Could Ahiflower Replace Fish and Flax?

By Dr. Sean M. Wells, PT, DPT, OCS, ATC/L, CSCS, CNPT, Cert-DN

In the realm of nutritional supplements, Ahiflower oil has been gaining recognition for its impressive profile of health-promoting properties. Extracted from the seeds of the Buglossoides arvensis plant, Ahiflower oil is rapidly becoming a popular choice for those seeking an omega-rich alternative to traditional fish oil. Some people are making the claim that Ahiflower could replace fish-based Omega 3s but the plant is still new to the scene. A recent PubMed article outlines some of these factors, but let's briefly dive into the potential health benefits that may make Ahiflower oil a noteworthy addition to your wellness routine.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reinvented

Ahiflower oil distinguishes itself by its omega-3 fatty acid content, particularly boasting a unique combination of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), stearidonic acid (SDA), and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This trifecta of fatty...

I recently finished the Huberman Podcast with Dr. Panda, an known expert in the area of intermittent fasting and circadian rhythms. It was an awesome podcast covering many topics -- be sure to check it out! After listening to this podcast it got me thinking about my own published research in intermittent fasting and how it stacks up against certain dietary patterns, especially a plant-based diet.

We have discussed intermittent fasting before in other blog posts, as well in our 3 course certification bundle. In short, intermittent fasting is adapting the feeding schedule of person to restrict food to certain times or certain days. A classic intermittent fasting schedule that I used in my research was one day of feeding and one day of fasting. Obviously this works well for animal and insect models but in humans it can prove to be difficult for compliance. As such, many researchers, and clinicians now, use a more palatable for of intermittent fasting commonly known as time-restricted...

Plant-Based Diet: Weight Loss and Arthritis Hope?

By Dr. Sean Wells, DPT, PT, OCS, ATC/L, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, CNPT, Cert-DN

A recent study published in Obesity Science and Practice shows promise for patients wanting to lose weight, improve their metabolic status, and possibly reduce arthritis symptoms: all with dietary changes. The researchers examined 244 overweight individuals for 16 weeks. The subjects were randomly assigned to either a low fat plant-based diet or a control group that made no dietary changes. Both groups looked identical at the beginning of the study with similar body composition measures, insulin metrics, and self-reported advanced-glycation end-products consumption (AGEs). 

After the 16 week intervention, the subjects in the plant-based group noted a significant reduction in body mass of 14 lbs compared to the 1 lb weight loss in the control group. Researchers noted that the plant-based group saw a significant reduction in fat mass, notably visceral fat....

Junk Plant-based Diets and What PTs Need to Know

By Dr. Sean M. Wells, DPT, PT, OCS, CNPT, ATC/L, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, Cert-DN

Over the last several years we have seen the literature explode in regards to the health benefits of eating a predominantly plant-based diet. From lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, and even cancers, it would seem that plant-based diets can really make a significant impact in our physical therapy patients. Unfortunately, big agriculture and corporations have seen this growth as a potential new market for them to gain more money. As such, many major food producers are now producing many of the common unhealthy foods in their own plant-based type variety.

For example, it has been long known that sausage and hamburger meat can promote atherosclerosis and possibly even gastrointestinal cancers. Much of this has to do with the fact that they are loaded in saturated fats, contain minimal fiber and other phytonutrients, and may contain carcinogens. Despite this,...

By Dr. Sean M Wells, DPT, PT, OCS, ATC, CSCS, CNPT, NSCA-CPT, Cert-DN

Since the 1980s many dietary guidelines promoted the notion of a low-fat diet in order to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Over the next 30 to 40 years healthcare providers and nutrition researchers found that simply lowering dietary fat alone is not the only answer to reducing heart disease. This is likely because those consuming a low-fat diet may still include junk foods, meat, and smoking -- which have all be directly correlated with higher risk of heart disease, comorbidities, and mortality. Data show that most plant-based oils and fats from sources like nuts, seeds, and some oils can actually be beneficial in lowering heart disease risk. Could a plant-based diet, which includes fats from plant-sources, be better than a low-fat diet? A recent publication provides physical therapists and other providers just the answer.

The new research, coined Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults...

For the last several decades low carb advocates have pitched their diet as means to weight loss, better glycemic control, and even life extension. Many avid fans, like Noakes and Attia, have thrown around several low level studies or short term studies to support the low carb dietary pattern. Meanwhile, the data for more plant focused, carb rich diets like the Mediterranean and Whole food plant based diets have been gleaning more and more support. From prospective trials to population and epidemiology data, such plant focused diets seem to be the ideal pattern for physical therapists (PTs) to recommend to many clients. Let's take a look a recent National Institute of Health (NIH) trial comparing a low carb animal based diet to a high carb plant focused diet.

Published in Nature Medicine, the NIH trial was relatively small and focused on short term results. Researchers housed the participants in a NIH controlled facility, proving to increase the internal validity and controls of the...