Ephi Lu

Homeostatic Signals

Food intake is regulated by two complementary pathways in the body and brain that signal us to consume food: the homeostatic and hedonic pathways.…

Hormones

Hormones are chemical signaling molecules secreted directly into the bloodstream by glands and carried in the circulation to target tissues and organs where they…

Hosts

Hosts in biology are larger organisms that harbor smaller organisms inside or on their bodies (Casadevall & Pirofski, 2015). In this course, we commonly…

HPA Dysbiosis-Neuroinflammatory Cycle

The HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis dysbiosis-neuroinflammatory cycle is a proposed mechanism of how chronic stress and an imbalanced gut microbiota can contribute to the development…

Hunger hormones

Hunger hormones stimulate appetite and the desire to eat. Ghrelin is a notable example of a hunger hormone.

Hyper-palatable foods (HPFs)

Hyper-palatable foods (HPFs) are food categories distinguished by their highly pleasurable taste and sensory appeal, attributed to their elevated levels of fat, sodium, simple…

Processed Food Hurts Your Immune System — And Your Kids’ Too

A study published in Nutrition Journal looked at the impact the Western diet and lifestyle has on people’s immune function. It found that…

A Greater Role in Nutritional Health

Can What We Eat Affect How We Feel?

Nutritional psychiatrists counsel patients on how better eating may be another tool in helping to ease depression and anxiety and may lead to better…

Could Junk Food Lead to Poor Eye Health as You Age?

Aim to fill your plate with fruit, dairy, poultry, fish, and vegetables—instead of processed and fried foods—research suggests…

Sometimes Frozen Vegetables Can Be Even Healthier than Fresh – Here’s Why

Frozen veggies line the freezers from top to bottom at the grocery store. But with many myths floating around today discrediting frozen…

Coronavirus: How to Keep Your Gut Microbiome Healthy to Fight COVID-19

Many countries have sealed their borders and put the population under voluntary or enforced lockdown. Cultural and sporting events…