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Only 5% men and 9% of women are getting the recommended daily amount of fiber in the United States.[1] That’s almost 90% of the population not consuming enough fiber! To put this into perspective, in 2017–18 most Americans averaged 8.1 grams of fiber for each 1,000 calories, or just 58 percent of the recommended 14 grams per 1,000 calories. Insufficient fiber intake is associated with a myriad of chronic diseases. Let’s dive into what fiber is, why it is so important, and how you can get more of it in your diet!
Over the last decade, there has been an explosion of research looking at bioenergetics (energy metabolism) and the role our energy generators – the mitochondria – play in human health and longevity. In functional medicine, we’ve long been aware of bioenergetics – the need to “tend to our patient’s mitochondrial health,” and as such, we readily employ a litany of nutrients – from CoQ10 to carnitine and lipoic acid and others – whenever we deem them indicated. There have not been, however, many nutrients to blast onto the bioenergetics center stage with quite the impressive force as the postbiotic rock star Urolithin A. With studies published in top-tier journals such as Nature and Cell – and with 11 (yes, eleven) compelling human clinical trials – if this compound hasn’t made it to the top of what you’re using for patients (and taking yourself), read on.
Acute illnesses like seasonal colds carry a heavy socioeconomic burden and impact livelihood in many ways, taking a great toll on society including children, families, and the medical community. This results in increased direct costs (e.g., clinic visits, drug consumption, hospitalizations), indirect costs (such as absenteeism at work and reduced productivity), and intangible costs (e.g., pain, suffering and impaired quality of life).
Midlife is an extremely active time epigenetically. Pro-inflammatory genes tend to become hypomethylated and get ramped up, tumor-suppressor genes can become progressively more silenced, genes that code for antioxidant and detoxification enzymes such as glutathione transferase (which also happens to be an important tumor-suppressor gene!) also get dialed down, and genes that promote cancer (known…
Weight gain is one of the most frequently seen complaints during perimenopause and menopause. In this blog we will explore why that is and how the female body changes during this magical and yet confusing life stage. Menopause and perimenopause typically begin for women around the age of 45 – 55 years. We start to notice changes in our bodies prior to the loss of our cycle including hot flashes or night sweats, change in frequency and how heavy our periods can be, and changes in mood. Perhaps the most unsettling for females is the change in weight and body mass distribution: clothes fit differently, your body feels different, your capacity at the gym and with physical activity feels futile! And this usually happens with little change to your current nutrition or activity routine.
If you’ve followed my show for some time, you’ve probably come across the wealth of conversations I’ve had with the team at Precision Analytical about their DUTCH hormone tests – this is an ever-evolving topic that continues to pique my interest as a clinician looking to level up my toolkit. In today’s show, I’m pleased to dive into some of my favorite topics of fertility, menopause, and HPA function with Dr. Jaclyn Smeaton, ND. She’s the chief medical officer at Precision Analytical, and a naturopathic physician who specializes in reproductive endocrinology and hormones. Today’s conversation is all about the latest research on hormone testing, some of our favorite interventions to address hormone imbalances and much more as you consider the best testing options for your patients. This is an incredibly useful conversation so make sure to tune in! ~DrKF
Breast cancer may affect as many as 1 in 8 women. It’s important for patients and providers to understand the role that estrogen detoxification plays in breast cancer so that they can make more informed mitigation and treatment decisions.
When we’re young, building a skin care routine is relatively simple: a face wash, moisturizer and sunscreen will do the trick. But as we grow older and develop visible signs of aging skin, choosing from the overwhelming array of mature skin care products like anti-aging creams, serums, and treatments often feels like an impossible task. What can we trust to actually work? It’s easy to get lost in new trends like 10-step skincare routines, but try to look past marketing and prioritize your skin’s health above all else. As our largest organ and first line of defense against environmental aggressors, our skin can have an enormous impact on our overall body health. A truly effective skin care routine should support your skin’s health first and improve the way it looks as a result. That’s where OneSkin comes in.
Because aging is so complex and multifaceted, there are dozens of measures that could be used. These range from things as simple as taking a selfie, to multisystem assessments that require specialized technology and algorithms. These are some of the ways you can estimate your biological age, many of which can even be done from…
