Lighthouse Chiropractic

28/05/2026

Choline is one of the few nutrients where the US population is genuinely under-consuming by intake. NHANES data show only 6.6% of US adults aged 19 and above meet the Adequate Intake (Wallace and Fulgoni, J Am Coll Nutr 2016). The shortfall is even larger in adolescents.

That matters because choline is not optional metabolism. It is the precursor for phosphatidylcholine (the major phospholipid in every cell membrane and the carrier that packages VLDL out of the liver), for the acetylcholine that runs cholinergic neurotransmission, and for betaine, a methyl donor that backstops the folate-dependent methylation system.

When you take choline out of human diets in controlled feeding studies, the consequences are not subtle. Fischer, da Costa et al. (Am J Clin Nutr 2007) fed 57 healthy adults a low-choline diet for up to 42 days. 77% of men and 80% of postmenopausal women developed fatty liver or muscle damage. Only 44% of premenopausal women did, because estrogen upregulates de novo phosphatidylcholine synthesis. Even at the current AI of 550 mg/day, six men in the study still developed organ dysfunction.

Niculescu et al. (Am J Clin Nutr 2007) showed that single-nucleotide polymorphisms in genes that interconvert choline, folate, and methyl pools modulate the requirement. People with variant alleles need more choline to avoid liver and muscle damage. The "AI" is a population average; individual requirement varies with genetics.

The food story is where the practical problem sits. Beef liver delivers 359 mg per 3-oz serving, but most people do not eat liver. Among foods people actually eat, one large egg at 147 mg is roughly twice the next-best common option (3 oz lean beef at 115 mg, salmon at 75 mg, chicken breast at 64 mg). Milk and most plant sources sit between 30 and 50 mg per serving. The math is not subtle: hitting 425 to 550 mg from non-egg foods alone requires deliberate planning around organ meats, fish, and legumes. Drop the eggs and the typical American diet falls well below the AI.

Two practical implications. First, the AI for choline is not aspirational. It is the dose calibrated against actual liver and muscle damage in controlled human feeding trials. Second, pregnant and lactating women have higher needs (450 and 550 mg/day) at a life stage where choline supports fetal brain development. The 2009-2012 NHANES data show pregnant women meeting the AI at rates similar to non-pregnant women, which is to say, rarely.
The "eggs are bad for cholesterol" advice removed the only convenient source of one of the few nutrients Americans actually run short on.
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Wallace and Fulgoni, J Am Coll Nutr 2016 · Fischer et al., Am J Clin Nutr 2007 · Niculescu et al., Am J Clin Nutr 2007 · Institute of Medicine DRI, 1998 · USDA Database for Choline Content of Common Foods

28/05/2026

Sourdough has become a wellness signal. People believe it is healthier than regular bread, especially for blood sugar. The biology is real, but it depends on whether the bread was actually fermented. Many supermarket "sourdoughs" were not.

The mechanism. Real sourdough is made with a starter, a living culture of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria. Over 12 to 24 hours of fermentation, the bacteria produce lactic acid and acetic acid. These organic acids lower postprandial glucose and insulin through some combination of slower starch digestion and slower gastric emptying. The starch is also partly modified by long contact with acids and enzymes, making it digest more slowly. Same carbs, slower release into your blood.

The human data. Liljeberg and Bjorck (Am J Clin Nutr 1997) showed that adding lactic acid or propionate to bread lowered postprandial glucose and insulin in healthy adults. The acids do the work. Ozer and colleagues (Wien Klin Wochenschr 2023) tested 43 women with gestational diabetes and 38 healthy pregnant women. Same breakfast, same carb dose, different bread. White wheat caused 45 percent more insulin and 9.6 percent more first-hour glucose than sourdough whole grain. Both groups. The difference was the bread.

The industry problem. In the United States, "sourdough" is not a regulated term. Manufacturers can label any bread sourdough. Real Bread Campaign auditors in the UK have documented widespread use of commercial yeast, added vinegar or acetic acid, and "sourdough flavoring" in loaves sold as sourdough. The bread is leavened in roughly two hours, then dosed with acid to mimic the tang of a long ferment.

Why this matters. Added vinegar is not nothing. Liljeberg 1997 showed adding acid to bread produces some glucose-lowering effect. But it does not replicate full sourdough fermentation, which produces both lactic and acetic acid in specific ratios plus slow modification of the starch itself. Commercial "sourdough" with added vinegar gets you a fraction of the benefit.

A note on the data. The Ozer 2023 comparator was white wheat bread, not commercial "yeasted vinegar sourdough." The graphic extends that by inference. Commercial sourdough without real fermentation behaves like white bread plus a small added-acid effect.

A note on labels. Authentic sourdough should list flour, water, salt, and starter. If the label says yeast, vinegar, acetic acid, or "natural flavor," the bread was not fermented in the traditional sense. Hybrid labels ("made with sourdough starter" plus commercial yeast) get some flavor compounds but skip most of the ferment.

The takeaway. The glucose effect of sourdough is real and is one of the more rigorously documented benefits in fermented foods. But the benefit lives in the fermentation, not the label. Check the ingredient list. If it has yeast or vinegar, you are eating fast bread with a marketing claim.

Liljeberg, Am J Clin Nutr 1997 · Ozer, Wien Klin Wochenschr 2023

28/05/2026

25/05/2026

25/05/2026

Your food is the number one cause of your health problems.

25/05/2026

Your mouth may predict your future
Losing teeth may change far more than your smile.

Most people think losing teeth is a cosmetic problem.

A smile problem.

A confidence problem.

But what if it becomes a health problem?

Chewing is one of those things people never think about... until it becomes difficult.

When teeth disappear, eating changes.

Steak becomes difficult.

Crunchy vegetables become difficult.

Real food becomes difficult.

Soft foods become easier.

Processed foods become easier.

And then something strange can begin to happen.

Less protein.

Less nutrient density.

Less muscle.

Less strength.

Less resilience.

Over time, that path can lead toward frailty, weakness, loss of independence, and even cognitive decline.

Our ancestors lived through injuries, harsh environments, winters, and long periods without food.

Yet archaeologists rarely found widespread tooth loss in early populations until diets began changing dramatically after agriculture and processed grains became more common.

The body was designed to eat real food.

The question is whether modern food slowly pulled us away from it.

Because sometimes losing teeth is not where the story starts.

Sometimes it starts much earlier.

24/05/2026

🤔🥤 Emerging research suggests that zero-sugar colas may carry unexpected metabolic risks, despite being marketed as healthier alternatives. Some studies have found that people who regularly consume artificially sweetened sodas face up to a 40 percent higher risk of developing diabetes compared with those who drink sugary versions in moderation. This effect is not due to sugar but to how artificial sweeteners may influence insulin response, gut bacteria, and appetite-regulation pathways. These metabolic shifts can make the body more resistant to insulin over time.

Artificial sweeteners may also confuse the body’s normal glucose-signaling mechanisms. When sweetness is detected without real sugar, the brain and pancreas may still initiate hormonal responses that disrupt metabolic balance. Over time, this mismatch can contribute to cravings, increased calorie intake, and impaired glucose tolerance. The gut microbiome — a major player in metabolic health also appears sensitive to certain sweeteners, with changes that may influence inflammation and blood sugar control.

While zero-sugar drinks eliminate calories, they do not eliminate metabolic impact. Occasional consumption is unlikely to cause direct harm, but relying on them daily may place stress on systems that regulate appetite, insulin sensitivity, and gut stability. Healthier choices such as water, mineral water, herbal teas, or diluted fruit infusions support hydration without metabolic confusion. Understanding these risks helps people make informed decisions that protect long-term metabolic health.

What are your go-to healthy drink choices? Has this research surprised you?

Note: The information presented here is for general knowledge and discussion.