Entries by Chet Zelasko

Happy Thanksgiving

Paula, Riley, Jamie, and I would like to wish every one of you a Happy Thanksgiving. Normally, we would send these good wishes next week, but after a battle with brain cancer, Jamie’s sister passed away on Thursday leaving behind two young children. With the activities associated with passings, it seemed fitting to take care […]

Cancelled!

Thank you all for the prayers, good thoughts, and well wishes. I’m going to hang on to them for a while. My surgery was cancelled for this morning; Paula and I didn’t find out until we arrived at the hospital at 7:30 to check in. I was not alone. My surgeon had three surgeries cancelled […]

Prehab Is Over

One of the tests I took in preparation for surgery was to measure my levels of Staphylococcus aureus. In this case, they tested the nasal area, a common area for this serious pathogen. The test came back at zero. I was pleased because for the past three years I’ve been taking a Bacillus probiotic called […]

Building a Healthy Microbiome

After last week’s Memos on the importance of a healthy microbiome and immune health, let’s review how to have a healthy microbiome to protect your brain and boost your immune system. First, eat a mostly plant-based diet: some raw, some cooked, some fermented. The raw will give you probiotics and fiber. The cooked, especially whole […]

Science at Work

The challenge this week was to watch two video podcasts, think about what you heard, and then provide comments and questions. For those of you who did it, thank you. For those that didn’t, I recommend that you take some time this weekend and listen to them. I’m going to share my thoughts but there’s […]

How Science Works, Part 2

How did you enjoy the first video? If you’re like me, there were some surprises and a whole lot more questions. The second video is another interview with Dr. Jay Lombard recorded this year. Just like the other video, it isn’t an ad for a product but it does contain ads as do all YouTube […]

How Science Works, Part 1

If there’s one topic we’re all interested in, it’s making sure that we keep our minds clear and able to learn and recall things every day we’re alive. That’s confirmed by checking the number of people who read last week’s Memos on EAAs and brain health. A long-time reader sent me a link to a […]

Should You Increase Your Essential Amino Acids?

The question from Tuesday was this: how did the essential amino acids affect the transgenic tau mice on the low-protein and normal-protein diets? The addition of EAA to the transgenic mice on either diet appeared to neutralize the impact of the genetic mutation. The brain scans appeared to mimic the scans of the control mice […]

New Research Links EAAs and Brain Function

I’ve talked about essential amino acids in the past as it relates to increasing muscle mass in those of us 50 and older. A recently published study may give us another reason for taking essential amino acids: it may reduce, delay, and perhaps reverse neurological signs of dementia. To understand the research, you have to […]

It’s All About the Calories

The paper advocating the carbohydrate-insulin model (CIM) for explaining the obesity pandemic, not only in the U.S. but throughout the world, was written by the leading experts in endocrinology and nutrition. There were experts who’ve conducted some of the major nutritional studies that you’ve heard about over the years, from the Women’s Health Initiative to […]