Niacin (B3)

Let’s dissect one important member of the B-vitamin family: niacin (B3).   Niacin is a water-soluble vitamin that is plentiful in many foods.  You may also see it called nicotinic acid or nicotinamide.  These substances get converted into the active or more usable forms of niacin in the body called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and […]

Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)- Could This Be Your Issue?

Your liver is such an important organ.  It is a key player in digestion (especially of fats), regulating cholesterol, hormone balance and detoxification (just to name a few of its jobs).   There is an incredible rise in the number of people with mild to severe liver dysfunction.  In my clinic, it’s not uncommon for […]

Separating Fat From Fiction: A Low-fat Diet

Any dietary pattern that is really good needs to be balanced with lots of nutrients, sustainable, and support the entire person including all organs and glands. For example, diets that help with weight loss but at the expense of the kidneys, or diets that are great for building muscle but degrade the heart are not […]

CBD- How to Find Good Quality Products: Premier Hemp Extract

CBD has become a nationwide sensation in the natural products industry.  People are trying it in different forms for all kinds of issues, ranging from serious issues like cancer and seizures to more common symptoms such as headaches, anxiety2 and insomnia3.  It can make a huge difference for some people and can be of no […]

The Stars and Stripes vs The Maple Leaf: A Nutritional Show Down

How do the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Nutritional Guidelines Compare to the Health Canada Guidelines? 1) USA In the United States, the My Plate guidelines lay out what the current nutritional needs are for Americans as determined by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture).   This includes 5 food groups and amounts […]

Cell Phone Radiation on the Body, Fertility and Sperm Quality

Although in most cases of infertility the focus is on the woman, men also play an important and equal role in the creation of life.  For this purpose, it is important for men to be aware of things that can alter their reproductive health. This blog reviews a study that was published a few years […]

Zonulin and Leaky Gut

This post is a review of an article that examines the role of zonulin on leaky gut. Leaky gut is a common issue and is seen in those with GI disorders of all kinds and is also a common denominator in countless other disease conditions.  It is called “leaky gut” because the lining of the […]

Eating Fire for Radiant Health

Habanero peppers are so delicious!  This is just a short post to share with you one of many foods that are both super tasty but also have medicinal qualities. I love spicy foods, and hot peppers are some of my favorites to add to almost anything I am eating (beans and rice, sweet potatoes, quinoa, […]

Getting A’s

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin.  That means that instead of being dissolved in water, it is dissolved in fats or oils.  For this reason, it can be helpful to take vitamin A-rich foods with a small amount of fat.   Vitamin A is stored in the liver until your body needs it somewhere else […]

Food Fortification- A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

Fortified foods (sometimes referred to as enriched) are typically processed foods that have nutrients added to them.  They can be helpful and have prevented many diseases, but I hate them… Let me explain. Fortified foods have nearly put a stop to diseases such Scurvy (a vitamin C deficiency), Beri Beri (a B1/thiamine deficiency) and Rickets […]

Is a High Protein Diet Safe? An Evidence Based Answer

A high protein diet is NOT biocompatible with human physiology. This post will address some common questions I get around protein from clients and students. One of my primary goals when teaching about nutrition is to help people understand that there are really incredible, highly usable sources of protein in plants! Let’s first establish a […]

Gas and Bloating…and the Pain that’s Often Associated with It

Many people suffer from gas and bloating after eating.  It can range from mild discomfort to extremely painful (and sometimes even embarrassing).  Gas and bloating is especially common in those with IBS and constipation.1  (Even weak abdominal muscles and excessive abdominal fat can contribute to this issue.1)  Of course this can also be an issue […]