Alba Health

Comment HORMONES and we’ll send you the article breaking down how your gut may affect your hormones.

Hormone imbalance can show up in 45+ different ways — many of them don’t seem connected.
Fatigue.
Bloating.
Skin changes.
Mood shifts.

But these symptoms don’t happen in isolation.
They’re often connected to underlying systems in the body — including the gut.

Research suggests that the gut microbiome may influence things like:
- Inflammation
- Estrogen metabolism (the estrobolome)
- Stress response
→ all of which are linked to hormone-related symptoms.

In our new article we explore:
- How the gut microbiome interacts with hormones
- Why inflammation and stress matter
- Why conditions like PCOS are often studied in this context
- Simple ways to support both gut and hormone health

This is an educational collaboration with .io to highlight the connection between gut health and hormones 🤍

🦠 Comment “MICROBE” and we’ll send you the full episode.

Did you know that many ingredients in ultra-processed foods have been shown in research to interfere with the gut’s mucus layer and change how your microbes behave?

The challenge is that our microbiome has evolved over millions of years…and is now exposed to ingredients it has never encountered before.

In this episode of Healthy Gut, Healthy Kids, we’re joined by Alanna Collen, PhD to explore how modern diets and lifestyles are reshaping our inner ecosystem — and what that means for our children’s long-term health.

We cover:
🦠 how modern food impacts the microbiome�🛡️ the gut barrier & why it matters�👶 why early life is a critical window�💊 how antibiotics shape gut health�🌱 what actually supports a healthy microbiome

Understanding the microbiome gives parents powerful tools — in a world that’s changing faster than our biology.

Comment “MICROBE” and we’ll send you the full episode.
Did you know that a baby’s gut microbes help train their immune system — teaching the body what to react to, what to tolerate, and how strongly it should react?
But modern life is changing those microbes fast.
C-sections, antibiotics, formula feeding, and ultra-processed food additives are all shaping the early-life microbiome — during the most critical window for immune development.

In this episode of Healthy Gut, Healthy Kids, we’re joined by Alanna Collen, biologist, science writer and author of 10% Human, to unpack how modern life is reshaping our inner ecosystem — and what this means for children’s long-term health.

We talk about:�🦠 why humans are ecosystems�🛡️ how gut microbes protect the gut barrier�🔥 how the microbiome influences inflammation�👶 why infancy is a critical window�🍼 the role of birth, breastfeeding & bifidobacteria�💊 how antibiotics and C-sections shift microbial development�🌱 why fiber diversity is one of the most powerful tools for gut health

You don’t need perfection — but understanding the microbiome gives parents powerful knowledge in a world that’s changed faster than our biology has.

Comment “UPF” and we’ll send you the link to the episode. 🎧

Did you know that by age 7, close to 60% of UK children’s calories come from ultra-processed foods?
Ultra-processed foods are now the default in modern family life — marketed as “healthy,” “kid-friendly,” and “convenient.” But growing evidence suggests that diets high in UPFs may shape children’s gut microbiome, inflammation, metabolism, and long-term health in ways most parents don’t realise.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Federica Amati — Head Nutritionist at ZOE, researcher at Imperial College London, and Sunday Times bestselling author — to unpack what the science actually says about UPFs, misinformation, and gut health for kids.

We cover:
🍪 what ultra-processed food really is (and why it’s everywhere)
🦠 how UPFs impact kids’ gut health and immune development
📣 why marketing keeps parents confused
✊ why nutrition needs an activist approach
🤍 realistic ways to build healthier habits in a busy modern world
Supporting your child’s health doesn’t require perfection — but every parent deserves this knowledge, so they can make informed, conscious choices in a world full of confusing nutrition messaging.

Comment “GUT” and we’ll send you the link to the episode.

Did you know that your diet before you’re even pregnant may shape your child’s health for decades to come?

Fertility rates are falling worldwide — and growing evidence suggests that nutrition, stress, lifestyle, and the gut microbiome may play a far bigger role in fertility, pregnancy outcomes, and a child’s long-term health than most people realise.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Federica Amati — Head Nutritionist at ZOE, researcher at Imperial College London, and Sunday Times bestselling author — to unpack what the science actually says about fertility, pregnancy, and the first 1,000 days of life.

We cover:
– why fertility rates are declining and how nutrition plays a role
– which diet best supports fertility, pregnancy, and your baby’s health
– the key ways to optimise the body for pregnancy
– how a mother’s gut microbiome helps shape her baby’s immune system
– and how early nutrition is linked to risks like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer later in life

Whether you’re trying to conceive, pregnant, or simply curious about how early biology shapes lifelong health, this conversation offers clear, evidence-based insights to help you feel informed — not overwhelmed.

Comment “GUT” and we’ll send you the link to the episode.

Did you know that your diet before you’re even pregnant may shape your child’s health for decades to come?

Fertility rates are falling worldwide — and growing evidence suggests that nutrition, stress, lifestyle, and the gut microbiome may play a far bigger role in fertility, pregnancy outcomes, and a child’s long-term health than most people realise.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Federica Amati — Head Nutritionist at ZOE, researcher at Imperial College London, and Sunday Times bestselling author — to unpack what the science actually says about fertility, pregnancy, and the first 1,000 days of life.

We cover:
– why fertility rates are declining and how nutrition plays a role
– which diet best supports fertility, pregnancy, and your baby’s health
– the key ways to optimise the body for pregnancy
– how a mother’s gut microbiome helps shape her baby’s immune system
– and how early nutrition is linked to risks like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer later in life

Whether you’re trying to conceive, pregnant, or simply curious about how early biology shapes lifelong health, this conversation offers clear, evidence-based insights to help you feel informed — not overwhelmed.

December often comes with more sweets and ultra-processed foods, which can challenge digestion and gut health.

5 gentle tips that work for the whole family:
🥦 Add vegetables back in — roasted, soups, stews, or blended into familiar meals
🫘 Focus on fibre — beans, lentils, oats, vegetables, seeds
🍜 Choose warm meals — they’re easier on digestion after heavy foods
🥗 Keep meals simple — fewer ingredients, less stress for the gut
⏰ Return to routines — regular meals support digestion, especially for kids

A gentle reset isn’t about restriction — especially for kids. It’s about finding an everyday rhythm again.

Save this for a softer start to January 🤍

How I handle Christmas sweets 🎄🍫
— Camilla, nutritionist at Alba Health & mom of two

• I don’t label sweets as “bad” — they’re part of celebration
• We start the day with real food (fiber + protein first) to support stable blood sugar and the gut
• Sweets are for moments, not constant grazing — this gives the gut time to rest and digest
• I always serve fruit or nuts alongside chocolate and sweets — fiber + fats help slow sugar absorption
• Our gut microbiome is shaped by what we eat most days, not a few festive ones

🎄 A few days of Christmas sweets won’t damage the gut microbiome. Sugar does affect gut bacteria but it’s the long-term patterns, not 2–3 festive days, that shape gut health.

What matters most is returning to regular meals after Christmas with
🥦 fiber-rich foods (vegetables, whole grains, legumes)
🥗diversity of plants

Enjoy the sweets. Support the gut. No guilt needed.

Save this for Christmas week 🤍

Did you know that your diet before you’re even pregnant may shape your child’s health for decades to come?

Fertility rates are falling worldwide — and growing evidence suggests that nutrition, stress, lifestyle, and the gut microbiome may play a far bigger role in fertility, pregnancy outcomes, and a child’s long-term health than most people realise.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Federica Amati — Head Nutritionist at ZOE, researcher at Imperial College London, and Sunday Times bestselling author — to unpack what the science actually says about fertility, pregnancy, and the first 1,000 days of life.

We cover:
– why fertility rates are declining and how nutrition plays a role
– which diet best supports fertility, pregnancy, and your baby’s health
– the key ways to optimise the body for pregnancy
– how a mother’s gut microbiome helps shape her baby’s immune system
– and how early nutrition is linked to risks like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer later in life
Whether you’re trying to conceive, pregnant, or simply curious about how early biology shapes lifelong health, this conversation offers clear, evidence-based insights to help you feel informed — not overwhelmed.

Comment “GUT” and we’ll send you the link to the episode.

Good gut health starts in the shopping cart 🛒💚

Our nutritionist picked 5 everyday foods that support your child’s microbiome — and they’re all easy to find at your local supermarket!

👉 Which one is already a favorite at your house?

👋 Meet Dr Colette Reynolds, PhD – food parenting expert, psychologist, and part of the Alba team helping families navigate fussy and picky eating.

Want to learn more about fussy eating? Comment “eating” and we’ll send you a link to our blog post with practical tips — and where you can also sign up for our upcoming webinar with Colette. 🍽️