We like to stay on top of the latest news in functional medicine and nutrition. If you do too, you’ll find our monthly, easy-to-digest compilation of research and news articles right here. Check back regularly to find updates, or follow us through our newsletters and social media to ensure you don’t miss any.
Does skin permeability increase the risk for food allergy?
Antibiotics may not be there to save us if we don’t act to reduce their use
Embrace aging for better emotional well-being
Frozen vegetables are a reasonable compromise
Secrets of modern-day hunter-gatherers
Bugs and Mood – Human Proof
A SAD Story for US Life Expectancy
Misunderstanding High Fat Diets and Cancer
Food Manufacturers Are Removing Carrageenan
Highlighting a Methylation Adaptogen: Curcumin
Vitamin D Deficiency During Pregnancy; Another Piece in the Autism Puzzle
Spotting depression in early childhood
Sugar Research Funding Casts Findings in Different Light
Can Cured Meats Worsen Asthma Symptoms?
Uterine Microbiota and Pregnancy Success
Does skin permeability increase the risk for food allergy?
Food allergy now affects one in every 13 children in the US. This latest research from the Allergy and Asthma Proceedings highlights the potential role of skin permeability specifically, such as eczema or skin infection, in allergy development. Although we can’t tell from an association study whether the association is a causative link or a manifestation of the same underlying immune dysfunction, we do know that a loss of barrier integrity is a prerequisite for the development of allergy. Tending to skin barrier function, just as we should our gut barrier, may therefore be a critical component of allergy prevention.
Antibiotics may not be there to save us if we don’t act to reduce their use
More prudent use of antibiotics across the world is critically important for preserving the effectiveness of the antibiotics we do have. The European CDC recently cautioned that even last-line antibiotics are starting to fail. The European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety stated that “antibiotic resistance is one of the most pressing public health issues of our time.” We wholeheartedly agree.
Embrace aging for better emotional well-being
Women really do get better with age! According to a recent study, younger women have an increased tendency to be anxious about declines in health and attractiveness which leads to a deterioration in emotional wellbeing. The most successful ‘agers’ are those women who perceive that they feel younger than their age. Our advice—eat well, live well, and don’t worry about those wrinkles!
Frozen vegetables are a reasonable compromise
In recent research, it has been confirmed that frozen vegetables and fruits are a good alternative to fresh produce. Studies have found that nutrient losses in frozen vegetables are relatively minor, and sometimes nutrients are higher in frozen foods—more B2 in frozen broccoli, more vitamin C in green beans and blueberries than in fresh. The amounts of fiber, phenolic antioxidants and minerals are comparable between both. So, go ahead and stock your freezer with smoothie-ready and quick-fix veggies and fruits!
Secrets of modern-day hunter-gatherers
The Tanzanian Hadza tribe epitomize today’s ultimate hunter-gatherer living, and have extremely low risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. They eat a diet of wild-caught meats, tubers, berries and other fruits. They also exercise (moderate-to-vigorously) for 75 minutes every day. So, while diet is clearly an important factor, exercise (and probably other lifestyle factors) seems to be pretty critical too!
Bugs and Mood – Human Proof
In Functional Medicine, we have been connecting the dots between the gut microbiome, intestinal permeability, and mood symptoms for some time. But now human research is catching up. The American College of Neuropsychoparmacology recently reviewed the association between reduced bacterial diversity and increased anxiety and sleep disorders. And previous clinical data shows that multispecies probiotics can improve depressive symptoms.
A SAD Story for US Life Expectancy
It is hard to read about the downward turn in life expectancy for Americans, published just last week, when so many of the top-10 causes of death (such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and kidney disease) are hugely impacted by diet and lifestyle. Especially when improving the underlying metabolic disturbances and risk factors is Functional Medicine’s sweet spot. The fact that other Western nations are not seeing similar mortality trends should create an urgency to understand and address these challenges.
Misunderstanding High Fat Diets and Cancer
A recent study splashed across the press warns of the connection between high fat diets and increased cancer metastasis. Yet, in this research and in many other lab studies, a ‘high fat diet’ is high in only certain kinds of fats such as palmitic acid. It is sloppy and misleading journalism to extend the conclusion to other kinds of healthy fats such as lauric acid (found in coconut oil) and omega 3 fatty acids which have been shown to have anti-cancer effects.
Food Manufacturers Are Removing Carrageenan
We’ve written about the potential inflammatory and insulin blocking activity of the food additive, carrageenan before, and now the food industry is listening to consumers’ desire to avoid it. Keep voting with your wallets and changes will happen!
Highlighting a Methylation Adaptogen: Curcumin
Methylation is the most well-studied epigenetic mechanism, i.e. one of the most important ways that we control our gene expression. Curcumin is one of various phytonutrients that can favorably modulate DNA methylation, as shown in this in-vitro study that is still relevant to today’s discussion around methylation balance.
Vitamin D Deficiency During Pregnancy; Another Piece in the Autism Puzzle
A newly-published study links vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy with increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring. Another important piece of the multifactorial problems that are Autism Spectrum Disorders. Find more functional medicine resources on autism here, here and here.
Spotting depression in early childhood
Given the potential metabolic etiologies of depression, such as dysbiosis, environmental toxins, diet, and inflammation, it’s not surprising that we can be susceptible to depression at any age. If a child is not excited by the anticipation or receipt of a reward, this can be one potential indicator. Are you asking about that in your peds intake?
Sugar Research Funding Casts Findings in Different Light
With behavior reminiscent of the tobacco industry, the sugar industry’s funding of a recent review that attempted to cast doubt on recent guidelines for curbing sugar intake should sound alarm bells. We absolutely see an association with sugar intake and metabolic disruption in our clinic and have discussed exactly how sugar drives chronic disease various times (here, here and here), including with Dr. David Ludwig. If you’re looking for tips to kick your sugar habit click here!
Can Cured Meats Worsen Asthma Symptoms?
Higher intake of cured meats may exacerbate asthma symptoms, according to this recent observational research. The researchers did go to some lengths to adjust for other associated food groups and confounders such as smoking, which strengthens their findings. In our experience, dietary factors do play a major role in asthma, not just for what beneficial foods are in the diet, but also what problematic foods are excluded.
Uterine Microbiota and Pregnancy Success
Infertile women with Lactobacillus-dominated endometrial microbiota had higher rates of successful IVF implantation, pregnancy and live birth than those with non-Lactobacillus-dominated microbiota, in this recent study that only supports emerging findings that the uterus and placenta are not sterile and that the endometrial microbiome has functional consequences. See also Dr. Anna Cabeca’s approach to Functional Gynecology and hear Jessica Drummond’s take on how microbes can be involved with chronic pelvic pain.