Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid that serves as a primary structural component of fetal brain tissue. During pregnancy, DHA is preferentially transferred across the placenta and incorporated into neuronal cell membranes, where it may support synaptogenesis, myelination, and retinal…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Dancing in the kitchen may support cardiovascular fitness, mood regulation, balance, cognitive function, and social bonding. Research suggests that combining rhythmic movement with music can stimulate endorphin and dopamine release, engage proprioceptive pathways, and promote neuroplasticity. As a low-barrier form of spontaneous physical…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Telomere length is a recognised biomarker of biological ageing, influenced by oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction. While telomeres naturally shorten with each cell division, evidence-based lifestyle strategies including antioxidant-rich nutrition, regular physical activity, quality sleep, and stress regulation may help slow…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Lung capacity declines progressively with age as reduced elastic recoil of lung tissue, weakening of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, and stiffening of the chest wall collectively lower vital capacity and forced expiratory volume (FEV1). According to research published in the European Respiratory…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Diaphragmatic breathing and scoliosis-specific exercise systems such as the Schroth Method may improve spinal stability, reduce pain, and support functional posture in individuals with scoliosis, though they do not structurally correct a fixed curvature. These respiratory techniques engage the transverse abdominis, pelvic floor,…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Sulforaphane, a bioactive isothiocyanate derived from cruciferous vegetables, is considered one of the most potent naturally occurring activators of the Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) pathway. By disrupting the Nrf2-Keap1 complex, sulforaphane may promote translocation of Nrf2 to the nucleus, where…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Most anti-ageing supplement stacks may lack meaningful outcome evidence. According to large-scale meta-analyses and randomised controlled trials (RCTs), the interventions most consistently associated with extended healthspan are resistance training, sleep regularity, and cardiometabolic risk optimisation — not off-label geroprotective drugs or NAD+ precursors….
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Oxidative stability, not smoke point, is the most reliable indicator of a cooking oil’s safety under heat. Fats rich in saturated or monounsaturated fatty acids — such as grass-fed ghee, beef tallow, and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) — may resist heat-induced breakdown…
