Menopausal transition represents a critical period in women’s lives that marks an increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Traditional CVD risk factors, such as reduced glucose tolerance, increased blood pressure and endothelial dysfunction, tend to become very present during menopausal transition and post-menopausal years which can partly explain the augmentation in CVD risk among women. The natural decline in oestrogen levels during menopause has been associated with the increase in CVD risk among post-menopausal women. Similarly, VMS are postulated to…

Inflammation plays key role in many chronic conditions including IBD, arthritis, diabetes etc. Curcumin, as an active ingredient present in turmeric has long been known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. However, due to its poor bioavailbility in humans (1-2%), there was a need for developing formulations that increased its bioavailability. Curcuminoids in plasma exist in free and conjugated forms. Recent literature suggests that conjugated curcumin metabolites possess low bioactivity and permeability compared to free curcuminoids. Measurement of free curcuminoids…

Part of the Diabetes Prevention Program: Tips and guidelines for diabetes prevention and treatment, including meal plans with caloric intake and suggested options for managing glycemic index Several studies have demonstrated the reduction in the development of diabetes with moderate weight loss that is sustained over a long period of time. Structured, intensive lifestyle programs that include individualized patient education on diet, physical activity and behavior modification have been proven to produce long-term weight loss and chronic disease prevention. Additionally,…

Sedentary behaviors have been linked to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. In terms of potential mechanisms, research has revealed associations between sedentary time and cardiometabolic risk factors, including higher waist circumference, higher blood pressure, unbalanced glucose and insulin metabolism, and unfavorable blood lipid profile.1 Television watching and its negative impact on health have been well-documented. A recent research study examined whether other types of sedentary behaviors netted a similar, deleterious impact on health. Specifically, the group of public…

by Lewis Chang, PhD  A randomized trial demonstrated that Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) supplementation in combination with aspirin improved cognitive function after an ischemic stroke better than aspirin alone.1 Researchers from Nanjing University Medical School (Nanjing, China) conducted a randomized, open-label, single-blind trial.1 They enrolled 348 patients with an onset of acute ischemic stroke within 7 days from five hospitals in Jiangsu Province (Eastern China). Participants were randomly assigned to GBE (450 mg/day) plus aspirin (100 mg/day) or only aspirin…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN Three months of nutritional ketosis provided relief from chronic cluster headache (CCH), according to a study by Di Lorenzo and colleagues.1 Headache complaints are among the most commonly reported neurological disorders. Migraines affect 1 in 7 adults annually and are 2x more common in women than men. In contrast, cluster headache (CH) is rare, affecting < 1% of the population and is 6x more common in men.2 CH is the most severe type of…

by Lewis Chang, PhD  Many nutrition studies utilizing a low fat diet for weight and health management have not consistently demonstrated reductions in cardiovascular events or mortality. In contrast, higher fat diets have netted improved body composition, diet adherence, and satisfying food preferences. However, it is still unknown whether there is an optimal diet composition of fat content for health benefits. A balanced high fat diet (BHFD) is a diet with 50/30/20 ratio of fat/carbohydrate/protein in which the fat component…

In the United States more than 30 million people, approximately 10 percent of the population, have type-2 diabetes (T2D).1 Additionally, one in three adults in the US have prediabetes- that translates into over 84 million adults with hyperglycemia and an increased risk for frank diabetes. Diabetes is associated with other serious health concerns including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and obesity.1 A recent cross-sectional analysis examined the impacts of glucose metabolism status (i.e. normal, prediabetes and T2D) on cognitive function and…

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 Heart disease is the #1, equal opportunity, killer in the US.1 Suboptimal diet quality, including low nut consumption, is also a leading cause of death.1 Observational and interventional studies have demonstrated that chocolate and almonds, separately, yield cardiometabolic benefits. Numerous nutritional bioactives exist in these foods, but the key players are thought to be unsaturated fats in almonds and flavanols in dark chocolate. A recent study by Lee et al. explored the individual and combined effects of dark chocolate,…