Monthly Archives: December 2016

Phytochemical Antioxidants in Cherries

Posted on December 14, 2016 by Robert Barrington

Interest in the phytochemical composition of fruits and vegetables has become of interest since the health properties of these chemicals were postulated. In particular, the polyphenols in fruits and vegetables appear to show beneficial health properties in humans and animals. … Continue reading →

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Factors Affecting Vitamin D Levels

Posted on December 13, 2016 by Robert Barrington

Vitamin D and its metabolites 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D are involved in cell differentiation and cell regulation. This role as a steroid hormone, may explain the association between low levels of vitamin D and a number of Western lifestyle … Continue reading →

Posted in 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D / Calcitriol, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, Epigenetics, Genes, Vitamin D | Comments Off on Factors Affecting Vitamin D Levels

Cancer Risk and Lifestyle Changes

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Robert Barrington

Methylation of DNA is a process by which cells control the expression of genes, effectively turning them on or off. In this way the cell can use signal from the environment to alter the genes expressed, and thus alter their … Continue reading →

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The Beneficial Glycaemic Effects of Vinegar

Posted on December 11, 2016 by Robert Barrington
Posted in Diabetes, Glycaemia, Glycaemic Index, Glycaemic load, Short Chain Fatty Acids | Comments Off on The Beneficial Glycaemic Effects of Vinegar

Tea With Milk?

Posted on December 11, 2016 by Robert Barrington
Posted in Black Tea, Catechin, Green Tea, Tea | Comments Off on Tea With Milk?

St John’s Wort

Posted on December 10, 2016 by Robert Barrington
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Childhood Feeding Habits Die Hard

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Robert Barrington

Evidence suggests that what we eat as children determines what we eat as adults. Anecdotally, this is probably well known, but scientific evidence supports this contention. For example, researchers investigated the feeding habits of infants over a number of years … Continue reading →

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Caffeine intake

Posted on December 8, 2016 by Robert Barrington

Caffeinated drinks are commonly consumed throughout the World with tea and coffee providing a significant contribution. A recent study conducted on a United States population measured the concentrations of caffeine and some of its metabolites in the urine of subjects1. … Continue reading →

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Flaxseed and Blood Pressure

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Robert Barrington

High blood pressure is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Blood pressure rises with weight gain and one of the most effective ways to control blood pressure is to lose excess body fat. The cause of blood pressure is complex, … Continue reading →

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Flaxseed and Cholesterol Levels

Posted on December 6, 2016 by Robert Barrington

Evidence suggests that a number of foods are able to lower plasma cholesterol levels to a similar degree as cholesterol medication. In many cases, the effects of the foods are superior to the statins, the current gold standard in cholesterol … Continue reading →

Posted in Cholesterol, Fibre, Flaxseed | Comments Off on Flaxseed and Cholesterol Levels