Probiotics are not a miracle drug

A recent (very small) study observed some of the perils of taking too many probiotics:

"Probiotic use can result in a significant accumulation of bacteria in the small intestine that can result in disorienting brain fogginess as well as rapid, significant belly bloating."

My takeaway: Be careful about taking dietary supplements just because they're marketed as healthy.                                                                                 

Being outside is good for you

A large meta-study recently concluded that "Living close to nature and spending time outside has significant and wide-ranging health benefits".

"We often reach for medication when we're unwell but exposure to health-promoting environments is increasingly recognised as both preventing and helping treat disease. "
- Study co-author Prof Andy Jones

My takeaway: Go outside!

Fast food might be a contributor to allergies

A recent review of 16 studies links eating fast food (especially hamburgers) with allergic diseases such as asthma, pollen fever, eczema, and rhino-conjunctivitis.

My takeaway: Avoid fast food

Dietary fiber helps boost immune health

You may be able to reduce flu symptoms by including more fiber in your diet, according to a recent study in mice.

My Takeaway: Eat more fiber for a healthier gut microbiome.

Foods are not drugs

Foods are not drugs, but they can possibly, over the lifetime of consumption, alter the development of certain diseases

So says Jessica Cooperstone in an article about her research into whether eating tomatoes reduces skin cancer.

My Takeaways:

• Men and women are different
• Prefer whole foods to nutrients (It's not just lycopene)
• Eat more tomatoes!