Go Local Nutrition

09/29/2025

Medscape quizzes link to recent research on their subjects. This one shares some information on artificial sweeteners and connections to health issues such as pancreatic cancer, cardiovascular and digestive health.

Are you up-to-date on the latest research on artificial sweeteners, including adverse effects of daily consumption and links to cancer? Test yourself with this quick quiz.

09/14/2025

Well finally and thank heavens. From NPR Health, bless them always.

What kind of dairy does a body good? Science is updating the answer

If you’ve been struggling to choke down low-fat Greek yogurt or cottage cheese to get more protein in, the following may come as welcome news. For decades Americans have been advised to opt for fat-free or low-fat dairy options, but scientists' views on fat in dairy foods have changed, as NPR's Will Stone reports.

The evidence that low-fat or fat-free dairy is better for you than full-fat alternatives is low quality, says Benoit Lamarche, a nutrition scientist at Université Laval in Quebec. When he and a group of scientists reviewed the research last year, they concluded that generally speaking, fat-free, low-fat and full-fat dairy products had the same effects, he says.

"We don't have the strict and rigorous evidence opposing the two types of dairy and their effect on health," Lamarche says. "We need to stop distracting people with this recommendation."

Some studies have even shown benefits of higher-fat over lower-fat dairy. For instance, one study that followed 18 adults for three weeks found drinking whole milk actually outperformed skim milk when it comes to raising HDL, or "good" cholesterol.

Not all dairy products, as the saying goes, are created equal. For example, research shows butter has the predicted negative consequences on cholesterol; however, that's not true when people consume the same amount of saturated fat in the form of cheese, which comes with calcium, protein and minerals.

Frank Hu, chair of the department of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, says where public health is concerned, parsing the amount of fat in dairy products shouldn’t be the focus. He says the much bigger problem is that Americans are mostly consuming dairy products in the form of pizza, burgers, sandwiches and other foods that are "loaded with sodium, refined starch and processed meats."

However "If you're replacing your carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates and sugar, with dairy products, even some full-fat dairy products, that's probably a good thing,” Hu says.

In new nutrition guidelines set to be released later this month, the federal government is expected to give a thumbs-up to full fat dairy products.

09/07/2025

Some great tips on dealing with digestive issues like GERD (reflux), constipation, IBS, IBD and more.

Many patients with gastrointestinal issues want advice about natural remedies. Here are recommendations that physicians can share with their patients.

08/20/2025

Harvest time! Get 'em while they're growing, and preserve them for when they're not.

04/10/2025

It's farmers market season on the west coast of Canada. Time to ditch the processed foods... here are two more reasons:

According to a cohort study of more than 1,300 adults aged 60 or older, without dementia at baseline, each daily serving of ultraprocessed food was associated with a 13% increased risk for Alzheimer's disease. The study had a mean follow-up time of 12.7 years and found that consuming ≥ 10 servings of ultraprocessed food per day was associated with a 2.7 times increase in the risk for Alzheimer's disease vs consuming < 10 servings daily.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39863327/

The study doesn't look at the effects on brain health of ultra-processed foods consumed by younger people; but a meta-analysis covering 867,316 people did find an association between high consumption of ultra-processed foods and dementia. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37831127/

01/18/2025

Though we can't view the program in Canada, the article includes a revealing clip about the differences in ingredients between home-made and industrial lemon cake: traditional ingredients used for flavour and texture traded for for preservatives used to make industrial products cheap with long shelf life. Unfortunately the lower price tag also comes with the chronic health conditions and shortened human lifespan linked to ultra processed foods.

12/22/2024

Great article on microplastics from NPR. From that article,
"Here are some ways to reduce your exposure:
• Cut out single-use plastics as much as you can. Don’t reuse plastic take-out containers, cutlery, or water bottles. Avoid the plastic topper on to-go coffee.
• Don’t put plastic food containers in the microwave or dishwasher, because heat causes chemicals from plastic to leach into food.
• When you have a choice, choose natural materials over synthetic for clothing, rugs and furniture.
• Microplastics can accumulate in dust. So vacuum frequently, and open windows to improve ventilation"

11/17/2024

No surprise, good news, and on behalf of those with arthritic knees not yet ready for chair yoga, I wish there was more yoga that didn't involve kneeling!

10/06/2024

Picky eaters - born or made? A product of privilege, in part, since enjoying a range of foods can be nurtured by exposure to same - not something available to those raised on limited incomes. Code Switch article references Bee Wilson, author of First Bite: How We Learn to Eat, which is an excellent read.

06/18/2024

This came out last September - research into breath training - found to help manage blood pressure and improve athletic performance - and could even "help healthy young people prevent heart disease and the rise in blood pressure that tends to occur with aging" according to NPR (Shots/Health News/ September 20, 2022). But if you don't have access to the resistance-breathing training device called PowerBreathe, here are some exercises you can do without: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/breathing-exercises-to-lower-your-blood-pressure

06/18/2024

New research into breath training - found to help manage blood pressure and improve athletic performance - and could even "help healthy young people prevent heart disease and the rise in blood pressure that tends to occur with aging"

Research finds five to 10 minutes daily of a type of strength training for muscles used in breathing can help anyone reduce or prevent high blood pressure. The training can also help elite athletes.

06/18/2024

Great suggestions here for using breath to manage blood pressure, improve athletic performance -- and could even "help healthy young people prevent heart disease and the rise in blood pressure that tends to occur with aging"!

Research finds five to 10 minutes daily of a type of strength training for muscles used in breathing can help anyone reduce or prevent high blood pressure. The training can also help elite athletes.