Strategies for Managing Dietary Protein

What are some strategies to sneak more protein into one’s diet? It’s not difficult to get enough protein. Adults require a 0.8 – 1 gram per kilogram of body weight. Once you work out what your target intake is, familiarize yourself with the protein content of your favourites. If you can’t tolerate a lot of…

Artificial Sweeteners: Sweet Poisons?

You’ve heard the expression “pick your poison”.  When it comes to sweet stuff, you need to do just that.  Sugar, consumed to excess, can be toxic and lead to conditions such as diabetes.  But what about artificial sweeteners? Commonly consumed sources of artificial sweeteners include the packets and pills used in place of sugar to…

Adverse Reactions to “Detoxes”

What are the symptoms of die-off during a detox? The symptoms caused by die-off due to a detox or treatment with antimicrobials are known as a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction[1]. The symptoms can include: fatigue, cognitive effects (brainfog, irritability, difficulty concentrating), nausea, diarrhea, bloating/gas, constipation, body aches, mild fever, itchiness and rashes, and sugar cravings[2] .  Although many articles…

Summit’s Supplement Guide

Many people assume that if they experiment with supplements and natural substances that this is safe for them to do.  It may not be.  If you already take certain supplements, or medications, randomly adding additional medicinal substances could really get you into trouble, so do yourself a favour: consult a health practitioner (MD, ND, or…

What are other nutrients?

When you hear the word “nutrient”, you probably think of vitamins and minerals, but there are other nutrients too. Dietary components such as fiber, water, and anti-oxidant chemicals are examples of nutrients that are not vitamins or minerals. While these components benefit health, some of them can also be contraindicated with certain medications, or under…

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Fats are built from component pieces known as fatty acids. The omega 3 fatty acids are a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids with some distinct properties. They are especially known for having anti-inflammatory effects, and for supporting the development and ongoing health of the nervous system and brain as well as cardiovascular health. There are…

Water: Is Alkaline Water A Miracle Or A Scam?

The internet has made it easy to promote products of questionable value that claim to provide health benefits.  It is prudent to verify the health claims before spending extra on these items.  Here is an example: What is the benefit of alkaline ionized water to health? There are no credible health benefits attributable to alkaline…

Water: Quality

Does Water Quality Matter? This is the second of 2 articles looking at the importance of water.  In the first article, I discussed the importance of quantity – ensuring that you’re drinking enough.  In this article, I’m going to look at the importance of water quality. In North America, we have access to an abundance of water…

Water: Quantity

You might not think of water as a nutrient, but it is. It is the essential ingredient that makes the life processes of our bodies possible. The Importance Of Water You know that going more than a few days without enough to drink can be fatal.  Do you know why?  We have trillions of cells in our…

What is a vitamin?

A vitamin is a substance that your body needs in order to be healthy but cannot synthesize for itself.  As a result, vitamins must be taken in from food, or sunlight, in the case of Vitamin D. Information About Vitamins