Researchers in China recently released findings from a large study of 20,000 patients looking at whether folic acid (yes, the synthetic form) affected the stroke risk in those with high blood pressure. Several of the findings underscore the importance of the methylation cycle in cardiovascular health. Both individuals with MTHFR 677 mutations and those without…
(This post provides the first few and last two paragraphs from a much longer paper I wrote for a seminary class last year. I have linked the entire paper in between for those who want to read more. Forgive the occasional fancy words, but reading the entire paper will make sense of those words.) Opening…
Scientists recently published some research findings that might make you sleepy. But before you close your eyes and start your “zzzz”‘s, have you ever asked yourself how some people you know seem to live on 5 to 6 hours of sleep per night without any ill effects, while you need 8 to avoid brain fog? …
Technology can be a wonderful thing. This weekend, live streaming allowed me to attend an educational event in California while sitting in my Tennessee home-office. The Institute for Functional Medicine organized its first live streaming event for a Cardio-metabolic model in its certification program. Watching 20 hours of lectures about improving heart health and being…
I just wanted to share a quick post about legislation effecting Direct Primary Care in the state of Oklahoma. State Senators there passed Senate Bill 560 protecting patients from losing direct primary care membership agreements in the workplace or such agreements from being considered as insurance. Next it goes to the house. Rep. David Derby is…
Several terms are bantered about in the field of medicine regarding what medical professionals do for their patients: cure, heal, rehabilitate, relieve, manage, prevent, and a few others. These all portray the best of medicine, that which returns a person to health or prevents their ever leaving a state of health. But… when we examine…
Research constantly uncovers new links between epigenetics and disease. Recently a Harvard PhD, Dr. Liming Liang released findings linking about 30 different methylated genes to asthma risk. Medicine has long recognized a link between a type of immune cell called an eosinophil with asthma and other allergic diseases. Some very expensive drugs were developed, hoping…
(This 2 part post was written by a good friend who worked in a missionary agency, helping missionaries make decision about their health insurance coverage. While some details apply primarily to missionaries, most of the principles can be applied to our lives regardless of location. In a sense, we are all missionaries and should consider…
The great battle between nature and nurture continues. Social scientists, biologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, even theologians have debated for centuries what determines a person’s unique humanness. The field of genetics fired a seemingly victorious salvo against nurture as science discovered sections of DNA called “genes” which decided hair color, eye color, height, and even the presence…
(This 2 part post was written by a good friend who worked in a missionary agency, helping missionaries make decision about their health insurance coverage. While some details apply primarily to missionaries, most of the principles can be applied to our lives regardless of location. In a sense, we are all missionaries and should consider…