Intro Foods and ingredients originating from the ocean have continued to gain momentum in health-promoting circles. Whereas fatty fish used to get all the attention, the spotlight then turned to seaweeds, and is now highlighting the little guys: spirulina and chlorella, for example, are well represented on supplement shelves, and now phytoplankton is joining the… Continue reading
Intro You’ve heard the reports that wine – especially red wine – has health properties when used in moderate amounts. And the amazing nutrition available from many edible seeds is also common knowledge. It might stand to reason, then, that grape seeds would also harbor beneficial compounds. (Spoiler alert: they do, though you’ll have to… Continue reading
Introduction Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a counseling procedure created in the 90s by Gary Craig, an engineer and self-proclaimed “Personal Performance Coach.” Craig reports that early in his life, he came to the realization that the quality of a person’s life and their physical and mental health is directly related to emotional health, and… Continue reading
Introduction Fermentation has been described as ‘a better invention than fire’. Hmmm, I wonder if this just relates to fermented drinks (wines and beers)? Would the same accolade be awarded to fermented foods without the drinks? Fermented foods are beloved of preppers who store away non-perishable nutrient dense foods, just in case. Fermented foods are… Continue reading
Introduction Black cohosh is probably best known as the herbal remedy for all things to do with women’s health. It has been used throughout the various stages of womanhood from painful periods to childbirth to the menopause. Native to the Appalachian mountain region of North America, there are significant concerns about conservation of this plant… Continue reading
Introduction New York Times bestseller and author of the 4-Hour Body, Tim Ferris, recommends using cinnamon to reduce the glycemic load of food. That’s just the latest in a long list of supposed benefits of this exotic spice. Among its many claims to fame (apart from being a fabulous culinary spice) are being an anti-inflammatory,… Continue reading
Introduction Wave vibration therapy (also known as whole body vibration) refers to a type of physical therapy which is believed to exercise muscles via stimulating neuromuscular reflexes. Confusing? Put another way, a machine or platform shakes the body which in turn activates a cascade of events – muscles contract and nerves fire. This in turn… Continue reading
Introduction Everyday at work, I don and doff personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, visors, long sleeved gowns, plastic aprons) to prevent the transmission of resistant bacteria from patient to patient. Such is the life of a hospital based infectious diseases physician. The story does not end there Another great reason for dressing up in that awful,… Continue reading
Introduction Saunas are a form of heat therapy created in Finland that involves going into a heated room, typically for 10-30 minutes at a time, and sweating a lot. They are a fixture in Finnish culture, and like many cultural practices, sauna bathing has been proposed to have various health benefits. These benefits include improved… Continue reading
Introduction The question of iron supplementation is so important that I am going to answer the question here in the introduction and then justify/elaborate on the answer in the rest of the article. Iron supplementation is not an amateur sport. Unlike other supplements or vitamins, the body does not regulate iron homeostasis well. This means that the… Continue reading
Introduction Many of my patients are interested in the health benefits of chromium. Chromium is promoted for use in common lifestyle related health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia and cognitive impairment, in addition to the related polycystic ovarian disease. It would be way too easy (and unfair) to write these people off as wannabe… Continue reading
Introduction Smooth creamy guacamole, crescent shaped segments of avocado in a delicious green salad, St Patrick’s day coloured smoothies – what’s not to love about avocado? Some foodies claim that avocados are loaded with phytonutrients, vitamins, fibre and protein which help with diabetes, the metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia and arthritis (and lots more). Does avocado actually… Continue reading
Introduction An FDA household survey in 2002 showed that garlic was the second most commonly used dietary supplement (after echinacaea) . Considering the fact the same survey showed that 73% of English speaking non-institutionalized adults in the USA used dietary supplements, we can safely conclude that that’s a whole lot of garlic. I am all in favour… Continue reading
Introduction Krill oil is marketed as an alternative source of healthy fatty acids for people who (for whatever reasons) do not want to include oily fish or traditional fish oil supplements in their diet. Extractable krill oil is not just promoted as an alternative to oily fish to meet dietary fatty acid recommendations, but has… Continue reading
Introduction It’s been touted as a “superfood” that can eliminate world hunger by the United Nations [1], as a potential food source for space travelers by NASA [2], and as a phytonutrient with “amazing” abilities to lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, boost energy, improve HIV/AIDS, detoxify heavy metals, and prevent cancer. It’s called spirulina, a… Continue reading
Introduction I just love those beautifully manicured trays of wheatgrass that are for sale in my local organic shop. The sight of a tray of wheatgrass immediately transports me back to every health spa I have ever visited as wheatgrass shots are pretty much de riguer for health foodies. That’s all very well on vacation. But… Continue reading
Introduction Technically, it is true to say that yohimbe comes from the African savannah and has been used for a very long time as a herbal aphrodisiac and aid for erectile dysfunction (which all sounds very exotic and earthy). However, that would only be part of the story and not the full story. Yohimbe has a… Continue reading
Introduction DHEA is touted as a ‘wellness hormone’ and the ‘fountain of youth hormone’ owing to its alleged benefits related to ageing. It is used to try to reverse the effects of ageing including the metabolic syndrome, impaired memory, vaginal dryness, osteoporosis, loss of libido and skin ageing. Sounds great but is DHEA really the… Continue reading
Introduction Chocolate is the most famous derivative product of cacao. What’s your personal take on chocolate? A boatload of calories? A comfort food for those Bridget Jones days? A decadent sensual indulgence? Or just maybe it is ‘natures medicine’ and a justifiable superfood? There is growing interest in the therapeutic benefits of chocolate. Listed among the… Continue reading
Introduction Many of my ‘yummy mummy ‘ friends have taken up water fasting this year and are positively evangelical about it. As veterans of all kinds of crazy food fads, it was probably inevitable that my friends would transition from the cabbage soup diet (and such like) to water fasting for weight loss and other… Continue reading