Nutrition & Lifestyle

Fraudulent Research Floods Nutrition Field, Corroding Credibility

By Erik Goldman

Good medical practice is based on trust. Patients trust that practitioners are knowledgeable, and that they put their knowledge in service of their patients’ best interests. In turn, practitioners trust that clinical researchers run their studies honestly, and that the editors and peer-reviewers of the medical journals carefully scrutinize the papers they receive, sift out […]

Natural Alternatives to Ozempic

By Erik Goldman

GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic and Wegovy have rapidly become some of the most widely prescribed drugs for weight loss and metabolic disorders. While they can sometimes be valuable aids in helping people normalize their weight and their glucose metabolism, the mechanism of action for these drugs can have some unhealthy consequences. Many people are […]

Eczema: A Holistic Approach

By Janet Gulland, Contributing Writer

Eczema is seldom life-threatening, but it can have profoundly detrimental impact on the people it affects. Clinicians who can bring a holistic, root-cause approach to this common condition can make a big difference in the lives of their patients. “Roughly 20 million Americans have eczema. It’s a huge population. Patients are desperate for help, and […]

IBS & Osteoporosis – The BMP Connection

By Erik Goldman

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Osteoporosis are two of the most common conditions that integrative practitioners see among their patients. These disorders are actually related. The common factor? Bone Morphogenic Proteins (BMPs)—a group of cytokines that play important roles in bone and joint homeostasis as well as in GI mucosal integrity. In this free webinar, […]

Viroid Obelisks: The Microbiome’s Microbiome?

By Erik Goldman

Just when you thought the microbiome couldn’t get any weirder, investigators at Stanford University have discovered a whole new dimension in the microbial universe: a category of distinct, self-replicating RNA sequences in and among bacteria of the human gut and oral microbiomes. Named “Obelisks” owing to their circular rod-like structures, these peculiar bits of genetic […]

For Disease Risk Reduction, Broc Rocks!

By Erik Goldman

Imagine if there were a drug that could reduce risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease by roughly 40%, without any adverse effects. Even better, people would only need to take it 2 or 3 times per week to obtain these preventive benefits. It turns out there is such a thing. It’s called broccoli. People who […]

The Gut-Lung Axis: Implications for Asthma Care

By Erik Goldman

Research on the Gut-Lung Axis, which encompasses the complex interrelationship between the gut microbiome, the immune system, and the respiratory tract, has opened a portal to entirely new ways of caring for patients with asthma and other respiratory disorders. Supplementation with probiotics that shift microbiome production of key short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) is showing promise […]

UPShots Clinical Research Roundup

By Janet Gulland, Contributing Writer

Research on diet, nutraceuticals, and herbal medicine continues to grow worldwide. Here are summaries of a few recent studies that have grabbed our attention at Holistic Primary Care. Cinnamon Fosters Weight Loss in Type 2 Diabetes A gram of cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia), thrice daily, promoted weight loss and lowered hemoglobin A1c levels in a small […]

Shiitake Mushrooms: Make Sure They’re Well-Cooked

By Janet Gulland, Contributing Writer

Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) are a healthful and nutritious culinary delight—provided they’re cooked thoroughly. Eaten raw or undercooked, however, they can trigger a florid dermatitis in some people. A recent case report in the New England Journal of Medicine provides an important reminder of the possibility of this uncommon but dramatic reaction. Drs. Eglė Janušonytė […]

Aspartame Lingers, Triggers Insulin Secretion

By Janet Gulland, Contributing Writer

Aspartame from artificially-sweetened soft drinks can linger in saliva, triggering insulin secretion long after the sweetener is swallowed. This, in turn, can cause blood glucose to drop resulting in appetite surges that nullify the alleged weight management benefits of the widely popular artificial sweetener. That’s the logical conclusion of a new study by Brasilian researchers […]