Ultra-processed food and drinks (fish sticks, chicken nuggets, cookies, sweetened drinks, etc.) increase the risk of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia (FD or chronic indigestion). A recent French study analyzed dietary data from over 33,000 participants and found that approximately 16% of food consumed (by weight) was made up of ultra-processed foods, which account […]
If you’re currently on a ketogenic diet (keto) or considering one for weight loss or to improve overall health, there are important things to consider. Creating the right environment to reach ketosis varies across individuals and without working with a doctor or nutritionist it’s nearly impossible to know if you’re in ketosis. In addition, to properly […]
A ketogenic diet (KD) improves neurovascular pathways that play key roles in brain function and beneficially alters the gut microbiome. The study included a 16-week ketogenic diet and was conducted in young, healthy mice aged 12 to 14 weeks. In addition to improved neurovascular function, a KD reduced blood glucose levels and body weight and showed […]
Weight gain and metabolic dysfunction in adulthood could be linked to maternal omega-3 fatty acid intake during gestation and lactation. A recent mouse study found that maternal PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acid) production during pregnancy and nursing significantly reduced weight gain and markers for metabolic dysfunction in male offspring fed a high fat diet. The study states […]
Cancer risk in the distal colon in women is lower in those who avoid eating red meat. In a 17-year study in over 32,000 women, researchers found that those women who did not eat red meat had a reduced risk of distal colon cancer. A red meat-free diet was not protective against cancer elsewhere in the […]
Weight gain in young children has detrimental effects on liver health. A recent study found that an increased waist circumference in three year olds was linked to a greater likelihood of increased non-alcoholic fatty liver disease markers (elevated ATL levels – a liver enzyme that acts as a marker for liver disease) at age 8. Those […]
Watching television for extended periods of time raises colorectal (CRC) risk in men. A recent study analyzed data from 500,000 men and women and found that men who watched TV 4+ hours per day had a 35% greater CRC risk than those who watched 1 hour per day. Increased time spent watching TV did not elevate […]
High processed salt intake alters gut bacteria composition and may disrupt the relationship between the microbiome and host homeostasis. While increased salt intake is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), we’re not exactly sure why that is. A recent study gave rats either water or a salt-water solution over a two-week period and analyzed blood […]
Artificial sweeteners promote dysbiosis (imbalanced gut bacteria) in Crohn’s disease (CD) patients and may worsen the disease and its symptoms. In a series of 3 studies, scientists mixed a low dose of Splenda into the drinking water of mice (who originated from a genetic line of mice with CD). They increased the dose slightly for the […]
Nitrate in drinking water, even at safe levels (within 50 mg nitrate/liter of water), increases colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. Scientists assessed drinking water nitrate level exposure in 2.7 million adults and examined 200,000 drinking water analyses from 1978 to 2011 in Denmark. Comparing this data with population-based health registry data, scientists identified 5,944 CRC cases. Analysis […]