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When Low Body Weight Has Nothing to Do with Wanting to Lose Weight
Low body weight is almost always framed around one thing: wanting to lose weight, or relate to an eating disorder. The narrative is so dominant that when someone is underweight for entirely different reasons, they fall into a gap. They don't fit a typical ‘underweight’ profile, and they often, don't get the right support.
Nicola Shubrook
10 min read


PCOS is now PMOS: what’s changed and why it matters for mood
PCOS is being renamed PMOS, something that as a functional medicine clinic we support. It is a much better descriptor for what is actually happening in the body. In this article we explore more about what PMOS is, how it can affect your mental health, but also what you can do support your wellbeing
Nicola Shubrook
6 min read


Progesterone: The forgotten hormone in midlife mood
Oestrogen gets SO much attention when it comes to women’s health, especially in perimenopause and menopause. Of course it is a really important hormone, but it gets far more airtime than its sister hormone, progesterone.
Progesterone is one of the most important – and most overlooked – hormones when it comes to midlife mood, anxiety and sleep.
Nicola Shubrook
4 min read


The Gut-Brain Depression Axis: How Dysbiosis Inflames Your Brain
The Gut-Brain Depression Axis: How Dysbiosis Inflames Your Brain. About 90% of your body's serotonin is produced in your gut—but that serotonin doesn't travel to your brain. It stays in your gut and peripheral tissues, regulating digestion, immune function, and signalling. Your brain makes its own serotonin from tryptophan (an amino acid from protein).
Nicola Shubrook
4 min read


Thyroid Dysfunction and Depression: Why "Normal" Labs Might Be Missing Your Real Problem
If you've had blood work done showing your thyroid is "fine," but you're still struggling with depression, you're not alone.
Nicola Shubrook
6 min read


Blood Sugar Imbalance and Depression: The Fuel Crisis Your Brain Can't Ignore
Your brain uses more glucose than any other organ in your body - about 20% of all the energy your body produces. But when your blood sugar is dysregulated, spiking and crashing throughout the day, your brain is essentially running on fumes. Over time, this metabolic chaos creates the neurological conditions where depression takes root.
Nicola Shubrook
5 min read


How You Can Rewire Your Brain Away From Chronic Stress
How You Can Rewire Your Brain Away From Chronic Stress - we have broken down some actions you can take to begin to reset the balance.
Nicola Shubrook
3 min read


Methylation, Detoxification & Depression: The Hidden Biochemical Block
Deep inside every cell in your body, a process called methylation is happening right now. But when methylation becomes dysregulated you accumulate stress chemicals in your bloodstream, your neurotransmitters don't get cleared properly, your oestrogen backs up, and you feel anxious, depressed, and wired but exhausted.
Nicola Shubrook
4 min read


Cortisol Dysregulation and Depression: How Chronic Stress Rewires Your Brain
Cortisol is supposed to be your ally. But when cortisol is elevated chronically, day after day, month after month, it stops being protective and becomes destructive. Chronically high cortisol doesn't just make you feel stressed - it literally rewires your brain toward depression.
Nicola Shubrook
4 min read


7 Physiological Causes of Depression in Midlife Women (That Your Doctor Might Miss)
7 Physiological Causes of Depression in Midlife Women (That Your Doctor Might Miss)
Nicola Shubrook
6 min read


Progesterone & Oestrogen Imbalance: The Hormonal Depression Trap in Midlife Women
Progesterone & Oestrogen Imbalance: The Hormonal Depression Trap in Midlife Women. Depression is so common in perimenopause and menopause. It's not a character flaw. It's a predictable neurological response to hormone dysregulation.
Nicola Shubrook
5 min read


How Circadian Rhythm Disruption Triggers Depression in Midlife Women
How Circadian Rhythm Disruption Triggers Depression in Midlife Women
Nicola Shubrook
4 min read


Practical ways to reset your circadian rhythm
Practical ways to reset your circadian rhythm: Your circadian rhythm is one of the most responsive physiological systems in the body and with small, consistent changes you can improve your mood in just a few weeks.
Nicola Shubrook
4 min read


Creatine for the mind: what the latest science says about brain and mental health benefits
Creatine is a substance found in every cell in the body, and it is essential for producing energy. It is more commonly known as a sports supplement, as it can enhance muscle strength and power, and can therefore lead to better results. However, creatine is now being researched for its potential neurological and psychological benefits, including improving cognition, memory and mood. How creatine is used by the body for energy Whilst we can get creatine from food, meat and
Nicola Shubrook
2 min read


The vagus nerve: What is it, and why it matters when it comes to your mental health?
For years as a nutritional therapist and functional medicine practitioner, I have been talking about the mind-body connection and that this ‘connection’ is through several different means: Physically – through our spine and skeletal system Emotionally – our emotions can influence the body, especially our gut and our immune system Physiologically – we know that the gut and the gut microbiome can influence the brain and our moods But one area that has been growing with interest
Nicola Shubrook
4 min read


Is biohacking an unhealthy obsession?
In recent years, biohacking has become more mainstream: influencers on social media, apps and tracking devices that we can use to monitor everything from stress levels, sleep and blood glucose levels, books, supplements, and even a Netflix documentary about an anti-aging advocate who spends millions every year to live longer. Biohacking is essentially an approach to achieving optimal physical and mental health by making changes to your diet and lifestyle that allow you to n
Nicola Shubrook
3 min read
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