Abstracts & Commmentary
Effects of Gardening on Physical and Mental Health Among Older Adults During Covid-19 Lockdown
04-07-2021 Spending more time gardening during the lockdown was associated with better self-reported physical, mental, and emotional health compared to those who did not garden.
Exercise Training Reduces Mortality
04-07-2021 About 35 minutes of moderate physical activity a day improves lifespan regardless of hours spent sitting. Even 11 minutes a day of moderate exercise reduces risk for premature death.
Thyroid Nodule Reduction with Spirulina, Curcumin, and Boswellia? Maybe.
04-07-2021 Using a spirulina/curcumin/Boswellia extract for 3 months may reduce the size of benign thyroid nodules.
Berberine and Glycemic Control
03-03-2021 A new randomized controlled trial finds that berberine may act as a gut microbiome modulator for improving gylcemic control, killing some gut microbes and enhancing others.
Effects of an Amino Acid Mixture on Exercise-Induced Cortisol Levels
03-03-2021 Increases in cortisol after an 80-minute biking exercise trial were blunted in people who supplemented with an amino acid mixture compared to placebo.
Weighted Blankets for Better Sleep
03-03-2021 After use of a weighted blanket for about a year, 92% of insomnia sufferers in the study had at least a 50% improvement and 78% experienced remission of their insomnia.
Efficacy of a Natural Product for Xerostomia (Dry Mouth)
03-03-2021 Dry mouth can be caused by a variety of conditions, but a plant-dipeptide combo supplement appears to improve saliva production and saliva pH.
The Effect of Mulberry Leaf and White Kidney Bean Extract Mix on Postprandial Glucose Control in Prediabetic Patients
02-03-2021 Supplementing with these 2 plants improved glucose control in prediabetics in the short term but not the long term.
Changing Natural Surroundings Creates Microbial Anti-Inflammatory & Immunological Effects in Daycare Children
02-03-2021 This field study demonstrates for the first time that altering real-world settings can change environmental microbiomes in ways that have measurable, impactful effects on human inflammatory status and immune system function.
Laughter’s Links with Cardiovascular Disease and All-Cause Mortality
02-03-2021 A large, prospective study found that low frequency of laughter was significantly associated with all-cause mortality and CVD incidence in an older population.
The Journey Back to Feeling “Normal” After Chemotherapy
02-03-2021 Roughly two-thirds of women treated for ovarian cancer did not return to a sense of “normal” 18 months after treatment. This study looks at predictors and interventions for persistent symptoms and low quality of life.
Effects of Curcumin on PCOS Pathophysiology
12-02-2020 Insulin levels improved in PCOS patients supplementing with curcumin, but other metabolic parameters did not improve.
Coenzyme Q10 in Sepsis Patients
12-02-2020 Treating sepsis patients with ubiquinone along with standard care lowered some inflammation markers and in-hospital mortality rate.
Does High-Dose Oral DHA Improve Dementia?
12-02-2020 Supplementing with omega-3s in the short term (less than 6 months) may do little for preventing dementia, but the effects of long-term supplementation are still being researched.
Probiotics for Dysbiosis in Parkinson Disease
11-04-2020 Medications for Parkinson Disease may decrease butyrate-producing microbes and increase Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species, with ramifications for optimal probiotic supplements and diet.
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Reveals Inflammation Post Covid-19 Recovery
11-04-2020 In a study of 100 patients who had recovered from Covid-19, 60% had evidence of myocardial inflammation. Safe, known measures to decrease cardiac inflammation may be indicated.
Efficacy and Safety of a Botanical Hemp Extract Containing Cannabidiol
11-04-2020 HDL cholesterol levels significantly improved in those receiving a CBD supplement.
Some Carbohydrates Are Good for the Heart
11-04-2020 Improving the quality of your carbohydrates consumed can lead to weight loss, smaller waist circumference, and lowered blood pressure.
Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Do They Decrease Anxiety in Cancer Patients?
10-21-2020 A meta-analysis of 28 studies, involving about 3,000 participants, finds that mindfulness-based interventions can reduce anxiety for up to 6 months after the intervention but not longer.
Role of Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Patients
10-21-2020 This large study looks at the relationship between IGF-1 levels, body mass index, and recurrence and mortality in HER2+ breast cancer patients, with surprising results.