World Move for Health Day: Rethinking the Snack
At The Noakes Foundation, we’ve never been fans of snacking. If food is doing what it is supposed to do, meals should be sufficient. Hunger should have a rhythm, not a constant presence, and the need to snack every few hours often says more about what we are eating than about how often we should […]
7 April World Health Day: Stand With Science, But Don’t Stop Asking Questions
Every year on 7 April, the world marks World Health Day, a global initiative led by the World Health Organization (WHO) to highlight major health challenges and promote action to improve public health. In 2026, the theme is “Together for health. Stand with science.” The campaign encourages governments, scientists, health workers, and the public to […]
Greatest Moments of My 11 Years
After 11 years with The Noakes Foundation, it’s both humbling and emotional to pause and reflect on a journey that has shaped not only my career but my purpose. What began as stepping into the unknown quickly became a mission far greater than any one individual, a shared vision to challenge the status quo and […]
24 March: World TB Day Tuberculosis, Immunity and the Power of Metabolic Health
More than 140 years ago, on 24 March 1882, the German physician Robert Koch announced his discovery of the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, identifying the cause of tuberculosis (TB) and transforming the understanding of infectious diseases (3). Yet more than a century later, the fight against TB is far from over. Each year, World TB Day […]
International Women’s Day: Women Leading Change
Change does not always begin in parliaments or protest marches. Sometimes it begins in kitchens, around dinner tables, and in the everyday decisions about what families eat. Across the world, women play a central role in shaping household food environments, influencing the meals that nourish families and the habits that shape lifelong health (1). These […]
Time to Break Up With These Type 2 Diabetes Myths
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) affects over 500 million people worldwide, yet remains one of the most misunderstood chronic conditions. Misinformation doesn’t just confuse, it stigmatizes, turning a manageable health condition into a source of shame and delayed care. Let’s dismantle the myths that fuel diabetes stigma and replace them with evidence-based truth (1,2). Myth 1: […]
National Nutrition Week 9-15 October 2025: Get Back to Basics & Choose Health Every Day
Good nutrition is the cornerstone of lasting health. The foods we choose shape our energy, mood, immunity, and vitality; influencing not just how we feel today, but how we thrive in the years ahead. This National Nutrition Week, The Noakes Foundation and Eat Better South Africa (EBSA) invite everyone to reframe how you think about […]
Beware of Fake “Diabetes Cure” Scams Using Prof. Tim Noakes’ Name
It started with a worried email. Someone had just spent their hard-earned money on a product they believed was endorsed by Prof. Tim Noakes, a so-called miracle “diabetes cure.” They had seen his photo, even a video clip, claiming that he personally recommended a blend of exotic extracts. The promise was bold: reverse diabetes in […]
Raising Healthy Kids in a Junk Food World
This week, UNICEF released a sobering report (1): childhood obesity has officially overtaken underweight as the most common form of malnutrition worldwide. Almost 1 in 10 school-aged children is now living with obesity. It’s a shocking statistic, but a worrying reality, made even more concerning by the fact that many parents and caregivers don’t always […]
Celebrating 10 Years of Impact: Honouring Jayne Bullen’s Legacy
This year marks a powerful and emotional milestone for us at The Noakes Foundation, as we celebrate 10 years of Jayne Bullen’s unwavering dedication, visionary leadership, and transformative impact on our organization and the broader health community. Jayne joined The Noakes Foundation in March 2015 as its first employee and quickly became an instrumental force […]