The US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released the new dietary guidelines for 2025-2030.  Like so many government guidelines, there seems to be some good updates and some not so good.  This mixed bag of good/bad relates to the relationship between the food industry with one […]

There has been a wealth of discussion within the health care community about the adverse effects of ultra-processed foods (UPFs).  Recent studies have shown the link between higher consumption of UPFs to some of the most prevalent health problems such as obesity and diabetes.   It seems that these foods are “engineered” to allow their […]

A new study examined living near a golf course and the risk of Parkinson’s disease.  The study based their data on the disease from the Rochester Epidemiology Project.  Compared to those living more than 6 miles from a golf course, those living within 1 mile had a 126% increased risk.  The authors comment on several […]

LDL cholesterol tends to be looked at as “the problem” regarding vascular disease risk.  In reality, it is only part of the risk.  What is more important than simply LDL levels is the size of the particles.  Two persons with the “same” LDL level can have very different vascular disease risks. The LDL listed on […]

Modern humans have always had the belief, conscious or subconscious, that they could lead a less-than-optimal lifestyle and yet health care could prevent the ill effects.  This is particularly true thinking about medical care.  Why eat an optimal diet when the unhealthy food is so good?  Exercise is more effort than I want to put […]

Again, It Depends on Who It Hangs Out With In a previous blog I had discussed some of the research of coffee consumption and a reduced risk of diabetes.  It seems there are several phenols or phytonutrients in brewed coffee that offer diabetes preventative benefit.  I also made the point that this might be negated […]

Not if it keeps good company One of the more common statements I hear taking patient histories when patient comment on what measures they had taken already to try to resolve their health issues is “I did give up coffee”.  This statement implies a belief that coffee has negative health effects.  The origins of that […]

Too much appeasing of a sweet tooth has been associated with an increased risk of developing autoimmunity.  While higher sugar consumption may do so, artificial sweeteners appear to increase the risk similarly.  This is a significant concern as either sugars or artificial sweeteners are added to almost all processed foods. Humans have 3 primary taste […]

This title may sound like some form of double talk but it is a reality.  I had a stark example of this concept last weekend traveling to Easton Maryland for our annual goose hunt with my grandson.  Traveling the 185 miles up the Virginia and Maryland Eastern Shore I traveled through this large expanse of […]

In the previous blogs we have discussed the role of the “exposome” which are the environmental factors we are exposed to that may contribute to autoimmunity.  One of the more common and important factors is diet/food.  This process involves an immune reaction against a food particle such as a peptide that then spreads to attacking […]