Is Your Liver Healthy?
As alcohol use has increased exponentially during the pandemic, this is a question many of us may be thinking about. In fact, a recent study found that alcohol-associated liver disease is a leading contributor to liver-associated cancer deaths worldwide. Alcohol consumption can cause excessive fat buildup in the liver (fatty liver or hepatic steatosis), inflammation […]
Does Alcohol Increase Colon Cancer Risk?
Alcohol increases colon cancer risk, independent of genetic risk. The study, published in May of this year in EClinical Medicine, looked at alcohol consumption and its association with colorectal cancer risk in over 9,000 patients. Alcohol consumption was self-reported using the following categories: abstinent (0g/d), low (less than 1 drink daily), low to moderate (1 […]
Low-Calorie Diet Delays Metabolic & Immune Aging
A low-calorie diet delays metabolic aging and immune aging, and scientists have discovered that the anti-aging effects are a result of the gut microbiome. The study, published in Microbiome, looked at the interactions between low-calorie diets, the microbiome, metabolism, and the immune system in a two-step process. The study first analyzed the effects of a […]
Antibiotics Weaken Vaccine Response in Infants
Infants who receive antibiotics may have a weakened response to vaccinations. Scientists have long been aware that some children have lower antibody responses to vaccinations than others, but the reason for the differing response is unknown. This recent study may shed light on what’s going on. The study looked at antibody responses to 4 common […]
Signs of Concussion Can Be Found in the Gut
Signs of a concussion can be found in the gut, according to a Houston Methodist study. Researchers who conducted the study took blood, stool, and saliva samples from 33 Rice University football players and found that tracking changes in the gut microbiome following head injury could act as an important marker for diagnosing concussions and […]
Genetics, Lifestyle & Environment Influence Food Allergy Risk
Genetics, lifestyle, and environment influence the risk of food allergies in early life. A review article published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology conducted a literature review of all scientific articles on food allergy and food sensitization published after 2015 and explored the following topics: the genetic risks for food allergy links between atopic […]
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 […]
