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NUTRITION

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…

Constipation and Benefits of Fiber

WHAT IS CONSTIPATION? Constipation is generally understood as the infrequent passage of stool and/or difficulty passing stool.1 Said condition is often accompanied by incomplete evacuation, bloating, and abdominal discomfort.1(236) Specifically, Jani and Marsicano1(236) stated constipation can be diagnosed through Rome IV criteria as: fewer than 3 bowel movements per week manual help to aid defecation…

Time Restricted Feeding: A Potential Protocol for Managing Dementia

In past articles (please see links below), I have examined lifestyle, exercise, nutritional, and supplement interventions to support neurological conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Emerging evidence is suggesting the potential efficacy of an eating protocol known as time-restricted feeding (TRF) to help manage such conditions. As a means of appreciating TRF and its…

Ivermectin: History and Emerging Uses

Ivermectin is a drug which has gained widespread attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since that time, ivermectin has become a polarizing topic of discussion with respect to its formulations and uses. In the following sections, I would like to consider ivermectin’s discovery, history, well-understood uses, safety profile, and emerging utility/mechanisms for viral infections. HISTORY Ivermectin…

Metabolic Syndrome, COVID-19 Severity, and Interventions

In my last article, risk factors for COVID-19 disease virulence, and micronutrient recommendations to support the immune system, were explored. One of the major risk factors for disease severity, previously outlined, included metabolic syndrome (MS); a constellation of risk factors, that when combined, increase an individual’s chances of contracting conditions such as heart disease, stroke,…

COVID-19, Micronutrients, and Immune Support

Risk factors for severe COVID-19 symptoms include 65+ years of age, obesity, metabolic syndrome (i.e., diabetes, heart disease, stroke), and weakened immune systems (i.e., recovery from chemotherapy, HIV).1 Having previously considered SARS-CoV-2 viral entry and its ability to induce strong oxidation, inflammation, thrombotic events, and cellular damage, it is imperative to consider all interventions which…

Vitamin D Support and the Common Cold

In the last 3 posts, I have covered the common cold (rhinovirus), its underlying mechanisms of action, the immunological benefits of vitamin C/quercetin/zinc, and how they inhibit and control viral entry, replication, and inflammatory cascades. In the following sections, I will be considering vitamin D3 as another viable means of supporting the immune system. D3,…

The Common Cold: Immune Support With Vitamin C

As discussed in this author’s last 2 posts, the common cold (rhinovirus) was covered as well as its negative affects upon children, adults, and cellular function. Quercetin and zinc were explored as potential interventions to help limit viral entry into cells, replication, and inflammatory cascades. In the following sections, this author will explore vitamin C…

The Common Cold: Immune Support With Zinc

As discussed in this author’s last post, the common cold (rhinovirus) was covered as well as its negative affects upon children and adults. The prevalence of cold viruses was understood to maintain their presence throughout all seasons and accounted for 40% of time lost from jobs and approximately 30% of absenteeism from school.1 Quercetin was…