Eating Less Meat Lowers Cancer Risk
Eating meat 5 times or less per week lowers your risk of getting cancer, according to a recent study published in BMC Medicine. The study included over 470,000 participants and analyzed the risk of cancer in vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets. Diets were classified as: Regular meat consumption: consuming processed red meats and/or poultry more than […]
The Gut-Sleep Connection
You’ve probably noticed that when you’re sleep-deprived, you’re more susceptible to the flu or a cold. That’s no coincidence. Like an overheated computer, it’s your immune system malfunctioning because it’s not getting the sleep it needs. While you sleep, your immune system is hard at work producing infection-fighting antibodies and cytokines that help protect you […]
Gut Microbiome Impacts Severity of COVID-19
Correlation between the composition of your gut microbiome, cytokine levels and inflammatory markers in COVID-19 patients confirms that severity of COVID-19 is linked to the gut microbiome, according to a study in Gut. In this study, blood, stool, and patient records from 100 patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were evaluated. Results showed significant gut microbiome […]
Kiwi Fruit – An Effective Relief for Chronic Constipation
Patients with chronic constipation treated with kiwi fruit, prunes and psyllium reported relief in symptoms, according to a study published in American Journal of Gastroenterology, but kiwi had the highest patient satisfaction and the lowest rate of adverse events. “Functional foods” like kiwi and prunes are safer and less expensive than prescription medications, and it […]
High Fiber Diet Linked to Immunotheraphy Response
A high-fiber diet is associated with higher survival rates in patients with melanoma being treated with a type of immunotherapy called checkpoint inhibitors, according to study results published in Science. The high-fiber diet is similar to the one endorsed by the American Cancer Society, and recommends high consumption of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and […]
You Have to Take Antibiotics – Now What?
our health care provider about whether they’re absolutely necessary, but the verdict is in: you need to take a course of antibiotics. Now what?
Learning From The Past
The Black Death, also known as Bubonic Plague, appeared in Europe in the mid-1300s on ships arriving at the Italian port of Messina. Sailors covered in black boils oozing blood and pus brought the deadly infection from Asia, and over the next several years, the Black Death would wipe out half the population of Europe. […]
Gut Feeling
Do you ever feel depressed or anxious or sad and can’t figure out why? Your circumstances and surroundings can definitely affect your mood but there’s an additional factor that plays a big role, and that’s what’s going in your gut. Your digestive tract contains millions of nerve cells, and communicates directly with your brain via […]
FMT Establishes Flourishing Gut Microbiome In Infants Born Via C-Section
When C-section born infants are given a cocktail of poo plus breast milk, their microbiomes look very similar to their vaginally-born counterparts. C-section-born infants have very different gut microbiomes than those born vaginally. Current research points to the hypothesis that these differences put C-section-born infants at a significantly higher risk for disease and less optimal […]
Antibiotics Decrease Hormonal Contraceptive Effectiveness
Antibiotics reduce the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives in a new study. Anecdotal evidence shows women getting pregnant on hormonal contraceptives (this includes the pill, the patch, the vaginal ring, implants, IUDs, and injections) while taking antibiotics. Yet, past research has shown either no interaction between hormonal contraceptives and antibiotics or the findings have been inconclusive. […]
