NUTRITION
Inflammation is a natural immune response to neutralize and clear foreign bodies and damaged cells in a biological organism (Ilich, Kelly, Kim, & Spicer, 2014). The immune response can have several etiologies such as overconsumption of omega-6 rich foods, food sensitivities, poor sleep, stress, toxic environments, and intense physical activity (Ruiz-Nunez, Pruimboom, Dijck-Brouwer, & Muskiet,…
There exists controversy between scientific literature and popular opinion regarding protein requirements for athletes (Phillips, Moore, & Tang, 2007). Some authorities recommend 0.8g/kg of bodyweight while others recommend as high as 1.7g/kg of bodyweight (Phillips et al., 2007). As a means of reconciling the aforementioned disparity, the following sections will explore the effects of ingesting…
Inflammation is a natural immune response to neutralize and clear foreign bodies and damaged cells in the body (Ilich, Kelly, Kim, & Spicer, 2014). However, prolonged states of inflammation, as seen by the frequent overconsumption of foods (i.e., refined sugars, processed foods, grain fed meats) rich in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (a pro-inflammatory fatty acid)…
In my last post, I covered a brief history of Scotland and how they circumvented vitamin D deficiencies. The intent of providing a brief history of the Scots and vitamin D intake was to show the complex interplay of environment, physiology, cultural proclivities, and economics on the effects of health. It was also my intent…
Vitamin deficiencies can, and do, occur on a global scale. It is also true that several factors contribute to deficiencies; populations with complex social and economic circumstances can have insufficient nutrient intakes, due to poor consumption of nutrient rich foods (Shergill-Bonner, 2013). However, environmental factors also play a significant role in the acquisition of nutrients,…
Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are characterized by an impaired ability to metabolize glucose (Paoli, Rubini, Volek, & Grimaldi, 2013). However, the severity of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes has been mitigated and/or eradicated by very low carbohydrate diets (Paoli et al., 2013). Considering the potential side effects of drug therapy interventions, nutritional…
The paleolithic era (11,000 years ago) suggests that over 73% of most societies consumed the majority of their foods from animal sources (up to 65% of total calories) with remaining energy and sustenance derived from plant sources (Cordain et al., 2000). In the modern Western diet, over 70% of total daily energy is derived from…
Macronutrients (i.e., carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) are generally understood concepts among the population, in which awareness is propagated through social media, online sources, DVDs, and class instruction (Johnston et al., 2014). There are also many nutritional approaches (i.e., Atkins, Zone, LEARN, and Ornish diets) that attempt to implement the aforementioned macronutrients to reach favourable weight…
Obesity and overweight are prevalent, epidemic in nature, and considered a global health crisis (Foss & Dyrstad, 2011). The severity and widespread propagation of the aforementioned conditions increases the risk of coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. Moreover, obesity contributes to approximately 120,000 preventable deaths every year in…
In my last post, I noted that modern Western diets, including macronutrient ratios and macronutrient quality, were substantially different than the hominin diets 10,000 years ago (Ilich, Kelly, Kim, & Spicer, 2014). Of particular interest is the stratification of then and now between daily carbohydrate consumption and carbohydrate quality. In the following sections, I would…