Topics

Are Prescription Probiotics on the Horizon?

By August West, Contributing Writer

Last April, the Food and Drug Administration approved Seres Therapeutics’ Vowst, the nation’s first microbiome-based prescription product. In so doing, the agency quietly opened up an entirely new, potentially vast product category. Indicated for the prevention of recurrent Clostridioides difficile (aka “C diff”) infection in adults, Vowst contains live microbial spores derived from healthy human […]

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 […]

Corporate Collusion & Wealth Concentration: How Healthcare Perpetuates Poverty

By Erik Goldman

Recently, The Guardian published a disturbing report about how North Carolina’s Atrium Health—the nation’s third largest non-profit healthcare system—was putting liens on the homes of people unable to pay their medical debts. There have been thousands of these cases, most involving people who have medical insurance, but whose benefit plans were inadequate to cover massive […]

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 […]

How One Non-Profit is Freeing Millions from Medical Debt

By Janet Gulland, Contributing Writer

Over the last decade, a non-profit organization called RIP Medical Debt has quietly emancipated millions of Americans from the crippling burden of healthcare bills that they simply cannot afford to pay. How? By using funds contributed by donors large and small to buy debts for pennies on the dollar—at the same prices that collections agencies […]

Maternal Marijuana Use is Bad News for Baby

By Janet Gulland, Contributing Writer

Use of marijuana during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, significantly raises the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and perinatal complications that require neonatal intensive care. Those are the main conclusions of a massive metanalysis and systematic review of 57 studies looking at the impact of in utero cannabis exposure. Combined, the studies […]

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 […]

Telemedicine on the Rise in Holistic Healthcare

By Erik Goldman

Telemedicine is now commonplace in holistic medical practices, and practitioners who offer teleconsultations are very satisfied with the experience. That’s one of the main findings from Holistic Primary Care’s 2023 practitioner survey, conducted over the summer in collaboration with Nutrition Business Journal. The 70-question survey covered a broad range of topics—from the impact of the […]

Naturopathic Schools Scrap Merger Plan

By Erik Goldman

After months of deliberation and community feedback, Bastyr University and National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) have decided against moving forward with a proposed merger. In a joint statement issued on November 7, Drs. Melanie Henriksen & Devin Byrd, the presidents of NUNM and Bastyr, respectively, stated that, “we believe at this time it is […]