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Detoxification / Toxins

Newfoundland, Drinking Water, and Arsenic: Check Levels!

INTRODUCTION Arsenic (As) is a metalloid (exhibits metal and non-metal properties) found in a ubiquitous fashion within food, soil, various places in the environment, and water; the latter of which is the most prevalent vector for human exposure.1 Natural disasters, such as ocean volcanos/forest fires, as well as and oil/wood burning can disperse As throughout…

Sucralose: Is It Safe?

INTRODUCTION Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that was manufactured in the late 1980s by Tate & Lyle Company and the Queen Elizabeth College (University of London).1 Sucralose is a derivative of the natural sugar sucrose, whereby 3 hydroxyl groups (OH) are replaced by chlorine (CL) atoms.1(325) Such modifications have enabled sucralose to increase its sweetness…

Coffee: Exploring Health Benefits

ECONOMICS OF COFFEE Coffee consumption is the leading beverage, worldwide, just behind water, with its 2019 sales exceeding that of 87 billion dollars within the United States alone.1,2 Coffee remains one of the most widely and globally traded commodities, supporting the livelihoods of over 100 million individuals, and 26 million farmers across 52 countries.2(1) The…

Botanical Support for Liver Disease

The liver is an organ critical for the purposes of energy production as well as the storage of glycogen, lipid-soluble vitamins (i.e., vitamin A, D, E, K), copper, iron, triglycerides, and detoxification of the blood.1 As such, mild aberrations in liver function can induce illness, and in severe cases (i.e., liver cirrhosis), death.2 Considering the…

Supporting Liver Function With Rosemary

Plants have been cultivated and used over many generations as medicinal remedies due to their therapeutic constituents.1 Of particular interest is the capacity of plants to control the degree of oxidative stress within the body; a process that left unmitigated, leads to neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.2 Plants, such as rosemary,…

Ginger: Can It Contain Heavy Metals?

Ginger is a plant recognized for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic capabilities, and such a botanical has been suggested to manage pain.1 Considering that North America has been experiencing an opioid epidemic, such alternatives to pain management has become an increasingly appealing, safe, and cost-effective option. However, ginger has particular vulnerabilities from the environment it is…

Cancer Therapy and Antioxidants; Should They Be Used?

In this author’s last post, information was provided on breast cancer to include relevant pathophysiology, methods of tracking its preferred energy substrates (glucose), and potential nutritional interventions to help disrupt further growth and proliferation of the same. In the following sections, this author would like to explore the utility of antioxidants as another means of…

Breast Cancer: Potential Support with Ketogenic Diets

Breast cancer is the predominant form of cancer, and leading cause of death, among females.1 Surgery and systemic therapies such as hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and molecular targeted therapy are implemented and chosen based on the molecular characteristics of the breast cancer. Despite such interventions, absolute efficaciousness of said modalities are not ubiquitous among breast cancer…

Chronic Diarrhea (IBS-D): Support With the Four R Program

Chronic diarrhea is also known as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), with a predominant symptom of diarrhea (IBS-D). IBS-D is characterized by abdominal pain, diarrhea and abdominal discomfort. The pathogenesis may be linked to factors such as visceral hypersensitivity, brain-intestine axis disorders, intestinal flora alternations, and intestinal motility abnormalities.1(888) In the following sections, this author will…

ADHD, Gut Health, and Nutritional Support

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent behavioral disorder in children, which has been estimated to affect 4-5 million children within the United States.1 Pharmacological and behavioral interventions have been the primary means of medical management of ADHD. However, the former approach has induced side-effects amongst approximately 65-70% of patients, and as many…