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Lead Levels and Toddlers

  National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey has determined that approximately 0.9% of children between 1-5 years of age from 2005-2008 have lead blood levels surpassing 10mcg/dL (Brown, 2014). Due the toxic side affects of lead upon human physiology, it is paramount to control said lead levels. Common sources of lead exposure include airborne sources,…

Iron Deficiency Anemia and Infants: Screening and Supplementation

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) can be defined as a condition frequently marked by a low hemoglobin level (Brown, 2014). It is characterized by the signs of iron deficiency (depleted iron stores, weakness, fatigue, short attention span, poor appetite, weak immune system) in addition to paleness, exhaustion, and a rapid heart rate (Brown, 2014). Women with…

Dietary Habits and Breast Milk Quality

It has been indicated that optimal maternal nutrition, or lack thereof, affects the composition of breast milk. However, most research has reported an association between breast milk quality and nutrition without directly assessing dietary habits of the mother. Therefore, the following will consider the research concerning said connection between milk composition, supplementation, contraindications, and maternal…

Macronutrient Requirements During Pregnancy

Nutrient requirements during pregnancy are dynamic, and vary depending on several biomarkers of the female. Such markers include: current nutrient status, body size, physical activity levels, stage of pregnancy, and overall health status (Brown, 2014). As such, nutrient recommendations are largely unique to each individual. However, despite the specificity of said nutrient requirements, it is…

Celiac Disease, Infertility: Exploring Solutions

Gastrointestinal (GI) function is paramount in providing optimal health and a strong immune system. Ultimately, the GI tract acts as a gateway connecting the outside environment to the delicate internal systems of the human body. Thus, aberrations in gut barrier function and permeability can and does lead to disruptions in homeostasis, including fertility (Fasano &…

Alzheimer’s Disease: A Functional Medicine Approach

Conventional medicine can be thought of as a system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery (National Cancer Institute, 2018). Functional medicine (FM) is an emerging model, which considers the underlying cause of disease and symptoms in its effort to restore an individual’s homeostasis (Kresser…

Metabolic Syndrome and Lifestyle Interventions

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a condition defined by a constellation of associated risk factors that increase a person’s chances of contracting stroke, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and diabetes (Chen, Yen, Huang, Lee, Hsia, & Lin, 2012). MS affects 35.1% men and 32.6% women in the United States, and associated risk factors include high levels of blood…

Type 2 Diabetes: Causes and Solutions

Technological progress is nested deeply within contemporary Western society, and has brought with it many conveniences gifted to its citizens; acute-care medicine, the combustion engine, mass food production, enhanced communications via smartphones, and instant access to information through the Internet, to name a few. Although such examples show technological prowess, they still remain but a…