Hidden Sources of Inflammation in Commercial Enteral Formulas: Looking beyond the sugar and chemicals Posted on June 1, 2017 | by Functional Developer | Leave a Comment on Hidden Sources of Inflammation in Commercial Enteral Formulas: Looking beyond the sugar and chemicals There is a growing level of awareness around the increased risk for chronic disease and inflammatory-mediated conditions with sugar consumption. Many Liquid Hope and Nourish customers choose our organic, whole-food enteral formulas for this reason alone. Others have decided that there is no place for artificial ingredients or chemicals in their meal replacements or the diet of their critically ill loved ones. These are major issues with many commercial enteral formulas, whether the sugar is coming from corn syrup or fruit juice concentrates and whether the chemicals are preservatives, artificial flavors, or agrochemical residues. Lesser known hazards found in these formulas however, may be even more important to avoid. Continue reading →
More Good News About Chickpeas Posted on May 30, 2017 | by Functional Developer | Leave a Comment on More Good News About Chickpeas Last month’s investigation into the metabolic effects of chickpea fiber showed that the nutritional powerhouse offers even greater benefits to the intestinal flora that we all want more of: Bifidobacterium. One of the key attributes to chickpeas is a unique type of fermentable fiber known as alpha-galactooligosccharide or alpha GOS. This fermentable fiber demonstrated consistent increases in butyrate production and had a number of favorable effects on a variety of biomarkers such as triglyceride, serum glucose, insulin, and glycated proteins that reflect processes such as insulin sensitivity and inflammation. While most fermentable fibers offer at least some benefit, more research is supporting the importance of fiber synergy as to offer food sources to multiple families of critical bacteria. This has led to a greater level of appreciation for the fiber found in whole plants as opposed to the types that are often added to fortified foods. None of the fiber found in Functional Formularies formulas is added; it is all naturally occurring in our organic, whole food ingredients. Continue reading →
I SHOULD BE DEAD – BUT HERE’S WHY I’M NOT Posted on May 18, 2017 | by Functional Developer | Leave a Comment on I SHOULD BE DEAD – BUT HERE’S WHY I’M NOT I should have died in 2009! And I probably would have if I’d listened to the neurologist at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Boston. If we had taken his words to heart, taken them as fact rather than an educated guess, I’d be dead! If I had let his words, “I’d say you have 18 – 24 months to live,” soak into my brain like a toxic chemical spill on pristine marshland, I’d be dead! But, in the parking lot outside the hospital on that cold December day, my wife, Linda, and I made a pact that we wouldn’t let the words of any man, regardless of his scholarly pedigree, dictate the rest of our lives. Continue reading →