8th Sense Sandton

Many people now fast through the morning and have their first meal at 12 pm or even later, believing that the longer they fast, the better it must be for their metabolic health.
But the research on meal timing tells a more nuanced story.
A large prospective study of more than 103,000 people found that an overnight fast of more than 13 hours followed by an early breakfast before 8 am was associated with approximately a 53% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Interestingly, having the first meal after 9 am was associated with a higher risk.
Other meta-analyses have also found an association between regularly skipping breakfast and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and all-cause mortality.
These are observational findings. However, they do make the question of meal timing worth considering.
For me, there is another important consideration: what I eat when I break my fast.
I have genetic predispositions associated with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and obesity. I cannot change my genes, but I can influence how I respond to them through my lifestyle and food choices.
That is why my breakfast composition is non-negotiable.
I choose a breakfast built around protein, half a plate of colourful vegetables, olive oil, seeds and fibre, with minimal refined carbohydrates.
Not granola. Not pastries. Not a sugar-heavy breakfast.
I don't want to start my day with a glucose spike.
For me, this is not about following another restrictive diet. It is about understanding my individual biology and making choices that support my metabolic health.
Because perhaps we should not only ask, “How long did I fast?”
We should also ask, “When did I break my fast, and what did I break it with?”

Book your Functional Medicine assessment with our expert Dr Sly Nedic ( IFMCP, USA) today and receive tailored guidance for any nutritional requirements, weight  struggle, hormonal  issues.Nedic's credentials and expertise can be found on the Institute of Functional Medicine's website (Ifm.org) or 8thsense.co.za.
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We tend to think about estrogen as a simple number:
“My estrogen is low.”
“My estrogen is normal.”
But estrogen is much more complicated than that.
Think of estrogen as a message.
For that message to have an effect, your cells need the right receptors to receive it.
And here’s where it gets really interesting…Estrogen works through several receptors — mainly ERα, ERβ and GPER — and ERα and ERβ also exist in different forms (isoforms), such as ERα66, ERα46 and ERα36.
These receptors can trigger different cellular signals depending on the tissue and cellular environment — which is why estrogen’s effects are far more complex than simply measuring its blood level.

So the same estrogen signal can have different effects in different parts of your body.
And receptor activity can be influenced by things like:
🧬 Genetics
🔥 Inflammation
⚡ Oxidative stress
🧪 Estrogen metabolism
🌍 Environmental chemicals
🥗 Nutritional status
🎯 The tissue itself
This is why estrogen biology is NOT simply about how much estrogen is in your blood.
It is about what happens after the hormone arrives.
Is the message received?
Which receptor receives it?
Where is that receptor?
And how does that cell respond?
That is the fascinating complexity of estrogen.
So perhaps the better question isn't only:
“How much estrogen do I have?”
But: “HOW IS MY BODY RESPONDING TO THE ESTROGEN SIGNAL?”
Because hormone health is not just about the hormone.t’s about the hormone + receptor + cell + tissue + environment.
And that is where personalised hormone replacement becomes so important .
Book your Functional Medicine assessment with our expert Dr Sly Nedic ( IFMCP, USA) today and receive tailored guidance for  any health problem. Nedic's credentials and expertise can be found on the Institute of Functional Medicine's website (Ifm.org) or 8thsense.co.za.
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I didn’t just make dinner for myself tonight.
I made dinner for my 38 TRILLION microbial companions. 🦠
And the beautiful part? What feeds your microbiome can also feed your heart and blood vessels.
Tonight’s plate:
🐟 Sardines — omega-3s (EPA/DHA) to support cardiovascular health and healthy blood-vessel function.
🫒 Extra-virgin olive oil — rich in polyphenols and monounsaturated fats that support vascular health and a healthier inflammatory balance.
🥬 Lettuce — fibre and plant compounds that help nourish a diverse gut microbiome.
❤️ Pomegranate — packed with polyphenols that can support beneficial gut bacteria and vascular function.
🌿 Celery — provides fibre and plant polyphenols that contribute to a healthy gut environment and cardiovascular health.
🌰 Walnuts — one of my favourite foods for the gut-heart connection: fibre, polyphenols and plant-based omega-3 ALA.
🎃 Pumpkin seeds — fibre, magnesium and healthy fats to support metabolic and cardiovascular health.
One meal. Two ecosystems.
I’m not just feeding me.
I’m feeding my microbiome — and supporting the system that connects the gut, metabolism, heart and blood vessels.
Because healthy ageing isn't about eating less.
It’s about giving your body — and your microbes — the right information.
Book your Functional Medicine assessment with our expert Dr Sly Nedic ( IFMCP, USA) today and receive tailored guidance for  any health problem. Nedic's credentials and expertise can be found on the Institute of Functional Medicine's website (Ifm.org) or 8thsense.co.za.
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l Longevity DrSlyNedic

THE ESTROGEN STORY DOESN’T END WHEN YOUR OVARIES SLOW DOWN
One of the biggest misconceptions about menopause is that estrogen simply “disappears.”
It doesn’t.
The estrogen landscape changes.
As ovarian estradiol production declines, estrone becomes the predominant circulating estrogen — and a large part of this estrogen story moves outside the ovaries, particularly into adipose tissue.
And this is where things get fascinating.
Your fat tissue isn’t just passive storage. It is metabolically active tissue capable of producing estrogens through enzymes such as aromatase. After menopause, adipose tissue becomes an important source of circulating estrogen. (PubMed)
So suddenly, the conversation around menopause becomes much bigger than:
“My estrogen is low.”
We need to ask:
What is your body producing?
Where is it being produced?
How much adipose tissue do you have?
How is your estrogen being metabolised?
And what does the rest of your metabolic health look like?
Higher circulating estrone has been associated with higher breast-cancer risk in postmenopausal women, including a 2024 study using highly sensitive LC-MS/MS measurements. But association is not the same as causation, and estrone itself is not a hormone to fear. (PubMed)
The real message?
Menopause is not simply an “estrogen deficiency” story.
It is a story about hormone production, adipose tissue, metabolism, inflammation, body composition and individual risk.
So don’t fear estrone.
Understand the biology behind it
🧬✨

References
1. Circulating Estrogen Metabolites and Risk of Breast Cancer among Postmenopausal Women — Nurses’ Health Study, 2024. PubMed
2. Metabolic impact of endogenously produced estrogens by adipose tissue across the lifespan — 2025 review. PubMed
Book your Functional Medicine assessment with our expert Dr Sly Nedic (IFMCP, USA) today and receive tailored guidance to achive an optomal health and hormone balance.
Nedic's credentials and expertise can be found on the Institute of Functional Medicine's website (Ifm.org) or 8thsense.co.za Call 084 704 8888 or 011 884 6418 for bookings.