Category: Blog

The Role of the Oral Microbiome in Diabetes

By Dr. Diana Kessler In my previous post, “The Other Microbiome – The Microbes Living in Our Mouth“, I describe the oral microbiome and the processes that lead from eubiosis (normal composition of oral microbes) in the mouth to dysbiosis (altered composition). First gingivitis develops, later periodontitis. Depending on the severity and the number of […]

Debunking the Myths of Aging

By Jill Horn In this article, I will discuss and debunk some of the myths commonly associated with the aging process. For example, many people think that physical deterioration happens to everyone in old age, which is not true. Though most people do experience some wear and tear, the extent of that is largely dependent […]

Do You Really Know What’s in Your Supplements?

By Fiona Riddle Dietary supplements are often viewed as “natural” alternatives to pharmaceuticals, and because they do not require a prescription, they allow consumers to take complete agency over their own health interventions. In our modern world, it is incredibly easy to order a supplement for just about any concern and have it delivered straight […]

Erythritol Ever After?

By Katharine Jameson Something for nothing. More bang for our buck. It’s human nature to seek value in things, even in food. We’ve seemingly found freebies in low calorie, diet products like artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols. Something for nothing – all the taste and fewer calories – but what’s the catch? Are they too […]

An Important Reminder about Health Anxiety

By Megan Oser, PhD It’s normal to be concerned about your health at times. However, there is a difference between general concern about health and health anxiety. Health anxiety refers to an excessive preoccupation with health and illness and involves thinking or believing there may be a threat to your health. This, in turn, produces […]

Non-Nutritive Sweeteners – Good or Bad for our Metabolic Health?

By Elvira Rostanzo, MSc and Emeran Mayer, MD The global rising of obesity has become a worldwide public health crisis and represents one of the main challenges for prevention policies. In 2017, it has been estimated that over 2.1 billion people, or nearly 30% of the global population, are overweight or obese. Moreover, the obesity […]

Happ(ier) Holidays – Any Connection with Tryptophan?

By Katharine Jameson As we roared past Thanksgiving in the express lane to Christmas, many of us may have spent a post-turkey moment lolling on the couch, our bellies protruding, unable to keep our eyes open in food coma bliss (or discomfort). Tryptophan has long taken the blame for our post-holiday dinner sleepy states, but […]

Farmers Market Fog: Your Personal Guide to the Farmers Market

By Katharine Jameson These days, everything seems like it has its own catch phrase. ‘Heirloom’. ‘Artisanal’. ‘Organic’. From ‘natural’ or ‘non-GMO’ to ‘classic’, foods don’t only carry a brand name, but an often-convoluted description of what they are and the purpose they serve. Their nutrients are showcased regardless of the amount they actually contain, depending […]

Food For Thought with Kat | Back to School

By Katharine Jameson This time of year elicits memories in all of us, whether we’re sending our littles to back school or remembering our own days preparing for a new school year. Perhaps it’s the chill in the air signaling the start of a new school year or the smell of school supplies that brings […]

The Other Microbiome – The Microbes Living in Our Mouth

By Dr. Diana Kessler Surprisingly, the microbiome of the mouth is still mostly uncharted territory compared to that of the gut. Here, at the entrance to our digestive tract, live up to 10 billion bacteria – that’s more than humans on our planet! In addition, there are fungi, viruses, amoebae, and other microorganisms. I often […]

How Preparation Affects The Nutritional Composition of Vegetables

By Fiona Riddle At this point, most people are well aware of the numerous health benefits of a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. Including a diverse range of different types (and colors) provides your body with fiber, phytonutrients, polyphenols and essential vitamins and minerals. What many people might not know, however, is that […]

Can Nocebo Effects be Managed in Clinical Practice?

By Sarah Ballou, PhD and Anthony Lembo, MD The Latin word “placebo” translates to “I shall please” in English, which reflects the positive quality of placebo effects. When a patient responds to placebo, it means that their symptoms have improved after taking an inactive medication, or an active medication with little physiologic evidence to support […]

A Self-Compassionate Approach to Working with Difficult Emotions

By Suzanne Smith, MSN, NP, CMT-P There continues to be mounting evidence that stress negatively impacts the systems in our body. Many of you experience how stress manifests in your gut, impacting your quality of life. We might not even realize we are stressed, so it is necessary to become aware of stress cues and […]

Post-traumatic Stress and Gut Health

By Kerry Wangen, MD, PhD There is growing awareness about the impact of trauma on our lives and our health. Is it possible to protect our gut and maintain good digestive function when we have had trauma or even currently suffer from Post-traumatic Stress (PTS)? Yes, it is possible to make changes in our daily […]

Food For Thought with Kat | Organic Omissions?

By Katharine Jameson Food choices are so confusing these days, most of us wouldn’t mind a bit of guidance to point us in the right direction. The phrases natural, non-GMO, lite, fit, fat-free and no sugar added have all supplied us with a feeling of comfort as we plod through the grocery aisles considering how […]

How Antibiotics Threaten Your Health and Your Gut

By Markham Heid Infectious bacteria cause all sorts of illnesses—from food poisoning to tuberculosis. Antibiotics are a group of antimicrobial drugs that either kill or stop the spread of these harmful bacteria. “…antibiotic-resistant bacteria kill tens of thousands of Americans every year. Those numbers seem poised to go way up”. While we depend on these […]

The Surprising Health Benefits of Chocolate

By Fiona Riddle You’ve probably come across a headline or two along the lines of “new study reveals chocolate is good for your health” or “eating chocolate everyday will help you live longer.” And who doesn’t want to believe that something as delicious as chocolate can actually be beneficial to eat every day? When you […]

Food Additives and the Gut Microbiome

By Katharine Jameson Summer is defined by vacations as much as it is by ice cream and popsicles. It was Memorial Day weekend and we had invited ourselves to barbeque at my in-laws’. My mother-in-law said she would have “tons of popsicles” and I shuddered, assuming she would get the ones that are “all fruit,” […]