Innovations in Research

Every day your immune system is hard at work, defending you from infectious bacteria, viruses and parasites and more. This complex system is made up of a variety of cells and signalling molecules that work together to help keep you healthy. Most of the time you don’t even notice that your immune system is at work. That is of course until pesky microbes slip through the defenses and your immune system goes into overdrive to try to catch up.  In fact, many of the uncomfortable symptoms you experience like fevers, runny nose and sneezing are actually your immune system’s strategies

One of the key attributes of any probiotic or for that matter prebiotic and postbiotics is the ability to generate short chain fatty acids (SCFA’s). Unfortunately, very few prebiotics and probiotics will generate any significant amount of SFCA’s that will impact health in any demonstrable way. In most cases it is assumed that the probiotic will generate SCFA’s but there is little proof. Short chain fatty acids have been recognised for their health promoting effects for some time. The three that are widely acknowledged are, acetic, propionic, and butyric acids. All three have their own unique properties and functions. It

What’s Already Known on This Topic? High blood pressure (or hypertension) is the leading risk factor contributing to death worldwide, primarily from heart disease and stroke. Effective lowering of blood pressure, even by small amounts, is however proven to reduce these events, and can thus save lives in middle and older age. Along with the well-recognized nutrition and lifestyle factors that contribute to higher blood pressure, there is much interest in the role of genetic factors. This aspect is receiving greater attention in recent years with the emergence of ‘genome-wide association studies’ or GWAS, an approach that involves rapidly scanning

A February 2021 editorial titled “Can two coffees a day keep the heart doctor away?” published in American Heart Association’s Journal Circulation Heart Failure, suggests that indeed coffee can be helpful in preventing heart failure. This conclusion is based on a recent study published in the same journal by Colorado university researchers Stevens and colleagues. The researchers used artificial intelligence, a new tool which is able to quickly assess data points in a very large population pool as well as many criteria (over 200!) and multiple markers of heart failure collected from various sources and concluded that coffee consumption at

VAGINA, VAGINA, VAGINA!!! Everyone should be comfortable saying this word. Unfortunately, 77% of woman struggling with symptoms of urogenital atrophy (a.k.a. Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause) are reluctant to discuss their symptoms with their doctor because they think ‘it’ is a taboo topic.  Women are often embarrassed to report their experience to their doctor believing their symptoms will “clear up” on their own.  And, to make matters worse only 7% of healthcare practitioners are initiating the conversation about urogenital health. This reluctance to talk about ‘it’ is a major barrier that often prevents woman from accessing safe and effective treatments.  So,

The battle for supremacy for hearts, minds, knees, joints, skin and much more! Canadians are looking enviously across the border and wondering when they might get access to CBD, this “magic” cannabinoid molecule touted as a cure-all for so many health ailments. Yet there is already a molecule that has been available to many Canadians (for nearly three years!) which has a far better clinical and safety track-record, and without any of the negative stigma associated with cannabis from which CBD is derived. Let us compare and contract both molecules: CBD PEA Derived from cannabis/ hemp Sunflower lecithin Little research

Interest in gut health has become popular as more and more studies underline the significance of the gut in health and in whole host of diseases. There are many pieces in this puzzle including, the microbiome, probiotics, and postbiotics. First, let us get definitions and nomenclature out of the way. The microbiota is the total number of microbes that are present in out entire gastrointestinal tract. These include, bacteria both “good” and “bad”, viruses, fungi, parasites, archaea protozoa, and many other players. Many factors influence the number and diversity of these “guests” including what we inherit from our mother at birth,

How to increase butyrate levels and achieve health effects beyond the gut! Our gut or the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a fascinating microcosm, busy generating a complex and diverse set of chemicals that greatly impact our overall health and wellness. Besides the common duties of elimination and absorption, our GIT also helps metabolize or break down and change existing molecules whilst generating new ones, which can be both friend and foe. Whilst the small intestine is largely responsible for digestion and absorption, the large intestine or the colon, is the epicenter of generating these chemicals. This is because the colon

Curcumin is a well-studied herb, and as such there are thousands of different products on retailer’s shelves. Moreover, there are dozens of different brands with serious marketing dollars towards differentiating their brands and, touting their effectiveness. Curcumin belongs to a group called curcuminoids comprising three slightly different molecules that are extracted from the root or rhizomes of the Curcuma plant. Curcumin comprises over 80% of this group and is the most researched molecule, and therefore, everyone refers to curcumin when they really mean the curcuminoid group. Virtually all the products on the market consist of this curcuminoid group, and not

While researchers do not yet know why, they do know that the rate of autism is increasing. According to the 2018 Report of the National Autism Spectrum Disorder Surveillance System, an estimated 1 in 66 children have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).[i] ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder and refers to a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech, and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences.[ii] There is not one form of autism but rather many types, caused by different combinations of genetic and environmental influences.[iii] Currently, physicians diagnose the

We put on weight when we regularly consume more calories than we use through our normal bodily functions or expend during our daily physical activities. Over 60% of adult Canadians are overweight or obese and obesity is one of the major risk factors for a number of diseases. Unfortunately, losing weight by eating fewer calories and burning more energy is easier said than done. Many of our lifestyle habits make it difficult to shake those extra pounds. When we are stressed, it’s easy to reach for the sugary pick-me-up, or skip out on a few extra hours of much needed