Recent research shows that advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a causative factor in many degenerative diseases – including almost all of the diseases associated with aging. AGEs have been linked to Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, wrinkles and loss of skin…

Twitchy legs, restless sleep…  That urge to move your legs at night or being woken up with your leg moving rhythmically — both take a toll on sleep quality. And good sleep is foundational for overall health and wellbeing. I’m going to dive into…

Ashkenazi Jews are descendants of Jewish communities that were established mainly in Eastern Europe along the Rhine River around the 12th century AD. The Ashkenazi Jewish people traditionally married within their community, and genetic mutations that naturally cropped up within the population have been…

A new study in the journal Behavioral Brain Research paints a fascinating picture of why some people are more motivated to exercise. The study looked at the dopaminergic system to see how people’s genetic variants could alter the ‘reinforcing value’ of exercise. The majority of…

Blood pressure isn’t something that you think much about – unless your doctor is harping about it being high or low.  The CDC statistics, though, make a pretty compelling argument that a lot of us should be thinking about blood pressure. The CDC estimates…

The more I learn about genetics, the more I appreciate how intricate and complex we humans are as a biological system. What do I mean by this? Most of the genetic variants, or SNPs, that people carry don’t have a huge impact on their…

Dopamine is a powerful player in our cognitive function – impacting mood, movement, and motivation. Genetic variants in the dopamine receptors influence addiction, ADHD, neurological diseases, depression, psychosis, and aggression. Please keep in mind as you read this article that I’m not a neuroscientist…

Diabetes is usually blamed on eating the wrong foods, but your genes play a big role in your susceptibility to the disease. The TCF7L2 (transcription factor 7-like 2) gene codes for a protein that activates many genes involved in type 2 diabetes,  including glucagon-like peptide…

Autoimmune diseases are caused by your immune system targeting and attacking cells in your body. This can result in a number of different problems:  joint pain (rheumatoid arthritis), scaly, thick skin (psoriasis), hypothyroidism (Hashimoto’s), and more. It is often difficult to get a solid…

Did you know that some supplements change the expression of your core circadian clock genes? Your core circadian rhythm genes are foundational to your health, and some supplements alter that rhythm. I find the idea of using natural supplements to alter your circadian gene…

Statins are used by tens of millions of people worldwide for lowering cholesterol levels.[ref] They nearly always top the list of most prescribed medications in the US, with Lipitor as the most prescribed drug as of July 2019. [article] One side effect of statins…

When you think about things that you can’t live without, your iPhone or the internet may top the list :-) But really, oxygen tops all of our ‘can’t live without it’ lists.  A minute without it will remind you of just how important it…