Firstly a quick reminder that we have the Pain and inflammation infographics available, both flat and strut board that is free standing, just drop Natalie an email and we can send what you need in the post inhealthsupplements@yahoo.com

These really stimulate conversations with patients asking questions about the products and if they might be good for them or a friend/relative.

In other news, I will be hosting a free webinar on Wednesday Feb 5th on how to implement TURMERIC PLUS and META-BOOST in practice.

This will be a cheeky overview of the science & clinical trials with the very ingredients we have in the products AND then protocols for clinic and case studies.

Click below to register 👇:

In other tragic news, I have given up caffeine 😭.

This was an enforced rather than voluntary thing, as I have been having ectopic heart beats.

Now, I have quite an active brain, so I had pretty much stopped coffee in the AM, but did have a cup of tea, and then a coffee or three from midday onwards.

But back in the spring of 2020, I was at my desk and suddenly felt a thump in my chest, and then 20 seconds later there it was again.

Then it was gone.

I was having pauses in my contractions, then a compensatory big beat, usually 2-3 a minute for a few minutes then gone.

This has gone on and off since then, but a few months ago, it came and the pauses were every 3rd beat, which was a little disconcerting.

So, I bit the bullet and bought myself a KARDIA monitor, which is essentially a mini-ECG.

Simply put your index fingers on it, linked up to the bluetooth on the phone, and you get a 30 second ECG, brilliant. 

And soon enough, when I felt some funny business, I had diagnosed myself with premature ventricular contractions. 

These are usually benign, but coming every 3rd beat was a bit much, and I could feel the heart was fast and felt slightly breathless. 

So, off to the GP with my readouts, and he has forwarded me to cardiology. When that will happen I have no idea. 

But in the meantime, I did a few things myself.

Firstly, I was more consistent with my magnesium intake and upped it to around 600 mg daily (x4 capsules over the day of Mag Duo). 

And I stopped caffeine. 

And I am sad to report that it has improved my heart beats AND it has also calmed my brain down quite a bit. 

It has made me once again consider my genetics and how caffeine is metabolised. 

The main liver enzyme that breaks it down is called CYP 1A2.

There are two versions of this, a fast one and a slow one. 

Meaning if you have the slow one, you will feel the effects of caffeine more as your clearance is slower. 

Thus, with this gene and caffeine, you might have issues with brain chatter/anxiety, high blood pressure and even heart disease.

Thus, you might be more “sensitive” to caffeine. 

Not only that, this enzyme also breakdowns drugs like paracetamol, and MDMA (ecstasy) and hormones too, like estrogen.

Plus toxins like aromatic heterocyclic amines (in cigarette smoke), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (in cigarette smoke, diesel exhaust, pollution), and aflatoxin B1 (mold). 

It would be fair to say I was known as something of a lightweight in terms of medication and recreational indulgences.

And here are my genes:

Not only do I have the CYP 1A2 *1F variant (the slow one), but I also have a double defect (+/+) or SNP, making it doubly bad at doing its job. 

So, I am now enjoying the Roobios tea plus a selection of really good herbal teas from Celestial Seasons tea, my favourite is Cherry.

And my little hyperactive brain is better for it, especially getting off to sleep better.

And my heart is better, not perfect, but way better and next week I’ll take you through a few more things that can really help the heart.