Solving Chronic Inflammation

Meet the modern inflammatory diet. We are fatter and sicker—and extremely unhappy about being fatter and sicker—than ever before in history. Except, of course, anyone who has tried to actually do something about their health but given up—moving into the “nothing can be done about it” band. The studies are clear: where “modern” processed foods become the standard diet, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and other diseases of inflammation follow. When we abandon our traditional nourishing foods in favor of processed groceries high in sugar, processed grains, vegetable oils, and additives, we get sick. Of the top ten … Continue reading

Keeping inflammation in check: Your ubiquitous ubiquitin system

Are Alzheimer’s, weight gain and obesity, cancer, diabetes and heart disease all the same health problem? I think so. And so do many other researchers today. What they all have in common is excess inflammation in the body. And any time some really interesting new piece of the inflammatory puzzle hits the science headlines, pharmaceutical and biotech companies start promoting how they’ll develop novel anti-inflammatory drugs to block these natural proteins to finally solve the problem of unquenchable pain and inflammation. And one such amazing piece of the inflammatory puzzle—amazing to molecular biology or biochemistry nerds like me—just put together some pieces not before known. For 20 … Continue reading

Can you out-run a fattening diet? Weight loss theory de-mythed.

health-based food pyramid

Something rare came across my desk today, a readable yet scientifically accurate weight loss truth, finally! The truth about exercise and weight loss—or at least a place to start. Weight loss myths I’ve known: In 2007 the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine recommended 30 minutes of moderately strenuous exercise five days a week “to maintain and promote health.” But there was very little data supporting the idea that those who exercise more gain less weight. The USDA urges us to get 90 minutes of moderately vigorous exercise almost every day “to maintain weight”. There’s no … Continue reading

Coffee Good or Bad?

100% natural coffee good or bad

A quick browse on the internet yields “7 health reasons…” “10 ways coffee harms…” “11 good things about coffee…” Do you have whiplash yet? And the media is not helping! One night’s news report conflicts with another’s blatantly contradictory info. So what do we do? Whatever the heck we want, apparantly. The coffee infusion of ground, roasted coffee beans, is among the most widely consumed beverages in the world. After all, that chocolaty aroma… the promise of energy… so is coffee good or bad? My own courtship with coffee. The truth is, I love my coffee. I find this subject … Continue reading

Control Your Weight, Cholesterol, Blood Sugar and Heart Health.

The sun is out and our unbelievable record-setting Alaska winter snowfall is finally leaving. Soon we’ll be wearing shorts, bathing suits and, looking in the mirror, yikes! extra winter insulation has just got to go: time to lose some weight! There is probably no bigger argument in the corporate lobbying dietician/nutrition world than how to get to our ideal weight. Should we count calories, percent of protein, percent of carbohydrate or glycemic index? Which is the most important weight loss strategy (or how can we prevent diabetes, lower cholesterol, improve heart health…) And, of course, we have to shun dietary fat—which … Continue reading

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