Health, Microbes, and More
Recently the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) released the depressing news that very few Americans are eating recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables. Many studies show that eating several servings each day of fruits and vegetables has all sorts of health benefits (e.g., live longer, lower inflammation, lower risk of diabetes and some ...continue reading "Most Americans Are Not Eating Enough Fruits and Vegetables"
Those who enjoy a little "potty humor" will like the results of a recent nutrition study comparing the results of a Western style diet (high fat, low fiber) to a high fiber Mediterranean diet. The high fiber diet resulted in much larger, softer stools, and an increase in stomach noises and farting. (Yes, they weighed ...continue reading "Farts and Good Gut Health"
Antibiotics can be life-saving, but there are also unintended consequences. One of them is that they disrupt and alter the gut microbiome (the microbial community of the millions of microbes living in the intestines). A large study found that use of antibiotics is linked to a higher risk of colon cancer 5 to 10 years ...continue reading "Antibiotics and Colon Cancer"
Once again a study finds that taking supplements can be problematic. This time it's fish oil supplements for heart health. Researchers found that taking routine daily fish oil supplements was linked to an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm disorder. Atrial fibrillation is linked to higher risk of stroke and death. The international ...continue reading "Fish oil Supplements and Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrillation"
A recent study found that eating higher levels of foods with flavonoids (e.g. berries, apples, and tea) may lower the risk of later development of Alzheimer's disease and other age-related dementias. Since currently there are no effective drugs that prevent or actual medical treatments for dementia, it is great that what a person eats (the ...continue reading "Eating More Fruits and Berries Lowers Risk of Dementia"
The past year has resulted in disappointments for the vitamin and mineral supplement industry as study after study didn't find health benefits from routinely ingesting them. Instead, study after study found health benefits from eating a good diet, specifically one that has as few as possible highly processed foods, but lots of whole foods, and ...continue reading "Four Vitamin Studies Have Disappointing Results"
What's with the blueberry obsession in medical studies? Another study finding health benefits with frequent eating of blueberries was recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers at the Univ. of Anglia in the United Kingdom found that eating one cup of blueberries daily for 6 months reduced risk factors for cardiovascular disease (e.g. improvements ...continue reading "Eating Blueberries Frequently and Heart Health"
Are there foods that could prevent cancer? Well... studies show that a dietary pattern with lots of fiber, and perhaps along the lines of the Mediterranean diet, may be the most beneficial. In other words, it's not just one or a few "super-foods" that a person should eat, but an overall dietary pattern. But one ...continue reading "Nuts And Colon Cancer"
Interesting new research found health benefits to the brain from daily low intake of alcohol (equivalent to about 2 1/2 drinks per day). The University of Rochester (in New York) researchers found that while low daily (chronic) levels of alcohol were beneficial to the brain's glymphatic system, higher daily levels or binge drinking was not. ...continue reading "A Little Alcohol Daily May Be Beneficial"
It seems like I can't stop writing about coffee (here and here). Coffee drinkers rejoice: another study (presented at the European Society of Cardiology) finds health benefits from drinking several cups of coffee daily. This study, like other previous studies, found an inverse relationship between drinking coffee and early death ("all-cause mortality") - meaning the ...continue reading "Drink Coffee to Lower Your Risk of Early Death?"