Next to water and air, food is the most necessary thing in our lives. But beyond its status as a necessity, food can be comforting, nourishing, and supportive. It can bring people together and even provide a sense of community. I say "can" because the quality of your food matters and is what makes it either a potent, health-supportive tool or the slowest form of poison... not just for your physical health but your mental health, too. (more…)
Pollutants pervade almost every aspect of our environment. Air pollution is one of the biggest threats, and water pollution comes in at a very close second. Even the pollutants in our foods are contributing to a myriad of health concerns. Researchers believe external pollution may be implicated in cancer, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, among other of the most pressing health concerns of our time. [1] Research is showing that persistent organic pollutants, or POPs, could be altering the gut microbiome and reducing the ratio of good to bad bacteria […]
You probably hear a lot about acid reflux, or perhaps you suffer from it yourself. But what exactly is acid reflux? Well, right at your stomach opening is a valve called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Normally, the LES opens and closes as it's supposed to, but sometimes it messes up. When that happens, your stomach acid can occasionally escape and flow backwards — that is, up into your esophagus — and if you’ve ever experienced reflux, you know you’re left with some pretty uncomfortable feelings. Not only is it […]
A healthy weight loss program only produces sustaining results when exercise is combined with the right dietary approach. There are other components that play a role, such as sleep and sunlight exposure, but certain foods could really give your weight loss efforts a substantial boost. Turmeric is one of those foods. The active compound in turmeric, curcumin, could in fact halt the infiltration of fat tissue throughout the body by inhibiting angiogenesis. (more…)
Food additives are added to food during processing, typically to enhance color or freshness. While some of them are natural, many aren’t and all those unnatural additives have nasty side effects. Think about the artificial sweeteners hiding in diet soft drinks, or the emulsifiers (used to keep food from separating) in the salad dressing sitting in your refrigerator. Just these alone destroy gut health. [1] [2] [3] That’s just the tip of the iceberg and most aren’t even tested for safety at all. [4] (more…)
