Articles

The Significant Benefits of Physical Activity Exercise has been shown in numerous studies to provide substantial reductions in mortality risk across a wide range of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's. The mechanisms behind these risk reductions relate to improvements in lipid profiles, reductions in inflammatory markers, enhanced insulin sensitivity, and more.…

Gaining Insight into a Devastating Illness Alzheimer's disease exerts a heavy toll, not just on those directly afflicted but also on their loved ones. However, recent years have seen an increase in understanding of this complex illness. From earlier detection to new treatment approaches, the outlook continues to improve. Piecing Together an Elusive Diagnosis Given…

The Heavy Burden of Ultra-Processed Foods Over the past several decades, the modern industrial food system has promoted the proliferation of addictive yet nutritionless ultra-processed foods high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, and inflammatory vegetable oils. These foods now make up a staggering 60% of the average American's daily caloric intake. Evidence clearly links high…

The Importance of Quality Sleep Getting enough good quality sleep is absolutely vital for overall health and well-being. Yet many people do not prioritize sleep, instead seeing it as something to sacrifice. Sleep experts stress that sleep should be viewed as the foundation for good health rather than an optional extra. Numerous studies demonstrate that…

Questioning Established Dogmas In the 1970s, the prevailing wisdom warned against saturated fats and cholesterol. Even well-regarded experts can cling to ideologies not supported by evidence. As contrary data has emerged, the need to continually question established nutrition dogmas is well warranted. For example, warnings about the harms of trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils…

Understanding Age-Related Cognitive Decline As we age, most people experience gradual but linear declines in various domains of cognitive function. This includes decreases in memory, processing speed, executive function, and reaction time. For example, you may find it increasingly difficult to quickly retrieve someone's name from memory or to juggle multiple tasks as nimbly as…

Introduction Heart disease remains a leading cause of mortality globally, with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease driving most cardiovascular events. A wealth of data has established a causal role for atherogenic lipoproteins, particularly LDL particles and Apolipoprotein B, in initiating and promoting atherosclerosis over a lifetime. Yet many knowledge gaps and misconceptions exist around optimal medical management…

Defining the Complex Nature of a Complex Injury Concussions have become an injury of great interest and concern in recent years, especially in the world of sports. However, there remains much we are still learning about the intricate nature of concussions. New light is being shed on reframing our understanding of what defines a concussion,…

Understanding the Physiology of Female Sexual Function Female sexual function is complex, involving an interplay between anatomical structures, hormones, and the nervous system. Key concepts include: Sexual desire and arousal originate from separate neurological pathways, though they interact. Low desire stems from insufficient testosterone signaling in the brain, while inadequate arousal results from problems with…

An Overview of Dietary Fats There are three main types of dietary fats – saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. These fats have different chemical structures that affect their properties and potential health impacts. Saturated fats have only single bonds between carbon atoms, allowing each carbon to bond with the maximum number of hydrogen…

Tracing the Origins of OxyContin and the Role of Purdue Pharma The opioid crisis unfolding over the past few decades has had devastating consequences, with over 500,000 lives lost to opioid overdoses. While the crisis today involves illicit drugs like heroin and synthetic opioids, many traces the origins back to the introduction of the prescription…

Atherosclerosis Develops Over Decades Before Producing Symptoms Atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in arteries, starts developing early in life – often in a person’s 20s and 30s – but clinical events like heart attacks usually don’t occur until much later, typically after age 50. This long lag time between the early stages of plaque accumulation…