by Lewis Chang, PhD  It has been suggested that oxidative stress contributes to the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD), an age-related neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system affecting movement. As antioxidants may offset oxidative stress and damage to neurons, scientists have been interested in whether antioxidant consumption would reduce the risk of PD. Researchers from Karolinska Institutet (Stockholm, Sweden) and University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA) set out to investigate the association between antioxidant intake and PD risk…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN An analysis of the Nurses’ Health Study II (NHS2) cohort revealed that women with a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) who are also overweight or obese have a significantly increased risk of developing chronic hypertension (HTN) later in life.1 HDP includes pre-eclampsia and gestational HTN: obstetric complications increasing risk of maternal mortality.2 In the US, pre-eclampsia and gestational HTN affect 3% and 5-10% of pregnancies, respectively.2 Furthermore, HDP increases risk for chronic HTN. Conservative figures estimate that…

by Bianca Garilli, ND A member of the Lamiaceae flowering plant family, peppermint (Mentha piperita) is one of the most widely herbs used in today’s society.  The peppermint plant is a mix of Mentha spicata (spearmint) and Mentha aquatica (watermint). This fragrant herb originates form the Mediterranean region and now grows wildly in many areas of the world.  Peppermint is well known for its spicy taste and the characteristic “coolness” which comes from its menthol containing volatile oil.1 Peppermint use throughout…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN Vitamin D is essential- it helps absorb calcium, supports nervous and muscle tissue, and the immune system. Compared to normal-weight counterparts, vitamin D deficiency is more prevalent in those with obesity. In the US over one-third of adults meet obesity criteria.1 A study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism2 examined cellular mechanisms of vitamin D trafficking in metabolically dysfunctional adipose tissue as compared to normal adipocytes in conjunction with a vitamin D supplementation intervention in…

by Milene Brownlow, PhD It seems like we’re always on our way to a destination. Whether it’s a physical journey, such as traveling out of town, or a mental one, like getting ready for a job interview, we must prepare for the journey in order to get there. Entering a state of ketosis is no different. Strategic planning is important. What is “ketosis,” and how can you get there? Many people associate ketosis with a popular diet program and as…

Regular exercise at any intensity level—even just one hour per week—can help reduce depression, a large population study found.1 A group of researchers from University of New South Wales (Australia), King’s College London (England), and Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Norway) examined data from the Nord-Trøndelag Health (HUNT) Study—a large-scale, long-term, population-based health surveys in Norway—to understand whether exercise provided protection against depression and anxiety and whether intensity and amount of exercise mattered. After evaluating longitudinal data from nearly 34,000…

A retrospective cohort study found that infertility in women was associated with an increased risk of death from certain endocrine related disease such as diabetes and breast cancer [1]. As infertility in women may be a sign of endocrine or inflammatory disruption, scientists have had concerns about its long-term effects on women’s health. Researchers from the Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA) set out to study the link between infertility and mortality in women in the PLCO…

by Bianca Garilli, ND Obesity is an established a predisposing factor for chronic disease processes including metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular disease (CVD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). These sequelae of obesity results from the relationship between excess adiposity, underlying inflammation and insulin resistance at the population level.1 More recently, however, research indicates there is more to learn about obesity as a risk factor for these disease processes on the individual level since the number of lean phenotypes suffering the same health conditions…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN Recent research from three well-known cohorts, The Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), NHS2 and Health Professionals’ Follow-Up Study (HPFS), reveals that higher magnesium intake is associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), particularly in diets with poor carbohydrate quality.1 Green leafy vegetables, unrefined whole grains, and nuts are richest in magnesium, while meats and milk contain a moderate amount.2 Refined foods, like carbohydrates (carb), are poor sources of magnesium. Diets with poor carb quality are characterized by…