by Melissa Blake, ND Metabolic detoxification is a complex set of coordinating systems working together to neutralize and eliminate toxic substances from the body. It is an amazing and intricate design. As suggested by design expert Irene Au, just like any good design, “when it works, no one notices, but when it doesn’t, it sure stinks.” Patients know far too well just how much it does stink. Excess toxic burden (too much in, not enough out) has been associated with…

by Noelle Patno, PhD L. plantarum 299v is a probiotic globally recognized for having Level 2 evidence for the improvement in severity of abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome and a large study preventing C. diffficile-associated diarrhea in antibiotic-treated patients.1 A new review2 on the 30-year anniversary of the isolation of this strain was recently published summarizing the current knowledge on this unique probiotic strain. This article features the main highlights of the reviewed science on probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum 299v.  Characteristics of the strain: 2  Plant-derived. L. plantarum 299v belongs to the group of lactic acid bacteria, and these types are commonly…

by Lewis Chang, PhD A century ago, the global average life expectancy of humans was around 32 years. Today, it is 73. Because we live much longer, aging is now a major risk factor for a myriad of modern-day chronic illnesses. For scientists to study aging-related health issues, one must find a scientific way to measure aging, a quantifiable biochemical marker that reflects our biological age, so to speak. Having the ability to detect changes in such a biomarker will…

Gastroenterologist Dr. Marvin Singh describes his philosophy on bringing patients back to health. Understand that the gut is the tattletale of the body; having symptoms in the gut does not always mean it is a gut problem. Dr. Singh discusses the importance of assessing the anti-inflammatory capacity of the microbiome, understanding the diagnostics, remembering the lifestyle basics, and talking to the patients. By “dialing things back a bit,” we better see all the factors that are happening in a patient…

Probiotic Strain L. paracasei Lpc-37® Reduced Stress in Healthy Adults Scientists have been searching for “psychobiotics,” probiotics that can modify the gut-brain axis,1 and now a recent publication using a robust clinical trial design demonstrated a probiotic strain that improved the stress response. Previous preclinical studies demonstrated that Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Lpc-37 (Lpc-37), formerly known as Lactobacillus paracasei Lpc-37 prevented the development of certain behaviors associated with chronic stress.2 This “psychobiotic” candidate was selected from other probiotic strains for clinical effects on perceived stress…

by Molly Knudsen, MS, RDN It’s no secret: The United States is getting grayer. More gray hair, that is. In 2018, the number of Americans 65 years and older reached 52 million.1 That number is projected to practically double to 95 million, or nearly one in every four Americans by 2060.1,2 This rise in an aging population will result in some unique challenges such as strain to the elder care resources, additional healthcare costs, and the need of addressing chronic…

by Cassie Story, RDN Abstract: Although it was not identified and isolated until the 1930s, vitamin C has been known to protect against and treat certain disease states since the 18th century. Ask any health care practitioner to recall the first nutrient deficiency they learned about, and vitamin C will likely top the list. Images of sailors in the 1700s returning to shore with bleeding gums, fatigue, and even death due to a deficiency in this potent, water-soluble, antioxidant micronutrient…

The ketogenic diet (KD) is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat, adequate-protein diet that has proven to be effective for the reversal of several chronic conditions including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type-2 diabetes (T2DM) in trials of up to two years.1 However, the degree of therapeutic response to KD varies across individuals.2,3 For example, some KD dieters lose more weight than others, and, while most of them improve their blood lipids, so-called “high responders” experience abnormal increases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Many…