“Poor sleep reduces the body's insulin sensitivity and changes a person's appetite, increasing the preference for high carbohydrate foods like pizza, pasta, and sweets. Lack of sleep also alters the gut microbiota and impairs immunity, putting us at risk for developing acute illnesses like colds and flu.”
“The decline of deep sleep begins early in life, nearly disappears by age 80, increasing the risk for Alzheimer's disease. These Aliquot segments feature Dr. Charles Raison, a professor of psychiatry, and Dr. Matthew Walker, a professor of neuroscience and psychology.”
“In the setting of COVID-19, vitamin D deficiency drives poor outcomes. Treating patients with calcifediol, a prescription vitamin D analog, might be more effective at increasing vitamin D to therapeutic levels.”
“Having a healthy, robust immune system is crucial for our survival. Critical players in the body's antiviral immune response are interferons. Certain lifestyle behaviors can boost interferon production and immune function, including sleep, vitamin D, and hot hydrotherapy.”
“Cholesterol is vital to human health, but an oversimplified view of cholesterol — that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is good, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is bad — has led to a gross misunderstanding of the nuances that define the differences in cholesterol-containing lipoproteins.”
“Statins can reduce the risk of heart disease by 30 to 40 percent due to their ability to increase LDL receptor activity and reduce blood cholesterol levels. Whether the drugs are overprescribed (or perhaps under-prescribed) is a matter of great debate.”
“A growing body of evidence indicates that the fasting-mimicking diet may be beneficial in treating autoimmune disorders. In these Aliquot segments, Dr. Rhonda Patrick and Dr. Valter Longo describe the roles that diet and fasting play in maintaining or restoring proper immune function.”
“Scientists have also identified interesting links between depression and obesity – likely mediated by elevated inflammation, since fat cells produce a wide array of inflammatory factors. In this Aliquot segment, psychiatrist Dr. Charles Raison describes the links between inflammation and depression.”
“Zinc is an essential nutrient that participates in many biological processes and plays critical roles in immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis, cell division, and brain health.”
“Eating a typical Western diet – high in processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages – raises blood glucose and insulin levels, promotes inflammation, and contributes to many neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease.”