Todd A. Born is a naturopathic physician, certified nutrition specialist (CNS), and co-owner and medical director of Born Integrative Medicine Specialists, PLLC. His roles at Allergy Research Group include Product Manager, Head of New Product Development, Scientific Advisor, and Editor-in-Chief of their science-based FOCUS Newsletter. Dr. Born is also Lead Advisor and President of the International Society for Naturopathic Medicine, as well as a medical wellness advisor for the International Medical Wellness Association.

A review of the evidence behind botanicals and nutraceuticals for the treatment of mood disorders

There is a global reliance on rice, maize and wheat as a food source, together they comprise nearly 50% of total calorie consumption.  Without these crops’ food shortages and some issues of malnutrition would be even wider spread. Despite the obvious positives there are many issues associated with this over reliance.

Bile acids are critical for the digestion and absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins in the small intestine. Recent studies suggest bile acids have further functions as pleotropic signalling metabolites able to interact with germline-encoded host receptors and microbiota to regulate an array of #metabolic and #inflammatory pathways. Researchers from The Scripps Research Institute Florida and Osaka University Japan have recently published a piece discussing the interplay between bile acids, the microbiota and the mucosal immune system. They focus on how this interplay can regulate intestinal homeostasis and inflammation. The dynamic three-dimensional interplay between #bile acids, the microbiome and the mucosal immune system represents an important new frontier in the field of Mucosal Immunology. 

Researchers from Oxford, Cardiff and Southampton Universities have been studying the dangers of overprescribing #antibiotics for common #respiratory tract illnesses in children, concluding that children given two or more courses in a year are 30% more likely to have further doses fail. The research was published by the British Journal of General Practice and analysed patient records of more than 250,000 preschool children.

Frontiers of Microbiology have published a new study examining the differences in bacterial composition and microbial diversity of organically grown versus conventionally grown apples. The #gut #microbiome plays a vital role in helping control digestion as well as aiding the immune system. An imbalance of healthy and unhealthy microbes in the intestines may contribute to high blood sugar, high cholesterol, weight gain and other disorders. This study focuses on the #plant-gut microbiome axis and the importance of #raw eaten plants as a source for microbes.

Aspartame is the world’s most widely used #artificial #sweetener, yet a new paper published by researchers from the University of Sussex argues that its safety for human consumption should be further questioned. The study provides an appraisal of the most recent assessment of #aspartame safety by the European Food Safety Authority’s (#EFSA) Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources Added to Food, published in 2013.

Scientists from the University of Leeds have found that daily stimulation of the vagus nerve leads to physiological and wellbeing improvements, including a better quality of life, mood and sleep. The #vagus nerve transmits information from the brain to organs around the body and plays a crucial role in the body’s autonomic nervous system. The ear can act as a gateway to the nervous system with a small branch of the vagus nerve being stimulated via a section of the outer ear.

Austrian scientists have established a link between stomach acid reducing prescription medicines and an increased risk of developing #allergies. Researchers had access to the health records of over 8 million Austrians over a four-year period and found that patients prescribed #gastric acid inhibitors were twice as likely to also be prescribed #anti-allergy drugs in the future.

Postmenopausal women who carry fat around their middle are at a higher risk of early death, even if they have a healthy body mass index (#BMI). The authors of a new study, led by the University of Iowa, have concluded that it is not how heavy a person is but where they carry their weight which puts them at risk of obesity related health problems.

The first long term #organic diet intervention study with #pregnant women recently took place in the United States and showed that an organic diet introduction can significantly reduce exposure to some classes of #pesticides. 20 women were recruited and received weekly deliveries of either organic or conventional fruits and vegetables during their second and third trimesters. Weekly urine samples were collected and analysed for biomarkers or organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid insecticides.