https://linktr.ee/holisticallyanneharrison

Holistically Anne Harrison, Main Road, Exminster (2026)

08/09/2026

Hormone health is about so much more than female hormones.

If you spend any time on Instagram, you’ll probably see plenty of posts about “balancing your hormones” — often meaning oestrogen, progesterone or cortisol.

And while these hormones are incredibly important, there is a much bigger picture.

As a Nutritional Therapist, I look at hormones as part of the wider endocrine system.

- Pancreas & insulin – helping regulate blood sugar and influencing metabolic health
- Oestrogen & progesterone – important for reproductive health, but also bone, brain and cardiovascular health
- Testosterone – important for both men and women, influencing muscle, bone, libido and reproductive function
- Thyroid hormones – influencing metabolism, energy and temperature regulation
- Cortisol & the stress response – helping regulate blood sugar, inflammation and our response to stress

And then there are the hormones and signalling systems produced by the brain, gut, liver, kidneys, muscle and fat tissue.

They are all connected.

One of the areas I find particularly interesting is blood sugar.

Insulin doesn’t just determine what happens to glucose after we eat. Insulin resistance can interact with s*x hormones and SHBG, while metabolic health is associated with testosterone levels in men too.

And hormones aren’t something we necessarily need to “balance” with a particular food, supplement or strict diet.

Sometimes the more useful question is:

What is happening across the whole system?

Are you getting enough protein and fibre?
Are your meals supporting steady energy?
Are you maintaining muscle?
How is your sleep?
How much stress are you under?
Are you getting the nutrients needed for hormone production and metabolism?
And are there underlying issues that need investigating?

This is the perspective I take in nutritional therapy: look at the whole person, not just one hormone.

I’ve written a new blog exploring the fascinating relationship between hormones and nutrition, you can find the link in my bio.

07/09/2026

What if you stopped trying to make your body fit the yoga pose?

What if we started making the yoga pose fit your body?

There isn’t one perfect version of a yoga posture.

The way a pose looks and feels will depend on so many things — our anatomy, mobility, strength, previous injuries, proportions, experience and even how we’re feeling that day.

That’s why in my classes I’m not looking for everyone to look exactly the same.

I’ll give you the foundations of a pose, but I’ll also encourage you to explore.

Could you change your stance?
Use a block?
Reduce the depth?
Move more slowly?
Try a different variation?

And, perhaps most importantly, notice how it feels rather than worrying about how it looks.

Because I don’t want you to become dependent on me telling you exactly where to put every part of your body.

I want you to become confident enough to make those decisions for yourself.

That’s a skill you can take beyond your yoga mat.

If you’d like to come and practise with me, I teach small Hatha-based classes in Exminster and Topsham, with plenty of options for different bodies and different levels of experience.

Booking link in bio

04/09/2026

Why Variety Matters

We’ve spent the last few days exploring the fascinating world of plant compounds, from polyphenols and flavonoids to carotenoids, glucosinolates and organosulphur compounds.

But perhaps the most important message is this:

It’s not about finding one “superfood”. It’s about variety.

Different plants contain different combinations of:

- Vitamins & minerals
- Fibre
- Polyphenols & flavonoids
- Carotenoids
- Glucosinolates
- Organosulphur compounds
- And many other plant bioactives

And our gut microbes interact with many of these compounds too, helping to transform some of them into other substances that can influence our health.

So eating 5 portions of the same fruit and vegetables every day is very different from eating a wide variety of plant foods.

Think:

- leafy greens
- berries
- beans & lentils
- nuts & seeds
- wholegrains
- herbs & spices
- onions & garlic
- colourful vegetables
- different fruits

One practical goal you could try is 30 different plant foods across a week.

And remember, it doesn’t have to mean buying 30 completely different vegetables!

Herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, pulses, wholegrains, fruit and vegetables all count.

Eat the rainbow — but think beyond colour.

Because variety isn’t just about making your plate look beautiful.

It’s about feeding your body and your gut microbes a much wider range of plant nutrients, fibres and bioactive compounds.

After all…

Plants are more than vitamins.

03/09/2026

Plant Power - Beyond Polyphenols

So far in this series we’ve looked at polyphenols and flavonoids.

But plants contain so much more. Their naturally occurring compounds contribute to their colour, flavour, aroma and protective properties and many have fascinating effects within the body.

Here are a few:

Glucosinolates
Found in broccoli, kale, cabbage, rocket and watercress. When these plants are chopped or chewed, compounds such as sulforaphane are formed, which have been studied for their role in cellular defence and the body’s natural detoxification pathways.

Organosilpher Compounds
Found in garlic, onions and leeks. These compounds are responsible for much of their distinctive flavour and have been researched for cardiovascular and cellular protective effects.

Carotenoids
Think beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin. These colourful pigments are particularly interesting for eye health, cellular protection and healthy ageing.

Terpenes & Terpenoids
Found throughout herbs, spices and citrus fruits, contributing to their distinctive aromas and flavours. They are being researched for a range of biological effects.

Phytosterols
Found in nuts, seeds, legumes, wholegrains and vegetable oils. They are particularly interesting because they can help reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine.

Saponins
Found in foods including legumes, oats and quinoa. These plant compounds have been studied for their interactions with cholesterol, immune function and cellular signalling.

And then there’s fibre, which deserves a whole post of its own!

The bigger picture?

When you eat broccoli, garlic, berries, carrots, herbs, beans or wholegrains, you’re not simply eating vitamins and minerals.

You’re eating a complex package of nutrients, fibre and plant compounds.

Different plants provide different compounds which is one reason variety matters.

Tomorrow we’ll bring it all together and look at plant diversity and the gut microbiome.

02/09/2026

Meet the flavonoids

Yesterday we met the polyphenols, one of the biggest families of plant compounds.

Flavonoids are a large and fascinating group within the polyphenol family.

And they’re everywhere.

Berries
Apples
Citrus fruits
Onions
Tea
Cocoa
Grapes
Herbs and spices

They’re also partly responsible for some of the beautiful colours we see in plants.

They’re being researched for their potential roles in:

- cardiovascular health
- brain and cognitive health
- maintaining a healthy inflammatory response
- antioxidant and cellular defence
- interactions with the gut microbiome
- healthy ageing

There are several major groups.

Anthocyanins

Think deep blue, purple and red.

Found in berries, cherries, purple cabbage and other deeply coloured plants.

These are being studied particularly in relation to cardiovascular and cognitive health.

Flavanols

Found in green tea, cocoa, dark chocolate and apples.

Catechins are one example.

They’re particularly interesting in research around blood vessel function and healthy circulation.

Flavanones

Especially abundant in citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and grapefruit.

Flavonols
Found in foods including onions, kale, apples and berries.

Quercetin is a well-known example.

Isoflavones

Found particularly in soy foods such as tofu, tempeh and edamame.

Genistein and daidzein are examples.

And here’s the bit I really love…

We often hear about individual compounds. But food doesn’t work in isolation.

A blueberry doesn’t contain just anthocyanins.

An apple doesn’t contain just quercetin.

Tea doesn’t contain just catechins.

So rather than chasing one particular flavonoid…

Eat a variety of flavonoid-rich foods.

And tomorrow we’re moving beyond polyphenols and flavonoids to discover some of the other fascinating compounds hiding in plants…

Glucosinolates
Organosulphur compounds
Carotenoids
Terpenes
Phytosterols

01/09/2026

Meet the Polyphenols

Yesterday I talked about why plants are more than vitamins.

Today, let’s meet one of the biggest families of plant compounds:

Polyphenols

Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds found throughout the plant kingdom.

There are thousands of different polyphenols, and they are found in many of the foods we eat every day.

Think:

- Berries
- Apples
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Tea
- Coffee
- Cocoa
- Nuts and seeds
- Herbs and spices
- Onions
- Grapes

And here’s where it gets interesting…

Polyphenols aren’t just one thing.

They’re a large family containing several different groups of compounds, each with their own characteristics.

One of the biggest groups within polyphenols is flavonoids — which we’ll explore tomorrow.

Other groups include:

- Phenolic acids
- Stilbenes, such as resveratrol
- Lignans, found in foods such as flaxseed and sesame

So what do polyphenols actually do?

This is where we need to move beyond simply calling them “antioxidants”.

Polyphenols can interact with our bodies in many different ways.

Research is exploring their potential roles in:

- cardiovascular health
- maintaining a healthy inflammatory response
- cognitive health and healthy ageing
- metabolic health and blood sugar regulation
- the gut microbiome
- cellular defence and antioxidant systems

Your gut microbes get involved too.

Not all polyphenols are absorbed in the same way.

Some pass through the digestive tract and reach the colon, where our gut microbes can transform them into other compounds.

So the effects of a polyphenol-rich food may depend not only on what you eat, but also on what your gut microbes do with it.

Which brings us back to something I talked about yesterday:

Variety.

Different plants contain different combinations of polyphenols.

So instead of looking for one food with a huge amount of one particular compound, there’s something to be said for regularly eating lots of different plant foods.

Tomorrow…

We’re going one step further down the plant-compound family tree.

Flavonoids

And this is where things get particularly colourful…

31/08/2026

Plants are more than vitamins

When we talk about eating fruit and vegetables, we usually think about vitamins, minerals and fibre.

But plants are much more interesting than that.

They contain thousands of naturally occurring compounds called phytonutrients or phytochemicals.

These are part of what gives plants their:
- Colour
- Flavour
- Aroma
- Natural protection against pests, disease, UV radiation and environmental stress

And when we eat them, some of these compounds can interact with our cells, enzymes, immune system and gut microbiome.

So what are we talking about?

Polyphenols — found in berries, tea, coffee, cocoa, olive oil, herbs and spices

Flavonoids — a large family within the polyphenols, including the colourful anthocyanins found in berries

Carotenoids — such as beta-carotene and lycopene

Glucosinolates — found in broccoli, cabbage, rocket and other cruciferous vegetables

Organosulphur compounds — found in garlic, onions and leeks

Terpenes and terpenoids — found in herbs, spices and citrus

Phytosterols — found in nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains

And that’s only the beginning…

Many of these compounds are being researched for their potential roles in cardiovascular health, healthy inflammatory responses, blood sugar regulation, cellular protection, healthy ageing and gut health.

And here’s where it gets really interesting…

Some plant compounds and fibres interact with the trillions of microorganisms living in our gut.

Our gut microbes can transform certain compounds into other substances that can influence our health.

This is one reason why I believe it’s more useful to think about plant diversity rather than searching for one magical “superfood”.

So perhaps the question isn’t just:

“Am I eating enough fruit and vegetables?”

But:

“How many different plants am I eating?”

Over the next few days, I’m going to explore some of these fascinating plant compounds, what they are, where you’ll find them and why they matter.

29/08/2026

Can nutrition help with arthritis?

Arthritis isn’t one condition, and nutrition isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

From osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis to psoriatic arthritis and gout, different types of arthritis have different underlying causes and different nutritional considerations.

In my latest blog, I explore how an anti-inflammatory, whole-food approach may support joint health, including:

- Mediterranean style eating
- Omega-3 fats
- The gut–joint connection
- A look at the Paleo diet
- Weight management
- Supplements for joint health
- Specific considerations for gout

Nutrition can’t replace medical treatment, but the right dietary and lifestyle choices can be an important part of supporting your overall health and wellbeing.

Read the full blog via the link in my bio.

28/08/2026

Gut-skin axis

Have you ever wondered if your skin could be connected to what’s happening inside your body?

Your skin is often treated as something separate, something we manage from the outside with skincare products.

But research is increasingly exploring the fascinating relationship between the gut and the skin, known as the gut-skin axis.

Your gut microbiome, immune system, digestion and nutritional status all play important roles in overall health, and they may also influence how your skin looks and feels.

This doesn’t mean every skin concern starts in the gut, or that removing foods like gluten or dairy is the answer for everyone.

Skin health is complex and can be influenced by many factors, including:
- Nutrition
- Stress
- Sleep
- Hormones
- Genetics
- Lifestyle

A naturopathic nutrition approach looks at the bigger picture, supporting the body as a whole and understanding the individual factors that may be contributing to symptoms.

In this carousel, I’m sharing 4 ways your gut might be influencing your skin — from inflammation and the immune system to nutrient absorption and the gut microbiome.

If you’re experiencing ongoing digestive symptoms alongside skin concerns, looking at both areas together may provide valuable insight.

Read my latest blog: The Gut-Skin Axis: Can Your Gut Health Affect Your Skin? Find the link in my bio.

26/08/2026

Kefir Overnight Oats

Looking for a breakfast that is simple, nourishing and can be prepared the night before?

These kefir overnight oats are a great way to combine fibre, protein, healthy fats and fermented foods in one easy breakfast.

Oats provide soluble fibre, including beta-glucan, which can support healthy cholesterol levels, digestion and a steady release of energy.

Kefir is a fermented food containing live microorganisms. Including fermented foods regularly can help support a diverse and healthy gut microbiome.

Pea protein adds protein to help keep you feeling satisfied and support muscle maintenance and repair.

Chia seeds provide fibre, plant-based omega-3 fats and minerals. They also absorb liquid, helping to create that lovely creamy texture.

Almond butter adds healthy unsaturated fats, vitamin E and a little extra protein to help make breakfast more satisfying.

Banana brings natural sweetness, fibre and potassium, as well as making these oats taste delicious!

I particularly like this combination because it makes breakfast balanced rather than simply protein-focused. You’re getting a mixture of nutrients that can support energy, satiety and digestive health.

And the best bit? Make it the night before, pop it in the fridge and breakfast is ready when you are.

Would you try these?

Holistically Anne Harrison

08/09/2026

07/09/2026

04/09/2026

03/09/2026

02/09/2026

01/09/2026

31/08/2026

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28/08/2026

26/08/2026

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