If you live in Boulder, Colorado, you probably know someone who follows a vegan or ketogenic (keto) diet. Maybe you are one of them. But do you know how these diets affect your immune system and your health? We all worry that vegan diets are protein-deficient and keto diets can clog arteries, but is this true? A recent study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)1,2 reveals some surprising insights into how switching to a vegan or a keto diet rapidly impacts your immune system, metabolism, and gut microbiome in just 2 weeks.      Study Design The study involved 20 healthy volunteers who... Read More

 If you’ve read my blog before, then you already know that studies show 80% of all diseases people in the US are experiencing are inflammatory based.  I’ve also mentioned that inflammation used by the immune system is a good thing, but when it gets out of control, inflammation can potentially cause chronic health problems; including swollen joints, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer.  One of the best ways to reduce inflammation is through diet, and cucumbers are at the top of the anti-inflammatory list.   Cucumbers help to “cool” the inflammatory response in the body by inhibiting the... Read More

80% of all diseases in the US are inflammatory based.  Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis of all types, inflammatory bowel diseases, asthma, MS, diabetes, cancer, and atherosclerosis, all have inflammatory components.  Adipose (fat tissue) is known to secrete several inflammatory factors, known as adipocytokines.  Adipose tissue also produces excessive amounts of dangerous estrogen, which promotes tumor growth. Inflammation is essential to the immune system, as it is used by the body to reduce injury and promote healing.  This is the acute critical response that we also experience when we get... Read More