My research into gut health (see blog posted in September), prompted me to delve a little deeper into the effects that our increasing consumption of ready-meals, takeaways and ‘junk food’ is having on our mental well-being. Most of us are aware of the increased risk to our physical health of a high-fat/high sugar diet; western media regularly reports on the rise in obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes….but the effects on our brain and our mental health are not so well known.

We all experience times when things aren’t going well and we can’t see a way forward. One way that helps me maintain perspective and stay positive at times like this is to keep in mind two or three well-known motivational quotes to help me get back on track.

The following list contains ten quotes that I use regularly…… but an on-line search will bring up hundreds more, a few of which may help you get through difficult times, or help you to focus on your goals.

We have around 100 trillion micro-organisms in our body, most of them bacteria, but also viruses, fungi, and protozoa. While some micro-organisms are harmful to our health, many are incredibly beneficial and even necessary to a healthy body. Most of them live in our digestive system, (commonly referred to as our ‘gut’), which consists of a group of organs that includes the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, small intestine, large intestine (colon), and rectum.