Author: Michael Ravensthorpe

In 1953, the American scientist Dr. Ancel Keys published a paper linking high saturated fat intake with heart disease in adult men. Though initially met with skepticism, medical societies, and government bodies eventually embraced Keys’s findings, and the era of fat demonization began – much to the joy of processed food manufacturers. Although most experts now regard Keys’s research as cherry-picked and flawed, its conclusions still influence and direct the purchasing choices of the average consumer. Many people still believe that saturated fats – even when sourced from nutritious whole foods, such as eggs and coconut oil – contribute to weight gain and … Continue reading →

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In 2006, Felix Grun and Bruce Blumberg, two developmental biologists at the University of California, Irvine, published a research paper about artificial chemicals known to contribute towards obesity. These chemicals, which the researchers named “obesogens,” are foreign compounds that compromise the balance and development of lipid metabolism, often by disrupting endocrine function. Since 2006, peer-reviewed studies have identified approximately 20 substances as obesogens. Worse still, at least three of these substances are commonly found in the average American household. How many of the following obesogens are you aware of? Bisphenol A Bisphenol A (BPA) is perhaps the best-known obesogen, and … Continue reading →

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The lavender plant, which is native to the Old World and is characterized by its beautiful hues and invigorating fragrance, has been used for more than 2,500 years as a cosmetic aid. The ancient Egyptians and Phoenicians, for instance, would use lavender as a natural perfume. The Romans loved to use lavender to scent their baths (in fact, “lavender” is derived from the Latin “lavare,” which means “to wash”), while the people of Medieval and Renaissance Europe used lavender to deodorize the stone floors of their castles. Despite its significant cosmetic benefits, however, lavender is also a medicine of considerable … Continue reading →

Lemons have always been cherished for their significant medicinal qualities. The ancient people of India, China, and Mesopotamia regularly used lemons to treat a wide variety of medical conditions, while the ancient Egyptians took advantage of the fruit’s antiseptic qualities and embalmed their mummies in its juices. Later, in 15th century Europe, lemons were recognized as the perfect cure for scurvy. Despite their healthfulness, however, most people today have no desire to eat whole lemons due to their extreme sourness. Thankfully, there are numerous ways to incorporate lemons into our diet without having to tolerate the entire fruit’s overbearing taste. … Continue reading →

Do you often feel incomplete in the morning without eating some bread or cereal? Do you regularly find yourself purchasing a candy bar just to cope with your mid-afternoon slump? If your answer to these questions is “yes,” you’re not alone: An overwhelming majority of people in the Western world are addicted to the short-term energy boosts that carbohydrates are well-known for providing. Unfortunately, since these foods are usually heavily processed and supply our bodies with little more than excess sugar, we often end up craving them indefinitely – with serious long-term consequences for our health. Thankfully, certain nutrients have been … Continue reading →

As word continues to spread about the damaging health effects of refined sugar, the number of commercially available sugar alternatives has also increased. Unfortunately, many sugar alternatives can be just as undesirable as sugar itself. Saccharin and acesulfame K, for example, are unnatural products whose long-term effects on the human body remain unknown. High fructose agave syrup is proven to cause havoc with our blood sugar levels. And aspartame, of course, needs no introduction. One sugar alternative that is proven to be healthy, however, is erythritol. Though it might sound like something synthesized in a Big Pharma lab for diabolical … Continue reading →

Do you often feel incomplete in the morning without eating some bread or cereal? Do you regularly find yourself purchasing a candy bar just to cope with your mid-afternoon slump? If your answer to these questions is “yes,” you’re not alone: An overwhelming majority of people in the Western world are addicted to the short-term energy boosts that carbohydrates are well-known for providing. Unfortunately, since these foods are usually heavily processed and supply our bodies with little more than excess sugar, we often end up craving them indefinitely – with serious long-term consequences for our health. Thankfully, certain nutrients have been … Continue reading →