Ultra-processed foods 6 steps to unprocess your life  FEATURED

Ultra-processed foods: 6 steps to unprocess your life 

Recent studies reveal the link between health issues and ultra-processed foods. Nutritionist Rob Hobson, author of Unprocess Your Life reveals 6 steps to unprocessing your life 

We are all living a faster pace of life, which has influenced our food choices and how we eat. The biggest drivers for food choice have become convenience and budget, and the foods that satisfy both requirements are often ultra-processed.

The convenience of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has made them staples in many diets. Yet, their impact on health remains a growing concern and debate topic. These foods undergo extensive processing and often contain additives that have transformed how people eat globally. 

recent studies have begun to unravel the complex relationship between UPFs and health issues

However, recent studies have begun to unravel the complex relationship between UPFs and health issues, including obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. 

While science tells us a lot about how these foods can harm our health, how does this translate into everyday life and our food choices? 

What are ultra-processed foods?   

There is no agreed definition of an ultra-processed food. However, they generally have five or more ingredients and can’t be created at home.

They include additives and ingredients such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, artificial colours, and flavours.

These foods also have a long shelf life and are manufactured to be convenient, cheap, and hyper-palatable, making them easy to over-consume. 

READ MORE: How Ultra Processed has your life become?  

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The convenience of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has made them staples in many diets

What does the research say about UPFs? 

There is a lot of compelling research to show that higher intakes of UPF are associated with diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke), type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel conditions, depression, frailty conditions (poor bone and muscle strength), dementia and certain cancers. 

Indeed, a review of 43 studies carried out in 2020 found at least one adverse health outcome associated with the consumption of ultra-processed food in 37 of these research papers.

These negative health outcomes included obesity, overweight, cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (heart disease and stroke), IBS, depression, and frailty conditions such as poor bone and muscle health.   

There have been many fascinating studies, but a few have stood out among them. One study by the Fourth Medical Military University in China involved pooled data from 325,000 people divided into four groups depending on their daily ultra-processed food intake.

Those who ate the most ultra-processed foods were 39 per cent more likely to develop high blood pressure

Those with the highest intakes of ultra-processed foods were 24 per cent more likely to develop heart disease or suffer a stroke or heart attack. Furthermore, for every 10 per cent increase in the proportion of ultra-processed foods, there was a 6 per cent increase in heart disease risk.

This notion of ‘the more you eat, the greater the risk’ is common in all studies linking ultra-processed foods to poor health. 

Another study by researchers at the University of Sydney followed 10,000 middle-aged women for 15 years and recorded what they ate. Those who ate the most ultra-processed foods were 39 per cent more likely to develop high blood pressure, significantly increasing their heart attack and stroke risk. 

What makes these studies so interesting is that even after adjusting for the effects of saturated fat, salt and sugar on the risk factors for disease, an association still remained, indicating it may be the additives and not just the nutrients in the food increasing the risk of disease. 

Other traits of UPFs also contribute to disease and obesity risk, such as changes to the food matrix (foods become softer and more accessible to overconsume while bypassing satiety signalling), the ratio of carbs to fat in foods having a synergistic effect on the brain reward systems (increased addictiveness) and the addition of flavour enhancers and texturisers to improve mouthfeel. 

READ MORE: 9 proven ways to prevent heart disease

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hose with the highest intakes of ultra-processed foods were 24 per cent more likely to develop heart disease

Does this mean we have to cut all UPFs out of our diet? 

There is no need to avoid them altogether, as this is not a realistic or sustainable approach in the long term. While the science is compelling, there is still a way to go before we fully understand precisely what additive is causing what harm and in what quantity.

Many of these studies are also observational, meaning they do not prove cause and effect between the UPFs and diseases in question.   

However, many UPFs are high in saturated fat, salt, and sugar, so in large quantities, they are already not good for our health and increase the risk of disease. The additional potential harm done by additives and the addictiveness of these foods only compounds the fact that we should eat less of them, even more so if your intake is high.   

It’s essential to approach the topic of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) without overly simplifying it as a matter of ‘eat this, not that’. There is much debate for example over the nutrient dense UPFs that offer health benefits in the form of fibre and other key nutrients including iron, calcium, and B vitamins such as bread, yoghurt and breakfast cereals.

many UPFs are high in saturated fat, salt, and sugar

It is also essential that foods not become demonised, or we see a resurgence of the “clean eating” movement, which sends out the wrong message about food. 

Suppose you try to do everything at once. In that case, it becomes a bit like a faddy diet as you obsess over food and eventually decide to give up as it all becomes too difficult to maintain.

In fact, I recommend you do not give up all UPF and start by focusing on small changes that become habitual, like making your own tomato ketchup each week or baking your own bread as little by little you begin to cut down on the amount of UPF you consume.

If some things are too difficult to give up, such as mass-produced bread, which may be a staple if you’re on a tight budget and unable to make your own, try tackling another part of your diet.   

What about supplements? 

Ultra-processed foods have a different nutritional density than whole foods, which means if you eat a diet high in these foods, you may be missing out. While food comes first, you may consider taking a multivitamin and mineral to bridge any gaps in your diet. 

Vegans should always consider taking vitamin B12 while everyone should take vitamin D during the autumn and winter as you cannot get this nutrient from food alone. 

Try: Healthspan vitamin D3 10mcg 

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Everyone should take vitamin D during the autumn and winter as you cannot get this nutrient from food alone

What steps can you take to unprocess your life?   

There are a few simple steps you can take to unprocess your diet. Still, it would help if you were realistic about what you are willing to replace and the reality of this becoming a long-term habit change instead of a quick fix.  

Step #1 Have a look at what’s already in your cupboards 

Firstly, take a good look at what you eat and what is in your kitchen cupboards to see your intake of UPF. From here, you can start planning your strategy.

Step #2 Find your weakest point during the day when you rely primarily on a UPF

This may be your work lunch when you feed the kids or come in from work and can’t face cooking – try to work on this part of the day first.

You could prepare lunch for work or create something using simple ingredients you bought in the supermarket, such as cooked chicken, canned pulses, and salad with olive oil and lemon juice.

If dinner time is your weak spot, you could develop a repertoire of quick dinners or batch cooking one day to provide you with dinners for the week.

It goes without saying that there is a degree of planning involved, and you need to be prepared and organised with your weekly food shop to make sure you have everything in stock.  

READ MORE: Add more whole grains to your diet with these 3 healthy plant-based recipes

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you need to be prepared and organised with your weekly food shop
Step #3 Look at some of the UPF meals you cook regularly and think about making your own homemade versions

Start with a couple of recipes and try batch cooking them to keep some set aside for convenience and cost saving, as cooking from scratch can be more expensive in some cases.

This might be a homemade pot noodle, fishcakes, chicken Kyiv or curry instead of a ready-prepared version or takeaway. Once it becomes second nature to make these yourself, they can become part of your go-to selection that you can whip by heart in a jiffy.

From here, you can start exploring more dishes.

Step #4 You don’t have to make everything from scratch

Some shop-bought products are much better than others. Take plant milk, for example – some are just the grain, legumes or nuts, water and possibly a pinch of salt.

In contrast, others contain additives like thickeners and stabilisers. You need to understand what to look out for on the label. The better ones are premium, so you could make your own!

Step #5 Find the UPF with the most minor ingredients over the one with the most

It may be a case of picking the best of two UPFs, so check the food label for the one with the most minor additives. This may be a sauce you can’t live without, or you may choose a plain quality crisp over a Pringle.

Step #6 Don’t view all of this as a chore

Start slow and simple and work from there. Involve the family, get the kids to make some of these foods more pleasurable, and teach them a few things about home cooking and healthy eating.

It also doesn’t have to get expensive as there are always ways to source cheaper foods, which often means stepping outside the supermarket and shopping in multiple places on the high street and local market to get the best deals.

What are some common UPF food swaps?   

  • Replace fizzy drinks with infused water or herbal teas. 
  • Opt for homemade vegetable crisps or nuts and seeds instead of crisps. 
  • Choose sourdough or homemade wholemeal bread over mass-produced packaged bread. 
  • Prepare homemade versions of ready meals and takeaways. 
  • Swap sugary breakfast cereals with homemade granola. 
  • Make snack bars at home using fruit, nuts, and oats. 

Cutting down on your UPF intake doesn’t need to be complicated. The secret is starting slowly and being realistic about what you are willing to commit to, then exploring ways to make better food choices by being mindful of the foods you are choosing to eat and exploring ways to make more food at home. 

Rob Hobson is the author of Unprocess Your Life available to buy on Amazon

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Is stress our friend Here's what the expert thinks FEATURED

Is stress our friend? Here’s what the expert thinks

Is stress our friend? Well yes… and no says Dr Amber Johnston – a clinical psychologist specialising in neuropsychology. Here’s what she has to say about regulating an overactive stress response 

We as a society are inundated with stress, evident in alarming health statistics of emotional and physical stress-related conditions. 

Minimising the stress within our lives clearly needs to be prioritised, but it’s never as easy as saying, ‘just reduce your stress!’   

What is stress? 

From a neurological perspective, stress is something very specific – it’s an alarm, a call to action. The stress response is a physiological reaction that happens within the brain and body in response to a trigger. 

Triggers may be environmental and picked up by the senses, or psychogenic thoughts or interpretations of body signal. A known danger may release an immediate reflexive action. For example, if you touch a hot stove or if you see a bear on your path, this sensory information will quickly enter your brain and be processed to release adrenaline to fire up the body ready for immediate reaction. 

A reflex may happen (moving hand away from the stove) or it may be a preparation to fight or flee (I’d prefer to flee the bear). All of this can happen before you’re even consciously aware of it.  You do not need to think, because really, conscious thinking is too slow. 

The brain would rather err on the side of caution, and only later, once you’ve ran from the path back to the safety of your car, only then can you slow down to determine whether the bear was real or maybe just a cardboard cut-out prank. 

From a neurological perspective, stress is something very specific – it’s an alarm, a call to action

Considering its purpose, stress is actually our friend. It’s an evolutionary tool that has been honed over time to keep us safe. Through the coordinated workings of the sympathetic nervous system, also known as our stress response, our senses can interpret our surroundings and set our body up for immediate response so that we have our best bet at survival. 

Our sympathetic nervous system activates our heart to begin pumping blood to our major muscle groups (biceps and quads) away from our periphery (fingers and toes), shortens our breath to get more oxygen flowing, turns off digestive functioning (when there’s a bear, it’s not the time to eat), and sharpens our senses to tune into the threat (see bear, and only bear).

When the threat is gone, a separate system (the relaxation response) turns on, and the body returns to normal functioning.   

The alert process works incredibly well when in the wilderness looking out for wild animals, as generations of ancestors did before us.

Nowadays, we aren’t normally confronted with a quick physical threat that suddenly abates after fighting or fleeing it.  Instead, we are often confronted by threats that are more lasting, less physical, more social, and often abstract. 

READ MORE: 7 physical signs of stress you shouldn’t ignore – plus what can help

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Worries about mortgage payments create real, alarming threats to our sense of home safety

What does our body do with that stress? 

Take a moment to remember what it feels like to have the sympathetic system turned on. With the focus on preparing the body for action, our bodies undergo significant shifts from chemical messages sent by our brains often in response to just thoughts. 

A thought can be very threatening, particularly the ones that rake over problems of the past or worries about the future. In my experience in clinic, people often report feelings of chest pains, breathing difficulties, stomach upset, overstimulation, jumpy attention, and sensitivity to lights, noise, and people. 

Consistent, excessive cortisol can wreak havoc across our system

People with these symptoms often do confirm that they have an active mind that can be plagued with worry, and at first many do not see the connection between these symptoms and their thoughts.  But with deeper reflection, it sounds like a body with an active sympathetic nervous system. 

The brain and body are on over-alert, giving incessant alarms that threat is near and we must be prepared. 

Worries about mortgage payments or social media likes create real, alarming threats to our sense of home safety or social inclusion. Our body system responds. Yet we can’t fight the public nor flee the bank, so our system is thwarted, and we hold the stress within. 

Consistent, excessive cortisol can wreak havoc across our system, contributing to inflammation, poor immunity, gut microbiome changes, blood pressure issues, sleep disruption and various diagnosable medical conditions. 

READ MORE: 3 ways to reduce stress in 24 hours

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we need to interrupt the stress response through the powerful tool of regulating our breathing

How can we stop an overactive stress response?   

The first way to interrupt an overactive stress response is to try to understand what’s going on internally. The body is primed to alert us and keep us safe, and sometimes we need to use our cognitive capacity to overrule its alarm. 

When stressors are those that are time shifted, we want to focus on mindfulness activities to return to the present, the safety of right here and right now.  This is not to disqualify the very real stresses we may face, but when a solution cannot be acted on at present, we want to have at least moments of taking breaks and brining the body system down. 

Sometimes we need to discharge some of the energy build-up, so exercise, even quick jumping jacks or push-ups

To deal with physical stress in the moment, we need to interrupt the stress response through the powerful tool of regulating our breathing, beginning with deep, long breaths out. This simple act reduces sympathetic nervous system activity to bring our body back to relaxation. 

Sometimes we need to discharge some of the energy build-up, so exercise, even quick jumping jacks or push-ups, or a walk around the block in the fresh air, can help release the energy stores in our major muscle groups as we try to return to relaxation. 

A technique called Progressive Muscle Relaxation (purposefully tensing and relaxing your big muscle groups, one at a time) can help further bring the system down.

To prevent re-activation of our stress response, though, we need to prevent our mind from creating more and more psychological stress that then triggers our physiological stress state. 

This is a harder skill to master, and I’ll devote the next article on exploring this – how to think about the threats in our minds, and why your stress triggers may be completely opposite to your partner’s.   

Stay tuned for the next article in this series next Thursday. 

Dr Amber Johnston is a clinical psychologist specialising in neuropsychology (healthymindpsychology.co.uk

Neuro divergence and mental health FEATURED

Neuro-divergence and mental health: the expert view

Does mental health affect physical health and vice versa? Dr Amber Johnston – a clinical psychologist specialising in neuropsychology – says it absolutely does

Are we missing what’s underneath our noses? 

I am Dr Amber Johnston, a Clinical Psychologist in Neuropsychology, on a mission to help people meet their brains and use them in a way that works with, rather than against them. 

To do so means braving into neuroscience to explore why we think, feel, learn, and behave as we do- and then, how we can make individualised lasting change.   

We are flooded with health and well-being suggestions, from cutting-edge science to health hacks and top practices for fitness and youth.  Yet despite that, the statistics show a bleak picture for the state of the general public’s mental and physical health. 

Despite abundant, sometimes conflicting advice, how do we use this knowledge to truly enhance our emotional and physical well-being? What are the barriers that seem to prevent us from doing all the things we know we should? 

Let’s begin with review of the fundamental misunderstanding that still permeates both the general public and the medical community alike – that of the separation of mind and body. 

READ MORE: Brain food: 7 key nutrients for a healthier brain

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The mind/body dualism is the term used to describe the separation our culture has created between the workings of the mind and the processes of the body

Mind vs Body

In my clinic, I see person after person coming to me for various difficulties around stress, low mood, anxiety, or just a general unease without any label to go with it.

Most want to feel better and prioritise healthy lifestyles but feel thwarted by failed change attempts. Many of these clients suffer with health symptoms like diabetes, cardiovascular irregularities, chronic pain, insomnia, auto-immune disorders, and fatigue.

Or even more commonly, they speak of medically unexplained (undiagnosed) issues – general sleep problems, stomach upset, headache, sore neck, fogginess, appetite changes, lethargy, and chest or breathing issues. 

I notice and enquire about these health conditions, but the client is often surprised; after all, they’re in my office to tackle their emotions. They view their physical state as just irrelevant small talk. 

This is where medical reductionism, separating psychological and physical, can be seen at its pinnacle; most paradoxically, within the healthcare system designed to best understand our brains and bodies!   

The mind/body dualism is the term used to describe the separation our culture has created between the workings of the mind and the processes of the body, which reduces each to a separate pathway that must be explored and treated in isolation. 

Freud and William James used medical cases to show the impact of emotion state and the unconscious mind on physical illness

Culture has altered this view over time, perhaps in an unhelpful direction.  The great minds of Aristotle and Hippocrates were pioneers for the roles of the soul, mind, and humours on the physical body. 

Rene Descartes separated the mental from the physical with his mind/body dualism in the 17th century, likely in response to the church deeming illness as a sign of God punishing one’s naughty soul. But later, great thinkers such as Freud and William James used medical cases to show the impact of emotion state and the unconscious mind on physical illness. 

As we moved into the 20th century though, with the invention of penicillin and germ theory, the two separated again. The led to a rise of the biomedical model focusing on bacteria, virus, musculoskeletal conditions, and medicine or surgeries for treatment. 

If no such condition can be identified, the ailment can only be explained through a woolly, less-understood area of abstract mental state or psychological illness, traditionally less respected and historically, not always treated humanely (think of the horror stories of old psychiatric facilities). 

The dismissal of psychogenic explanations (meaning developing from psychological or social processes), left a certain fear in many people that they too might have symptoms that cast them aside from access to the more revered biomedical healthcare professionals. 

READ MORE: Feeling ‘meh’? Everything you need to know about anhedonia – the missing word in mental health

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Others have felt misunderstood and abandoned when a consultant says, ‘good news, there is nothing wrong with you!’

Mental health DOES affect your physical health

To this day, when my clients enter my office, the conflict is still palatable. I see some patients hellbent to explain that their pain is ‘real’ and their fatigue and cardiovascular state is a ‘diagnosed’ condition… so there’s definitely nothing that a little psychology treatment can do about that. 

I sympathise with the fear of rejection by medical doctors, facing unclear symptoms alone, with clients reporting experiences of implied blame that a person ‘should feel better by now’ or the treatment ‘should have made a difference if followed properly.’  

All the things in your head have ‘real’ and dramatic influences across our body system

Others have felt misunderstood and abandoned when a consultant says, ‘good news, there is nothing wrong with you!’ (when clearly there is) or even the dreaded, ‘it’s probably just stress, in your head.’ 

Yes, of course it is.  All the things in your head have ‘real’ and dramatic influences across our body system.  Our thoughts and emotions do impact our physiology and can create illness over time; and in return, the signals from our body are used by our brain to understand our inner and outer worlds, creating emotions and thoughts for us to then manage. 

It’s a remarkable figure of 8 interaction- signals travelling from brain down to body and back up to brain again.  So that means a thought can influence a heartbeat, or a digestive response, or even impact our aging process over time. 

It’s time that the entire healthcare field catches up to rewrite this antiquated medical narrative that sees body parts in isolation rather than holistically. 

READ MORE: 10 ways to improve mental health at work

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I intend to deep dive into some of the details of how our brains detect threat, learn, and make mistakes

The amazing brain

The brain is the orchestrator of everything that we perceive and all the processes that our body needs to survive and thrive. And therefore, to ensure we enhance its functioning, it’s paramount to understand how our thought content, emotion state, behaviour react to the internal and external world from our senses and have direct impact on our physical health. They cannot be separated. 

But the great news is that we can harness the power of our brains to enhance overall wellbeing. In this upcoming series, I intend to deep dive into some of the details of how our brains detect threat, learn, and make mistakes. 

The brain is the orchestrator of everything

Understanding these processes will lead you to better understand where our stress originates and gets reinforced, despite our best efforts to minimise it. There are skills to learn with managing these processes, and they are not quick hacks, but the rewards feel great when they create lasting change. 

Come with me to get to know the you that perhaps you’ve been missing, the brain behind your own nose….

Stay tuned for the next article in this series – ‘Is stress our friend?’, next Thursday where I discuss why some stress responses are essential. 

Dr Amber Johnston is a clinical psychologist specialising in neuropsychology (healthymindpsychology.co.uk

Restless legs Can't sleep You may have magnesium deficiency FEATURED

Restless legs? Can’t sleep? You may have magnesium deficiency

Restless legs? Sleep struggles? You may have magnesium deficiency. Nutritionist Dr. Naomi Newman-Beinart reveals why this vital wellness mineral is the key to a healthier you

At this time of year, we’re often bombarded with news on the latest superfoods and dietary trends. Yet, there’s a vital mineral most of us are missing out on that can significantly reduce our mental and physical well-being.

This mineral is essential for over 300 biochemical reactions that enhance our health. 

Magnesium may help relieve symptoms of several conditions that affect women

Magnesium is more than just a mineral; it’s a cornerstone of health, pivotal for everything from muscle function and bone health to energy production and DNA repair.

Given that processed and highly processed foods play a large part in the UK’s diet, many people may struggle to get enough magnesium. Magnesium may help relieve symptoms of several conditions that affect women, and getting enough magnesium can be really helpful for preventing and treating these conditions. 

Spotting Magnesium Deficiency 

How do you know if you’re magnesium-deficient? Here are five of the most common signs that might indicate your levels are less than optimal: 

  • Muscle Twitches and Cramps: These could be your body’s way of signalling a need for more magnesium.
  • Unexplained Fatigue: If you’re constantly tired, magnesium deficiency might drain your energy reserves.
  • Bone Health Issues: Magnesium is vital for bone density; a deficiency could put your bones at risk.
  • High Blood Pressure: This mineral plays a crucial role in heart health, including maintaining healthy blood pressure levels.
  • Irregular Heartbeat: A magnesium shortfall might be the culprit behind heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat.

Why are so many of us lacking in magnesium? The answer lies partly in modern agriculture, which has depleted our soil—and consequently our produce—of essential minerals, including magnesium.

Additionally, with its penchant for processed foods, the Western diet often falls short of delivering adequate magnesium. 

READ MORE: Is magnesium deficiency causing your insomnia?

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If you’re constantly tired, magnesium deficiency might drain your energy reserves

The Transformative Wellness Benefits of Magnesium 

Incorporating magnesium into your routine can have profound effects on your health: 

Benefit #1 Enhanced Sleep

Magnesium can improve sleep quality by regulating circadian rhythm and promoting muscle relaxation.

Healthy sleep supports immune health, plus emotional and physical health, which women over 40 can really struggle with. The benefits of magnesium for sleep have been supported by science, where researchers have found that people with low magnesium intake tend to sleep less and have poorer quality sleep 

benefits of magnesium for sleep have been supported by science

Benefit #2 Mood Improvement

It plays a crucial role in mood regulation, offering a natural way to uplift spirits and combat depression.

In fact, one study found that over 80% of postmenopausal women had low blood levels of magnesium, and those women were more likely to report that they were depressed.

Benefit #3 Bone Health

As oestrogen levels reduce with the onset of menopause, bones become more porous, leading to osteopenia and osteoporosis. Magnesium is vital for maintaining strong bones, and may help counteract the onset of osteoporosis in menopausal women.

READ MORE: How to keep your bones healthy in your 30’s 40’s and 50’s

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Magnesium is vital for maintaining strong bones

Benefit #4 Heart Health

Magnesium supports heart muscle function and can be beneficial in reducing risk factors for heart disease. Postmenopausal women are at a higher risk of heart disease due to reduced oestrogen levels, stress and lifestyle choices

In fact, a large study of over 3700 postmenopausal women found that women with higher magnesium levels showed less inflammatory markers relating to heart disease, suggesting that they had better heart health. 

Benefit #5 Exercise Performance

It helps reduce lactic acid buildup during exercise, enhancing performance and recovery. One study found that women with higher magnesium intake had higher muscle mass and power, suggesting that magnesium may help to preserve age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass.

women with higher magnesium intake had higher muscle mass and power

Benefit #6 Muscle Tension Relief

Transdermal magnesium is particularly effective in easing muscle tension and spasms, offering direct relief to affected areas.

In fact, researchers found that people with fibromyalgia reported less pain after spraying magnesium oil on their arms and legs twice a day for one month.

How to Boost Your Magnesium Intake..

Eat more magnesium

Integrating magnesium-rich foods into your diet is a delicious way to increase your intake. Leafy greens, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, and dark chocolate are all excellent sources of magnesium.  

READ MORE: Why your body needs magnesium

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Magnesium Water can be incorporated into your hydration routine
Drink more magnesium

BetterYou Magnesium Water stands out for its ease of use and fast absorption. Drinking this BetterYou magnesium-infused water provides a straightforward and enjoyable way to increase your daily magnesium intake.

Unlike pills or powders that might be hard to digest or inconvenient, BetterYou Magnesium Water can be incorporated into your hydration routine, ensuring you get the magnesium your body craves without any hassle. 

Bath and pamper yourself with more magnesium

Transdermal applications, such as taking a magnesium bath with BetterYou magnesium flakes or applying BetterYou magnesium lotion or sprays, can offer immediate benefits, promoting mineral replenishment and overall skin health and relaxation. 

Dr IVY FEATURED

My post-menopause glow up made me look 10 years younger and gave me my confidence back

Could a non-surgical facelift help you look 10 years younger and reverse the signs of ageing caused by menopause? Healthista spoke to Maureen Roberts, 61 who tried Face Design by Dr Ivona Igerc, to help her look younger post-menopause 

It’s no secret that a facelift can be an expensive investment for an ageing face.

Although a traditional facelift can offer incredible results, going under the knife is a scary ordeal, not to mention the inconvenient down (recovery) time.

It’s due to these reasons that many people don’t go through with the costly treatment. But what if you could get a facelift without the dreaded surgery or recovery time and without breaking the bank?

Well, you can. Dr Ivona Igerc – a renowned expert in the field of aesthetics – offers clients a non-surgical facelift that uses injectables to get the desired anti-ageing facelift.

Everything should be blended well together – all the muscles and movements

Known also as Face Design, Dr Ivona’s signature treatment uses a combination of Botox, dermal fillers and soft threads to accomplish the desired result of restoring lost volume in the face, jowls and neck.

‘All my signature treatments are done with my own and unique approach which I named Sfumato (a painting technique),’ reveals Dr Ivona.

‘In my concept, beauty is based on a natural and organic look, so when sculpting and moulding the face, I don’t want to make the work visible, where a line on the face ends and where it begins.

‘Everything should be blended well together – all the muscles and movements, all the five skin layers, bone structures should be connected into one – FACE.’ 

Healthista spoke to 61 year old Maureen Roberts – here’s what she had to say about the Face Design treatment at EF MediSpa

‘I didn’t even recognise myself in the mirror’

Since I was about 45, I have toyed with the idea of trying Botox, and pretty much every time I saw a celebrity who looked like they were doing a Benjamin Button, I would hop onto Google and search for ‘facelift transformation clinics near me’.

But despite the temptation, in reality I knew it was far too costly to consider, and quite frankly I was terrified of going under the knife.

Through my 40’s and by my mid 50’s I had started to feel self conscious of my ageing face. I would tell myself that it’s beautiful to age naturally and I felt I still looked slightly younger than other people who were the same age as me.

But then one day I was shopping for a wedding outfit, when saw my reflection in the mirror. Despite having make up on and thinking I didn’t look too shabby when I had left the house, I didn’t even recognise myself in the mirror.

post-menopause glow up with Dr Ivona EF MediSpa
Maureen, before

All that went through my head was this thought – ‘I look SO old’. So, I abandoned my wedding outfit quest and found the nearest exit before swallowing down the lump in my throat walking back to work.

‘The menopause hadn’t helped matters’

My main concern after taking a closer look at my face (which I tried never to do) was my thinning lips and sagging jowls. I believed that these were what made me go from looking good for my age to looking…my age.

Looking back now at pictures taken of me over the years, it’s shocking to see how quickly my appearance started to change once I reached menopause.

Of course, I knew that losing volume in the upper parts of the face is common with ageing and can lead to a droopy or sagging appearance, but I was unaware how changing and fluctuating hormones had such an affect on the appearance of a person’s face too!

After some research, I found that the main reason for skin changes during menopause is that oestrogen (female sex hormone) production reduces dramatically, leading to a drop in collagen – the main building block found in the body’s various connective tissues, including the skin. 

So yes, I knew I was looking older because I was getting older, but the menopause hadn’t helped matters.

What is Face Design?

I heard about Face Design and the wonderful Dr Ivona Igerc through a friend, who had experienced amazing results, with someone actually asking her if she had had a facelift or something else too make her look so great. 

A quick Google told me that Face Design at EF MediSpa is a non-surgical instant face lift that targets signs of ageing caused by the natural breakdown of connective tissues in your skin such as collagen and elastin. 

And the best part? It’s non-invasive and produces a more natural and subtle look than a surgical facelift might. Making it ideal for those who want to address different signs of ageing with the convenience of a walk-in walk-out procedure. 

a naturally occurring compound that encourages the production of collagen

The signature treatment of Aesthetic Medicine Specialist, Dr Ivona Igerc, Face Design is a face lift that helps to increase the volume and shape of your face while smoothing the skin and preventing further lines and wrinkles from forming.

The primary goal of this instant face lift is to address sagging skin and wrinkles; however, it can also be used to plump up lips and reduce hollowness in the under-eye area.

The dermal fillers used in Face Design include high concentrations of Hyaluronic Acid, which is a naturally occurring compound that encourages the production of collagen in the skin.

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Before the treatment

Before signing on the dotted line as it were, the first step was a no obligation, complimentary consultation. During this I was able to learn more about Face Design and talk through the procedure to discuss any queries or concerns I had, to establish if this was a treatment that would work for me as well as any medical history.

I was then booked in with and met the wonderful Dr Ivona Igerc, who put me at ease from the outset. Not only did Dr Ivona look fabulous and glamorous, but she was incredibly welcoming and friendly and I felt confident discussing my history and concerns with her. 

Dr Ivona spoke to me about the bespoke treatment I would receive and how it had been tailored to me in order to get the results I was looking for. This included the specific areas I wanted focussed on and where the anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers would be administered for optimum results. 

READ MORE: Tweakments – the anti-ageing treatments no one will ever guess you’ve had

 

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During the treatment

Firstly, a local anaesthetic cream was applied to some areas of the face that are more sensitive, such as my lips and around my chin. 

Once the area felt numb, Dr Ivona set to work with a fine needle to inject small amounts of dermal filler with hyaluronic acid, plus anti-wrinkleiInjectables into the target areas to help smooth out my wrinkles, add volume and enhance my natural face shape.

Target areas included my cheeks, tear troughs, nasolabial folds (smile lines), mouth corners, pre-jowl area, frown lines, fine lines, wrinkles, jawline sagging, lower cheek and marionette lines (running downwards from the corners of the mouth) –  to replace lost fat pads and create a stronger jawline. 

it was slightly uncomfortable on certain areas of the face where the skin was more taut

Dr Ivona also included some Botox to soften lines without freezing my naturally expressive face. 

The whole process took about 45 minutes. It wasn’t painful, but it was slightly uncomfortable on certain areas of the face where the skin was more taut. 

Dr Ivona explained that the injections around my cheek area was to help increase the volume of both my cheeks and under-eye area, creating a cheekbone lift. 

The skin along the jawline was also injected with filler, to tighten the skin as well as helping to even out imperfections if the face is unsymmetrical. Using her particular technique, Dr Ivona injects along the jawline with a series of tiny injections to correct the loose or sagging skin and help redefine your jowls. 

READ MORE: Saggy skin? This non surgical facelift can take years off your face

Dr IVY MAIN
Maureen before (left), one week later (middle), four weeks later (right)

After the treatment

It took just over a week for the very slight swelling to settle and for the bruises on my lips and chin to go down – nothing that a bit of make-up couldn’t cover up though. 

In just two weeks I could see a difference in my face. I looked more like myself again. Even my husband said I looked different but said he couldn’t put his finger on exactly why.

I could also tell that my colleagues were looking at me with curious expressions, with a few telling me how ‘well’ I looked. That was a huge boost to my confidence as I hadn’t received too many compliments like that in the past.

According to Dr Ivona, the results should last up to two years, with a few top ups here and there. I have kept up with the Botox, but I haven’t needed more filler – yet. I’ll definitely be going back for a top up when I need it.

I couldn’t recommend this treatment highly enough. For anyone who is feeling less confident in their post-menopause face I urge you to book a consultation and talk to the talented practitioners at EF MediSpa. Thank you Dr Ivona and EF MediSpa!

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Dr Ivona Igerc is a renowned expert in the field of aesthetics and regenerative medicine.  

Held to a high-esteem and recognised globally for her technique with injectable anti-ageing treatments. Her professional approach and engaging manner has led to her developing a loyal client base who continually utilise and recommend her skills due to her impressive results. 

Book your complimentary no-obligation consultation now at face-design. 

Face Design face lift is quick and effective, with the procedure usually lasting around one hour with minimal downtime. You should see the results within 10 days, and these can last up to two years.

All treatments are tailored to the individual and personal experiences and results may vary. We recommend a one to one consultation with our Treatment Coordinators to discuss your treatment options. 

Turning dreams into reality: a step-by-step guide to manifesting what you want in 2024 

Can you really turn your dreams into reality? Holistic health & wellbeing practitioner Nicci Roscoe says you can. Here is her step by step guide to manifesting what you want in 2024

Manifesting is an exciting and powerful process that helps you receive what you really want by focusing your intent on it and making it happen.  

There are different ways to help you manifest and send out positive messages to the universe when you are ready to receive, after you release all that doesn’t serve you.

You will then be able to clear your mind, body, and spirit of any blockages and become open to the many wonderful possibilities of manifesting.  

If you procrastinate and aren’t sure what you want, the universe will keep giving you things you’re not sure of. Once you know what you are wishing for, stay focused on it. It’s important to focus on one thing at a time. Maybe it’s happiness, abundance, love and romance, or a new job.

Once you know what you are wishing for, stay focused on it

Or perhaps there are other areas in your life that you crave to change. This may take time as you slowly work through this beautiful process of releasing, renewing, and receiving.

Believing in yourself, trusting in the process, and releasing negative thoughts, feelings, and memories that don’t serve you will give you so much more peace, calm, and confidence. Once you are in this place of openness, belief, and trust you are ready to Manifest.  

It is also important to remember, what you manifest may not happen in the next day, month, year, or longer; it will happen if you believe, and it is right for you. Be patient, trust the universe has heard you, and never give up hope. 

READ MORE: 5 simple manifesting techniques to help manage menopause symptoms

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Manifesting is a powerful process and here’s my 3-step guide to effectively manifesting what you want, in 2024 and beyond: 

Step 1: Letting Go 

The journey of manifesting starts with letting go. You need to say goodbye to what’s been holding you back as you begin a journey to love yourself and manifest your everything.

The good news is that you can achieve anything you want to and manifest your everything if you really want it and focus on it —including feeling confident, finding the best possible relationship or job, or whatever it is you’re wishing for, whenever you are ready. 

This process needs to begin by learning to love yourself and giving yourself permission to like yourself and accept that now is the time for positive change.

Acknowledging emotions that have prevented you from living the life you want will begin the process of releasing the blockages you’ve been holding onto. This doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process that will take you on a special journey of releasing, renewing, and receiving to manifest what you now want in your life. 

Letting go of what doesn’t serve you physically, mentally, and spiritually can be so freeing

Self-care and loving yourself again—or maybe for the first time—will help you begin releasing the blockages that have been holding you back. It’s important to listen to your intuition and what your mind and body are telling you.

Letting go of what doesn’t serve you physically, mentally, and spiritually can be so freeing. Holding onto feelings of frustration, sadness, and grief can be overwhelming and bring up all kinds of negative emotions that you need to let go of.  

STOP resisting giving yourself the care and love you need. No one else can take action to make these changes for you. It’s your responsibility to choose what you do and when you do it. 

STOP playing the blame game and thinking everything’s your fault. Repeat to yourself eight times every morning, lunchtime, and evening: ‘It’s not my fault.’

START forgiving those who have hurt you. Forgiveness can open pathways toward feeling happy and peaceful, and to opening your heart to new beginnings. 

START looking at what you have achieved and giving yourself the respect that you deserve. 

Letting go is perhaps one of the most powerful parts of your manifesting journey. In my book, Manifest your Everything, there are several exercises and rituals which can help you to release the blockages which are holding you back, helping you to learn how to create mental space, forgive, and release inner turmoil through meditation. 

READ MORE: 3 ways to heal trauma from within 

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Step 2: Giving Yourself Love 

When you have said goodbye to what doesn’t serve you, it’s time to start giving yourself love and taking care of your needs and wellbeing. When you’ve effectively let go, your outlook on everything can change as you begin to feel healthier and more confident and stronger from within—and ready to enjoy the life you want to create.

Listen to your heart, mind, and body when they’re telling you that they need to be nurtured and cared for. By tuning in to your intuition, you’ll know that it’s okay to say ‘No’ to what doesn’t serve you and ‘Yes’ to giving yourself what you need. This will open pathways that send the right messages to the universe and help raise your positive vibrations.

Your mind and body will feel more grounded, peaceful, and calm. Start taking some time to give yourself the love you deserve. Stop coming up with excuses as to why you can’t—and tell yourself that you can.  

Step 3: Manifest 

Once you are in this place of openness, belief, and trust you are ready to Manifest Your Everything using these powerful techniques: 

Making your own manifestation vision board is one of the most impactful, positive things you can do. By sticking words and images on a large board that represent the things you want to achieve, you can visualize what you want and focus on it every day. Your unconscious mind will then concentrate on positive outcomes.

Cut out pictures of your dream home, your perfect vacation, pet, or car! You may want to include pictures that represent finding love such as hearts and happy couples together. Or perhaps you have family and friends or work colleagues you want to include in your future vision.

You can stick anything you want on your manifestation board. Words are just as powerful as pictures to illustrate what you are hoping for. So, also include notes such as ‘Having fun with my family on a holiday,’ ‘Opening up my life to be more spiritual’, ‘Finding peace, calm, and happiness’, ‘Having good health’, ‘Being financially secure’, and ‘Finding my dream job.’ 

READ MORE: How to regain lost confidence – an expert’s guide

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What you tell yourself can have a profound effect on how you feel. Perhaps you are afraid to say goodbye to a past relationship? Or are you still upset and angry with a loved one, friend, or family member and not able to forgive them. The more you let go of negative thoughts and forgive, the more you will be able to give yourself what you need to build confidence and feel happier. 

To encourage positive self-talk, tell yourself positive affirmations, or to put it simply, empowering words that remind you regularly to change negative thoughts to positive ones. 

Examples include I believe in myself, I trust myself; I value myself and my feelings, I feel confident from within, and I trust my intuition.

Listening to your intuition can enable you to see, hear, and feel things more clearly. Once you are in touch with your emotions and feel contented within, you can begin to build more trusting relationships with the right people and your confidence and belief in yourself will thrive.  

Anchoring is an effective way of connecting a positive memory where you felt particularly happy, relaxed, or positive with a physical action. This enables you to bring the energy of the memory into the present moment to help you feel good.

Think of a time you felt happy and confident, visualize your surroundings and people you were with. Then, squeeze your thumb and forefinger together on one hand. Feel these good, confident feelings. Make them bigger, brighter, and bolder.

Meditation takes you to a place of peace, calm and clarity

See yourself feeling confident and empowered and imagine stepping into the moment and turn up the volume. Double this feeling, then triple it. Make it even bigger and brighter as you begin to smile and feel so much happier and good about yourself. Stay in this happy, confident place for about 30 seconds and keep repeating whenever you need to.  

Meditation takes you to a place of peace, calm and clarity. It can also help us to re-energise, and so much more. There are many ways to meditate including visualisation, listening to music or guided meditations.

‘Word meditation’ is something I developed after training with Deepak Chopra in the US many years ago. Focus on positive words such as ‘I feel calm, I feel peaceful, I’m in control’.

Repeat these words over and over again until they seem to fade as you go deeper into a beautiful meditation. Allow anything else that comes into your mind to flow out and keep coming back to these words.  

Put a timer on your phone or clock for 2 minutes and gradually build up to 5 minutes, 10 minutes and then 20 minutes. These positive words you keep repeating go deep into your subconscious mind and will help you to feel calmer and more in control of your emotions following your meditation.  

READ MORE: Got stress? These 3 mindsets are fuelling your anxiety

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Reframe Negative Thoughts and Choose Positive Ones. When you have been focusing on the negative it’s time to re- train your brain to start thinking positively and change the outcomes of your behaviour toward both yourself and how you come across to others.

If you tell yourself ‘I’m never going to change’ or ‘I’m stuck, and no one can help me’, then you’ll stay in this negative pattern. By constantly focusing on the negative you will also keep getting more negative things thrown at you.

Reframing these thoughts can start to give you a new outlook on how you deal with your life and challenging situations. You’ll notice how by focusing on the positive there will be exciting new outcomes instead of staying in the negative state that won’t give you what you need. Your new positive thoughts will enhance your life and give you a new perspective instead of thinking you’re not worthy and are not good at anything you do.

Reframing involves looking at your negative beliefs in a different way, from a positive perspective, and changing the words around to give a positive focus to what you are telling yourself. The more you practice reframing your thoughts, the more you can change your mindset to a positive one and start feeling happier and relieved from not constantly focusing on what hasn’t helped you mentally or physically.

Being grateful can open up all kinds of possibilities for you to receive what you are manifesting

Having a positive outlook will help to add time to your lifespan. Just by telling yourself ‘I’m looking forward to today’, ‘I feel strong and in control’ or ‘I feel calm, relaxed and happy’, you are re-training your brain to focus on positive outcomes and making the changes you want to enable you to manifest your dreams. 

Being grateful can open up all kinds of possibilities for you to receive what you are manifesting. It also gives you a sense of peace, calm, and hope. When you acknowledge that you are grateful for all you have, and have had, this raises your vibrations and increases your positive focus when you begin to manifest.  

Embrace crystals.  All crystals give you what you need emotionally, spiritually, and mentally through their unique energy and vibrations such as rose quartz if you’re looking for love or citrine abundance. Hold it when you are meditating and focus on what you are looking for, keep it by your bed at night or under your pillow.

NIcci photo sitting in floral top 0075_Option 2_1Nicci Roscoe uses her life experiences to help you feel like you again and make positive changes in your life. Her personal experiences make her an empathetic and insightful catalyst of change to enable you to overcome challenges, stress, anxiety and pain physically and mentally.