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Sometimes discoveries are made in very unlikely ways…

Over a decade ago, a graduate student was doing research on zooplankton- microscopic animals that consume algae for their food source. The research scientists found that they could accelerate the growth of algae simply by exposing them to more light, and then better feed the zooplankton. But when the zooplankton ate that algae in abundance, the researchers were surprised to find that their growth actually was stunted. After deeper investigation, they discovered that because the algae grew so fast, it actually lessened the amount of nutrients they normally provided. The algae […]

Childhood obesity in the US is at an all-time high; rates have more than tripled since the ‘70s, with one in five school-aged children being obese, and one in three are overweight or obese. WebMD blames the modern lifestyle of too much “screen time” with video games and computer activities, resulting in very little physical activity. Some experts point the finger at poor diet, with children consuming too much sugar and low nutrient, highly processed foods. World Health Organization (WHO) also blames diet, and recommends a program that encourages people to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables […]

Most medical authorities agree that adults need a minimum of seven hours of sleep per night
to be healthy, and teenagers need up to ten hours! Research shows that sleeping is an
important time for immune system activity, cell regeneration, healing, and renewing energy
stores. Most of us consider sleep to be important, but still, we do things that interfere with making
a good night’s sleep a priority. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) estimates that 30 – 40% of
Americans sleep less than seven hours per night on a regular basis. They also found that people
who don’t get adequate sleep are more likely […]

Iodine is a trace mineral which is required only in small doses. We may not need a lot of it, but it’s still incredibly important to the thyroid gland to aid in producing thyroid hormone. Iodine deficiency is strongly correlated to thyroid diseases, including goiter, thyroid cancer and thyroid nodules. A nodule is an abnormal cluster of cells on the thyroid gland; they can be completely benign, but a small percentage of the time they are linked to cancer. They can also be a sign of hypothyroidism when other symptoms are present, such as fatigue, weight gain, dry coarse […]

In the previous blog “Not all fats are equal”, we discussed “thermogenesis”, a process the body uses to burn fuel for generating heat. We reviewed a lengthy published study that discussed the difference between brown fat (BAT) and white fat, and how brown fat is better at thermogenesis. As a result, people with higher brown fat levels have an easier time with moderating their weight.
The article also reviewed natural ingredients which support thermogenesis in brown fat. In the last blog, we discussed capsaicin, one of the best-researched supplements is associated with increased BAT activity and decreased fat mass. In […]

Many Americans struggle with high cholesterol, which puts them at risk for atherosclerosis, stroke or heart attack. Sometimes high cholesterol is due to eating the wrong foods, and sometimes it’s genetic, also known as “familial hypercholesterolemia”. Only 1/500 people have the familial form, so most often diet is to blame. Fortunately, an abundance of research shows that lifestyle and dietary adjustments can effectively control cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease, especially when combined with moderate, regular exercise.
If you’re interested in making lifestyle changes that will help lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease, I always suggest starting with the basics. […]

Common Obesogens and Their Pathways

As discussed in part one, obesogens are environmental pollutants that may alter the body’s metabolism and predispose some individuals to weight gain. They are very widespread and research has confirmed that our exposure is quite common – and particularly damaging during fetal and infant development.

High-Profile Obesogens
There is a growing body of evidence that provides a link between our exposure to specific environment chemicals from dietary, pharmaceutical, and industrial compounds and how they alter metabolic processes and predispose some people to gain weight.

At the top of the list is a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Commercially […]