Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a condition defined by a constellation of associated risk factors that increase a person’s chances of contracting stroke, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and diabetes (Chen, Yen, Huang, Lee, Hsia, & Lin, 2012). Said risk factors include: abdominal obesity (waist circumference 102 cm for males, 88cm for females), impaired fasting glucose (≥6.1 mmol/L), […]
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- BLOG Hormones / Endocrine
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a general term used to describe a group of diseases characterized by an aberration in insulin secretion and/or cellular resistance to said hormone. Such discordance between insulin and the cell can drive elevated plasma glucose levels, inhibit proper metabolism of carbohydrates/fats, induce pathologic changes in nerves/small blood vessels, and aggravate atherosclerosis […]
Read MoreAmericans consume approximately 55% of daily calories from carbohydrates that can include refined sources and simple sugars (Abbasi, 2018). Very low carbohydrate ketogenic diets (VLCKDs) can be defined as 20-50 grams of carbohydrates per day with, or without, the presence of ketosis (Feinman et al., 2015). Said dietary approaches have been explored, in addition to […]
Read MoreUrinalysis of glucose and ketones are non-invasive tests, which are used to reflect the levels of said molecules in the blood. Such tests are often used to monitor the effectiveness of interventions (i.e., nutrition, medication, lifestyle) for diabetics and individuals with insulin resistance (Pagna & Pagna, 2014). As a means of appreciating the need and […]
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- BLOG Body Fat / Skin Hormones / Endocrine Muscular
Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) does affect the elderly population. The loss of skeletal muscle mass from inactivity and lack of food consumption can negatively affect performance and activities of daily living in said population (Lancha, Zanella, Tanabe, Andriamihaja, & Blachier, 2017). Furthermore, the loss of skeletal muscle can begin as early as the 4th decade of […]
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- BLOG Body Fat / Skin Body Fat / Skin Cardiovascular / Circulatory Cardiovascular / Circulatory Hormones / Endocrine Hormones / Endocrine Neurological / Psychological Neurological / Psychological Tests / Biomarkers
Body composition (BC) can be defined as the proportions of various tissues (i.e., fat, muscle, and bone) making up the body, which is generally expressed as percent body fat and percent lean body mass (Lee & Nieman, 2013). As such, knowing BC can help one track changes during weight loss or weight gain programs, in […]
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- BLOG Cardiovascular / Circulatory Cardiovascular / Circulatory Hormones / Endocrine Hormones / Endocrine Immune / Lymphatic Immune / Lymphatic
Modern Western diets, including macronutrient ratios and macronutrient quality, are substantially different than the hominin diets 10,000 years ago (Ilich, Kelly, Kim, & Spicer, 2014). Modern diets tend to include over 70% of total energy from refined sugars, refined vegetable oils, processed foods, and alcohol (Ilich et al., 2014). Of particular interest is the shift […]
Read MoreLow carbohydrate diets (LCDs) have demonstrated favorable effects on biomarkers such as reduced triglycerides, total cholesterol, and improved insulin sensitivity (Ballard et al., 2013). However, do LCDs improve biomarkers as well as performance outcomes compared to grain-based diets (GBDs)? A case study by Rosenkranz, Cook, and Haub (2007) explored this question by placing an elite […]
Read MoreIt has been indicated that optimal maternal nutrition, or lack thereof, affects the composition of breast milk. However, most research has reported an association between breast milk quality and nutrition without directly assessing dietary habits of the mother. Therefore, the following will consider the research concerning said connection between milk composition, supplementation, contraindications, and maternal […]
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- BLOG Hormones / Endocrine Neurological / Psychological
Conventional medicine can be thought of as a system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery (National Cancer Institute, 2018). Functional medicine (FM) is an emerging model, which considers the underlying cause of disease and symptoms in its effort to restore an individual’s homeostasis (Kresser […]
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