Not all cod liver oil is made from cod livers… Some “Cod Liver Oil” products have been made from fish such as pollock and haddock (sourced from Alaska and/or Russia) or other fish species, both wild-caught and farmed, as a less expensive source of oil. The oil, regardless of the country of origin, can then … Read more
Comments on The Courier Mail, QWeekend article “A heavy burden” by Elissa Lawrence, May 2-3, 2015. This story related to six members of one Brisbane family who have had weight-loss surgery to help with obesity. The type of surgery undertaken is called a sleeve gastrectomy which involves surgically removing nine-tenths of the stomach. The … Read more
What’s in your medications or supplements? Most products, whether medical or nutritional supplements, have what are known as “excipients” or “fillers”. These may be added to hold the active ingredients or give a pill its shape or simply be added for volume. They include everything except the active ingredients. Pharmaceutical excipients – where do we … Read more
The incidence of autoimmune disease has more than tripled in the last few decades. The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy Association reports that currently 1 in 20 people are being affected by autoimmune diseases in Australia and New Zealand. What is Autoimmunity? Autoimmunity develops over time. Initiated by the loss … Read more
Metabolic acidosis is a condition in which the body produces too much acid or when the kidneys cannot remove or neutralise acids in the body. Scientists have found that low grade chronic metabolic acidosis is common but often goes undetected because it most often occurs despite normal blood pH and bicarbonate levels. All of us … Read more
A friend recently asked why so many of his work colleagues were being diagnosed with quite serious health issues. Without knowing their situations, this was not an easy question to answer. As a general recommendation, a few dietary changes can often relieve many symptoms. These usually include elimination of wheat, dairy, artificially flavoured/coloured/sweetened foods, processed … Read more
Food intolerance is a result of a reaction to a food, beverage, food additive or component found in food that produce symptoms in one or more of the body’s organs and systems, but is not a true allergy. Food intolerance can also be triggered by incomplete digestion of food which may result in poor assimilation … Read more
The truth of the old adage that “you are what you eat” is becoming increasingly clear, the more we learn about the microbiome—the colonies of microbes living in your gut, and indeed all over your body. It is well established that your gut is your second brain providing more input to your brain than the … Read more
Coeliac disease is a chronic enteropathy produced by gluten intolerance, specifically prolamines, which cause an atrophy of an intestinal villi, lesions on the mucosa of the proximal small intestine and malabsorption. Gastrointestinal symptoms are frequent, although non-gastrointestinal features are equally as common. In addition to gluten, there are other foods that may cause cross-reactivity if … Read more
Omega-3 consumption in diet and as supplements has long shown promise as a potential therapy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Just how much of these essential fats must be consumed for their protective benefits has remained a point of debate. A recent study reveals that omega-3 dosage matters when it comes … Read more
