 Boost digestion thanks to fibre (something most people don’t get enough of)�
🍊 Flood your body with micronutrients – vitamins, minerals, antioxidants
😋 Leave you feeling fuller and for longer

And let’s not forget whole plant food diets are:
�💰 Cost-effective�
🌍 Better for the environment�
🥗 Simple and delicious

If you’re curious about how to shift toward a more plant-based way of eating - without overcomplicating it - I’d love to help.

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