I wrote here on mitochondrial dysfunction in depth. But as a quick recap: mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cells, generating the body’s energy currency called ATP. They’re the last step in the process of converting glucose into energy. Therefore, under-functioning mitochondria will have broad-reaching consequences, affecting potentially every body system. [...]
I wrote here about how taurine affects overexcitable membranes in general, and it essentially boils down to two interrelated things: the NMDA receptor (which is stimulated by the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, and inhibited by calming neurotransmitters glycine and GABA), and calcium conduction (the flow of which occurs when the NMDA receptor [...]
Essential oils are all the rage at the moment, in part because of multilevel marketing—but while I’m not a huge fan of MLM in general, that doesn’t mean that essential oils themselves don’t have their place in the pharmacopeia of natural medicines. But first, a few definitions. Essential Oils vs [...]
N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) is best known as a building block for the body’s “master” antioxidant, glutathione. It is an excellent antioxidant in its own right as well—but it does much more than just support redox chemistry. NAC as an Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Oxidative damage can certainly trigger immune system activation [...]
I wrote here about the potentially damaging effects of sugar. But to recap, it’s been heavily associated with weight gain, heart disease, insulin resistance and diabetes, cancer, and dementia, just to name some of the big ones. It’s important to keep yourself out of the danger zone (fasting glucose over [...]
Your microbiome is critically important to your health, protecting against pathogenic illnesses as well as noninfectious gut disorders like allergies and autoimmunity. It also supports your mood and helps you maintain a healthy weight. Your diet has a huge impact on the types of bacteria that flourish in your gut, and [...]
I wrote here about consuming phosphatidylcholine for the purposes weight loss. But this amazing phospholipid does so much more than that. Phospholipids have a common biochemical structure: a glycerol backbone (the same stuff used to make soap) with two fatty acids, a phosphate group, and one extra molecule attached (in this [...]
Your body breaks down your food using molecular “scissors” called enzymes. Certain enzymes are more targeted at certain macronutrients. There are many enzymes designed to break down different types of carbohydrates, and there are also some plant-derived enzymes in commercial enzyme formulations as well. Here’s what each of those enzyme [...]
Turmeric is the spice responsible for the yellow color in curry, and in American mustard. It is in the same botanical family as ginger (which you might be able to tell visually, if you’ve ever purchased both at the grocery store), and its most biologically active component is curcumin. Health [...]
Of all the myriad of products proclaiming immune support benefits, how do you know which one to choose? It’s first of all important to start with a firm foundation: make sure you’re eating immune boosting foods, getting plenty of sleep, and managing your stress. But beyond that, there are a [...]