by Kara Fitzgerald, ND Allergy season is in high gear. The trees are budding and pollen is bursting forth in Connecticut. As our winters are warmer, we’re also seeing allergies kick in sooner, perhaps with a higher intensity than in years past. While most of us are cracking our windows open and emerging from the winter cocoon into the welcoming sun, our spring allergy patients step outside or crack their windows and they’re bombarded immediately with an almost invisible (to the non-sufferer)…

Specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) offer an exciting opportunity to treat and manage the inflammation often associated with chronic disease. In this short video, Metagenics Institute asks Dr. Charles Serhan of Harvard Medical School about the significance of resolution physiology in the healthcare system today. Dr. Serhan responded that while resolution physiology has been known for decades, it has not been studied in detail of mechanisms until recently. Dr. Serhan’s work has shown that there is an organized progression to homeostasis from…

1. Insights from the Metagenics Lifestyle Summit 2015 in Phoenix, AZ: Charles Serhan, PhD If already taking fish oils, is there a need to supplement with specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs)? In this video, Dr. Charles Serhan presents insights on inflammation from the Metagenics Lifestyle Summit in September 2015. Dr. Serhan is a distinguished researcher and professor at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. Dr. Serhan cites his research to answer a variety of questions on…

ASPEN 2015 Inflammation: Fish Oils vs SPMs: What's the Difference? - 1 Roundtable Symposia from ASPEN Clinical Nutrition Week 2015 Participating Speakers are: Robert G. Martindale, MD, PhD Stephen McClave, MD Jesmond Dalli, PhD Todd Rice, MD ASPEN Clinical Nutrition Week in February 2015 provided an excellent opportunity for experts in clinical nutrition to gather and discuss new clinical science from the field. In a series of discussions on Inflammation, Dr. Robert Martindale moderates conversation among several experts, including…

This animation features information on the role of inflammation in managing insults and injury to the body. Infection, wounds, poor diet, and aging are causes of acute inflammation. Acute inflammation helps the body to heal and helps tissue to return to homeostasis. When inflammation becomes chronic, however, as is common in many chronic diseases, it can destroy tissues and leave the body in poorer health. Science has now shown us that inflammation resolution is an active process that is controlled by specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs),…

What do we know about hormones for menopause? What are the risks and the benefits for women? Erika Schwartz, MD Chief Medical Officer at the Age Management Institute discusses the state of science and uses of hormone therapy for health concerns and improving quality of life. Dr. Schwartz also discusses the importance of preventative and individualized medicine for women. Presented at the Integrative Healthcare Symposium Annual Conference (IHS) in New York City – February 22, 2017 View the slides  …

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN With over 70% of US adults overweight or obese,1 weight loss methods that are effective and sustainable over the long-term are critically needed. A National Institutes of Health (NIH) study led by Kevin D. Hall, PhD investigated how physical activity (PA) and energy intake (EI) impacted long-term weight loss in participants from “The Biggest Loser” TV competition.2 “The Biggest Loser” is a televised weight loss competition involving an intensive diet and exercise program (30…

by Ashley Jordan Ferira, PhD, RDN A food fortification trial demonstrated that 600 IU of daily vitamin D3 had a significantly greater impact than 600 IU of daily vitamin D2 in elevating serum blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D].1-2 Vitamin D is essential for skeletal health and many emerging extraskeletal physiological processes, but remains one of the most common micronutrient dietary gaps, resulting in widespread hypovitaminosis D globally. Understanding how much vitamin D the body needs daily, in what form, and from what sources…

by Lewis Chang, PhD  Increased blood ketone levels following consumption of a ketone ester drink delayed the onset of hunger in conjunction with a delayed rise in plasma ghrelin levels, a human study found.1 Ketogenic diets are linked to decreased appetite and altered gut hormone levels; however, it is less clear whether elevated blood levels of ketone body (as opposed to other dietary ingredients) were responsible for the observed changes. Researchers from the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics at…