Dr. Neal Insights

Milk Thistle: Quality Update

This article is part of a series that discuss, in depth, quality-related issues around a specific ingredient. Here’s a bit of information about milk thistle that you HAVE to hear. A recent publication in…

Article

Statin or Red Yeast Rice?

An extremely common scenario plays out like this: “My doctor wants me to go on a statin, but I want something more natural like Red Yeast Rice. We hear you. There’s a lot of downsides to different medications. Aren’t…

Article

An Introduction to Vitamin D

Vitamin D is actually not a vitamin. No, I’m not having an existential debate with myself about vitamins. Vitamin D was first discovered from malnutrition, where it initially identified as a vitamin. Sometime after, we…

Article

Weight Loss Supplements: Don’t Waste Your Money

There are about a million products out there claiming that they can help people lose weight. Ok, that’s an exaggeration… But still, it seems like every 3 months or so there’s a new option that is “clinically proven” to…

Article

Sweet Deceit

There’s another honey problem, and it’s not that the bees are going away. Manuka honey has become the new frontier of consumer fraud! This article was prompted by one of our West Hartford fans asking a simple question…

Article

It’s Time To Re-Rack Your Sports Supplements

First, let’s define the category. Sports nutrition supplements are any supplements used to improve fitness, body-build, increase muscle mass, or improve sports performance.

Rant

Nuts About Nuts

A new research paper released yesterday highlights the health benefits of nuts if eaten every day. We can’t agree more with the findings. We are advocates of using nuts or well-made nut butter as part of a balanced meal…

Article

Qualifying Quality

We’re going to beat those claims up on all sides eventually, but this month I’d like to focus on the “appeal to authority” that’s done. That is, using terms and third-party certifications to defend their claims of…

Rant

Becoming Better Researchers

If you don’t use the social media site Reddit, I recommend it. Just yesterday, someone posted “Various studies have shown that coffee prevents cancer, causes cancer, makes you live longer, makes you die younger and…

Rant

Herbal Adulteration – Dangerous, and Timely!

Adulteration. This is not when married herbs cheat on their significant others. It’s when a substance (adulterant) is found where it doesn’t belong. Usually, it’s there illegally.

Rant

The Detoxin’ Concoctions

Almost every fad diet plan or product includes a claim to help you detoxify. “Get the toxins out,” they tell you. “Oh my, yes, I have been eating so poorly – all these chemicals from the bad foods! They’re on to…

Rant

Another One Bites The Dust

Just so we’re clear, we don’t really blame him. He built a great business, got a great bid on that business, and took it. The response from the buyer – the dramatic change to the successful model in the name of higher…

Rant