Ah, May! The daylight hours are long and the social calendar is filling up. But here in the clinic we’re noticing a common theme: not everybody’s energy is matching the season.

If you’re feeling more like hibernating than holidaying, then sure it may be a busy week, but it could be a frequently overlooked gap in your nutrition. 

The Vitamin B12 Gap: Are you ‘fine’ on paper and drained in real life? At Hackney Podiatry & Health, we see it all the time: patients told their blood tests are ‘within range’ yet they are struggling with brain fog, exhaustion, and low mood.

There is a significant gap in how Vitamin B12 deficiency is treated. In Europe and the US, levels below 500pg/ml are considered low. In the UK, that threshold drops to just 170pg/ml. This means you can be sent away with a clean bill of health while feeling completely depleted.

Why does Vitamin B12 matter?  Vitamin B12 is essential for your nervous system, DNA synthesis, and red blood cell formation. It’s the missing link that unlocks your body’s ability to use iron. Without it your stamina and recovery can stall, even if your iron stores look normal. 

Are you experiencing these "hidden" symptoms?
Deficiency is often misdiagnosed as anxiety, menopause, or just a natural part of the aging process. If you recognise these, your levels might be sub-optimal:

• Extreme tiredness and lack of energy
• Pins and needles or tingling in your feet
• Memory loss (the classic "why did I walk into this room?" moment)
• Frequent colds, sore throats, or mouth ulcers
• Muscle weakness and blurred vision

Why is this happening? It’s not just about diet. Over-farming has depleted our soil, and common medications (like Metformin or PPIs for reflux) can block your uptake of Vitamin B12, while high-stress lifestyles increase your body's demand for it.

Fast, Safe, and Effective: Because many of us struggle with gut absorption, injections are the gold standard. They bypass the digestive system, ensuring your body gets what it needs. We offer single injections, or a loading dose (4 sessions over 4–6 weeks) to fully replenish your stores.

Meeting you where you’re at Looking ahead to Mental Health Awareness Week next week, we want to reiterate our patient-centred promise.

Low Vitamin B12 can lead to feelings of low self-worth, anxiety, and depression. We don’t just look at the numbers on a chart: we listen to how you feel.

Whatever the treatment you have booked for, our practitioners are here to meet you exactly where you’re at without judgment.

The Secret to Summer-ready Feet While we help you get your energy back, let’s get your feet ready for the sunshine too!

If you have everyday foot concerns, seeing Amy (our Foot Health Practitioner) is a brilliant, cost-effective alternative to seeing a Podiatrist. Amy is absolutely lovely, and furthermore a pro at handling the minor care that makes a major difference:

• Smoothing out dry, cracked heels
• Gently removing stubborn corns
• Treating fungal nail and skin infections
• Cutting and reducing thickened or overgrown nails

This May, don't let anything stand in the way of your fun in the sun.

Whether you need a Vitamin B12 boost to find your summer spark or a session with our Foot Health Practitioner to get sandal-ready, we’re here to help.

Big love, Tracy
Podiatrist, Mother, Yorkshire Tea addict & Clinic Director

This week the sun has made a beautiful cameo and the days are stretching out, but there’s no denying that we’re living through what’s been dubbed the ‘Great British Stress Epidemic.’

A recent survey this March showed that 1 in 6 adults are feeling stressed every single day. April is Stress Awareness Month, and while we usually think of stress as something that lives in our busy heads or racing hearts, I see it every day where it eventually lands: in our bodies.


How can maintaining good foot health can help you stress less?
Stress can impact us in many ways with varying signs and symptoms, from physical pain to mental exhaustion. Too often we live with these discomforts that become our ‘normal’.

Encouraging early intervention is something we remain passionate about – and beyond awareness, this month we’re putting our practitioners and therapies front and centre as a reminder of the great impact they can have on patients’ lives and wellbeing.

Our brilliant Foot Health Practitioner, Amy, sees the physical side of stress every Thursday:
“Stress doesn’t just affect our minds; it impacts our circulation, muscle tension, and even how we walk. I’ve seen patients overwhelmed and sleep-deprived simply because persistent foot pain was the ‘final straw’ for them. Improving foot health isn’t just about movement; it’s a vital part of looking after your overall wellbeing.”

Take Lesley, for example, who recently shared some Google love for Amy:

“I could hardly walk when I got to the clinic, now I’m about to sign up for the Hackney Marathon. Yippee!”

Book with brilliant Amy every Thursday to remove one major stressor – foot pain – from your daily life.

Your Support System on Broadway Market
Beyond feet, our talented practitioners specialising in Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, Osteopathic Treatment and more are ready to welcome you. Whether it’s the stress of chronic pain, or work-related issues that have crept into your body, let us support you through this.

This month we’ll be highlighting our practitioners across our socials – if you don’t already, follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more.

Let’s make April the month we stop pushing through discomfort and start actually feeling good.
Big love, Tracy
Podiatrist, Mother, Yorkshire Tea addict & Clinic Director

We made it! Finally - the clocks are about to change, blossom is appearing and al fresco dining season is rearing its head on Broadway Market.

A few weeks ago I wrote about futureproofing - getting in an MOT check for your feet before sandal season hits. Today I’m zooming out to look at the whole person, because even if your rational self remembers to reset the clock this Sunday, has the rest of your body got the memo that we’re out of winter? If the rest of you needs a helping hand, that’s where me and the team at Hackney Podiatry & Health step in!

A spark of energy: Vitamin B12

It’s hard to spring forward when your internal battery is at 10%. If you’re struggling with midday slumps or feeling unusually exhausted by a jog through Victoria Park, your Vitamin B12 levels might be the culprit.

Vitamin B12 is essential for energy production and keeping your nervous system firing on all cylinders. Boosting your levels now ensures your stamina matches the daylight hours - providing the quick charge your body needs to transition from winter hibernation to spring action.

Don’t let ‘Normal’ blood results fool you! 🧬Think your B12 levels are fine because your GP said they’re within range? Here’s the reality: the UK’s NHS threshold is significantly lower than the rest of the world. While other countries treat anything under 500pg/ml as a deficiency, the UK limit is much lower at 170pg/ml.

The Golden Rules of B12:

• Symptoms over Stats: A high number on paper means nothing if you’re still battling fatigue, brain fog, or brittle nails. Always be led by how you feel.

• Total Peace of Mind: B12 is water-soluble. Your body is an expert at self-regulating; it uses what it needs and simply excretes any excess. It is incredibly safe.
• The Gold Standard: Injections bypass the gut for instant absorption, getting you back to your best faster than tablets ever could.

Book your spring boost or first appointment easily online.

Increasing the mileage in the increased daylight?
Many of our clients are using the increased daylight hours to up their steps – whether it’s training for a half/marathon or getting out for longer walks.

If you’re pushing your physical limits, a Deep Tissue or Sports Massage is a vital part of keeping you moving well and staying injury-free.

The reset button for achy feet
Sometimes, even with the best shoes and best of intentions, our feet and legs feel heavy and achy. This month I’ve been sharpening my secret weapon in the Podiatry room for this: Dry Needling.

By using hair-thin acupuncture needles to target specific trigger points in the muscles of the foot and lower limb, we can release the tension in muscle fibres. Think of this as deep release for your foundations when stretching and foam rolling aren’t cutting it.

At Hackney Podiatry & Health, we’re here to make sure every part of you - from your blood cells to your toes – are ready for the sunshine. You’ve got big plans – so let’s make sure you’re resourced to enjoy them.

BOOK YOUR SPRING UPGRADE NOW.

Let’s keep you moving smoothly into warmer days ahead.
Big love, Tracy
Podiatrist, Mother, Yorkshire Tea addict & Clinic Director

Finally, we are moving out of the winter depths – the days are longer, 5pm no longer feels like nighttime and the path to summer is clearing.

So, as I start optimistically eyeing my sandals at the back of the wardrobe, I’m reminded of an old truth that rings especially true in our clinic: prevention isn’t just better than a cure… it’s a lot more comfortable too!

In Podiatry we spend a lot of time talking about ‘futureproofing.’ We see it every week: a small niggle that could have been settled in twenty minutes becomes a month-long hurdle – all because it was ignored and left to its own devices.

Whether you’re planning to conquer a marathon or simply want to enjoy a pain-free stroll through London’s parks as the weather turns, now is the time to check in with your foundations. 

Don’t wait for the ‘ouch’
Our goal is to keep you living well and staying pain-free on your feet. You don't need to be in agony to justify a visit, sometimes the best thing you can do for your body is give it some expert attention before it starts complaining.

Here at Hackney Podiatry & Health we do more than treat feet – so whether it’s a headache, sore shoulders, unhappy gut – we have a treatment to support you head to toe.

Book your appointment NOW.

Let’s keep that momentum going, one comfortable step at a time.

Big love, Tracy
Podiatrist, Mother, Yorkshire Tea addict & Clinic Director

Welcoming in the Yang Fire Horse energy with an announcement🔥🐎

February always feels like a turning point to me. Not a dramatic reset – just a quiet sense that things are finally beginning to move again. I said it last year and I’ll say it again: I much prefer to celebrate Chinese New Year to the calendar turn. In the depths of winter I’m not much for radical change, but by the time the snowdrops and daffodils start to appear, and the looooong January is behind us, I’m all in.

On Tuesday 17th February, we officially slither out of the Year of the Yin Wood Snake and gallop into the Year of the Yang Fire Horse. (Now try saying that quickly three times.)

As a fire sign, I won’t pretend I’m not excited about this shift. After a year of shedding old skins, deep feeling, and reflection, I’m more than ready for a bit of forward motion.

In both symbolism and Chinese folklore, the horse represents momentum, freedom, determination and movement. Add fire – a symbol of speed, intensity and passion – and you get fast, focused, hungry energy. In real terms, that can look like feeling clearer, more motivated, and ready to take action – without forcing yourself to sprint before you can walk. A welcome relief after a year that asked us all to slow down and recalibrate, whether we wanted to or not.

If you’ve been reading our recent blogs, you’ll know why this Fire Horse year feels especially meaningful to me.

A new chapter in our 30th year

With my human children now grown up and gloriously independent, I’ve found myself with something that felt in short supply for many years: time and headspace. Perhaps unsurprisingly I’ve taken the opportunity to pour this into my other baby: the clinic.

At heart, I’m a scientist and a biomechanics enthusiast. I’m endlessly fascinated by the structure, adaptability and sheer complexity of the musculoskeletal system – and how small imbalances can ripple out into pain, injury and limitation. Add to that my own lived experience of injury and rehabilitation (including a rather memorable pelvic fracture) and it’s probably no surprise that my passion has only deepened over time.

All of that has come together in this moment, guiding us towards a clearer, more focused direction: podiatry and musculoskeletal health, and a name change to match.