2082 results found for: GUT HEALTH

Weight Loss Products Part 5: White Kidney Bean Carb Intercept

By Ginger Hultin, MS, RDN, LDN White Kidney Bean Carb Intercept® by Natrol® is a product that claims to work by controlling fat storage related to the ingestion of too many carbohydrates. It works by interfering with specific digestive enzymes and may be appropriate for a client looking for a supplement that is not a stimulant like so many products in the weight loss category. By combining 1000mg white kidney bean extract and 40mcg Foodbound® Chromium, this product claims to neutralize carbohydrates in a non-stimulating way, supporting weight loss. Chromium has been studied for general blood sugar control and in […]

Aspirin In Seniors- Macular Degeneration?

Many of my patients are age 60 and over and as such they have specific health issues. One of their concerns is the healthcare of their eyes and preserving their vision. Recently, I became aware of a study published in Ophthalmology Magazine that warned of people over 60 developing a vision-affecting disease called wet-type macular degeneration. The study found that people who regularly take aspirin for certain health issues had a doubled risk of developing blindness from wet-type ARMD (age-related macular degeneration).  I’d like to share this warning with you as I have my own patients to hopefully prevent anyone from damaging their vision […]

More Magnesium Equals Lower Stroke Risk

The results of a large cohort study and updated meta-analyses, published on May 6, 2015 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, add evidence to a protective effect for magnesium and potassium against the risk of stroke in women. For the prospective cohort study, Harvard researchers evaluated data from 86,149 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study I (NHS I) and 94,715 participants in the NHS II. Dietary questionnaires completed by NHS I participants in 1980, 1984, 1986 and every four years thereafter, and in 1991 and every four years thereafter in the NHS II were analyzed for the intake of calcium, magnesium […]

Combine Nuts and Olive Oil With Mediterranean Diet

Consuming plant-based Mediterranean diet with virgin olive oil or mixed nuts can lead to improved cognitive function in older adults, suggests a new study. Spanish researchers Emilio Ros, M.D., Ph.D., and Ciber Fisiopatologia along with colleagues compared a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil or nuts with a low-fat control diet. The randomized clinical trial included 447 cognitively healthy volunteers (223 were women; average age was nearly 67 years) who were at high cardiovascular risk and were enrolled in the Prevencion con Dieta Mediterranea nutrition intervention. The authors measured cognitive change over time with a battery of neuropsychological tests and they […]

Do Natural Weight Loss Product Work? Part 4: Super Citrimax®

By Ginger Hultin, MS, RDN, LDN The Super Citrimax® product by NOW supplement brand aims to improve blood sugars while also promoting a healthy body weight. A low dose of calcium (100mg), iodine from kelp (300mcg) and naturally occurring sodium (15mg) accompany the ingredients that will likely be more active in accomplishing said benefits: ChromeMate® provides 200mcg chromium and the Super CitriMax is a Garcinia cambogia extract containing active ingredient Hydroxycitric Acid or HCA at 1.5grams. Garcinia cambogia is often used as a tool for weight loss. This product also contains 200mg of Panax Ginseng Root Extract which is commonly […]

Fluoride in Water Linked to Low Thyroid

The fluoridation of the American water supply started in 1951. The rationale was that fluoride would help to prevent cavities. Today, it’s estimated that about 62% percent of the U.S. population receives fluoridated water. Many have questioned the safety of this practice, fearing that fluoride may do more harm than good. And in some countries, the fluoridation of water has been banned. A recent study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health shows fluoridation may be linked to low thyroid function. Low thyroid function, in turn, was linked to depression. Fluoridated Water May Double the Risk of Hypothyroidism Previous studies associate fluoride […]

New Strategy to Overcome “Emotional Eating”

Even when faced with life-threatening diseases related to their corpulence, most overweight people simply cannot manage to eat less. One overlooked reason for today’s obesity epidemic is a stress-induced disorder known as “emotional eating.” Consuming certain foods, especially high-glycemic carbohydrates, bolsters “feel-good” brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin that are depleted by stress. While increasing brain serotonin levels through high-carbohydrate meals can help elevate mood in the short term, ingesting ever-greater amounts of dietary carbohydrates often leads to weight gain and a cascade of ill health effects throughout the body. To stand any chance of success, programs designed to help people […]

Are Natural Weight Loss Products Safe? Part 3: Bitter Orange

By Ginger Hultin, MS, RDN, LDN The active component in Nature’s Way Bitter Orange product has been studied with interest for its role in weight loss, and despite much caution with regards to side effects, has proven relatively safe in some animal and human research. ­­­­The product has shown some efficacy for modest weight loss and has made its way onto the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list when consumed as a food (peel, flower or leaf). However, when taking the extract which acts like a stimulant to the sympathetic nervous system, or the body’s fight-or-flight system, there are some […]

Try These Cancer-Preventing Foods

Cancer is responsible for 1 out of every 4 deaths in the U.S.A. One of the best cancer-prevention tools for health is eating the right foods, but finding the motivation to eat right sometimes alludes us until we, or someone we love, is faced with a deadly disease. Garlic, produces sulfur compounds and allicin. Sulfur compounds detoxify the body and help prevent cancer. Allicin thins the blood and reduces your risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer. It’s best to eat garlic after it has been crushed so that these cancer-fighting compounds can form. Dried garlic or roasted garlic doesn’t […]

Apple Polyphenols and Longevity

In the last year alone, scientists from three different laboratories have published studies that demonstrate how polyphenol molecules derived from apples extend life span in various species by as much as 12%. These researchers are unraveling the various mechanisms of action that give apple polyphenols such promise as anti-aging nutrients. Initial findings show that apple polyphenols modulate multiple signaling molecules to delay the onset of age-related disorders. They may also mimic the actions of calorie restriction, a known antiaging technique. One polyphenol, phloridzin, which is heavily concentrated in the skin of the apple, also potently suppresses several processes leading to glycation, […]