The typical human skeleton is made up of 206 bones. Our skeleton is imperative for support, movement and posture, and protection of our organs. Bone contains marrow which is vital for red and white blood cell production, and also acts as a reservoir for various minerals, including calcium. A common misconception is that bones do not change once formed. However, bone is an incredibly dynamic tissue that continually undergoes remodelling – that is, the processes of formation and breakdown. It is for this reason that broken bones can be mended and return to their normal conditions. Peak bone mass or

Are you vulnerable? How to Avoid deficiencies? A vitamin is characterized by the fact that, in its absence, key physiologic processes are blocked that can result in serious health consequences. This is made especially clear when we look at the role of B vitamins. B vitamins act as co-enzymes in thousands of molecular processes in the body, and we have learned more about their unique functions by examining what happens when they aren’t present than when they are. The concept of “characterizing by deficiency” has led to incredible discoveries, while highlighting the importance of prevention. So, while you may not

We sat down with AOR’s founder and director of research Dr. Traj Nibber to gain some insights into AOR from the man who started it all. 1. What is your educational background, and what made you decide to become a scientist? I have a BSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences with hospital experience (clinical pharmacy) from the University of Aston, UK, an MSc in toxicology from the University of Birmingham, UK and a PhD in histopathology specializing in surgical pathology from University of London, UK. My interest has always been in research. Unlike pharmaceutical research which takes 15-20 years to bring a

As naturopaths, our goal when our patients ask us for support with traveling is to improve the quality of their experience. This begins with helping patients prepare their bodies for the toils of travel itself- from swollen legs, jet lag, to recycled air traveling. It’s also very important to supporting your immune system from the invariable barrage of assaults from new exposure to bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections. And finally, we want to mitigating the adverse effects of prophylaxis (ie. travel immunizations), or potentiating the benefits of these immunizations. Here is some advice to help you get the most

Earlier this week, an article came out in the Business Insider regarding the lack of safety and efficacy related to all vitamin supplementation. The headline bemoans the very idea of supplementing with vitamins, righteously proclaiming, “we never should have started this” alluding, not so subtly, to the risk of developing cancer by taking any supplement. The article then goes on to quote a variety of studies, varying from observational studies to randomized controlled trials, on various vitamins. Fair credence is given to the size of studies quoted, types of study, and publication journal. It paints a grim picture of the

Butyric Acid Production Butyric acid or butyrate (the ester form) is a main short chain fatty acid produced by friendly bacteria in the human gut when they feed off of certain carbohydrates, particularly non-starch fibres as well as resistant fibres. These 4- carbon fatty acids are the preferred source of energy for colonocytes ( colon cells). It is used preferentially over glucose, maintaining colonocyte activity. Butyric acids have some impressive benefits both locally and systemically as it is rapidly absorbed.   Prevent and Treat Leaky Gut ‘Leaky gut’ is the term used to describe what happens when food sensitivities, food

There seems to be a common notion that the natural aging process is part and parcel with cognitive decline. As though we are boarding a train of cognitive decline and there is no escape, a rather grim outlook. The thing is, aging doesn’t equate to a loss in mental faculties, in fact many of these faculties peak at various points. Your Brain on Aging: As we age our brain will in fact shrink with every year that passes. The loss is approximately 2g/year from 26-80 years old and 5g/year after 80 years old. This is a non-specific finding that occurs,

Its finally summer so don’t let poor skin health keep you holed up inside. Find out how to approach skin health in a holistic way. What is the function of skin? 1.Protection: from mechanical trauma, chemical trauma, or UV radiation 2.Regulation: water and heat regulation through the skin. 3.Sensation: skin contains sensory receptors for pressure, temperature, pain etc.  What factors affect the skin? 1.Environment: Sometimes the most obvious place to start is looking at what we are exposing our skin cells.  a) External: ultraviolet (UV) radiation Pollution chemical irritation       trauma     b) Internal:      dryness, fine

A leak in your ship never ends well, the same goes for your gut. Lets look at how chronic inflammation can cause some “cracks” in the cells of your gut, leading to major issues. Inflammation in the Digestive Tract Chronic inflammation in the gut from food sensitivities, infections, or allergies can start a vicious cycle that promotes a “leaky gut” which further allows more food proteins to irritate and sensitize immune cells. Leaky gut is a term used to describe the intestinal wall no longer doing its job in preventing unwanted substances from entering the body.     As larger food molecules

In honour of Naturopathic Medicine week we wanted to give you some insight into this exciting field in alternative healthcare. First do no harm. Treat the whole individual. Address the root cause of illness. Doctor as teacher. Sustainable treatments. Support the inherent healing power of the body. Promote prevention. Naturopathic medicine provides individuals with an alternative primary health care system that blends scientific knowledge     with traditional and natural forms of medicine. Naturopathic medicine recognises the body’s inherent ability to heal itself so treatment aims to stimulate the healing power of the body and treat the underlying cause of disease. A holistic

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is more commonly known as heartburn. We have already discussed it on Dr.Nibber.com before here as it is a very common condition that is characterized by a burning sensation that starts in the upper abdomen and moves into the chest and that is worse when lying down or bending forward. Heartburn sufferers can often associate the problem with specific foods, with fatty foods, acidic foods, alcohol and chocolate being known offenders. The contents of the stomach back up into the esophagus because the sphincter between the stomach and esophagus is not functioning properly.  Since the cells of

We don’t want to be the Debbie Downer of St. Patrick’s Day weekend, especially considering we’re coming up on the end of Spring Break for many university students, but we do want to remind you the implications of irresponsible alcohol consumption. As young adults we are often peer pressured into binge drinking (defined as consuming five or more drinks on an occasion) when we give into those pressures and really push our bodies to the limit of alcohol consumption. There are some pretty serious health implications that occur when we have one drink too many. For example, short term results