Prevention & Recovery | Patient Resources

Omega-3 fatty acids like EPA, DHA, and DPA have demonstrated many direct benefits to immune, cardiovascular, and neurocognitive health. Their nutritional influence extends further, however, through the actions of their specialised pro-resolving mediator (SPM/PRM) metabolites. SPMs/PRMs directly alter cell functions and cell-to-cell interactions, yet further regulate immunometabolic activity at the level of gene expression. SPMs/PRMs represent a high level of immune control that largely depends o...

In weight gain, increased adiposity is accompanied by accelerated aging of fat tissue. This change is most marked in visceral adipose, where it cultivates a specific array of inflammatory changes that enable these fat cells to survive under disadvantageous conditions. With the expansion of fat tissue, this pattern of altered cytokine production is known as a “senescence-associated secretory phenotype,” or SASP. In adipose, having a SASP affects immune homeostasis and energy meta...

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy responds to acupuncture due to its neuromodulatory effects.   The clinical characteristics of peripheral neuropathy include tingling, burning sensation, sensitive to stimulation, pain induced by a normally innocuous stimulation, and decreased physical activity. Some patients also experience motor symptoms, such as dropping items, splaying fingers, and inability to complete normal daily activities.  Some patients may even withdr...

Vitamin D is a conditionally essential micronutrient and an endocrine messenger that maintains a healthy cellular growth. There are two primary forms of vitamin D, vitamin D3 and vitamin D2. Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is formed in the skin upon UV exposure. The cholecalciferol form of vitamin D derives from the conversion of 7-dehydroxycholesterol to vitamin D3 via UV radiation from the sun. Recent research has focused on the effects of 1,25 (OH) D3, the active metabolite of vitamin D...

In industrialised countries, modern diets provide an abundance of omega-6 polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) relative to omega-3 PUFAs, and this is known to contribute to the incidence of cardiovascular conditions along with the chronic immune activation seen in atopic and inflammatory disorders. Nutrition research has shown that an intervention as simple as increasing dietary intakes of EPA and DHA relative to common omega-6 fats could effectively improve cardiovascular outcomes in individuals an...