Diet Science

A recent study conducted at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center showed that patients with a history of colorectal cancer who added a cup of navy beans daily to their regular meals saw positive changes in their gut microbiome after just 4 weeks. Listen in this week as Dee discusses the details of this study and how the changes in microbiome aid in colorectal cancer prevention and treatment.Reference:Zhang, X., Irajizad, E., Hoffman, K. L., Fahrmann, J. F., Li, F., Seo, Y. D., Browman, G. J., Dennison, J. B., Vykoukal, J., Luna, P. N., Siu, W., Wu, R., Murage, E., Ajami, N. J., Mcquade, J. L., Wargo, J. A., Long, J. P., Do, K.-A., Lampe, J. W., … Daniel, C. R.. (2023). Modulating a prebiotic food source influences inflammation and immune-regulating gut microbes and metabolites: Insights from the BE GONE trial. Ebiomedicine, 98, 104873. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/ebiom/article/PIIS2352-3964(23)00439-5/fulltext

Autophagy is a natural biochemical self-preservation process whereby the body cleans out damaged cells in order to regenerate newer, healthier cells. There are certain diet and lifestyle factors that aid or inhibit autophagy, leading either to improved health or accelerated degeneration.  Listen in this week as Dee discusses the mechanisms of autophagy and the best ways to ensure its optimal benefits.Reference:Aman, Y., Schmauck-Medina, T., Hansen, M., Morimoto, R. I., Simon, A. K., Bjedov, I., Palikaras, K., Simonsen, A., Johansen, T., Tavernarakis, N., Rubinsztein, D. C., Partridge, L., Kroemer, G., Labbadia, J., & Fang, E. F. (2021). Autophagy in healthy aging and disease. Nature Aging, 1(8), 634–650. https://www.nature.com/articles/s43587-021-00098-4#

Buckwheat honey is a type of honey produced by bees that collect nectar solely from the flowers of the buckwheat plant. This gives the honey a unique flavor and much higher antioxidant levels than clover or other types of honey. Listen in this week as Dee discusses the many unique health benefits of buckwheat honey!Link to purchase buckwheat honey: https://amzn.to/4apKkhr

Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), or an irregular heartbeat, is a condition that can lead to stroke, heart failure, and blood clots. A new study has found that drinking diet sodas puts you at a 20% higher risk for AFib. Listen in this week as Dee discusses the results of the study, and how much diet soda per week poses the highest risk.Reference:Sun, Y., Yu, B., Yu, Y., Wang, B., Tan, X., Lu, Y., Wang, Y., Zhang, K., & Wang, N. (2024). Sweetened beverages, genetic susceptibility, and incident atrial fibrillation: A Prospective cohort study. Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, 17(3). https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCEP.123.012145

The Environmental Working Group's 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ (aka the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 List) was released on March 20, 2024, and the results are shocking! Listen in this week as Dee talks about the list, what it means for your health, and how to strategize your grocery budget to ensure the least amount of pesticide exposure.Get the Guide at https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/

A recent study shines light on the profound impact of diet on chronic pain. Listen in this week as Dee discusses the findings of the study, and the strong undercurrent of desire among chronic pain sufferers to adopt healthier eating practices.Reference: Dong, H. J., Brain, K., Olsson, M., Dragioti, E., Gerdle, B., & Ghafouri, B. (2024). Eating habits and the desire to eat healthier among patients with chronic pain: A registry-based study. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 4705. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10897138/Video Link: Dee Talks About Nutrition Changes for Gout: https://processedfreeamerica.org/dee-talks-about-gout/

A recent study shines light on the profound impact of diet on chronic pain. Listen in this week as Dee discusses the findings of the study, and the strong undercurrent of desire among chronic pain sufferers to adopt healthier eating practices.Reference: Dong, H. J., Brain, K., Olsson, M., Dragioti, E., Gerdle, B., & Ghafouri, B. (2024). Eating habits and the desire to eat healthier among patients with chronic pain: A registry-based study. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 4705. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10897138/Video Link: Dee Talks About Nutrition Changes for Gout: https://processedfreeamerica.org/dee-talks-about-gout/

As its name suggests, the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) is a dietary approach that provides the same health benefits typically seen with water-only fasting, but you still get to eat! Listen in this week as Dee discusses the FMD and a recent study showing that following the FMD for just 5 days a month could wind back your interal clock nearly three years.Reference: Brandhorst, S., Levine, M. E., Wei, M., Shelehchi, M., Morgan, T. E., Nayak, K. S., Dorff, T., Hong, K., Crimmins, E. M., Cohen, P., & Longo, V. D.. (2024). Fasting-mimicking diet causes hepatic and blood markers changes indicating reduced biological age and disease risk. Nature Communications, 15(1). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-45260-9

A new study adds wasabi to the list of foods that show significant improvement in both working and episodic memory. Listen in this week as Dee discusses the study and what you need to know about sources of wasabi.Reference: Nouchi, R., Kawata, N. Y. S., Saito, T., Nouchi, H., & Kawashima, R.. (2023). Benefits of wasabi supplements with 6-MSITC (6-methylsulfinyl hexyl isothiocyanate) on memory functioning in healthy adults aged 60 years and older: Evidence from a double-blinded randomized controlled trial. Nutrients, 15(21), 4608. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15214608Link to Wasabi supplement:https://realwasabi.com/products/nutrasabi-pure-wasabi?pr_prod_strat=e5_desc&pr_rec_id=b3c59c575&pr_rec_pid=7159750426789&pr_ref_pid=7222982082725&pr_seq=uniform

The parsnip is a humble root vegetable that is highly underrated. Listen in this week as Dee discusses their rich nutritional profile, health benefits and why parsnips deserve a prime spot on your plate. Reference: Kenari, H. M., Kordafshari, G., Moghimi, M., Eghbalian, F., & TaherKhani, D. (2021). Review of pharmacological properties and chemical constituents of Pastinaca sativa. Journal of Pharmacopuncture, 24(1), 14–23. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8010426/Link to Parsnip Recipes: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/parsnip-recipes

If you favor using wood cutting boards, wood utensils, and wood butcher blocks, you know they need to be moisturized to keep them from drying out. Listen in this week as Dee discusses the best food grade antibacterial oil to beautifully moisturize your wood cutting boards.Reference: International Agency for Research on Cancer. (2012). Mineral oil, untreated or mildly treated. Chemical Agents and Related Occupations - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304428/Link to Dee's recommended MCT oil: https://amzn.to/3OFIkbY

Americans are fixating on protein while neglecting the crucial role of fiber in their diets. Listen in this week as Dee discusses the optimal protein intake, debunking the myth that more is better. Link to purchase Dee's recommended protein powder: https://processedfreeamerica.org/is-whey-the-only-way/

While the impact of multivitamins on overall health sparks ongoing debates, a fresh study hints at their potential to put the brakes on memory loss. Listen in this week as Dee discusses the outcomes of the study, and what to look for in a high quality multivitamin/mineral supplement.Reference:Vyas, C. M., Manson, J. E., Sesso, H. D., Cook, N. R., Rist, P. M., Weinberg, A., Moorthy, M. V., Baker, L. D., Espeland, M. A., Yeung, L., Brickman, A. M., & Okereke, O. I. (2024). Effect of multivitamin-mineral supplementation versus placebo on cognitive function: results from the clinic subcohort of the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) randomized clinical trial and meta-analysis of 3 cognitive studies within COSMOS. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 19(1), 39–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.12.011  Scroll to the bottom of this page for Dee's Multivitamin/Mineral Recommendations: https://processedfreeamerica.org/shining-light-on-calcium-and-vitamin-d-requirements/

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a powerful antioxidant made within the body. However, there are a number of circumstances that interfere with its production, leaving the body vulnerable to severe free radical damage. Listen in this week as Dee discusses the role of CoQ10, the conditions that may  benefit from increased amounts of CoQ10, and the best food sources and forms of supplemental CoQ10.Link to CoQ10: https://amzn.to/3nE3vwM

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed that eating a greener version of the Mediterranean diet that includes duckweed and other high polyphenol foods was twice as effective in reducing life-threatening blood vessel stiffness. Listen in this week as Dee explains what the "Green Mediterranean Diet" consists of, what duckweed is, and how you can benefit from both.Reference: Tsaban, G., Shalev, A., Katz, A., Yaskolka Meir, A., Rinott, E., Zelicha, H., Kaplan, A., Wolak, A., Bluher, M., Stampfer, M. J., & Shai, I. (2023). Effect of lifestyle modification and Green Mediterranean Diet on proximal aortic stiffness. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 81(16), 1659–1661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2023.02.032Link to Podcast on Duckweed: https://processedfreeamerica.org/is-duckweed-a-reliable-source-of-plant-based-vitamin-b12/Link to Purchase Duckweed: https://amzn.to/42eM7mx

Five U.S. cities implemented a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages between 2017 and 2018, as a key policy to reduce cardiometabolic diseases and other health conditions. Did consumers reduce their consumption? Listen in this week as Dee discusses the results of a recent study that examined the correlation between increases in prices of sugar-sweetened beverages and purchases.Reference:Kaplan, S., White, J. S., Madsen, K. A., Basu, S., Villas-Boas, S. B., & Schillinger, D. (2024). Evaluation of changes in prices and purchases following implementation of sugar-sweetened beverage taxes across the US. JAMA Health Forum, 5(1), e234737. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2813506

One of the top-trending health-related questions searched on Google in 2023 was "What helps with bloating?" Listen in this week as Dee provides insight into why bloating is such a common problem and what you can do to improve digestion and stop the bloat!Link to Purchase Digestive Enzymes: https://amzn.to/3DBV9ORReference: Di Stefano, M., Miceli, E., Gotti, S., Missanelli, A., Mazzocchi, S., & Corazza, G. R. (2007). The effect of oral alpha-galactosidase on intestinal gas production and gas-related symptoms. Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 52(1), 78–83. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17151807/

Rhodiola is an adaptogenic herb with health benefits documented in medical texts dating back to 77 AD. Listen in this week as Dee discusses how rhodiola enhances brain functions and reduces anxiety. Link to Purchase Rholiola: https://amzn.to/41kHmHC

Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb that has over 4,000 years of traditional use in India for improving many conditions. Listen in this week as Dee discusses the many benefits of Ashwagandha!Link to Purchase Ashwagandha: https://amzn.to/46SNk3m

Three decades ago a team of independent nutrition experts was recruited by the USDA to create the first Food Guide Pyramid published in 1992 to help Americans get healthier. But, the USDA caved to food industry interests and modified the experts' recommendations, and have never taken a clear stance against processed foods. As a result, Americans are less healthy than they were 30 years ago. Listen in this week as Dee discusses a promising change that may be coming in 2025 as the food guidelines committee is finally examining the science on obesity and ultra-processed foods.Reference:Hess, J. M., Comeau, M. E., Casperson, S., Slavin, J. L., Johnson, G. H., Messina, M., Raatz, S., Scheett, A. J., Bodensteiner, A., & Palmer, D. G. (2023). Dietary guidelines meet nova: Developing a menu for a healthy dietary pattern using ultra-processed foods. The Journal of Nutrition, 153(8), 2472–2481. https://jn.nutrition.org/article/S0022-3166(23)72434-6/fulltext