diet

Gut Microbes Can Cause Obesity, And We’re Getting Closer to Understanding How

by

Medical researchers have discovered a molecule linking the tiny creatures that call our guts home to levels of fat in our bodies. “We now have a molecular mechanism that provides a starting point to understand our microbiome as a link between our diet and our body composition,” explained Emory University biochemist Dean Jones.   Hints … Read more

Why You Should Never Quit Fruit During a Low-Carb Diet, According to Science

by

One of my patients – who had been struggling with obesity, uncontrolled diabetes and the cost of her medications – agreed in June 2019 to adopt a more whole-food plant-based diet.   Excited by the challenge, she did a remarkable job. She increased her fresh fruit and vegetable intake, stopped eating candy, cookies and cakes … Read more

Why Aren’t All Calories Created Equal? A Dietitian Explains

by

A calorie is a calorie is a calorie, at least from a thermodynamic standpoint. It’s defined as the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius (2.2 pounds by 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit).   But when it comes to health and your body’s energy balance, not all … Read more

Some People in Greenland Metabolize Sugars Differently

by

For millennia, populations in Greenland enjoyed a relatively sugar-free diet. Without the need to rapidly process certain carbohydrates, many lost the function of a key sucrose-processing enzyme.   To learn what this loss means for the health of today’s populations, a team of researchers led by scientists from the University of Copenhagen analyzed the health … Read more

Cancer: Meat-eating mammals are more susceptible than herbivores

by

Understanding why plant-eating mammals like antelopes and sheep are far less likely to die of cancer than carnivores may help protect us from cancer too Life 22 December 2021 By Alice Klein The kowari, a carnivorous marsupial, is particularly prone to cancer D. Parer & E. Parer-Cook/ Minden Pictures/Alamy Mammals that live on meat are … Read more

Dinosaurs: T. rex had more powerful jaws than its theropod ancestors

by

Theropod dinosaurs, including carnivores like T. rex and herbivores like Therizinosaurus, evolved deeper and stronger jaws over the course of the dinosaur age Life 16 December 2021 By Cameron Duke Theropods of the Late Cretaceous, including Gigantoraptor, Garudimimus and Neimongosaurus Gabriel Ugueto No matter whether they ate meat or plants, theropod dinosaur species had one … Read more

How human height has changed: Our ancestors were relatively short – and only started reaching modern heights 150 years ago

by

Until around 150 years ago, humans were relatively short – but our recent growth spurt may have more to do with social factors than dietary ones Humans 2 December 2021 By Michael Marshall A man measures a woman’s height Image Point Fr/Shutterstock For most of our history, humans have been short, a study has found. … Read more

How Much of a Risk Do Synthetic Food Dyes Pose to Your Health? A Research Weighs In

by

Early-onset colorectal cancer incidence among the young, defined as those under age 50, has been rising globally since the early 1990s. Rates for colon and rectal cancers are expected to increase by 90 percent and 124 percent, respectively, by 2030.   One suspected reason behind this trend is increased global consumption of a Westernized diet … Read more

Are Our Diets Contributing to The Rise in Angry Rhetoric?

by

Emotional, non-rational, even explosive remarks in public discourse have escalated in recent years. Politicians endure insults during legislative discussions; scientists receive emails and tweets containing verbal abuse and threats.   What’s going on? This escalation in angry rhetoric is sometimes attributed to social media. But are there other influences altering communication styles? As researchers in … Read more