It's becoming more accepted that inflammation is the leading cause of many, if not all, diseases. An increasing number of drugs and therapies are being developed to block the inflammatory processes to treat or prevent many diseases including cancers, infectious diseases and auto-immune disorders. (1) What is inflammation anyways? To summarize the process, the inflammatory response starts with the delivery of blood components, plasma and leukocytes, to the site of an infection or tissue injury. These components are normally restricted to blood vessels but now are able to access the other tissues outside of those vessels at the site of infection or injury. At this point, neutrophils (another blood component) become activated and have a goal of killing the invading agents by releasing toxic contents that are contained within them. The problem here is that neutrophils can't distinguish between the infected/injured tissues and healthy host tissue so damage is done to both. A repai

Newly published research examining data from over 200 clinical trials and studies reveals how carbohydrate quality impacts human health. Previously research comparing carbohydrate quality directly with health has been limited to looking at one specific marker and few health outcomes. However, this study was much more comprehensive. The main takeaway from this research is that high dietary fiber consumption is a good thing. To explain further how we come to this conclusion, let's start with the basics. There are two main types of carbohydrates: simple sugars and complex polysaccharides. There are also two ways for us to gain and burn energy for our bodies: carbohydrates and fat. The focus of this article is carbohydrates and the main source of energy for most people (unless you're on a ketogenic diet - another post for another day) so let's keep exploring carbs further. It's pretty common knowledge at this point that sugars (sucrose) aren't the best f

Health is something I am very passionate about and is one reason I chose to go into clinical research as a career. However, it pains me to see how misguided society has become in regards to nutrition and food. It's estimated that 80% of the population suffers from "leaky gut" and even more have inflammation. I love the 131 Method because it takes back the word 'diet' to educate you and truly help you learn which foods will help your unique body to heal itself, balance hormones, reduce inflammation (and yes, lose weight). Use this link below to learn more about the program, which includes Registered Dietitians at your fingertips! Some of the before and after pictures are amazing not just because of weight loss, but also visible improvements in skin conditions. Take a look for yourself! https://131method.com?afmc=pk