Bitter Melon

Bitter Receptors for Sustainable Weight Management

Most of us associate the word “bitter” with unpleasant flavors — but in the body, bitterness is actually a biological signal for health. Long before modern nutrition science, traditional cultures valued bitter foods and herbs for digestion, appetite balance, and overall wellness. Today, science is catching up.
At the center of this connection are bitter taste receptors — powerful sensory receptors that do far more than help us taste food.
To help us get a better sense of what this means, we looked to someone who specializes in nutrition. We recently hosted an educational webinar with guest speaker, Carolyn Brown, licensed nutritionist and co-founder of Indigo Wellness Group based in Connecticut. She had some things to say about our bitter receptors that exist not only in our mouth, but throughout our entire gastrointestinal tract. They exist in the gut and intestines, the stomach, the pancreas, our lungs, the immune system and even in fat tissue.

Take Care of Your Lungs

It’s National COPD Month, which means bringing awareness to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, a progressive lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe. COPD is often caused by long-term exposure to lung irritants, like smoking or pollutants. Conditions includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. We encourage prevention, which includes refraining from smoking and protecting yourself against…

Breast Cancer Awareness: Early Detection Is Key

It’s breast cancer awareness month! We have learned how important prevention and early detection are when it comes to managing our health. One way to take care of yourself and navigate your health journey is by practicing early detection of breast cancer by having regular screenings. This includes: Regular mammograms. Regular mammograms can detect breast…

Overhead view of anti-inflammatory foods.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet For Better Health

March is national nutrition month! We wanted to take the opportunity to discuss the connection between foods we eat and inflammation. What we eat can cause inflammation. Inflammation is a natural and necessary process that plays a crucial role in the body’s immune response to injury, infection, and tissue damage. However, inflammation can be detrimental…

Woman meditating with a heart image.

Matters of the Heart

It’s American Heart Month! Whether or not you celebrate Valentine’s Day, we care about your heart. Our heart is a muscle whose function can be compromised by various factors physically and mentally. Here are some tips and things to consider when it comes to taking care of your heart. Exercise- Aerobic exercise, strength training and…

Woman with clear complexion showing off her face.

Low-Dose Naltrexone For Dermatologic Conditions

Low-Dose Naltrexone has been shown to benefit patients with a wide range of conditions with chronic pain, autoimmune diseases, and central nervous system disorders. Evolving research has continued to show its use for improvement in dermatologic conditions including Hailey-Hailey disease, psoriasis, vitiligo, sclerosis, alopecia, atopic dermatitis, pruritus and more. As there is an increase in…

Is Hormone Replacement Therapy For You?

“We don’t treat patients. We work with health participants,” David Y. Wong, M.D., tells me, a pioneer in the field of Integrative Medicine and the owner of the Health Integration Center, that opened in Torrance in 1978. His approach to health care is of no surprise, as their center offers a wide range of wellness…