HACKING

YOUR
HEALTH!
Hack your health with 5 Es and
protect against Dis-Ease

1
Thank you for signing up to receive With that in mind, and with the collective
our newsletter. We hope you enjoy knowledge, expertise and experience of
this collection of tips and ‘hacks’ for ANH in the field of natural health, we’ve
regenerating or upgrading your level of brought together a selection of inspiring,
health and vitality. science based, tried-and-tested, health and
Over the course of our 20 years, we’ve wellbeing hacks that are also the bedrock
become a trusted source of health of our own, positive health journeys.
information for many. It’s a little like the Whether you’ve been recently inspired
Wild West out there when it comes to to level up your health, or you’re a long-
views on how best to upgrade our health. term natural health advocate or a health
What so-called health authorities or practitioner, we hope this eBook becomes a
influencers tell us is either good or useful repository of tips and hacks that you
bad for us seems to change on a daily can integrate into your life, or, dip into and
basis. If you’re trying to solve the health out of — and of course, share with others.
and wellness equation for yourself or Our starting point is the very foundation
your loved ones, you’re very unlikely to of good health – what we eat and how we
find anything that resembles consensus fuel ourselves .
regardless of whether you’re reading or
viewing media online or reading the popular
printed press or even published research. The ANH Team

© 2023 Alliance for Natural Health International

Contents

Hack your health with 5 Es and

protect against Dis-Ease

EATING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

EXERCISE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

EMOTIONAL HEALTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

EFFORTLESS SLEEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

ENSURING ENERGY FOR LIFE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

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EATING

For life, vitality and optimal function

We all need food. Most of us eat it every as information. When you eat food
day, often multiple times each day. that makes you ‘metabolically flexible’,
There’s a lot of truth in the saying that you are naturally healthier and much
more resistant to developing diseases,
“we are what we eat”. especially type 2 diabetes.
Here we go through the basics of our
But we can take it a step further and say, Food4Health guide that shows you the
composition and relative amounts of the
“we are what we eat, foods to drive metabolic flexibility.
absorb and utilise”. So, let’s take a closer look…
Here are two of our food plates. The one
First things first. Let’s recognise that on the left is our general flexitarian or
food is so much more than an energy omnivore plate. And on the right is our
source. It’s much better to think of food vegan plate.

Food4health Food4health
GUIDE Revision 1, June 2018
vegan GUIDE January 2019

For vegan adults and children over 6

For adults and children over 6
Largely minimally processed, plant-based, diverse, low starchy carbs,
Plant-dominant, diverse, low starchy carb, anti-inflammatory, high nutrient-density – priorities for healthy eating! anti-inflammatory, high nutrient-density – priorities for healthy eating!
Daily consumption of a diverse, varied and balanced range of fresh, largely unprocessed, whole plant foods
Daily consumption of a diverse, varied and balanced range of fresh, largely unprocessed, whole foods with a
with a macronutrient ratio by energy roughly of 20%, 25% and 55% for protein, complex carbohydrates and
macronutrient ratio by energy roughly of 20%, 25% and 55% for protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy healthy fats, respectively. Minimising reliance on snacks and fasting 5 hours or more between meals and at
fats, respectively. Intermittent fasting, that includes 5 hours or more between meals and 12 hours or more least 12 hours overnight, along with regular physical activity, ample relaxation and sleep, is the foundation for a
overnight, coupled with regular physical activity and ample rest, is the foundation for a healthy lifestyle. healthy lifestyle.
1 2 3
1 2 3 FOOD4HEALTH VISUAL DAILY ‘PLATE’ 40% vegetables 10% fruits 10% grains

6
FOOD4HEALTH VISUAL DAILY ‘PLATE’ 40% vegetables 10% fruits 10% grains (unprocessed) - with ample (unprocessed) (gluten-free whole grains

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(unprocessed) - with ample (unprocessed) healthy fats and pseudo-grains) e.g.
(gluten-free whole grains
healthy fats and pseudo-grains) e.g. amaranth, buckwheat,
amaranth, buckwheat, 6 colours of the ‘rainbow’ (green, red, yellow, millet, oats, quinoa, teff, rice,
6 colours of the ‘rainbow’ (green, red, yellow, millet, oats, quinoa, teff, rice, orange, blue/black/purple, white/tan) sorghum)

Food
orange, blue/black/purple, white/tan) sorghum)

Food
groups 4
10% high
groups 4
10% high
‘healthy

every ‘healthy
fat’ foods
every fat’ foods
e.g. avocado, tree

day
e.g. avocado, tree
nuts (almond, walnut,
brazil, macadamia,
day nuts (almond, walnut,
brazil, macadamia,
etc.), seeds (chia, flax,
etc.), coconut yoghurt
etc.), seeds (chia, flax, Percentages refer to
Percentages refer to etc.), coconut [or dairy,
amounts by weight
if tolerant] yoghurt,
amounts by weight egg (yolk) (not energy
(not energy contribution)
contribution)

5
25%
6 5% Concentrated protein-rich
6 5 foods
5% Concentrated 25% nutrients e.g. peas, chickpeas,
nutrients protein-rich e.g. non-irradiated herbs and spices, beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh,
herbal teas, food supplements (e.g. hempseed, chia seeds,
e.g. non-irradiated herbs and spices,
herbal teas, food supplements
foods complete plant protein, micronutrients almonds, peanuts, pea
- with ample healthy fats including vitamin B12, Omega-3 fatty protein isolate
acids, botanicals)

10 key guidelines
10 key guidelines
1 Macronutrient contribution by energy 4 Avoid high-temperature cooking methods 7 Avoid snacking and try to maintain 5
1 Macronutrient contribution by energy 4 Avoid high-temperature cooking methods 7 Avoid snacking and try to maintain 5 (kcal or kJ) should be approximately 20% (frying, grilling, BBQ) that cause blackening or more hours between meals
(kcal or kJ) should be approximately 20% (frying, grilling, BBQ), unless brief. Minimise heat- or more hours between meals protein (4 kcal/g), 25% carbohydrates (4 or charring. Minimise heat-damage to
protein (4 kcal/g), 25% carbohydrates (4 kcal/g) and 55% fats (9 kcal/g) - based
8 Consume at least 1.5 litres of spring
damage to proteins, fats, vegetables, starches 8 Consume at least 1.5 litres of spring proteins, fats, vegetables, starches and other or filtered water daily between meals
kcal/g) and 55% fats (9 kcal/g) - based and other carbs by using slow cooking methods on daily ‘plate’ illustrated above carbs by using slow cooking methods
or filtered water daily between meals (more if exercising intensively)
on daily ‘plate’ illustrated above
5 Healthy fats for cooking include virgin coconut (more if exercising intensively) 2 Minimise consumption of highly processed 5 Healthy fats for cooking include virgin coconut 9 Avoid all foods which trigger
2 Minimise consumption of highly processed oil, unfiltered extra virgin olive oil, virgin avocado foods and avoid all refined carbohydrates oil, unfiltered extra virgin olive oil, virgin
9 Avoid all foods which trigger sensitivity, intolerance or allergy
foods and avoid all refined carbohydrates oil, safflower oil, and butter or ghee (the latter avocado oil or safflower oil. Other healthy
sensitivity, intolerance or allergy 3 Consume plenty of fresh, raw or lightly 10 Seek advice from a qualified and experienced
3 Consume plenty of fresh, raw or lightly two only if no lactose intolerance). Other cooked plant foods (vegetables and fruit, in fats for addition to other foods include oils
healthy fats for addition to other foods include 10 Seek advice from a qualified and experienced of flaxseed, hempseed and macadamia nutritional health professional on the
cooked plant foods (vegetables and fruit, in a roughly 4:1 ratio) that include all 6 colours
oils of flaxseed, hempseed and macadamia nutritional health professional on the most appropriate concentrated sources of
a roughly 4:1 ratio) that include all 6 colours of the ‘rainbow’ each day (green, red, yellow, Consume plenty of fresh herbs and
most appropriate concentrated sources of nutrients, herbal teas and/or supplements
of the ‘rainbow’ each day (green, red, yellow, 6 Consume plenty of fresh herbs and orange, blue/black/purple, white/tan) 6 non-irradiated, preferably organic,
nutrients, herbal teas and/or supplements (concentrated sources of nutrients)
orange, blue/black/purple, white/tan) non-irradiated, preferably organic, spices, along with herbal teas (with
(concentrated sources of nutrients)
spices, along with herbal teas (with real herbs/spices, not flavourings)
real herbs/spices, not flavourings)
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Both plates are gluten and dairy free
because these are the two most common
allergens in the diet. You can add one or
other back in if you know you can tolerate
them. Gluten intolerance or sensitivity
often goes unnoticed for years but can
lead to all sorts of health problems from
leaky gut to heart disease, cancer and
diabetes.
For simplicity, we’re going to talk about
our flexitarian plate – but please swap it
out for our vegan plate if you’re vegan.
This isn’t what a single plate of your food
will look like, it’s your day’s eating that’s
represented by weight, not by energy.
Check out the big diagonal white line. On
the left of it – you’ve got all-important
plant foods. Despite us having some
animal products on this plate – as it’s
our flexitarian plate – it’s still plant-based
because so much of the food on this
plate still comes from plants.

Plant food and fruits

We include a large amount of vegetables
and a relatively small amount of fruit. You
should try to keep your vegetables and
fruit intake to roughly a 4:1 ratio and don’t
lump them together. Fruits have a lot
more sugar – albeit natural fructose, so
need to be eaten in very small quantities.
The science tells us we shouldn’t eat
more sugar than 5% by energy of the total
energy eaten in a day. Eat your fruit whole
and avoid juices and too much dried fruit.
lot of diversity in your diet. Remember
We recommend you ‘eat a rainbow every to mix it up with raw as well as lightly
day’ of all 6 different colours of Nature’s cooked vegetables. Vegetables can taste
phytonutrient groups. That means green, delicious with plenty of healthy fat, such
red, yellow, orange, blue/black/purple as olive oil, herbs and spices, particularly
and white/tan, which also creates a if they’re fresh.

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Fats and Oils
It’s not easy to see the oils and fats in our
plate, but we recommend generous use
of healthy fats – there’ll also be quite a
bit in some of the animal products too.
For those of you interested in the energy
calculation, around 50-60% of the energy
value of this plate will come from fats,
although it looks like only 10% by weight.
Which is very different to what most
government guidelines say! Bottom line,
it’s hard to be healthy without enough fat
in your diet.
Spread your healthy fats through
cooking, salad and vegetables dressings,
avocados, nuts and animal products if
you eat them.

Protein Carbs
Our recommendation of 25% protein- Carbohydrates represent 1 of 3
rich foods doesn’t mean that’s the actual macronutrients in our food - proteins
amount of protein in the food. Most of and fats being the other two. They’re
any fresh, animal protein source, like often referred to as essential, but they
meat or fish, is actually water, so may be should more correctly be regarded as
around 20% protein by weight. But you’ve ‘conditionally essential’, which means we
also got vegetable proteins, like legumes need them in certain conditions or times
from the pea, bean and lentil family that of our lives.
are rich sources. Say the word carbs and most people
Top tip! Slow cook your legumes (pulses) think of bread, potatoes, pasta and
to neutralise the lectins – a plant’s natural sugary foods. But did you realise that all
pesticide that it uses to defend itself from vegetables and fruits are also sources of
insect pests in particular. That’s why carbs?
a traditional Indian dahl is often slow- Cutting down on starchy carbs, like
cooked for around 6 hours. A useful short grains, is linked to numerous health
cut if you don’t have time is a pressure benefits and is an important part of
cooker, especially if you use legumes as having a more keto-adapted (fat-burning)
your key protein source. diet.

4 © 2023 Alliance for Natural Health International

Herbs and Spices
Get in plenty of concentrated sources
of nutrients like herbs and spices, as
well as herbal teas and, where needed,
food supplements as well. Supplements
are just another form of concentrated
nutrient. Our food supply has become so
simplified as it’s become more and more
globalised and industrialised that many
suffer the effects of insufficient nutrient Grains
diversity. That’s why we give these You might wonder why we’ve left grains
concentrated nutrients their own slice of to last – when governments and a large
the plate! part of the food industry are telling us
grains are our staples. Well, the ANH
Food4health plate – that’s become
the go-to plate recommended by a lot
of nutritional practitioners – says it
differently. For us, your vegetables are the
staple in your daily diet, not your grains.
Grains can be an important source of
fibre, as well as certain vitamins and
minerals, but we can also get all these
micronutrients and fibres from other food
sources.
Most grains are energy dense, but not
nutrient dense. That means they give
you lots of calories but not a whole lot
else, especially if they’re highly refined
or processed. As grains are carbs, a lot
of those calories break down to sugars
in your body and then you’re in danger
of derailing your metabolic flexibility. No
matter what you may have been told,
you can get plenty of energy from your
vegetables as plant foods are carbs too!
Many grains also contain gluten.
So, make grains only a small part of your
diet, keep them whole and choose gluten-
free versions like buckwheat, oats, millet,
teff, quinoa, rice or sorghum where you
can.

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Before you start
Before you dive in and start cooking,
check out all 10 guidelines. A really
important one to reduce the risk of
diabetes and obesity is to reduce meal
frequency. That’s guideline 7 – where we
suggest – for adults - you keep at least
5 hours gap between meals and stop
snacking!

For families, we also have our Food4Kids

guideline plate.

6 © 2023 Alliance for Natural Health International

The lowdown on macros
Six things you should know
about fats
1. Fear of fat 4. Unsaturated fats
We’ve been told for years that fats are There are two main types of unsaturated
bad for us and that we should reduce fats, mono-unsaturated and poly-
our fat intake. But our bodies desperately unsaturated. They’re the building blocks
need certain fats, often in bigger amounts of many processes in our bodies and help
than governments recommend. us absorb certain vitamins.
Make sure you avoid trans fats and Good sources of unsaturated fats include
refined vegetable oils and don’t be fatty fish, avocados, olive oil, nuts and
tempted by low-fat products in the seeds.
supermarket! 5. Quality of fats
It’s important to make sure you consume
“Remember - Fats enough healthy fats, but the quality of
don’t make you fat! those fats is also key. Cold pressed
extra virgin olive oil will give you many
Excessive refined more health benefits than industrially
carbs do.” processed oils. If you eat meat, fats from
grass-fed animals are much better than
industrially farmed animals.
2. Trans fats 6. Metabolic flexibility
Trans fats are generally made from Metabolic flexibility is your body’s ability
processing refined vegetable oils to make to switch to the fuel that’s most efficient,
them solid at room temperature. They’re depending on what you’re doing.
widely used in processed and fast foods We burn fat for endurance-type activities
for deep frying and in restaurants. and switch to carbs for shorter, more
Eating trans fats regularly will increase intense activities. Being keto-adapted –
your risk of heart disease, stroke and type burning fats – is way more efficient and
2 diabetes. If a label says ‘hydrogenated’ ‘cleaner’ than burning carbs. Less free
vegetable oils, you know there’s trans-fat radical damage means less ageing!
in it!
3. Saturated fats
Some saturated fats have wonderful
health benefits and all of them help to
keep our cell membranes flexible.
Healthy sources of saturated fats include
coconut oil and the fats in marbled meat.
Avoid refined palm oil and other saturated
fats in highly processed foods.
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Carbs 101: What you need to
know
Below we talk Carbs 101 - so if
you’re considering cutting down
your carbs, here are some basics
1. Carbs vs. sugars 2. Simple vs. complex
Sugars, whether it’s the white stuff you Talking technical, determining if a carb is
add or naturally-occurring in fruit and simple or complex depends on the length
vegetables, are a form of carbohydrate. or branching of its carbon backbone.
This is why the amounts of sugars and Simple carbs (‘short chain’) like baked
carbs are indicated separately on food treats, are very quickly broken down into
labels. glucose. Complex carbs like fibre-rich
Once eaten, most carbohydrates are vegetables have longer chains, so take
broken down into the sugar, glucose, longer to break down.
before entering your bloodstream. A slower conversion time means that
But even though sugars and other carbs the glucose enters your bloodstream
are converted into the same substance, gradually, making your blood sugar and
not all carbs are created equal… energy levels more stable.

8 © 2023 Alliance for Natural Health International

3. GI vs. GL
The Glycaemic Index (GI) is a way of
ranking foods according to how quickly
they increase blood glucose levels and in
turn, insulin levels.
An extension of this is the glycaemic
load (GL) of a food. GL takes into account
both quality and quantity, giving you a
more accurate picture of your blood
sugar response after eating one serving
of a certain food.
4. Insulin & diabetes
When blood sugar levels rise, the
pancreas releases the hormone insulin.
Insulin facilitates the uptake of glucose by
our cells, where it can be used as energy.
Constant, long-term raised blood sugar
levels means your body needs to make
and release a lot of insulin. The result can
be a tired pancreas and insulin resistance.
When your cells become ‘deaf’ to the
constant stimulation from insulin your
blood sugar stays too high. This can lead
to serious diseases like type 2 diabetes,
cardiovascular disease and even many
cancers.
5. Carbs and fat storage
Glucose is a type of fuel that can be used
by your cells and muscles for energy.
But if you’re not active enough to use up Burning carbs produces lots of free
all the glucose you eat, insulin will trigger radicals in your body that contribute to
your body into storing the excess as fat accelerated aging (oxidative stress) and
preventing your fat burning enzymes take precious energy to neutralise.
from doing their job, meaning your fat is
The main takeaway
protected but you’re burning your lean
muscle instead! Vegetables are carbohydrate dominant.
You don’t need extra starchy carbs for
Eating fats don’t make fat - it’s carbs that
energy. Choose your carbs wisely – cut
do that!
out simple, refined carbs but do eat your
6. Dirty fuel rainbow of nutrient-dense vegetables and
Another reason to make sure your body a little fruit every day.
remembers how to burn fats instead of
carbs, is because fat is a much cleaner
and more efficient fuel.
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All about protein 2. Why we need it
Protein is considered a building block of
Some essentials to know about protein life. It’s involved in almost every process
in our bodies, being the main component
Proteins are fundamental to life. They
of muscle, but also key to most other
form parts of our body’s structure and
structures.
are critical to many functions, tissues
and organs. After water, they’re the most Proteins are used to regulate an
abundant substance in our bodies. organism’s function through gene
expression. They’re the key signalling
Together with fats, they’re classed as
compounds for metabolic pathways and
essential nutrients, which means we
the immune system.
need to eat them in adequate amounts to
remain healthy. If we don’t eat enough protein with the
right balance of essential amino acids,
1. What is protein?
our body weakens, our metabolism and
Protein is the collective name given to immune system suffer and we can’t
large molecules which are made up of repair or regenerate properly.
chains of small units known as amino
3. Complete vs incomplete
acids. There are 21 different types of
amino acids that combine to make a Protein can be categorised as being
protein. Nine of these are essential so COMPLETE when it contains all 9
must be consumed in the diet. Six of the essential amino acids or INCOMPLETE
other 12 are ‘conditionally essential’, so when it’s missing or is deficient in one or
we sometimes need them in our food, but more essential amino acids. Complete
small amounts can be produced inside proteins are typically found in animal-
our bodies. The remaining six are ‘non- derived foods such as meat, fish, eggs
essential’ because our body can make and dairy.
them, but we still need them. Most plant proteins are incomplete and
many are less bioavailable to the body
than animal-derived proteins.

10 © 2023 Alliance for Natural Health International

4. How much is enough? 6. Eating for optimal health
The World Health Organization says To get the best out of protein you should
adults should eat a minimum of 0.83 eat it as part of a balanced, varied and
grams of protein per kg to body weight diverse diet. Always eat protein in the
per day. But that’s based on studies on same meals as carbs and try to make
physically inactive, young people. We sure the first mouthful of your meal
recommend at least 1 gram per kg of is protein rich, not carb dense, to help
bodyweight per day for optimal health dampen your insulin response.
from cradle to grave. Those who are very Tips to help you increase your nutrient
active physically, the elderly or immune intake
compromised may need more.
There isn’t a single activity in the body
If the protein is less bioavailable, you which isn’t powered by energy from food.
absorb less from what you eat. Most Nutrient dense whole foods can help you
plant proteins are less bioavailable, so keep that spring in your step until you’re a
we need to eat more to compensate. ripe old age!
Adequate stomach acid is really
important for breaking down and If you need a biochemistry degree to
absorbing protein. Maintain good levels figure out what’s in a food package –
of stomach acid by managing stress and avoid it! Whenever you can, stick to
chewing thoroughly before you swallow. whole, unprocessed ‘real’ food.
Protein also helps keep us feeling fuller Eat a rainbow every day. Get the full
for longer. It can protect us against age- phytonutrient spectrum on a daily
related diseases such as heart disease, basis, by eating a rainbow of coloured
type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. vegetables along with small amounts of
Neglect your protein needs and your fruit.
neuro-transmitters in your brain can Prioritise the quality of your food. Factory
become imbalanced, putting yourself at farming can reduce the quality of plant
higher risk of developing mental health and animal foods, whilst damaging the
issues. environment. Buy local, sustainably
5. Cook carefully produced foods wherever possible. Check
out your local farm shop, farmers market
How you cook proteins matters, or try a box scheme.
particularly for animal proteins. High
temperature cooking such as grilling Buy vegetables grown in soil. Many
and frying can damage proteins, create supermarket salad vegetables are grown
substances that limit the bioavailability in hydroponic (liquid-only) systems,
of proteins and form carcinogens such not in soil. For plants to be healthy,
as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons they must grow in living soils, rich in
(PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs). microorganisms that help the plants to
absorb nutrients.
Use lower-heat cooking methods that
minimise protein and fat damage, such “Healthy soil = healthy
as slow cooking, braising, sautéing and plants = healthy humans.”
steaming.

11
Be mindful about what you’re eating to meaningful or purposeful. Still struggling
fully digest and absorb the nourishment with cravings? Try drinking a big glass
from your food. Avoid eating at your desk, of water before you cave. Brushing your
on the move or in front of the TV and teeth is also a good diversion. Keep a bag
chew your food thoroughly before you of nuts handy so you have a healthier
swallow to aid good digestion! option available to you.
Get ready to make changes Even if you do fall off the wagon, don’t
When we try to make changes to our diet, beat yourself up about it. Just accept
we’re often sabotaged by our cravings, it, set your intent and carry on until you
but it doesn’t have to be that way. It reach your destination, detours and all!
generally takes two weeks for your body Nurture your gut
to stop craving sugar. Stick to your guns To be as healthy as you can you need to
for at least two weeks and prepare to be nurture your gut health and the trillions
amazed! of organisms that reside there. When you
Cravings are common when people’s keep them healthy, they provide you with
bodies haven’t learnt to easily burn fat. To the essential metabolites and nutrients
retrain your body, save your food for your needed for a healthy body and mind.
main meals and avoid snacks. A healthy, functioning, gut lining is one of
Engage in intermittent fasting where you the most important parts of your body.
leave at least 5 hours between meals – It allows the right nutrients through, but
no snacks – or try time restricted feeding is meant to stop bacteria, large food
where you eat all your food for a day particles or other nasties leaking into your
within an 8-hour window. body. You could be eating the healthiest
Extreme hunger triggers cravings, so diet, but if your gut lining is damaged
make sure you eat enough vegetables, it can stop you reaching your health
quality protein and healthy fats at each potential.
meal. Remember, it’s not just the quantity Your gut is your first line of defence
of food that matters – it’s the quality that against any illness. It’s like an intelligent
really counts! shield to the outside world. Your gut
How often has a stressful situation decides what to let through, powering
derailed your good intentions? Stress your immune system and neutralising
itself isn’t the problem – it’s how you nasties before they can get through the
react to it! Cravings for carbs can occur barrier.
when too much stress pushes you into Your gut health can have a big impact
emotional overload. Give yourself enough on your mental health as the gut is
YOU time to make you more stress connected to your brain via the vagus
tolerant. nerve.
Changing your thoughts or environment
may reduce your cravings. Why not go for
“Happy gut = happy head
a brisk walk, have a shower or help out and vice versa!”
a friend to shift your mind to something

12 © 2023 Alliance for Natural Health International

Serotonin is the ‘feel-good’ hormone that teabag, letting toxins and other unwanted
your body produces naturally. Around substances flow out into your body. You
80-90% of it is produced by and stored can avoid a leaky gut by eating a healthy
in your gut! It also affects the speed at diet and avoiding foods that trigger a
which food moves through your gut, sensitivity reaction in your body. If a
making you effortlessly regular. particular food makes you feel bloated,
A healthy gut is essential for getting rid uncomfortable or gassy it might not
of toxins, hormones and other waste agree with you!
products so they don’t build up in your 4. Lectins
body. If your gut isn’t working as an Minimise your consumption of anti-
effective waste management system nutrients. Anti-nutrients, such as lectins,
you can end up reabsorbing your ‘waste’, are plant compounds that reduce the
which has the potential to cause a lot of absorption of nutrients. Grains and
damage over time. legumes are rich in lectins. Thankfully,
Making sure you keep your bacterial there are many ways to reduce or
friends happy is the best way to keep you eliminate anti-nutrients like slow cooking,
and your gut healthy. pressure cooking or fermenting.
Here are our top tips for a happy and 5. Gluten
healthy gut: Gluten containing foods such as bread,
1. Probiotics pasta, cereals etc have become staple
Probiotic foods are fermented foods that foods in our diets. But did you know that
contain live microorganisms that we need they contribute to gut problems for at
to flourish. Eating probiotic-rich foods least 20% of the Western population and
can boost the diversity and numbers of may be damaging your gut lining? Try
your gut bugs. Examples are live-culture eliminating grains and gluten from your
yoghurt (dairy or plant-based) or kefir, diet for 3 months and see how you feel.
kimchi, tempeh, sauerkraut and olives 6. Antibiotics and chemicals
plus you can get probiotic supplements. Antibiotics are designed to kill ‘bad’
2. Prebiotics bacteria but can wipe out ‘good’ bacteria
We also need prebiotics. These are in your gut in the process.
indigestible plant fibres that feed the Excessive alcohol intake, smoking,
microorganisms that live inside your disinfectants and other harmful
gut. Non-starchy vegetables contain substances from your environment can
high levels of prebiotic fibres and also harm your gut bugs. So be mindful
special nutrients called polyphenols. about the products you use within your
Your gut bacteria feed on these fibres individual ecosystem.
and nutrients. Different microbes prefer In a nutshell, only eat foods that make
different foods, so variety is key! your gut hum. It’ll be like repairing a
3. Leaky Gut damaged teabag – stopping those
Avoid leaky gut. The flow of water and ‘leaves’ escaping into your bloodstream.
small nutrient particles through the walls
of our intestines is necessary. But, when
your gut is ‘leaky’ it becomes a bit like a
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EXERCISE
Life is so much busier today than it make as much energy. With less energy,
used to be. Time literally seems to have your body starts to prioritise processes
speeded up, yet we’re expected to fit starting the slide down the slippery slope
so much into a day. With the advent of to disease.
smartphones and the Internet, there’s no Six Reasons to get into HIIT
getting away from constant contact and
High Intensity Interval training (HIIT) not
stimulation. We’re ‘on’ 24/7. It’s no wonder
only increases mitochondrial capacity,
that so many feel too time-challenged to
it also improves heart rate variability
exercise. Yet did you know that there’s
(an important emerging assessment
close correlation between lack of exercise
marker for cardiovascular disease risk)
and feeling tired all the time (TATT) - the
and enhances brain functions such as
number one reason why people visit their
memory and learning. Plus, you only need
GP? Let alone lack of exercise and ill
2 sessions a week of 15-20 mins of HIIT
health.
to reap these and many other rewards.
Never has the phrase ‘use it before you How do you feel now about freeing up
lose it’ been more apt than when talking 40 mins a week to engage in some free
about our mitochondria, the energy health insurance?
organelles in our cells. Our bodies are so
1. Super-efficient
concerned with energy conservation at a
deep survival level, that we stop making HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)
new mitochondria if they’re not needed. workouts are some of the most efficient
So, the more sedentary you are, the more workouts around!
mitochondria you lose and the more tired They produce many of the same benefits
you will get as a result because you can’t as other forms of exercise but can
achieve them in a much shorter amount
of time.
Aim for no more than 2 sessions a week.
2. Get lean
Higher intensity, shorter duration exercise
will build lean muscle faster and burn
more fat than endurance workouts.
HIIT can also boost your metabolism,
increasing the number of calories you
burn even after you finish.
Finally, HIIT can help regulate your leptin
levels, the hormone that regulates your
appetite – so it’s a slam dunk when you’re
leaning-up!

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3. Anti-aging 6. No excuses
High intensity interval stimulates HIIT can be tailored to whatever time and
your Human Growth Hormone (HGH) space constraints you have - and you
significantly in the 24 hours post your need no equipment except a willing mind
training. and body!
HGH is your anti-aging hormone - There are so many different types of HIIT
incorporating HIIT into your lifestyle can exercise you can do – the internet is full
help you look younger inside and out! of them. Have a browse and see what
4. Regulate insulin feels right for you!
Interval training is the most effective But remember…
exercise for regulating the fat-storage If your muscles are still sore 2 days after
hormone, insulin. exercise, chances are you overdid it. Take
It can also lower your blood sugar, so HIIT note and take care next time not to over-
may be especially beneficial for those at train.
risk of type 2 diabetes or if you put on G-force – a source of potent health
weight easily. You may not think about it very often, but
5. Flexibility our relationship to gravity is pivotal to
It’s not just your muscles and joints that our health and longevity. Did you know
will benefit. Two weeks of regular HIIT that astronauts with gravity deprivation
workouts can improve your aerobic syndrome start experiencing symptoms
capacity as much as 6 to 8 weeks of after only 3 days in space?
endurance training! Symptoms of deprivation include
tiredness, brain fog, insomnia, weak
muscles, bone loss, inflammation,
clogged arteries, poor balance and a
suppressed immune system.

15
Do any of these sound familiar to you? A height-adjustable desk that allows you
You may think they are part of the normal to stand as well as sit, is a worthwhile
ageing process, but you could just be investment. If this isn’t an option, aim to
suffering from a lack of G-force! get up and move for 2-3 minutes every
hour.
Gravity is an amazing free health
resource, and all you have to do to access One hour a day in the gym isn’t a magic
it, is move. elixir for long term health, longevity and
vigour.
G-force at work
We have stone age genes and we’re
Ever wondered if you’re unwittingly built to move. We wouldn’t be here if our
mimicking an astronaut when you’re at ancestors had sat on their keisters all day!
work? Is your body desperate for some
extra G-force? G-force at home
Being sedentary means there’s no pull of Our bodies need to feel the pressure
G-force on your body. Instead, it creates a exerted by G-force as we move within the
kind of weightlessness similar to being in field of gravity.
space. Two million years ago we’d have had
Sitting is the new smoking when it comes to outrun an animal to capture food or
to long-term damage to your health. go out and gather it. Nowadays, food
is everywhere — at the end of the hall,
though an app or at the corner store.
We move less and less, opting instead to
run life off a smart phone.
Indulge in constant G-force massage
by standing, walking, skipping, bending,
running, cycling or jumping as part of
your day.
Our bodies respond to gravity’s stimulus
best when the signals are frequent, the
activity is low intensity and you stop
and start frequently – so bring on those
chores!
The secret of great health is in perpetual
motion!
G-force and movement
Without G-force, many of our moving
parts just atrophy. But gravity can be
harmful to us unless we move.

16 © 2023 Alliance for Natural Health International

Making regular, repetitive movements Movement that resists gravity is essential
results in G-force pressure over our whole for good health - no matter our age.
body which leads to strong muscles and Gravity holds the world together and it
bones, healthy organs, good posture and holds US together too. So become more
a resilient body. aware of G-force and take advantage of
Gardening isn’t just a downtime stress the Earth’s FREE gravitational pull!
reliever. It’s a grounding, whole body The benefits of exercising outdoors
gravity bath that involves many repetitive
movements. We live in a world where everyone seems
intent on getting a quick fix. But what do
Any type of exercise is helpful but working you want: one drug that does one thing,
against gravity through weight-bearing like remove the symptoms of a disease,
exercise is particularly effective for but not worry that it doesn’t deal with
strengthening your bones. the underlying cause? Or do you want a
G-force at ANH drug that might be a little less convenient
A few of us are mad keen cyclists… than popping a pill – but actually it does
but we particularly love to increase our a bundle of good things to you, has a very
G-force by using a rebounder or mini low risk of doing you any harm at all, and
trampoline most mornings. it doesn’t cost a lot?
Look out for the ones that use bungy So - how about a drug that could optimise
cords instead of springs. They’re gentler your metabolism, regulate inflammatory
on your joints, and great for better processes and immune functions, control
lymphatic flow. Not only that, the effect the salt and water balance in your body,
on your body is almost 4 x the time you increase your libido, treat anxiety and
spend on it. depression, reverse age-related muscle
wasting and osteoporosis – oh – and get
Trampolines, bicycles and skipping you to an optimal body weight?
ropes help to increase gravitational force
naturally, giving you more bang for your Well, there is such a drug. But it’s not
exercise buck! one that you can get from your doctor
or health practitioner. It’s also one that
doesn’t cost a lot and has few side
effects.

17
It’s called being outdoors. We reckon it’s as to cause damage to the skin and so
one of the most underrated medicines increase skin cancer risk.
out there. If you can’t expose around 80% of your
Let’s just touch on 3 things that can skin to the sun – which is ideal – because
happen when you’re outdoors that are it’s not sunny or it’s cold – you can
really so powerful: engage in some therapeutic hypothermia.
1. Vitamin D Getting cold enough just for a short
time to let your core temperature drop
Your body produces the steroid hormone does you the world of good, protecting
we call vitamin D when your skin’s you from heart attacks, strokes
exposed to ultra-violet rays from the and neurological diseases. It’s anti-
sun. Yes – you can take supplements inflammatory and also triggers your body
containing vitamin D or get a bit from to produce more brown fat – or brown
fatty fish, fortified dairy products or adipose tissue – BAT – that we used
egg yolks. But interestingly – they’re to think only babies had. That’s a really
transported around the body in very good type of fat that helps us control how
different ways. Vitamin D produced by we use energy – and is really important
sun exposure is transported by specific in protecting you against weight gain
binding proteins, while vitamin D from or diabetes – or even reversing type 2
the diet or supplements is transported diabetes and obesity. This is why people
via lipoproteins. That might explain why feel so good after ice baths or wild
we don’t always see the same benefit swimming in cold water.
from supplements as we see from sun
exposure – assuming it’s not so much

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2. Physical activity and emotional
headspace
A lot of people think spending time
outdoors means lots of time – which they
don’t have. But so many of us are time
challenged - and it doesn’t have to be like
that. Getting outside spending time by
walking or cycling to work or to the shops
is a great way of doing it if you can.
Raised metabolism and mitochondrial
biogenesis (making new energy- It’s so important to avoid persistent low-
producing cells) benefit almost every grade inflammation – it’s the big baddy
system in your body. It really triggers fat that’s linked to all the major chronic
burning and it improves your circulation diseases from heart disease to cancer,
and cardiovascular function. from diabetes and obesity to Alzheimer’s,
Another quick mention about being and from osteoarthritis to osteoporosis.
outside: being more grounded in the
3. Microbiome diversity
outdoors not only helps calm your
emotional headspace – particularly One more quick mention. You don’t often
useful if you’re prone to a bit of anxiety think about being outside as being good
or depression – it also reduces for the gut. But there’s some good work
inflammation in the body. Forget bathing showing that people who spend lots
in chlorinated swimming pools – instead of time outside – have more diverse
– get into ‘forest bathing’. There’s some communities of gut bugs. And speaking
great science on the subject and we of food –
should all do it as often as we can.
“getting a bit of a dose of
good old clean dirt on your
food, doesn’t just not do
you any harm – it’s also
a great way of getting
probiotics – good bugs –
into you.”
Living soils and diverse gut bug
communities are a lot more closely
related than people think!

19
EMOTIONAL HEALTH
Managing stress 2. Physical activity
Stress seems to be an inevitable aspect Any form of physical activity is beneficial,
of modern life, but it’s actually a silent but endurance exercise that lasts over 2
assassin when it comes to your health hours can make you more stress tolerant.
and wellbeing. Moderate intensity endurance exercise
Stress causes our bodies to go into fight, helps you release the excess of stress
flight or freeze mode. Shutting down your hormones, noradrenaline (norepinephrine)
digestive system, preventing absorption and cortisol.
of all the nutrients in your food and It also stimulates natural pain killers like
diverting blood to your muscles. endorphins and endocannabinoids for
It also makes your heart race, your that feel-good high.
breathing quicken and your muscles Doing this regularly trains your body
tense. Laying the ground for future to reduce the intensity of the stress
breathing, cardiovascular and response whilst using your inbuilt
musculoskeletal problems evolutionary release mechanism. The
Amongst lots of other negative impacts, result is better stress tolerance!
long-term stress, like a ticking time bomb, 3. Forest bathing
ages us inside and out long before our
Spending mindful time in nature is a
time.
powerful stress reducer. The additional
Stress is a normal physiological response health benefits include reducing
to a dangerous situation, but it’s the inflammation, boosting your immune
length of time you stay stressed that system and extra oxygen for brain and
does the damage. body. Walking through woods or in nature,
Here are 6 simple ways to reduce your and paying attention with all our senses,
stress levels every day. is a form of mindfulness meditation. Take
1. Mindfulness some deep breaths and notice what’s
around you? What can you see, hear or
Exercising mindfulness is about being smell? How do you feel?
present in the moment, being aware of
You and everything happening in and When we turn off our devices, slow down,
around your ‘ecosystem’. breathe deeply and observe the solidity
of the earth beneath our feet, it grounds
The great thing about mindfulness is us, listening to bird song lifts the spirits
that you can practice it anywhere, for any and noticing how beautiful a tree, flower,
amount of time – and it’s free!
Not sure how to get started? Search for “Reconnecting to your wider
free apps and videos available online or
check out our Intention Circle meditations
community and being a part
on Soundcloud, that will set you off on of something bigger than You
your journey to peace of mind! provides a sense of belonging
and self-worth.”
20 © 2023 Alliance for Natural Health International
butterfly or wild animal is opens the heart. Working together takes us back to our
Feeling the warmth of the sun or a cool evolutionary norm. Together we are
breeze on our face makes us feel alive. stronger.
We are able to escape our thoughts. 6. Avoid unhealthy habits
If you’re struggling to find time to get Smoking, drinking and comfort eating
outside, work some nature-time into might appear to give you temporary
your daily routine. What about walking or stress relief, but they’re the cause of a lot
cycling to work or eating lunch outdoors? of stress to your body.
Make a conscious choice to reconnect A healthy body is as important as a
yourself to your natural environment. healthy mind. The two go hand in hand.
Take ‘You time’ in nature and melt your When you find sustainable ways of
stress away! relieving stress that nurture You, you
4. Breathing exercises naturally nurture mind and body too!
You probably don’t really think about your Meditation and mindfulness
breath all that often, but you can learn a The benefits of meditation and
lot about your body by taking a close look mindfulness practice on our mental and
at your breathing patterns. physical health are huge. They’re also
Improving your breathing pattern makes easier than you think and well worth the
your breath more efficient and your body effort.
less tense. There are lots of apps and Brain scans and the sciences of
breathing exercises available online, but neuroplasticity, epigenetics and
just closing your eyes and taking deeper psychoneuroimmunology have proven
breaths, making your outbreath longer what ancient wisdom has been showing
than your inbreath, is enough to start you us for centuries – that meditation heals
on your journey to mindful breathing. mind, body and spirit.
Your breath has the power to shift
you from a state of anxiety and
“Meditation can literally
hyperstimulation (fight and flight) to one change our physiology.”
of calm and peace (rest and digest). It’s
your inbuilt anti-stress mechanism that’s It enables us to control anxiety, drop
always with you! bad habits, increase creativity, improve
sleep, reduce memory loss, lower blood
5. Connect to your community pressure, become more joyful, and
A lot of the problems we’re experiencing relaxed.
in society come from disconnection. Our Even better, it’s completely free. So why
disconnection to ourselves and to one don’t more of us do it?
another is at the heart of the problem.

21
Many people find it hard to meditate, they Our blood pressure drops, our heart rate
think they can’t do it or say they don’t slows, we sleep better, feel calmer and
have the time. are less likely to pick up that donut, drink
Yet it’s easier than you think – and there or worse.
are more ways to meditate than sitting The body is also able to heal itself, rather
cross-legged on a cushion. than preparing to escape what it thinks is
Of course, transcendental, vipassana, a risky situation.
metta and guided meditations are Here are 4 everyday ways to meditate
fantastic and only take a few minutes outside to just prime your creative flow:
each day, but if you don’t enjoy traditional 1. Hiking up a mountain
seated meditation, there are other
everyday ways to incorporate meditation Mountains are symbolic of life’s
into your life – and enjoy the outdoors. challenges. To climb one requires
In essence, meditation gives us the ability balance, focus and a clear head. We may
to escape our whirling thoughts and get so far and have to stop for a rest, we
detach from them. may stumble or fall, but we pick ourselves
back up and the higher we climb, the
Why is that so beneficial? greater the rewards.
Just think about sucking on a lemon. We become aware of something bigger
You salivate, right? Your body is having a than ourselves, and our problems
physical response to your thoughts. subsequently become smaller. We gain
That’s fine if those thoughts are loving, perspective.
peaceful or anodyne, but if you’re
worrying about a big presentation at
work, fretting about a tricky conversation
with your spouse, or constantly rushing
from one task to the next, that elicits a
primordial fight, flight or freeze stress
response. This can include raised blood
pressure, racing thoughts, insomnia,
headaches, muscle tension and more.
When this temporary state of high alert
is sustained over time, the cortisol,
adrenaline and other inflammatory
chemicals produced in the body wreak
havoc on the cells, which includes the
vital organs and immune system. This
can result in serious illness or depression.
Meditation and the deep breathing
practiced alongside it activates the
Vagus nerve, which takes us out of the
sympathetic nervous system (fight, flight
or freeze) and into the parasympathetic
nervous system (rest, digest and repair).

22 © 2023 Alliance for Natural Health International

2. Gardening In practicing these everyday outdoor
Gardening can be a form of moving meditations, we also become aware
meditation. We literally connect to the of the seasons and the cyclical rhythm
earth, and by focusing on what we’re of nature. They remind us of life’s
doing, whether planting seeds, watering impermanence and that this too shall
seedlings or pulling weeds, we are in the pass.
present moment and are able to let go of 4. Cycling
our concerns. The repetitive act of spinning the
It’s gratifying to see a seed sprout pedals of a bicycle allows us to enter
and grow into a plant. It signifies new a meditative state where thoughts
beginnings and by watering it and tending disappear into the background.
to it, it shows us that our actions can Focus on the flow of air around you as
make a difference. you ride and synchronise your breath with
3. Beachcombing your bike.
Walking along a shoreline and watching Remember to stay alert to what’s
the tides roll in and out can be deeply happening around you but always bring
meditative. The sound of the waves, your focus back to your cycling and
whether they’re thrashing around or breathing. Be in the present moment and
lapping gently, bolsters relaxation. forget about the past and the future for a
The smell of the salty sea air and its short while.
negative ions stimulate the olfactory Sleep is for more than just beauty.
system, and the brain’s limbic system, It allows for rejuvenation, repair and
which deals with emotions, mood and rebuilding. Your brain and cognitive
memory, contributing to a calming state function, as well as your ability to handle
and helping us sleep better. stress can be utterly transformed by
Being focused on searching for seashells, prioritising quality sleep.
rocks, pebbles, or driftwood, takes us
out of our thoughts and into the present
moment. Our minds quieten, we breathe
more deeply and stress ebbs away.

23
EFFORTLESS SLEEP
Sleep your way to a revitalised brain! Deep REM sleep stimulates the brain to
How important is your brain to you? produce BDNF - growth hormone for your
brain. Too much stress, physical inactivity
Did you know that you can make new and poor sleep impacts BDNF levels
brain cells and enhance your brain’s in your brain and causes brain cells to
functionality at any age? Would you like to ‘commit suicide’ (apoptosis).
have the brain of a 40-yr old when you’re
80? Sleep deprivation is literally like running
on empty!
Here are 3 game-changing steps you can
incorporate into your daily life that could 2. Get more REM sleep
transform your sleep quality: REM sleep also plays an important role in
1) Create more brain growth hormone processing and storing information. This
and give your brain a second chance! is when our brain stores memories and
locks in what you’ve learned during the
2) Get more REM sleep to make new day.
brain cells, and
We need 90 to 110 mins of REM sleep
3) Filter out brain-draining blue light. a night, but this can be hard for many
1. Create more brain growth hormone people.
Until very recently it was thought that our Alcohol, nicotine and a lack of exercise
brains were unable to regenerate and just can all put your REM sleep at risk.
deteriorated through life as we aged. Achieve more REM sleep by making
Now we know that we are able to make exercise a daily priority (which also
new brain cells providing we do a few increases your brain’s growth hormone
things right. – BDNF!); preventing an overload of blue
First and foremost. Sleep is MISSION light; planning your sleep and waking
CRITICAL for health, but particularly our times; going to bed a bit earlier; finding
brain health. creative outlets for your stress that don’t
revolve around alcohol and cigarettes and
A tired brain is a declining, aging brain
keeping well hydrated with water during
that’s more at risk of disease and
the day.
dysfunction.
Download a sleep app (but keep your
smartphone on airplane mode) to monitor
“A properly rested brain can the quality and quantity of your sleep and
MAKE new brain cells, can check out the sleep accessories list at the
end.
PROTECT you from disease
and dysfunction, and can
MAINTAIN high functioning
cognitive capability long into
your senior years.”

24 © 2023 Alliance for Natural Health International

3. Managing blue-light levels Blue-light blocking glasses are now
Blue light isn’t all bad. In daylight it helps available. The best can completely block
keep us awake and alert by limiting blue light (450-500 nm), and the most
melatonin - the night-time regeneration damaging wavelengths are at the lower
hormone. end of this spectrum, especially around
455 nm. These glasses will tend to use
But too much blue light at the wrong time amber pigments to absorb blue light, so
of the day can make you feel tired and don’t be deceived by those that have blue
unfocused, while also keeping you awake tints and claim to be blue light blocking.
at night.
The main takeaway?
Until recently, the only source of blue light
was the sun. Our ancestors had to rely on Sleep helps your brain process
firelight and burning torches to light their information efficiently, repair and renew
nights. cells, maintain your mitochondrial
function (for energy), and keep your
Artificial lighting, TVs, smartphones, metabolism firing. Brain neurons can
tablets and computers emit huge also make hormones to help keep you in
amounts of blue light, and many of us are balance!
exposed to them for most of the day and
now, the evenings too. Make the most of your horizontal time
Blue light can make it harder for us to If you feel like there aren’t enough hours
fall asleep, as well as affecting our deep in the day, remember – sleeping is NOT
restful REM sleep. So even if you get your wasting time. It’s about allowing you
8 hours a day, you may still be missing to make more out of the time you are
out! awake.

25
1. Exercise your way to better sleep – • Vitamin D is also needed for healthy
and a younger brain nerve growth in your brain
Being sedentary actually lowers your • Becoming more efficient at burning
available energy because you lose vital fats for energy releases ketones which
mitochondrial function. Being active trigger increased production of brain
enhances function and stimulates the growth hormone (BDNF)
creation of new mitochondria, the energy • A healthy array of prebiotic plant
factories in your cells. fibres like yams, garlic, onions, leeks,
You need energy for restful sleep because asparagus, chicory root and acacia
it takes energy to relax your muscles gum enhance gut bacteria that
and allow you to go into deep sleep. produce butyrate which stimulates
Sometimes insomnia is just about being BDNF and reduces inflammation in
too energy deficient to sleep. your body.
Being sedentary also puts you at risk Inflammation causes your brain cells to
of a brain that’s in decline and at risk of literally commit suicide (apoptosis) and
Alzheimer’s disease amongst a swathe of your immune system to rev up in the
other health problems. background consuming vital energy you
Exercise is hugely powerful for creating need for restful sleep.
better sleep and a bigger memory centre
in your brain, improving memory and
protecting against dementia.
Aim for daily moderate to intense activity
of at least 20 minutes a day. But more
is better with recent scientific evidence
suggesting being active for 45 to 60
minutes is worth the effort.
2. Eat your way to better sleep –
and a younger brain
If someone calls you ‘fat head’, take it
as a compliment! Our brains consist of
around 60% fat, but other nutrients also
play their part in sleep and brain health.
A healthy, energy-rich brain is a brain that
allows you to rest and get into deep REM
sleep.
• Omega 3 DHA from fish is pure brain
food
• Turmeric increases brain growth
hormone (BDNF)
• Low vitamin D levels are also
associated with poor sleep quality

26 © 2023 Alliance for Natural Health International

3. Setting the scene for restful sleep • Block blue light from screens or indoor
lights, especially in the hours leading
Darkness triggers melatonin production.
to bedtime. You can buy blue light
Dim your lights in the evening, wear blue
blocking glasses or screen filters
light blocking glasses when viewing
or download apps for your devices.
screens and sleep in a PITCH BLACK
DO check that they are effective at
room for the best quality sleep.
blocking wavelengths of 450-500 nm.
Avoid NOISE that can activate your brain
• Grounding sheets allow you to ‘earth’
and remember that a cool room supports
yourself from your bed. They mimic
better sleep. Aim for a temperature of
the negative electric charge of the
around 18 degrees.
earth’s surface and can massively
The DROP in temperature is another improve sleep.
signal to your body that it’s time to sleep
• Weighted blankets can increase
and produce melatonin. Melatonin is
serotonin and melatonin levels, whilst
cancer protective, regenerative, boosts
relieving stress and anxiety. Do opt
your metabolism and helps to offset
for glass beads, rather than plastic as
the effects of electromagnetic radiation
they’re cooler and better for the planet!
(EMR).
Your productive, creative, communicative
Finally, don’t forget to switch your
life awaits you - but you need to be well
phone to airplane mode and turn off
rested to take full advantage!
your Wi-Fi router to limit exposure to
electromagnetic radiation whilst your Six herbs to help you sleep
body and brain are regenerating. In this section we tell you about six herbs
4. Accessorise your way to better sleep that have a long history of safe use, as
well as plenty of supporting science, to
If you want to seriously up your sleeping
help you sleep.
game, you could invest in some sleep
accessories to help you on your way: Before we start, just a quick word about
the quality of the herbs you use. Not
all herbs sold as teas, tinctures, dried
herbs or as extracts are the same. Just
like plant foods, they can vary greatly
depending on the country of origin,
growing conditions, time of harvest and
their freshness. Organically certified
medicinal or pharmacopoeia-grade herbs
are often the best option.
We strongly advise you to select herbs
where:
• Quality is assured
• There is no risk of contaminants
• Amounts of active ingredients are
known or standardised.

27
1. Valerian 4. Lemon Balm
This is the most commonly used herb The volatiles of lemon balm promote
for supporting good sleep. It’s a mild calmness when inhaled in aromatherapy
sedative that works like a gentle version and help calm the nervous system when
of benzodiazepine tranquilisers e.g. taken internally. It acts as a natural
valium, binding weakly to receptors of the sedative acting as an inhibitor of GABA
neurotransmitter GABA, which calms your transaminase, an enzyme that breaks
nervous system. down GABA. Like hops, it also works well
Unlike the drug version, it isn’t addictive. when combined with valerian.
It’s best taken as a tea, tincture or 5. Passion Flower
standardised extract in a capsule around Purple passion flowers not only look
2 hours before you go to bed. beautiful, they also contain a variety of
2. Hops flavonoid compounds that affect GABA
Extracts from hop flowers, as used in receptors.
beer fermentation, work particularly well Many studies show infusions, extracts
when combined with valerian by reducing or tinctures relieve anxiety and improve
restlessness and helping you gently fall sleep quality.
asleep. 6. Lavender Oil
Hop extracts contain compounds that A few drops of the oil on your pillow, or
increase GABA activity and calm the sprigs of fresh lavender inside your pillow
central nervous system. case, can help you get in the mood for
3. Ashwagandha sleep.
Widely regarded as the ‘hottest herb in The volatile compounds in the essential
India’, the roots of this adaptogenic herb oil have been shown to calm the mind
have been shown to have a wide range and relax the nervous system.
of benefits, from reducing systemic REMEMBER, when it comes to herbs,
inflammation and anxiety, through to their provenance and quality, as well as
improving libido and reducing sleep the amount and spectrum of actives
disturbances. It has been extensively in a given formulation, are key to their
studied and has been shown to restore effectiveness.
GABAergic signalling problems. Also herb combinations can be more
effective than single herbs because
they deliver a wider range of actives and
synergistic compounds (compounds that
work together).

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ENSURING ENERGY FOR LIFE
A long life isn’t worth much when its last
few decades are crippled by ill health and “Turn the page in your book
preventable disease – but it doesn’t have of life by simple nutrition and
to be like that. Our choices over how and lifestyle changes. Did you
what we eat, the quality of our sleep, how
and when we move and how we manage know that food, lifestyle and
stress have a huge bearing on our quality environment actually change
of life over time.
the way your genes express
In this final section we put it all together
to get you started on the path to better
themselves?”
health and wellbeing so you can live your
Get metabolically flexible
best life. The earlier you start to look after
yourself the healthier your later years are • As well as programming your genes,
likely to be! it’s more important than you think to
avoid the blood sugar rollercoaster.
Your Book of Life
Dump the junk! Remove highly
There’s no need to worry if your family processed foods from your diet and
has a long history of chronic illness. eat a variety of whole foods. Check our
You aren’t limited by your genes! That’s Food4Health guidelines for more help!
because how you eat and live changes
• Intermittent fasting gives your body
the way your genes express.
time for repair works, so try leaving
at least 5 hours between meals and
fasting for at least 12 hours overnight
• Become a dual fuel burner, able to
readily switch between burning fats
and burning carbs, easily tapping into
your fuel stores
• Reduce simple, starchy carbs, eat
plenty of healthy fats, moderate
protein and give up snacking!
Reducing the amount of carbs you
burn means reducing the production of
free radicals, leaving you looking and
feeling younger for longer!

29
 Fire them up by:
• Restricting calories through giving up
snacking between meals
• Prioritise your sleep to help your cells
repair and rejuvenate
• HIIT it! Short, sharp bursts of exercise
energise our mitochondria and better
still, create new ones.
Strengthen your defences
• Staying with the bug theme because
over 70% of our immune defences
come from our gut
• Get down and dirty – play with the kids
outside, do some gardening, snuggle
your pets and spend time in the
outdoors
• Keep antibacterial products to a
Feed your gut bugs
minimum because living in a sterile
• We’re made up of 99% microbial DNA, environment damages our beneficial
not human DNA! microbes and makes us sterile too
• It means we’re hugely dependent on • Eat lots of fresh herbs and spices and
our microbial friends for our health a colourful rainbow of plant foods
and vitality - including how well we feel every day which contain protective
mentally and emotionally. phytonutrients.
• Feed your bugs by eating bugs in Stop ‘rusting’ from the inside out
fermented foods such as sauerkraut,
• The plant nutrients in coloured
kimchi, olives, miso, kefir, kombucha
vegetables, herbs and spices contain
• Eat more plants because the fibre powerful antioxidants so your body
provides the food your gut microbes can counter the damage from free
need to create healthy, abundant radicals
colonies.
• Enjoy alcohol in moderation
Fire up your mitochondria
• In particular, eat sulphur rich
These are your cellular energy factories vegetables like garlic and onions, as
and they’re turning over very quickly in well as dark green leafy vegetables
your cells. to boost levels of glutathione - your
If you don’t use them, you lose them! And body’s natural antioxidant powerhouse
you can’t afford to lose them as they’re
powering every cell in your body.

30 © 2023 Alliance for Natural Health International

• Oyster mushrooms are also Exercise and engaging gravity
antioxidant powerhouses • Once you achieve the right balance in
• Herbs and spices like turmeric and life, exercise becomes a want, not a
rosemary are not only antioxidant, but must. Especially if you do the type of
anti-inflammatory too! exercise that brings you joy
Build your bones • Alternate resistance/strength and
• You naturally lose bone density over endurance/cardio training to keep
time, but poor diet and reduced things interesting and get the
oestrogen levels after menopause can maximum range of anti-aging benefits.
really take a toll on your bone health Rest and recover
• Get out into the summer sun regularly • Don’t leave your relaxation to ‘leftover
to build vitamin D stores, and take a time’ – plan for it! Make sure you sleep
supplement in the winter that includes well (6-8 hours per night depending on
vitamin K your needs), meditate, socialise, find
• Getting in all the right vitamins and your mission and life purpose, live in
minerals from eating a rainbow of the moment, and try to give more than
coloured vegetables every day can you take.
also help keep your bones in good • Take time to be with friends and family,
shape and do plenty of things that make
• Finally, engaging in strength training you happy. Laughter really is the best
and weight bearing exercise helps medicine!
build and maintain strong bones.

31
Inspired to make more changes to your diet
and lifestyle?

RESET
EATING
Turn your food into
powerful medicine to
reset your health and
resilience.
In it you’ll find information and
practical tools that bring the
ANH Intl’s ground-breaking Buy the Book
Food4Health approach to life.

Re-imagine your relationship

with food
Deep dive into the science behind metabolic, multi-system flexibility
and resilience.

Find out how food can provide information or disinformation for the
body, and how to crunch the numbers to help you get “keto-adapted”.

Learn the 12-step programme, nutrient and food sections for a more
practical, just-do-it approach.

32 © 2023 Alliance for Natural Health International

Authors
Rob Verkerk PhD
An internationally acclaimed, multi-disciplinary sustainability scientist
with a 40-year background in environmental, agricultural, food, nutritional
and health sciences. He has masters and doctorate degrees from
Imperial College London, where he also worked as a postdoctoral
research fellow, and founded the non-profit Alliance for Natural Health
International in 2002.

Meleni Aldridge
She is a practicing clinical psychoneuroimmunologist, functional
medicine practitioner and certified Metabolic Balance coach, immersed
in the field of natural and integrative medicine for over 30 years.

Melissa Smith
A qualified Nutritional
Therapist who is passionate
about empowering
individuals to take control
of their own health using
natural approaches to health
care where possible.

33
www.anhinternational.org

© 2023 Alliance for Natural Health International