Category: Nutrition

Today’s article promises to be a fun one, and very likely the last one I’ll publish this year.

In order to best understand consumer health trends, I frequently monitor Amazon Canada’s top selling supplements list.

This is an imperfect but serviceable way to understand which types of supplements are being purchased with high frequency in Canada.

So what I’m  going to do next is as follows:

• Identify The Four Supplements Which Most Frequently Occupied The Top 5 Spots On The List
• Comment On Whether The Supplement “Works” And Link To My Writing/Commentary On It

Let’s get to the good stuff!

Given that fish is the only truly robust source of Vitamin D3 and that a significant portion of the Canadian population has suboptimal blood levels of this elusive nutrient, it should come as no surprise that Vitamin D3 perpetually remains on the Amazon.ca top 5 list.

If you’d like

I’ve been known to take a great scientific interest in the effects of caffeine consumption on human health.

And why wouldn’t I?

Something like 80% of the global population ingests caffeine on a daily basis, the overwhelming majority of which comes from coffee.

Coffee is, in fact, the top source of dietary antioxidants for the average American and its moderate consumption is associated with numerous health long-term benefits.

The question we ask today, however, is does caffeine uniquely affect women’s hormones and menstrual cycle?

I have to thank my colleague Ayman Subhani (@livingwellwithaymen) for encouraging me to explore this intriguing topic.

With that said, let’s get right into the good stuff.

Caffeine & Women’s Health – Is There A Unique Connection?

I want to preface today’s content with a reminder that the Public Health Agency Of Canada recommends caffeine intake during pregnancy to be no greater than 300mg

The majority of population level data suggests that that current magnesium intake levels are insufficient among a significant portion of adults.

Back in 2018 I was interviewed by Global News on the subject, and it remains as relevant as ever today.

Case in point, a magnesium supplement currently sits among the top five selling supplements on Amazon.ca.

This is a reflection of the great deal of public interest around magnesium as a nutrient of concern from the public health perspective.

And for good reason.

Inadequate magnesium intake may worsen or increase one’s risk of:

1. Type 2 Diabetes/Insulin Resistance and related conditions such as PCOS
2. High Blood Pressure
3. Migraine
4. Bone/Muscle Issues

From my perspective as a dietitian, the thing that really makes magnesium unique is that it tends to be found in specific food groups that are either undervalued or underappreciated but that, in my estimation, are all fundamental to

Herbs and spices are for some integral components of the cooking process and for others potentially undervalued components of a strong dietary pattern.

I am ashamed to be admit I fall in the latter category, so if you’ve been sleeping on herbs/spices too just know that you aren’t alone.

Despite of my shortcomings in this area, I often field questions from clients and acquaintances around which herbs/spices offer the most potent health benefits.

Given that they are all uniquely valuable, I’m going to attempt to respond to this question in a thematic way.

Let’s start by identifying the fact that herbs & spices offer up a unique way to flavour foods in the absence or reduced presence of sodium.

Given that high sodium intake is a primary driver of high blood pressure and that most of us consume too much, this is certainly helpful.

To quote a 2013 British Medical