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How to Build a Better Mood
The brain is comprised of billions upon billions of nerve cells (neurotransmitters) that relay information from one nerve cell to the next, allowing for efficient communication to occur. When everything is working properly, we feel our best. However, neurotransmitters often get compromised from the stressors of everyday life, which then affects our overall mood. One…
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Probiotics and the Brain
The mind-body connection garners a lot of attention these days, with explosive and ever-emerging research demonstrating the importance of seeing the body as a whole, rather than fractured systems. When talking about the brain, it’s hard to ignore the gut. The gut-brain axis is a good example of this; with the ability of the gut…
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What Can Brown Fat Do for You?
We often hear about fat in our foods — good fats, bad fats, fake fats. And the debate has been raging for decades over which fats are good for what and whether fat intake actually makes us fat. Everyone seems to know where the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Gary Taubes stand on the…
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Tiny Seed, Big Health Benefits
Flaxseed, known as a vegetarian source of omega-3 fatty acids, may also have the added benefit of promoting hormonal health. Although phytoestrogens are similar to estrogen, their role is not completely understood as having a positive or negative influence on women’s hormonal health, particularly those with a history of hormone-linked cancers. However, for women with…
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Infertility on the Rise?
In the United States, approximately 10% of couples are infertile, and the number could be as high as 8-12% worldwide. With rising infertility rates, and the culpability pointing to factors such as environmental toxin exposure, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and water contamination, the data looks grim for the next generation. But that’s not the whole…
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5 Lesser-Known Benefits of Vitamin D
Vitamin D, commonly dubbed the “sunshine vitamin,” is an essential micronutrient produced by the body when exposed to sunlight. Generally speaking, most people require 10-30 minutes of decent exposure to sunlight, 3-4 times a week in order to naturally synthesize enough vitamin D. However, factors such as genetics and where we live also play a…
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For Better Sleep, Turn Off the Blue Light
Causes for sleep disorders are many, and may include issues such as chronic pain, stress, shift work, jet lag or nocturia. Not planning for sleep, drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, or eating too close to bedtime can also contribute to not getting enough sleep; so may something as seemingly harmless as returning a text…
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Probiotics with a Purpose
Probiotics are classically defined as a “preparation of, or a product containing viable, defined microorganisms in sufficient numbers, which alter the microbiota in a compartment of the host, and exert beneficial health effects in the host”. Their use can be traced back 10,000 years ago even before the awareness of probiotic microorganisms through the widespread availability…
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6 Foods that Foster the Microbiome
“We are what we eat” should actually say, “We are what our microbes eat.” In fact, what we eat immediately and profoundly influences our gut microbiome, which then determines our health. With trillions of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa, taking residence in our guts, it’s no surprise they play significant and precise roles…
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DHA Pathway to the Brain
The health benefits of two omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), seem indisputable and range from improved cardiovascular risk factors and body composition to promotion of healthy inflammatory pathways. Lately, however, DHA has received a brighter spotlight of attention in the news due to its ability to influence the structure, function,…