Testosterone is the primary sex hormone in men (and anyone with testicles) responsible for sexual development and maturation. It’s what causes facial hair growth and voice deepening during puberty. Testosterone stimulates the growth of muscle, bone, and the production of blood cells. It also helps regulate metabolism, sperm maturation and increases libido (sex drive). As great as testosterone sounds, there are issues with having too much or too little of this hormone. Today we’re going to focus on the causes and effects of low “T.” Around the age of 40 years, testosterone levels naturally start to decline. However, there are

The function of our cells naturally declines as we age. This means that their ability to make cell energy (called ATP) becomes less effective, while their ability to protect against or repair cell damage goes down. They become more susceptible to damage from things you expose your body to, including the foods and beverages you consume. The consequence is that those cells can’t divide and replicate as well as they used to, their function is compromised and meanwhile, your body will have a harder time clearing out damaged cells. This leaves you more susceptible to metabolic disorders, like type 2

If your kid isn’t getting their essential nutrients (like vitamin D, calcium, B vitamins, etc.) and macromolecules (proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fiber) from food sources, you may need to provide a supplement for them. In other cases, your kid might love healthy food and eat the same foods as parents or caretakers, but if they’re in daycare or school and you want to boost their immune system, you may provide a supplement for that, like probiotics.  Supplementing kids with vitamins, nutrients and probiotics can be challenging when it comes to compliance. Every kid, and their individual tastes, are different. Yes,

Eye strain used to be something you experienced from trying to read without proper lighting. It was something our parents used to warn us about when we played too many video games or sat too close to the television. In today’s day, that could still be the case, but changes in screens, light technology, and the increased use of digital devices has us experiencing eye strain earlier and more frequently. The digital era has us questioning the health effects of blue wavelengths of light, since we can’t seem to pry our eyes away from screens, including laptops, monitors, tablets and

Antioxidants are protectants, like bodyguards for your cells and their interior parts, including DNA. We have systems in place all over the body stationing these antioxidants to prevent the body’s tissues from getting damaged from what is called oxidative stress. As part of our normal metabolism, we create molecules called free radicals. These free radicals are highly reactive molecules and in small amounts they can actually do us a few favours, but in larger concentrations they can cause havoc, leading to oxidative cell damage and inflammation. Because we collect free radicals from sources other than the body’s regular metabolism, such

Perceived mental or emotional stress causes a number of different reactions in the body. It’s been linked to increased cardiovascular disease risk, increased blood glucose (sugar) levels and diabetes-related complications.   Our adaptation to stress involves a three-step process. The “alarm phase” is your body’s first reaction to acute stress. This is your fight-or-flight reaction that keeps you on high alert for dealing with a perceived threat. It temporarily disrupts your body’s functioning systems like blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar balance so that you can better manage whatever is coming at you.   After you’ve gotten over the initial shock

Each step of estrogen metabolism and detoxification, with multiple possible enzymatic reactions, can influence a person’s degree of estrogen-related health risks, including that of gynecological and breast cancers and endometriosis. Phase I and II detoxification reactions can create multiple different types of estrogen metabolites, and the proportion of each produced can have major implications on the resulting risk of oxidative stress, DNA damage, and cancer proliferation. The actions of these active metabolites can prompt or exacerbate estrogen-related disorders such as endometriosis, while the production of other metabolites can reduce risks or even provide protection. During the first phase of estrogen

A standard Western diet is commonly high in sodium or salt intake which has been noted as a contributing factor for cardiovascular disease and the development of high blood pressure. Fast foods, fries, chips, packaged foods (especially those that contain seasoning blends) are loaded with salt. The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 2.3g of salt per day, however, it’s been reported that less than 10% of the American population actually follows this advice.1 Although salt is related to water balance in the body (volume and fluid pressure), excessive or inadequate amounts of salt intake can affect the