Brittany’s story, Thriving on HOPE Posted on May 3, 2018 | by Functional Developer | Leave a Comment on Brittany’s story, Thriving on HOPE Long story short I got sick in 2010 at 17 years old. They didn’t know why and it took until last year and multiple hospitals including Mayo Clinic, UCLA, and Stanford to officially make a diagnosis. I went from being a successful athletic teenager to a bed ridden and malnourished young adult, with no family history or accidents or pretty much anything to explain it. I found out my gut was completely paralyzed and that I have mast cell activation disorder. So my body is constantly fighting itself and sprung on allergies I’ve never had before. Even now the allergies change all of the time. Continue reading →
Fast Food and Phthalates: Another reason to reconsider the meals away from home Posted on April 11, 2018 | by Functional Developer | Leave a Comment on Fast Food and Phthalates: Another reason to reconsider the meals away from home There is little doubt that eating at fast food restaurants and other convenience-based food outlets carries a significant health risk. For many consumers the understanding is that the foods served at these places tends to have more sugar, might be high in saturated fat, or could be fried in low quality seed oils that get reused repeatedly. As if this were not enough to reconsider, a new study published last week revealed even greater risks. Those subjects followed over time showed that their blood phthalate levels were on average 35% higher the morning after eating at a fast food restaurant or sandwich shop. Continue reading →
Obesogens: No safe limit for our food or our skin. Posted on April 3, 2018 | by Functional Developer | Leave a Comment on Obesogens: No safe limit for our food or our skin. Functional Formularies hopes to raise awareness around a group of chemicals, ingredients, and common household toxins that are proven to contribute to obesity and insulin resistance. Collectively described as obesogenic, these substances interfere with communication channels within our cells and alter our metabolism. Some of these obesogens are well studied and have become more familiar to consumers as they appear in headlines. Others are less known by most Americans but are often just as damaging to human health. There are numerous mechanisms by which they disrupt normal processes in the body. Many are also classified as endocrine disruptors because they create a very potent estrogen-like effect on cells and a few are also carcinogenic, with strong links to specific types of cancer. All of them however, are proven to increase a child’s risk of becoming obese. Of course sugar consumption and a lack of physical activity are major causes, but the addition of these molecules to an individual’s chemistry creates an even more likely pattern of metabolic disease. Continue reading →
How Fructose Affects the Brain and Why Fruit Shouldn’t Get a Pass When it comes to Sugar Posted on March 30, 2018 | by Functional Developer | Leave a Comment on How Fructose Affects the Brain and Why Fruit Shouldn’t Get a Pass When it comes to Sugar One of the biggest misunderstandings in the field of nutrition is the role of fruit in a healthy diet. We have been told to eat more fruits and vegetables for so long, that the two are referred to almost synonymously. There is definitely a problem with this association. Vegetables are rich in fiber, minerals, and typically very low in sugar. Fruit, on the other hand, is typically much lower in micronutrients and fiber, yet much higher in sugar. The most notable sugar in fruit is fructose. Continue reading →
Pediatric Nutrition: First things first Posted on March 29, 2018 | by Functional Developer | Leave a Comment on Pediatric Nutrition: First things first With over 25% of the world’s children experiencing failure to thrive (FTT), stunted growth, and or delayed development, it is a good time to look at the various facets of pediatric nutrition that require particular attention (1). Recent assessments of pediatric malnutrition have indicated that the influence of one or more micronutrient deficiencies on the trajectory of a child’s health may be far greater than previously thought and that clinicians must consider a much larger number of nutritional factors than energy and protein intake (2). An over reliance on assessing nourishment by the use of typical anthropometric values, can provide a false sense of adequacy. While the classic model of FTT relies upon the use of height and weight growth charts and percentiles, there may be neurological or other developmental delays that are equally tied to malnutrition. Continue reading →
Critical Qualities of Enteral Formulas for Patients with Diabetes Posted on March 15, 2018 | by Functional Developer | Leave a Comment on Critical Qualities of Enteral Formulas for Patients with Diabetes As a greater percentage of diabetes patients require enteral support for an additional disease or condition, the nutritional qualities of a formula are pivotal. While most enteral formulas are comprised of heavily refined carbohydrates (ranging from fruit juice concentrates to corn syrup solids) and industrially processed seed oils (corn, soybean, sunflower, and canola), there is only one whole food, high fermentable fiber, and no added sugar option. The qualities possessed by this type of formula are aligned with those recommended for the treatment and management of insulin resistance. Continue reading →