lifestyle

Walking around a city like London, you can’t really go more than 5 minutes without stumbling across a food or drink outlet. The improvement in food production and distribution has massively helped overcome food insecurity. When was the last time you were worried about your local shop running out of bread?  But with the increase in food availability means we... Read More

Staying alive in toxic times is a deliberately eye-catching title by Dr. Jenny Goodman with the aim of getting people to pay attention to aspects of health that are often ignored, toxins and chemicals. They are often cited and safe and harmless as they are put on our food as pesticides and in our furniture as flame retardants. But are... Read More

As the famous saying goes, you need to get your beauty sleep. Whilst sleep can play a key role in how dark your eye circles are the next day, getting enough sleep plays a much bigger role in overall health than you think. Getting enough sleep is essential for so many bodily functions such as the ability to process memories,... Read More

Sunna- The founder of Tonic Health My story of more uptime and less downtime is the origin story of Tonic. I was working in the city and like most people was living my life to the fullest. Working 10 hour days, playing sports 4x a week and socialising. But it started to get the better of me. I was getting... Read More

Before you click off this blog because the idea of skipping a meal or two is scary or not do-able, it may be much easier than you think. So why not stick around until the end before jumping to any conclusions. So let’s start with the basics. What defines a fast? It’s essentially when you completely, or almost completely, stop... Read More

"All disease starts in the gut" - Hippocrates Here’s a fun fact of the day: we have 100 trillion bacteria in our body. But before you stress, don’t worry they are supposed to be there and are a good thing. They make up your intestinal microbiome. Another fun fact: Our gut contains two thirds of our immune system, so it's... Read More

The Tonic Team is growing and this time we are welcoming a breakfast favourite to the tribe. Who doesn’t love a nice refreshing glass of orange juice in the morning? Well, your immune system doesn’t actually. With up to 30g of sugar per glass your immune system is getting a concentrated hit of a leading immunosuppressant which can actually block... Read More

We believe life should never be slowed down by things are body can naturally fight. Because life is amazing and missing out sucks. The problem is, we live in a world where there are many things that are creating an environment for us to experience more unnecessary illness. To name a few of the big offenders: Cold & flu drugs:... Read More

With over 70% of the UKs population having at least the first dose of the vaccine, we seem to breathe a sigh of relief. However, there may be another challenge that lies ahead this winter cold & flu season.  Whilst we were all isolating and keeping safe from C***d 19 (for censorship reasons we’re not allowed to say the C... Read More

As the squirrels gather their nuts in the trees the humans got ready to fight illness with ease. As the grizzly bears prepare to hibernate the humans ready their immune systems to dominate. Everyone is familiar with the term getting summer body ready but what about getting winter body ready? Here at Tonic, we have come up with the idea... Read More

At Tonic, we are always challenging the status quo. We don’t do this to be difficult but we only want for people to know the full truth behind what we need to be the healthiest versions of ourselves. And when it comes to getting enough vitamins, there are a whole load of misconceptions that I feel we need to do... Read More

We all are constantly bombarded with the latest health advice which seems to be forever changing, we went from low fat to low carb to low sugar and now we are going even more specific with keto, carnivore and vegan diets which all claim to be the greatest for our health. Which is the best? And which makes us live... Read More

We recently welcomed former airline captain Emma Henderson onto our podcast, The Power Is Within Us. Before the pandemic Emma flew planes all over the world - now she runs the Project Wingman Foundation full-time. In case you haven’t heard of Project Wingman, it is a charity founded in March 2020 in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, when Professor... Read More

A common belief in our society today is that drugs or pills are the cure to most of our ailments. The global drug market is today worth over $1.3 Trillion but we often overlook a critical factor in our recovery from illness. A factor that every single scientific study aims to account for and ensure doesn’t bias the results. It... Read More

First things first. we need to lay some ground rules. We can’t mention the C word. Big pharma has the monopoly on it so we aren’t even technically allowed to talk about it. But hey, we believe in the power of science and don’t think there is anything wrong with sharing the science… so that’s what we will do. We... Read More

Think of it this way: is the amount of water you need consistent throughout each and every day? Definitely not. Go to the gym or for a run and you’ll soon find yourself reaching for a bottle of water or some electrolytes to quench your thirst. That’s because exercising puts strain on your body and by sweating you’re losing water... Read More

Yeah yeah, we all know exercise is healthy. So what’s the point of telling me again how healthy it is for me. Well… the point is you probably don’t know the level of exercise you need to avoid being classed as sedentary. So, first what is a sedentary lifestyle? A sedentary lifestyle is one involving little or no physical activity.... Read More

Summer. For most, it's the season we spend all winter looking forward to. The joys of spending time outside, enjoying the sun and cracking open a cold one. But for up to 1 in 5 Brits it can also mark the beginning of dreaded hay fever season: a time of runny noses, itchy eyes, sneezes, and general discomfort. Hay fever... Read More

Inflammation is a word that is always thrown around in the health and wellness world. We see countless headlines saying “5 ways to reduce inflammation” or “7 anti-inflammatory foods”. Ring a bell? But a narrative that you rarely hear is that inflammation can actually be a good thing! Without it, there are any things we wouldn’t be able to heal... Read More

THIS WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT GETTING ENOUGH VITAMIN D The sun is out again 😊, and the summer is well and truly here! All our cells are dancing with joy as they get extra doses of vitamin D this weekend and for the next 3 months (fingers crossed), that will help our cells communicate, grow and flourish…... Read More

As you might imagine, our team here at Tonic Health frequently hears various claims, counter-claims and counter-counter-claims, on the subject of what may or may not strengthen the immune system. Just one of those supposed ‘immune boosters’ to have come to particular prominence in recent years is cold therapy. So, it’s worth asking ourselves whether it does or doesn’t live... Read More

More than a year on from the onset of the coronavirus crisis for Western countries, you’re likely to be highly aware of the various impacts the pandemic has had on your mind, body and lifestyle. One obvious manifestation of the pandemic, for instance, has been greater numbers of us working from home, in accordance with on-off lockdown restrictions. If this... Read More

It’s one of the first things that we’re accustomed to doing, as soon as we begin to feel less than our best; we reach for that box of paracetamol or ibuprofen, seeking some relief for our symptoms. Indeed, so automatic is this habit, that we might not even consider exactly what these drugs do to our bodies, or even whether... Read More

On the third episode of The Power Is Within Us, Sunna speaks with Melissa Cohen, where they discuss functional medicine and the importance of diet with regards to all bodily processes. Functional medicine is a biology and chemistry–based approach to healthcare that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of illness, which is often linked to the foods we consume.... Read More

You’ve probably heard of the term “digital detox”, or “technology detox”, and wondered not only exactly what it is, but also whether it could be the right move for you and your wellbeing. A “digital detox” essentially entails spending less time with technology – or more specifically, reducing one’s “screen time”, whether that involves looking at a TV, smartphone, laptop... Read More

Few of us can be in any doubt about the crucial role of vitamin D in our all-round health. This fat-soluble vitamin is naturally produced by the body in response to sunlight exposure – which helps explain why it is widely known as the “sunshine vitamin”. Furthermore, it is associated with various functions and positive outcomes for health, including regulating... Read More

Tonic’s new partnership with Thriva on the 8-week Immunity Challenge has got everyone pretty excited. So much so that some of the team at Tonic wanted to take part in it. To give you more detail into the challenge, you get an 8-week supply of Tonic High Dose Immunity Drink, 2 Thriva blood testing kits (one for before and after)... Read More

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant necessary for structural and functional maintenance of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle. It also helps maintain healthy skin and eyes, and strengthen the immune system (why else do you think we'd include 12mg in every serve of Daily Immunity?!). Despite all its benefits, though, vitamin E doesn't quite get all the attention that vitamin C... Read More

On our second episode of The Power Is Within Us, Sunna speaks with TED Talk speaker Darryl Edwards, founder of Primal Play, a program aimed at getting children and adults to move more to avoid a sedentary lifestyle. They discuss the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle, which Darryl himself nearly experienced firsthand, and how to find the motivation to move more.... Read More

On the very first episode of The Power Is Within Us, Sunna speaks with Dr Gemma Newman, the plant power doctor. Dr Gemma has over 17 years of clinical experience as a family doctor and is passionate about the healing power of plant-based nutrition; earlier this year, Dr Gemma released her first book 'The Plant Power Doctor, A Simple Prescription for... Read More

After a winter that has posed huge challenges to many of us – as individuals, families and broader societies – we are finally seeing ever-more reason for hope in the COVID-19 crisis. Effective and safe vaccines are becoming available, and the transition to warmer and sunnier weather – together with other continuing restrictions – has helped send the virus into... Read More

A lot has been said down the years about how it’s a good thing to be a giving and generous person. Of course, giving to and helping others is good for its own sake, but there has also been a debate – including an increasingly scientific one – about the knock-on benefits it could have for the giver. Giving back... Read More

You might not have given much thought in the past to the notion of eating ‘seasonally’ – in other words, eating certain foods at the times of year when they are actually grown. After all, you’re probably used to walking down your local supermarket’s veggie aisle during any season, and seeing no shortage of varied produce from around the globe.... Read More

This ultimate breakfast smoothie is a triple threat as it's filling, nutritious and oh so tasty. It's great to take with you to have on the go or to enjoy at home whilst getting ready for your day. Not to mention, this smoothie is packed with fibre so it will have your gut thanking you! Ingredients:  1 medium frozen banana... Read More

This fibre-filled barley salad will have your gut feeling great. The soluble fibre found in barley has also shown to lower glucose and cholesterol levels in the blood. And not only does this barley salad have an amazing range of nutritional benefits but it tastes great and is super filling too.  Ingredients: ½ Butternut squash, diced into large cubes 150g... Read More

There is nothing more soothing than a hearty chicken soup. This chicken soup is especially special because it is packed with 6 different kinds of vegetables and has barley which is a high fibre food. Fibre and gut health go hand in hand so for a healthy gut, why not try this soup throughout your week? Read More

With the weather getting warmer, it’s definitely time for salads to shine. This epic side salad recipe goes so well with soups, pasta or to serve at your next picnic in the park! Packed with lots of vegetables and good fats this side salad is super tasty too.  Ingredients:  A handful of spinach leaves  A handful of rocket leaves 6... Read More

If you suffer from back pain, you are in good company – around one in three people do so every year, according to Dr Tom Charlton, a former Clinical Fellow at the healthcare group Bupa UK. However, that statistic may be of little comfort to you if your anguish over your back pain keeps you awake night after night. Fortunately,... Read More

Although 71% of our planet is covered in water, only 3% of that water is freshwater and only 0.5% of that is available for drinking; the remaining 2.5% is locked in ice caps, glaciers, the atmosphere, or under the earth’s surface, or is too polluted for consumption. The number of people on Earth is constantly increasing, but the water supply... Read More

The fight to save the planet starts, quite literally, at home. You don’t strictly have to make dramatic, sweeping changes, either. It’s often perfectly possible to complete many of your routine responsibilities, from sourcing food to cleaning around the house, in a more eco-friendly fashion. So, let’s look at some of the ways you can do exactly that. Grow your... Read More

Pretty much everyone experiences a stuffy nose – usually referred to in more formal contexts as ‘nasal congestion’ – from time to time. It’s easy to dismiss the cause as a simple case of the cold or flu – but did you know that this common everyday symptom can actually have many more causes? Indeed, the below are just seven... Read More

By now, you’d have practically needed to have been living on Mars since early 2020 to not know the various frequent mantras of how to lower your risk of COVID-19: wash your hands frequently, wear a face covering when near others, maintain social distancing... you get the idea. Another thing that many people around the UK and the wider world... Read More

A message from our Founder, Sunna van Kampen. Your immune system is your body’s strongest weapon. It is what works tirelessly, day after day, week after week, and month after month quietly in the background, keeping you healthy from viruses, bacteria and germs. It was my neglected immune system that meant I was getting 3-4 colds a winter, and which... Read More

Stress, of course, is an unavoidable part of all of our lives. We all face challenging and even chaotic situations from time to time – ranging from those tight work deadlines and worries about finances, to personal-life dramas and even acute medical emergencies. It is at such stressful moments that our body’s “fight or flight mode” is often activated to... Read More

Zinc is essential to sustain a functioning immune system by regulating the elimination of pathogens. Zinc is also responsible for the production and activation of certain immune system cells such as neutrophils and natural killer cells. Researchers showed (2019, Read, et al.) that zinc has vital role in anti-viral immunity. They showed that zinc inhibits something called RNA polymerase which is required by viruses to replicate, therefore... Read More

 Vitamin C may well be our favourite vitamin, especially when it comes to immune health. Here are some of the many ways in which vitamin C contributes to the optimal functioning of the immune system: By stimulating the production of white blood cells, which are crucial for fighting off infections By supporting the skin (epithelial cell) as a barrier, preventing pathogens from entering the... Read More

Vitamin D is essential for a functional immune system by activating anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties, so we're doing all we can to make sure we get enough of it. Some of the of the other benefits of vitamin D include regulating the body's levels of calcium and phosphate, which are essential if we want healthy bones, teeth, and muscles. A recent study (2020, Kara,... Read More

The feeling of a stuffy congested nose is simply the effects of your immune response. When you get a cold, your nose, sinuses and throat will be infected with virus cells that trigger a flood of white blood cells to the areas and the dilation of blood vessels means that more white blood cells can travel to the affected area. Pure effectiveness if you ask us! White... Read More

It’s been a long time since striving to live in a more environmentally-friendly way was simply the preserve of ‘eco warriors’! Today, more and more of us are becoming aware of the needless damage caused to our planet by manmade factors. And for 2021, you might have decided to do something about it. In fact, according to a recent poll,... Read More

It seems that every January, many millions of us make the same vow, that this will be the year when we finally fully embrace that exercise routine, shed the pounds and tone up, all the way to the physique (and mental wellbeing) we’ve always wanted. Yet, every year, many people setting a more active lifestyle and better fitness as their... Read More