Monthly Archives: November 2014

Do Low Sodium Diets Lower Blood Pressure?

Posted on November 22, 2014 by Robert Barrington
Posted in Blood Pressure, Potassium, Salt, Sodium | Comments Off on Do Low Sodium Diets Lower Blood Pressure?

Protect Your Liver: Milk Thistle

Posted on November 22, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a three foot high thistle that grows in rocky parts of Western Europe. The reddish purple flowers and shiny prickly leaves give it an easily recognisable appearance. Milk thistle is interesting nutritionally because it contains … Continue reading →

Posted in Antioxidant, Liver, Milk Thistle, Oxidative Stress, Silibum Marianum (milk thistle), Silymarin | Comments Off on Protect Your Liver: Milk Thistle

28 Days Later: Vitamin B6 Deficiency

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Vitamin B6 is an essential nutrient in humans. This means it cannot be synthesised endogenously, but instead must be present in the diet. Once absorbed vitamin B6 is converted to its active form through addition of a phosphate molecule, forming … Continue reading →

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5-Hydroxytryptophan

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Robert Barrington
Posted in 5-Hydroxytryptophan, L-tryptophan, Serotonin | Comments Off on 5-Hydroxytryptophan

High Protein Diets And Bone Loss: Let’s Put This Myth To Bed

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Robert Barrington

High protein diets are beneficial at causing weight loss. The exact reason for this is likely multifactorial in nature. The presence of undigested proteins in the stomach inhibit gastric emptying and this maintains any carbohydrate in the stomach for longer. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bone Health, Fruit, Protein, Vegetables, Weight Loss | Comments Off on High Protein Diets And Bone Loss: Let’s Put This Myth To Bed

Fruit And Vegetables Are Cardioprotective: Is Potassium Pivotal?

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Robert Barrington

The theory that high sodium diets cause hypertension is controversial. This is because while some studies do show that high sodium diets cause blood pressure rises in certain subgroups of the population as a whole, they are not able to … Continue reading →

Posted in Blood Pressure, Fruit, Potassium, Sodium, Vegetables | Comments Off on Fruit And Vegetables Are Cardioprotective: Is Potassium Pivotal?

Is Vitamin C Protective of Gastric Cancer

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Gastric cancer is linked to infection by helicobacter pylori, the bacteria that is known to be a common cause of gastric ulcers. Infection with helicobacter pylori is associated with low gastric concentrations of vitamin C although the exact relationship between … Continue reading →

Posted in Cancer, Vitamin C | Comments Off on Is Vitamin C Protective of Gastric Cancer

A Word on the Potato

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Robert Barrington

The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a plant that belongs to the nightshade family that also includes tomatoes, aubergines and bell pepper. There are hundreds of varieties of potato, but in reality the large potato manufacturing countries rely on a handful … Continue reading →

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More On Legumes

Posted on November 16, 2014 by Robert Barrington
Posted in Beans, Peanut, Pulses / Legumes | Comments Off on More On Legumes

The Betaine Choline Link

Posted on November 16, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Betaine and choline are closely related compounds from a structural and functional perspective. Betaine is also called trimethylglycine and choline is also called tetramethylglycine. Both compounds function as methyl donors, and when choline donates a methyl group it becomes betaine. … Continue reading →

Posted in Betaine, Choline, Folate, Homocysteine, L-methionine, Vitamin B | Comments Off on The Betaine Choline Link