Neurological / Psychological
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble compound along with A, D, and K. Said vitamin is most widely recognized by its anti-oxidant capabilities and capacity to maintain and protect cell membranes and lipoproteins (Gropper, Smith, & Carr, 2018). As a means of appreciating vitamin E’s role as an anti-oxidant, the following will briefly consider its structure,…
Body composition (BC) can be defined as the proportions of various tissues (i.e., fat, muscle, and bone) making up the body, which is generally expressed as percent body fat and percent lean body mass (Lee & Nieman, 2013). As such, knowing BC can help one track changes during weight loss or weight gain programs, in…
In my previous post, I outlined how hot and humid climates increase the rate of dehydration during exercise, as well as at rest. Although replenishment and maintenance of fluid balance is integral in maintaining homeostasis, content of fluids are of equal importance. During moderate to intense exercise, carbohydrates become a primary contributor to energy production…
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 (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…
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…
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…
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 (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…
Simpson (2007) stated that the average person spends approximately 20-25 years asleep by age 70, and suggested that sleep quality and duration are essential to the maintenance of neurological function. Conversely, lack of sleep has been correlated to higher levels of inflammatory markers, in addition to compromised immune function, body temperature, renal function, and memory…