Primo Health Blog

A portal for functional health topics and news.

Posts by Daniel Sanelli, M.Sc.:

Foods for Healthy Teeth

Foods for Healthy Teeth

What you eat and how often you eat play an important role in the health of your teeth and preventing cavities. Research shows that children who have healthy dietary practices are 44 percent less likely to exhibit severe dental caries in early childhood compared to children with poor diets.1 For adults, a healthy diet can protect tooth enamel and result in fewer trips to the dentist.

Supplement of the Week: Designs for Health ImmunoBerry

Supplement of the Week: Designs for Health ImmunoBerry

Quick Overview

ImmunoBerry™ Liquid provides immune support in a pleasant tasting liquid. Research suggests that certain herbs, mushrooms and other natural compounds have the ability to support normal immune functions such as natural killer (NK) cell activity, cytokine synthesis and the T-cell and B-cell mediated responses. The ingredients such as Elderberry, Shiitake and Wild Cherry Bark are known for their beneficial effects for maintaining a healthy immune system. ImmunoBerry™ Liquid is sweetened with glycerine and tastes great, and is ideal for both children and adults.

Natural Oral Hygiene

Natural Oral Hygiene

Oral Hygiene and the Health of the Body

Years ago, a physician who suspected a patient had heart disease would probably not refer him to a gum specialist. The same holds true for diabetes and arthritis. Times have changed. The past 5 to 10 years have seen a growing body of research linking the health of your mouth to the overall health of your body. According to the American Dental Association, 40 percent of people with gum disease also have a chronic health condition. What's feeding the link? Not taking proper care of your mouth results in bacterial growth, which causes inflammation that not only spurs diseases of the teeth and gums, but can cause problems for other body systems if left unchecked. Oral problems can also be a symptom of other diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.

Prevent Staph Infections Naturally

Prevent Staph Infections Naturally

MRSA: Natural Methods for Prevention

By Gene Bruno, MS, MHS 

Whether you call it "staph", "staph A" or “MRSA” (pronounces mersa), it’s all the same: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA is a bacterial infection which is resistant to methicillin and other antibiotics in the penicillin family.1 Although staph is a common bacterium found on the skin of healthy people2 , if staph gets into the body it can cause a minor infection such as boils or pimples or serious infections such as pneumonia or blood infections. In fact, MRSA symptoms are similar to those for any type of Staph infection:

  • Skin appears red and inflamed around wound sites;
  • In serious cases may include fever, lethargy, and headache;
  • Urinary tract infections, pneumonia, toxic shock syndrome, and even death.3

Increase Muscle Protein Synthesis

Increase Muscle Protein Synthesis

By Gene Bruno, MS, MHS – Dean of Academics, Huntington College of Health Sciences

Every bodybuilder knows the value and necessity of protein for supporting muscular repair and growth. Furthermore, most realize that it is some combination of amino acids in the protein that provide the actual support for growth. But which ones? The branched chain aminos, the essential aminos or all the aminos? As you might have guessed all of the aminos play some role in the supporting muscle growth, but newer research suggests that that it is the essential amino acids that play a particularly vital role in the synthesis of muscle protein. As a matter of fact, a specific blend of essential amino acids has been shown to promote up to a 400-600% increase in muscle protein synthesis.

Living with Diabetes

Living with Diabetes

Living with Diabetes: Supplements to Make the Job Easier

There are two primary types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Both types result in high levels of blood sugar levels, which may manifest itself through any of the following symptoms: increased thirst and an increased need to urinate; feeling edgy, tired, and sick to your stomach; and having an increased appetite (but loss of weight). In addition, other symptoms may include: repeated or hard-to-heal infections of the skin, gums, vagina, or bladder; blurred vision; tingling or loss of feeling in the hands or feet; and dry, itchy skin. If left uncontrolled, high blood sugar may result in a variety of serious complications. There are nutrients and supplements that can ease some of the burden of living with diabetes.

Supplement of the Week: Designs for Health DermAvail Renew™

Supplement of the Week: Designs for Health DermAvail Renew™

Quick Overview

DermAvail Renew™ is a cosmetic cream containing a comprehensive, synergistic blend of essential skin-directed nutrients along with natural stimulating factors for optimal, natural skin renewal. It is designed to deliver science-based, skin-supportive active ingredients that are proven to be topically bioavailable due to their ability to penetrate into the epithelial and dermal layers of the skin and have positive effects on the skin’s health and metabolism.

Kimchi Recipe

Kimchi Recipe

Kimchi (aka kimchee or gimchi) is a traditional fermented Korean main dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasonings. It is often described as spicy and sour. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made from napa cabbage, radish, scallion, or cucumber as a main ingredient. In traditional preparation, kimchi is fermented in jars stored underground for months. Here's a kimchi recipe to try at home.

How To Live To Be 100

How To Live To Be 100

Extending Lifespan & Reducing Signs of Aging

By Gene Bruno, MS, MHS

Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Dylan Thomas, Poet1

According to a prominent researcher of future trends: “For the first time in history, the old will outnumber the young.” 2 This refers to the aging of the baby-boomer population. Census data and projections indicate that over the next 50 years the elderly population will continue to increase more rapidly than the total population. By 2050, it is projected that one in five Americans will be elderly.3 Furthermore, depending upon the official source, the life expectancy of Americans is 78.2 or 78.3 years.4 5

Health Benefits of Grapeseed Extract

Health Benefits of Grapeseed Extract

By Gene Bruno, MS, MHS – Dean of Academics, Huntington College of Health Sciences

Free radicals are extremely unstable substances which, in the presence of oxygen, will turn a shiny metal wrench into an ugly rusted wrench very quickly. Our bodies don't, of course, rust. In humans, however, free radicals cause irreparable oxidative damage to cells and the protective membrane linings that surround cells. This, in turn, can cause accelerated wear and tear that may lead to premature aging, lowered immune resistance, and even cancer and heart disease. Some common sources of free radicals are smoking, consumption of fats, inhalation of carbon monoxide and other environmental pollutants, chemical additives in foods such as nitrites and nitrates, overexposure to the sun and other sources of radiation.