Category: nutrition

Treat Vitamin D Deficiency to Prevent Attacks of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Correcting vitamin D deficiency nearly halves the risk of potentially fatal lung attacks in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), our latest study has found. COPD describes several lung conditions, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, where a person’s airways become inflamed, making it harder to breathe. Almost all COPD deaths are due to lung…


Melanin: The Holy Grail of Radioprotective Food Compounds

Could the melanin found in our bodies and in foods like mushrooms help to mitigate the increasingly dire quantities of radiation we are exposed to daily? Over the course of the past decade, one of the most interesting concepts I have run into while scouring the biomedical literature is the possibility that melanin’s biological role in…


Can Beet Greens Really Improve Liver Function by Removing Unwanted Toxins?

If you’re trying to alkalize the body and optimize your health – beet greens would be a wise choice.  With an earthy bitter taste – these greens have a reputation for helping to regenerate and reactivate red blood cells by supplying oxygen throughout the body.  But, most importantly, beet greens can help to detoxify the…


Tending to Food Sensitivities

The confusion over food sensitivities, intolerances, and allergies can make it difficult for those suffering reactions to find relief. While some go on a journey to uncover root causes, others desperately try anything to feel better, sometimes finding themselves immersed in a variety of tests with different specialists who seem to contradict one another with…


AHA News: Fresh or Frozen, Wild or Cultivated? What to Know About Blueberries and Health

Let’s not beat around the bush: Blueberries are good for you. This will come as no surprise to many Americans, who have found their thrill with blueberries in ever-rising numbers. It’s easy to understand why. Not only do they taste great, but studies keep suggesting more reasons to embrace them. “They’re the kind of things…


Diets Heavy in ‘Ultra-Processed’ Foods Could Harm the Brain

Eating lots of ultra-processed foods may dramatically increase your risk for dementia, according to a new study by researchers in China. Ultra-processed foods are high in sugar, fat and salt, but low in protein and fiber. Sodas, salty and sugary snacks and desserts, ice cream, sausage, deep-fried chicken, flavored yogurt, ketchup, mayonnaise, packaged bread and…


Mushroom Soup Immunity, Iron, and Vitamin D (Recipe)

Mushrooms are strange creatures. Neither plant nor animal, these fungal fruits are in a class all their own. Some species are psychotropic. Others are deadly. For many ancient cultures, even perfectly edible mushrooms were suspect. The Chinese, however, embraced mushrooms early on. One of the most important specimens in Chinese culture is shiitake, which has been a…


The Rise of Plant-Based ‘Milks’ in Australia

With the amount of aisle space dedicated to plant-based milk alternatives in Australian supermarkets, it’s clear that they are in high demand. But why are they gaining such popularity? According to experts from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), there are multiple reasons why many consumers are favouring soy, almond, oat, rice or coconut…


Social Stress Can Speed Up Immune System Aging: New Research

As people age, their immune systems naturally begin to decline. This aging of the immune system, called immunosenescence, may be an important part of age-related health problems such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as older people’s less effective response to vaccines. But not all immune systems age at the same rate. In our recently published study, my colleagues and I found that…


Reading the ‘Other’ Food Labels

Are you an avid reader of food labels? If so, you probably know there are scores of words and phrases that describe the foods you can buy at the grocery stores and farmers markets. We’re not here to talk about the regular vernacular—the nutrients, additives, or claims like “low fat,” “high fiber,” or “good source…