Most Americans don’t eat enough fiber. And most Americans don’t drink enough water. Staying hydrated to regulate body temperature helps maintain body weight, prevent infections, and keep organs functioning properly. Being well-hydrated also improves sleep quality, cognition, and mood.
Read MoreObesity is a global epidemic and is far more prevalent in countries that adopt Western patterns of eating. Western patterns of eating include highly processed foods with lots of sugar and fat and the removal of fiber. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines processed food as one that has undergone any change to its natural state
Read MoreAlthough many dismiss intermittent fasting as a fad, there is a mounting collection of research that demonstrates a bevy of benefits to this pattern of eating.
Last week, the review article, Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease, appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The review covers the biochemistry of fasting, the impact of IF on stress resistance, IFs effect on health, disease and cognition, as well as clinical applications of time-restricted eating.
The evidence for fasting is becoming so compelling; it is likely intermittent fasting will find its way into doctor's recommendations for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If you want to give it a try, most find it i
Read MoreA recent article in Science News, Personalized diets may be the future of nutrition. but the science isn't all there yet, got me thinking about obesity and diabetes. These diseases are often, but not always, linked.
Obesity is a worldwide epidemic affecting about one-quarter of the world's population. Obesity is associated with a wide range of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of death worldwide, affecting 422 million people. In the US, in 2012, the total estimated cost of diabetes in the United States was $245 billion.
Read MoreIf I had to pick one recommendation to improve most people's health, that recommendation would be to decrease inflammation. Inflammation is your body's way of protecting itself from injury, illness, and infection. However, runaway inflammation has profound effects on your health. Uncontrolled inflammation is implicated in a wide range of chronic diseases, including obesity, anxiety/depression, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's Disease, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and many others.
Read MoreThe health benefits of caloric restriction are proving to be wide-ranging. Caloric restriction may play a role in the management of cancer, rebooting the immune system, and a whole host of ailments, including obesity and autoimmune disease.
Read MoreProbiotics are all the rage. But a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, Those Probiotics May Actually Be Hurting Your ‘Gut Health’, drove home a point I often try to make about prebiotics and probiotics.
Probiotics contain live, microscopic organisms. Yogurt, Kefir, Kimchi, Sauerkraut, and other fermented foods have live bacterial strains. The type of bacteria and yeast often vary by brand. Prebiotics contain no live organisms. Instead, they are substances that humans cannot digest. The substances instead feed the beneficial bacteria of our gut (e.g., psyllium or inulin).
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