Melissa's Blog

We get a lot of questions about probiotics. What are they? Can I just eat yogurt? How do I use them? What should I look for? Should I be giving them to my kids? Here are the answers to these common questions. What are they? Probiotics are the good bacteria that colonize your intestines, both large and small. Unfortunately because of the way people eat and live these days, namely by consuming sugar, alcohol, and caffeine, as well as overusing antibiotics, we don’t have as much as we should. Thus, supplementation of probiotics has become an important part of the...

Since Oprah did her Gluten-Free cleanse in 2008, there has been a lot of hype about this diet. A lot of people think that eating a gluten-free diet is a just a fad or a way to lose weight. While both of those are somewhat true, it is important to look at the facts to see what is really going on with gluten. What is gluten? Gluten is a protein that is found in the endosperm of wheat, barley, and rye. It is what gives bread its chewiness and texture and allows dough to be stretchy and elastic. What is...

    The USDA has recently come out with a new plan for people to follow as an alternative to the “My Pyramid” guide. While it includes fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy, it seems that the portions are not quite to my taste, water isn’t included in the diagram at all, added tips are more than vague, and where is the fat?! When you look at the portions provided, it is a little troublesome. First of all, different people require different proportions of macronutrients based on their gender, age, activity, any injuries they might have, etc. So portions are...

I often get asked, how can I fix my broken metabolism or slow metabolism. This is actually really simple, every metabolism can be improved with two simple additions to your daily life; 1) clean, high protein, lower glycemic eating and 2) high-intensity, slow method strength training. In his book LifeFit, America’s leading epidemiologist, Ralph Paffenbarger, M.D., makes the following statement regarding the effects of muscle gain and metabolic change: “Indeed, when you replace 10 pounds of fat with 10 pounds of muscle, your weight remains the same, but you can expect to expend 500 or more additional kilocalories each day...

When it comes to vitamin and mineral needs, food sources are the best option. Your child's body absorbs nutrients better from food; however, supplements may play an important role in keeping kids healthy. At the cellular level, vitamins and minerals perform functions that are essential to human health. Most of us don’t get optimal levels of all the important nutrients. And while taking vitamins is no substitute for eating a balanced diet, why not do both? Choose one that provides a full range of vitamins and minerals but does not contain artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners. Pharmaceutical grade supplements are...