This website is now averaging around 9,000 page views per month, which is frankly amazing to me given how sporadic my blogging has been of late. Of that number, a good 75% are first time visitors so let me say welcome to you all. I realize most of you come here for a post … Read More →
Abbreviations: ATIs: amylase and trypsin enzyme inhibitors HFD: high-fat diet HPA axis: hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis IAP: intestinal alkaline phosphatase (aka alkaline phosphatase) IL1-β: interleukin 1 beta LPSs: lipopolysaccharides NF-kB: nuclear factor kappa B PUFAs: polyunsaturated fatty acids TLRs: toll-like receptors TLR4: toll-like receptor 4 TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor alpha WGA: wheat germ agglutinin Today I … Read More →
Today’s post will cover a meta-analysis (review) of randomized clinical trials that studied prebiotics and their effects on a host of different metabolic markers in humans. Published in the British Journal of Nutrition, this paper covered the results of twenty-six trials that collectively studied 831 subjects. (1) Studies included in this meta-analysis were restricted … Read More →
“Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong.” Thomas Jefferson Abbreviations: BCM7: beta-casomorphin-7 C. albicans: Candida albicans FOS: fructooligosaccharide GERD: gastroesophageal reflux disease GI: gastrointestinal H. pylori: Helicobacter pylori, aka Campylobacter pylori IBS: irritable bowel syndrome LES: … Read More →
The role of stress in negatively impacting the gastrointestinal system has long been recognized. It doesn’t take an Einstein to note a strong correlation between acute psychological stress and the onset of gut feelings that are anything but pleasant. I’ve written about how gut dysbiosis is capable of initiating psychological states like depression and … Read More →
When it comes to gut flora, the more research I do on this subject, the more clear it becomes that we have just scratched the surface of understanding what this organ does for us. And no, the word “organ” is not a typo. If we define an organ as a body structure that contributes … Read More →
This is quick post alerting my readers to some new research about Crohn’s disease (CD). CD is an inflammatory, autoimmune bowel disease that can affect any part of the digestive tract. However, it is most likely to manifest itself in the ileum of the small intestine or proximal colon. It primarily causes abdominal … Read More →
I can almost hear the moans coming from some of you as you read the title of this post. You’re no doubt thinking, “For real? You haven’t posted in a while, but you’re going to trash what I do to relax and unwind on my night off? Seriously?” No dear reader, not entirely. Me … Read More →
Today’s post will cover some of the research concerning the connection between gut dysbiosis and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). ASDs are a group of developmental disabilities that cause a whole host of challenges in afflicted children. Among these are difficulties with social interaction, communication, behavior and movement. Males are approximately four times more likely … Read More →
Sometime around the late winter of 2003, I looked in the mirror and wondered what had happened to my face. I had developed a rash that was most pronounced over my right eye and temple. Like anyone confronted with a new skin problem, advice came flooding in from friends and family about what to … Read More →
Today I woke up to a comment from a long-time reader by the name of Sam, and thought my reply would be better served by a short post. Here is Sam’s comment: “Ray, Recently Chris Kresser did a podcast with a question about probiotics. The link is: http://chriskresser.com/solutions-for-snoring-overactive-bladder-and-balancing-goitrogens-in-your-diet Here is an excerpt: ** Most … Read More →
Much has been written about the harmful consequences of runaway oxidation. As part of normal cellular respiration, there is no way to avoid some level of free radical production because for better or worse, oxygen is a very reactive substance yet necessary for life itself. Oxidation, however, is not merely the addition of oxygen atoms … Read More →
Today I want to write about a couple of interesting studies linking probiotics to increased longevity in animals. As always, what’s true for another species may not hold true for us, but I found these papers intriguing nonetheless and thought I would share. The suggested connection between probiotics and longevity is nothing new. For … Read More →
Today’s post reviews an interesting rodent study conducted in South Korea and recently published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology. (1) This trial sought to determine whether probiotic supplementation, in this case Lactobacillus curvatus along with Lactobacillus plantarum, would lessen the ill effects of high-fructose feeding. By the way, both bacterial strains were derived … Read More →
The study I’m going to cover today came out several weeks ago, but in draft form with watermarks splashed across its pages. (1) As I wanted to display some of the charts, I thought it best to wait until the finalized version was made available before blogging about it. This study was a randomized, … Read More →