Optimal Health Insider
Research broken down for ease of use
Are you supplementing? New study finds majority of Americans think their diet is healthier than it is
Taking a regimen of nutritional supplements may be more important than ever. According to new research, most people are not able to accurately assess the quality of their diet, and are consuming unhealthy foods they mistakingly judge as healthy on a daily basis. The...
Ashwagandha may be the herb that “smells like a horse”—But research shows it can also make you as healthy as one
Ashwagandha might be the most versatile, potent and widely-used herb in the sphere of natural healing and nutritional support. Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub in the Solanaceae or nightshade family that grows in India, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. Other...
Importance of NAD highlighted with new study linking low level to anemia
"NAD" is an acronym for Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. NAD is an enzyme, or more accurately a co-enzyme, central to metabolism. It is found in all living cells and is involved in redox reactions---carrying electrons from one reaction to another. Though NAD is...
Study finds antibiotics disrupt gut microbiome, create cycle of chronic infection
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half the women in the U.S. will have a urinary tract infection (UTI) during their lifetime. Even more troubling, 25% of U.S. women will have recurrent infections. Now a new study is reinforcing what some...
Study finds potent trio lowers cancer risk: Vitamin D3, Omega-3s and exercise
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), regular exercise reduces the risk of eight types of cancer. Now, according to a new study, this risk reduction can be further enhanced by supplementing two critical nutrients that are deficient in the...
When it comes to falling asleep, research shows it’s REM and “continuity” sleep that matter most
When people can't fall asleep they typically reach for an over-the-counter sleep medication, or alcohol. In more severe cases they obtain a prescription for sleeping medication. The problem with all these choices is they may help you fall asleep, but they seldom keep...
Collagen–improving joint pain while helping your skin look younger!
Supplementation with a collagen supplement improves flexibility and joint pain, according to a new human clinical study. The study was conducted jointly by researchers at Baden-Württemberg, Germany and South Carolina, U.S.A. Results of the study were divided into two...
“Blue Zones” were first identified two decades ago. What have we learned?
As the concept of "Blue Zones" approaches its 20th birthday, it may be beneficial to take a new look at the health principles highlighted by the research. Even though blue zones theory (and later, The Blue Zones book) have detractors, there are common threads that can...
With pandemic censorship in decline, elderberry immune benefits can be reported again
A couple of months makes a lot of difference. Just 60 days ago if you suggested elderberry could help battle COVID you'd promptly be censored by Google for "spreading disinformation"---then you would have been kicked off of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Now the...
Nagalase: Reduce it to improve your immune system and protect your thyroid
Nagalase is an enzyme with the technical chemical name alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase. It has an important role in the body and is essential for optimal health; however, elevated amounts can be an accurate indicator for serious health issues. Nagalase breaks down...
Can kelp and bladder wrack help solve the hypothyroidism pandemic?
In 2013 a special feature in the Huffington Post asked, "What's Behind the Secret Epidemic of Hypothyroidism?" It was termed "secret" since millions of people have it and don't even know it. That was nine years ago, and since that time the epidemic has only worsened....
Use zero-calorie sugar substitutes? Research shows your liver needs herbal support
Almost everyone is aware that cancer risk has been linked to the use of some some sugar substitutes. The controversy goes back at least to the 1970s with additional damning evidence added almost yearly. This year is no exception, with a new large-scale French study...