Those living with excess weight often feel their lack of willpower and need for convenience is the main reason they choose taste over health. But, you may be surprised to know that the “foods” on the shelves of grocery stores, schools, work canteens, and pretty much everywhere in between, are engineered for addiction, in the same way as cigarettes or illicit drugs.

They call it “hyperpalatable foods”, the inevitable consequence of making sugar, salt, and hydrogenated oil the main ingredient of most processed and ultra-processed food products. To compensate for the flavour eliminating preservation processes that gives these foods their long-shelf life, food scientists have steadily tinkered with obesogenic, carcinogenic, and metabolic disruptive ingredients and chemicals to entice consumers into buying large quantities of their product.

In September 2023, the government reported that they were launching an inquiry into unregulated cosmetic activities, in an effort to protect consumers from “botched” procedures like Botox. The UK government news report went on to say that there were around 900,000 Botox injections each year, and in 2022 there were over 2,000 complaints related to the injection.

But were these complaints for botched procedures? Botox, short for botulinum toxin, is derived from clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that produces dangerous biological substances that attack the nervous system. Specifically, Botox blocks the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter responsible for muscle contraction. While orthodox medicine uses Botox in medical management[i] (despite there being far less toxic alternatives), more commonly, it’s used as an aesthetic treatment to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. This article will discuss the long-term consequences of Botox, and why consumers may truly be unhappy with the results, and it’s not because it needs further regulation.

Black women have had a steady increase in reproductive health issues since the advent of chemical hair straighteners. And Black women are now twice as likely as white women to have infertility according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Alicia Smith of Cleveland, Ohio US had no family of history of cancer at all, but developed uterine cancer at the age of 41. She had been using hair straightening products since she was 13 years old. Alicia is suing L'Oreal, Strength of Nature, SoftSheen-Carson (Dark & Lovely, Optimum and others), Luster, and Godrej Consumer Products (African Pride products).

“For too long, the cosmetics industry has failed to warn consumers of the presence of harmful chemicals in hair relaxers,” Smith’s attorney, Ashlie Case Sletvold, told Cleveland.com. “This has led to devastating consequences for women like Alicia Smith.”

The pursuit of health and wellbeing is a universal aspiration, transcending cultural, religious, and geographical boundaries. Many faith traditions, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and others, emphasise the importance of health in body, mind, and spirit. They argue that God, or the divine force, wants us to lead fulfilling, healthy lives and maintain a deep connection with the universe. And though you don’t have to have a religion to stay aligned to that focus, religious practice can serve as a guiding light, inspiring individuals to live healthily and strive for holistic wellbeing at all times, even when times become challenging or the way doesn’t appear clearly.

As Halloween approaches, ghouls and goblins aren't the only things to fear. For those on a weight loss journey, certain foods and drinks can be downright spine-chilling. These nutrition nightmares lurk in our diets, ready to sabotage our efforts to shed those extra pounds.

As an alternative health coach, as well as a naturopathy, herbal medicine student, I watch the news and scream at those who minimise this conflict as just another thing that is happening amidst rising inflation and changing weather conditions. This is a serious affront to human potential, as there are multifaceted health impacts from the scarcity of essential resources. There are risks of injury, global disease, environmental degradation, and long-term mental illness due to the psychological trauma and generational scars left by violent conflict. Depraved violence is unnatural to humans, as our essence thrives and progresses when we live in a peaceful environment that respects the body, mind and spirit. That honours life and security. That values our continuation as a species, without induced health defect or disease.

A key tenant of naturopathic medicine is bio-individuality, which understands that each person is unique. We all differ in how we experience the world, how our body reacts to it’s environment, and how our body will heal when it’s out of balance. Though symptoms of disease will manifest in the same way, how an individual becomes sick, and how their body choses to embark on self-healing, are key considerations for naturopathic practitioners as they guide people towards healing.

Food costs have also risen 12.2% in 2023 in the UK. In the US, every year there’s been a steady increase in food costs, with the latest figures suggesting an 11.4% increase. From experience, food has always been more expensive in the US than the UK, so that 11.4% is slightly deceptive, as overall, common healthy food items like coconut oil and olive oil are double, to triple the cost of that in the UK.