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Morning sunlight may actually help repair your skin for the stronger sun later in the day. In a paper by Barkley et al. ...
18/09/2026

Morning sunlight may actually help repair your skin for the stronger sun later in the day.

In a paper by Barkley et al. ‘Infrared and Skin: Friends or Foe’ (2016), the authors discussed the benefits and the potential mechanism that morning sunlight infrared A (IR-A)- may help prime the skin’s natural protective mechanisms before UV exposure peaks around midday.

Furthermore morning light hitting your eyes activates melanopsin — a light-sensitive pathway that tells your brain, “It’s daytime!”and helps regulate your circadian rhythm, sleep-wake cycle and other biological processes.

But here’s the catch: If you wear sunglasses you block melanopsin signalling, which dysregulates your bodies ability to open your skins pores to let UV, vitamin D and other phytonutrients in resulting in an overexposure- increasing the likelihood of sunburn.

Time home message: get outside early in the morning before 10am- no sunglasses to protect your skin from excessive burning throughout the day.

Apply sunscreen when the UV is over 3, but leave your skin un-sunscreened early morning and late afternoon to get those Infrared benefits systemically.

Morning sunlight may actually help repair your skin for the stronger sun later in the day. In a paper by Barkley et al. ...
18/09/2026

Morning sunlight may actually help repair your skin for the stronger sun later in the day.

In a paper by Barkley et al. ‘Infrared and Skin: Friends or Foe’ (2016), the authors discussed the benefits and the potential mechanism that morning sunlight infrared A (IR-A)- may help prime the skin’s natural protective mechanisms before UV exposure peaks around midday.

Furthermore morning light hitting your eyes activates melanopsin — a light-sensitive pathway that tells your brain, “It’s daytime!”and helps regulate your circadian rhythm, sleep-wake cycle and other biological processes.

But here’s the catch: If you wear sunglasses you block melanopsin signalling, which dysregulates your bodies ability to open your skins pores to let UV, vitamin D and other phytonutrients in resulting in an overexposure- increasing the likelihood of sunburn.

Time home message: get outside early in the morning before 10am- no sunglasses to protect your skin from excessive burning throughout the day.

Apply sunscreen when the UV is over 3, but leave your skin un-sunscreened early morning and late afternoon to get the Infrared benefits systemically.

Soy has long been the bad guy. Early, unvalidated evidence suggested it was purely oestrogenic — and therefore something...
31/08/2026

Soy has long been the bad guy. Early, unvalidated evidence suggested it was purely oestrogenic — and therefore something to avoid with oestrogen-driven cancers like breast and ovarian. We now know this is far from the truth. Isoflavones in soy have some genuinely wonderful actions on the body.

The evidence is in the dose — and the outcomes are impressive, whether used alongside or as an alternative to MHT. Isoflavones can support:

—> Hot flushes
—> Mood and mental health linked to fluctuating oestrogen
—> Less vaginal dryness and painful s*x (dyspareunia)
—> Less skin sagging, photoaging, and better hydration
—> ↓ total cholesterol, triglycerides & LDL, ↑ HDL
—> Musculoskeletal symptoms
—> Increased bone mineral density

Food-first is always the goal, but supplementation — when clean and bioavailable — can be genuinely life-changing for the right person.

Want to understand which nutraceuticals, dietary and lifestyle changes actually move the needle in peri-menopause? Book a complimentary clarity call to find out more.

www.goodnessgraciousnutrition.com.au

Constipation is extremely common, and while more soluble fibre more water intake may not address the underlying driver t...
24/08/2026

Constipation is extremely common, and while more soluble fibre more water intake may not address the underlying driver to your constipation, these foods are a great functional first step to cranking up the GI tract and getting your gut moving.

🥝Kiwi: holds water within the stool and contains actinidin, a proteolytic enzyme that breaks down fermented bacterias that produce metabolites such as ammonia, phenols, indoles, hydrogen sulphide and branched-chain fatty acids. When these are high in the gut, constipation is more likely. 

🍈Dragonfruit: high prebiotic fibres called oligoosaccharides which can feed the good bugs and make short chain fatty acids (SCFA). SCFA’s encourage healthy gut movement. 

🌱Flaxseeds- a super soluble fibre forming a mucus gel when mixed with water. This helps retain moisture in the stool while increasing stool volume- providing bulk and complete gastric emptying. 

🥣Oats- rich in beta-glucans; another soluble fibre. Beta glucans hold water and feeds the good bugs to increase a SCFA called butyrate which supports the gut lining and assists with normal colonic function. 

🪾Psyllium husk- another great gel former when mixed with water, psyllium slowly ferments and provides softness and bulk to the stool. 

🥖Rye sourdough- for those who are NOT coeliac or gluten sensitive, rye contains both soluble and insoluble fibres; in particular arabinoxylans which increase stool bulk and ferments the good bugs. 


Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are a non-digestible carbohydrates (prebiotics fibres) made up of galactose units. These ...
11/08/2025

Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are a non-digestible carbohydrates (prebiotics fibres) made up of galactose units. These units by pass the stomach, small intestine and fermented in the colon.

GOS main role is to grow and colonise a strain of bacteria called bifidobacterium which in turn produce short chain fatty acids called acetate and lactate.

These by products produce butyrate contributing to a healthy mucin barrier next to the gut lining- protecting again pathogens, toxin exposure and LPS producing bacteria’s(‘bad bugs).

Functions of GOS in the Body (via the Gut) include:
1. Improved Digestion & Regularity
* Softens stool, supports bowel movement, and helps with IBS symptoms (especially constipation-predominant IBS).

2. Stronger Immune System
* A balanced microbiome modulates immune responses, lowers inflammation, and helps defend against infections.

3. Better Mineral Absorption
* GOS enhances absorption of key minerals like calcium, magnesium, and iron.

4. Supports Brain-Gut Axis
* By reducing systemic inflammation and producing neuro-active compounds, GOS may support mood and cognitive function.

5. Lower Risk of Chronic Disease
* Anti-inflammatory effects may contribute to lower risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

How many people have been told if they have osteopenia or osteoporosis to take a calcium supplement? While our bones are...
30/06/2025

How many people have been told if they have osteopenia or osteoporosis to take a calcium supplement? While our bones are predominately calcium, they contain many other minerals, and it is the combination of these that form healthy bones! Also calcium supplements (especially calcium carbonate) have the ability to increase arterial calcification and increase risk of heart attacks!

When I see patients with either low calcium in blood (when testing for parathyroid panel); or have been told they have decreased bone density (from a DEXA) scan, I’m looking at whole picture- and everytime as soon as I ask them about their gut? They complain about constipation, diarrhoea, pain bloating and farting, and they don’t tolerate dairy!

So take home message if you have been told you need calcium/ decreased bone density/ osteopenia:
—> do resistance training/ weight exercises
—> eat your calcium (and choose non-dairy forms if you have gut issues)
—> supplement D3 + K2 (which brings the calcium from your arteries back to your bone)
—> supplement with creatine (support the formation of blastocysts and regeneration of bone)

And most importantly, treat the gut👌







Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine and instead ferments in the lar...
23/06/2025

Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine and instead ferments in the large intestine, where it acts more like fibre than a regular starch.

Unlike regular starch (which is broken down into glucose), resistant starch is not fully digested.

It reaches the colon intact, where it’s fermented by beneficial gut bacteria.
This fermentation produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially butyrate, which supports colon health amongst many other actions on the body.





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Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine and instead ferments in the lar...
23/06/2025

Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine and instead ferments in the large intestine, where it acts more like fibre than a regular starch.

Unlike regular starch (which is broken down into glucose), resistant starch is not fully digested.

It reaches the colon intact, where it’s fermented by beneficial gut bacteria.
This fermentation produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially butyrate, which supports colon health amongst many other actions on the body.





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