Diet fads are everywhere and more than often they do more harm than good. Diets plans tend to be strict, restrictive, expensive, short-lived, and (when unsuccessful) discouraging. Furthermore, the alarming number of diet fads out there make nutrition and health confusing for the common individual. The most common reason to diet is weight-loss, although it […]
Supplement of the Month: Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 (or cobalamin) is an important nutrient involved in nerve, cell, and metabolic functions. Vitamin B12 is used with a variety of other nutrients, like vitamin B9 (folate), and iron for the production of red blood cells. This is because both vitamins B12 and B9 connect to DNA synthesis which has a subsequent effect […]
Superfood: The Mighty Pomegranate
Humankind has long seen the pomegranate as special. The Ancient Greeks, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Zoroastrians all held the fruit sacred at various times throughout history. Perhaps its association with holiness (and sometimes fertility) led to its association with health. This is particularly the case in England, where the fruit appears on the crests […]
The Importance of Breastfeeding
“I am honored that he is alive and I can still breastfeed. I will always remember the gift of life and the lessons I learned through his tough beginning!” —Jiana Dollarhide Breastfeeding is the best way to nourish a newborn and build a bond between mother and child. Both the mother’s and baby’s bodies are […]
Superfoods: Cruciferous Vegetables
By now, most everyone knows that vegetables are good for health and that these are essential to a healthy diet. Unfortunately, the growing rates of obesity and non-communicable diseases (like cancer and diabetes) are a reflection on how most Americans diet. Simply put, we don’t frequent vegetables or alternate sources of protein (like plant-based protein) […]
How to Boost Your Metabolism
When we talk about the metabolism, we are talking about the sum of all the chemical changes occurring within your body to keep you alive and healthy. This is both the breaking down of calories to create chemical energy, and the construction of new molecules as your cells renew themselves. When we talk about boosting […]
The Effects of Nutrition During Pregnancy
For a long time, associations have been observed between adverse maternal intrauterine environments and the incidence of non-communicable diseases in later life. For example, the thrifty phenotype hypothesis studies the link between the epidemiological evidence of poor fetal and infant development with permanent detrimental changes in glucose-insulin metabolism (1). These alterations of glucose metabolism can […]
Superfoods: All About Coconut
The Hype Over Coconut: There has been a lot of hype in the recent years about the health benefits of coconut and its products. Almost everyday a new article or blog post (like this one) is popping out with a list of coconut’s many benefits and uses. Yet some of the leading experts disagree. Moreover, […]
Nutrition Consultant vs. Registered Dietitian: What’s the Difference?
Nutrition is an evolving field of the healthcare industry that is essential to combat the growing rates of non-communal diseases (2). Non-communal diseases are those which stem from poor dietary choices and a sedentary lifestyle, also known as chronic conditions. Examples of such conditions include cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, cancer, and obesity. Not surprisingly, these diseases […]
Supplement of the Month: Curcumin
Curcumin is a healing substance found in the spice turmeric. Due to its medicinal properties, curcumin has been getting a lot of attention from the medical community. This awesome supplement reduces inflammation and may help treat cancer, although studies are still underway (1). Although the specific mechanisms of curcumin’s therapeutic effects are still unknown, studies […]