https://lauraduffynutrition.com/

Laura Duffy Nutrition, 5525 Erindale Drive Suite 201A, Colorado Springs, CO (2026)

08/25/2026

Chromium — the trace mineral your blood sugar might be missing 🩸✨

You've probably never thought about chromium, but this trace mineral plays a surprisingly important role in blood sugar regulation.

What it does:
Chromium enhances the action of insulin by helping insulin receptors work more efficiently. Think of it as a helper molecule that makes your own insulin more effective at shuttling glucose into cells.

Why it matters:

• Supports healthy blood sugar and insulin sensitivity
• May help reduce carbohydrate cravings
• Some research suggests benefit for atypical depression linked with carb cravings and insulin resistance
• Studied as an adjunct for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes support

Where to find it:
🥦 Broccoli
🍇 Grapes
🥔 Potatoes
🌾 Whole grains
🍗 Meat and poultry
🧀 Some cheeses

The catch:
Refining and processing food strips chromium content significantly, another reason whole, minimally processed foods matter for micronutrient sufficiency.

Chromium isn't a magic bullet for blood sugar, but it's one more piece of the puzzle worth understanding, especially if you're managing insulin resistance, PCOS, or blood sugar swings.

As always: food first, targeted supplementation when indicated by symptoms or labs.

08/20/2026

Continuing education time! 📚🧠

I attended the Low Carb USA Symposium for Metabolic Health in San Diego last weekend for some incredible continuing education!

This ACCME-accredited symposium brings together clinicians, researchers, and health-focused professionals to dive deep into evidence-based approaches for metabolic health and chronic disease.

Topics on the agenda included:
🔬 Integrating GLP-1s with broader metabolic treatment strategies
💊 Long-term strategies beyond GLP-1 medications
🔄 Reversing metabolic syndrome and chronic disease
🧠 Neurological and mental health applications of metabolic therapy
👩‍⚕️ Women's health across the lifespan — including PCOS and menopause
🫀 Longevity, healthspan, and preventive cardiometabolic care
🏋️ Exercise physiology and behavior change
🦠 Microbiome and gut health
🥬 Low-carb and ketogenic approaches for vegetarians
🌾 Agriculture, food systems, and environmental health policy

There was a special focus day on The Metabolic Roots of Obesity & Type 2 Diabetes, exactly the kind of root-cause approach I bring to my practice every day.

Stay tuned, I'll be sharing some of my favorite presentations and key takeaways! 👀

If you have questions about metabolic health, insulin resistance, GLP-1s, or anything else, drop them below, I'd love to address them in my recap posts!

08/18/2026

Big news! 🎤📢

I'll be speaking on a panel at the Colorado Springs Health & Fitness Expo!

Beyond the Needle: GLP-1s, Metabolic Health, and What Comes Next

📅 August 22nd at 11:30 AM

This multidisciplinary panel will unpack the science, real-world benefits, and honest considerations of GLP-1 medications, from how they work to what happens when the needle stops.

As someone who works with clients navigating GLP-1 therapy every day, I'll be sharing insights on:
* The nutrient deficiency risks that often go unaddressed
* How to protect muscle mass and metabolic health while on these medications
* What sustainable, long-term metabolic health looks like beyond the medication
* Practical strategies for nourishment, not just weight loss

If you're curious about GLP-1s, whether you're currently using one, considering it, or supporting a loved one through the process, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

Come with your questions! I'd love to see you there.
📍 Colorado Springs Health & Fitness Expo - https://cosfitnessexpo.com/
🕚 11:30 AM, August 22nd

08/13/2026

Nutrients that support mood and cognition, what the research shows 🧠🥗

Your brain needs specific nutrients to produce neurotransmitters, reduce inflammation, and function optimally. Here's a quick guide:

Macronutrients 🍽️
Protein: provides tryptophan (→serotonin) and tyrosine (→dopamine)
Healthy fats: support brain structure and neurotransmitter signaling
Fiber: feeds the "psychobiome", gut bacteria that influence mood via the gut-brain axis

Antioxidants 🫐
Colorful vegetables combat oxidative stress and inflammation, both linked to depression and cognitive decline. Aim for variety, different colors = different protective compounds.

Targeted nutrients with research support:
🫒 MCT oil: provides ketones as alternative brain fuel; studied for cognitive support
🌼 Saffron: multiple RCTs show efficacy comparable to some antidepressants for mild-moderate depression (Lopresti & Drummond, J Affect Disord, 2014)
🟡 Curcumin: anti-inflammatory; shown to improve mood in randomized trials (Panahi et al., 2015)
💊 NAC (N-acetylcysteine): replenishes glutathione; studied for depression, OCD, addiction (Berk et al., Biol Psychiatry, 2008)
🐟 Fish oil (EPA/DHA): reduces neuroinflammation; meta-analyses show benefit for depression (Liao et al., Transl Psychiatry, 2019)
☀️ Vitamin D: receptors found throughout the brain; low levels linked to depression risk
🥬 Folate & B12: essential for neurotransmitter synthesis and methylation; deficiency linked to depression
🍌 Vitamin B6: cofactor for serotonin and GABA production
🥜 Magnesium: GABA agonist; supports calm, sleep, and stress resilience
⚡ Acetyl-L-carnitine: supports mitochondrial energy production in neurons; studied for depression in older adults
🍫 Chromium: may support mood in atypical depression via insulin sensitivity
🧬 Inositol: studied for anxiety, panic disorder, and OCD at higher doses

The takeaway: Food-first is always the foundation, but targeted, evidence-based supplementation can address specific gaps when indicated by symptoms or labs.

Sources
Lopresti AL, Drummond PD. "Saffron for depression." J Affect Disord. 2014.
Panahi Y et al. "Curcuminoids and major depressive disorder." Phytother Res. 2015.
Berk M et al. "N-acetyl cysteine in psychiatry." Biol Psychiatry. 2008.
Liao Y et al. "Omega-3 fatty acids and depression." Transl Psychiatry. 2019.
Sarris J et al. "Nutraceuticals for major depressive disorder." World J Biol Psychiatry. 2022.

08/11/2026

Healthy back-to-school snacks and lunches. 🍎📚

The new 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines emphasize real food, less added sugar, and adequate protein. Here's how to apply that to your family's lunchboxes this year!

What the guidelines actually say:
✅ Limit added sugar, kids under 10 should avoid it entirely when possible
✅ Choose whole, nutrient-dense foods over highly processed snacks
✅ Prioritize protein at meals for satiety, focus, and growth
✅ Choose whole grains over refined/white flour options
✅ Unsweetened dairy over sweetened versions

Protein-forward lunch ideas (aim for 15-25g protein): 🥪
🌯 Turkey/cheese roll-ups + carrot sticks + berries
🥚 Hard-boiled eggs + tortilla chips and salsa + grapes
🍓 Greek yogurt (unsweetened or stevia-sweetened) + berries + chopped nuts
🥒 Hummus + whole-grain pita, cucumber and cherry tomatoes + string cheese
🌮 Tacos with beef/chicken, guacamole + cherry tomatoes + fruit
🍚 Leftover chicken + brown rice + roasted veggies

Smart snack swaps (minimizing added sugar):
🍎Apple slices + peanut butter/Sunbutter (instead of fruit snacks)
🧀 String cheese + mandarin orange(s) (instead of sweetened yogurt)
🌰 Homemade trail mix: nuts, seeds, unsweetened dried fruit (instead of candy)
🍿 Plain popcorn (instead of flavored/sweetened varieties)
🫛 Dried edamame or chickpeas (instead of packaged chips)
🫐Jerky stick (unsweetened) + blueberries (instead of Little Debbie snack cake)

👉Read labels for added sugar:
The new guidance recommends no more than 10g added sugar per meal. Check labels on "kid-friendly" packaged foods, many contain surprising amounts!

⚖️Balance matters more than perfection:
Build lunches with protein + veggies/fruit + healthy fat. This steadies blood sugar, supports focus, and reduces the afternoon energy crash so many kids experience.

Want a simple visual? My Rule of Thirds framework makes this even easier: lauraduffynutrition.com/ruleofthirds

Source: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, "Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030" analysis.

08/06/2026

Big news for the food-mood connection 🧠🥗🎉

The American Psychological Association just officially recognized Nutritional Psychology as an emerging discipline within the psychological sciences!

This is a huge validation moment for those of us who've spent years watching nutrition and mental health treated as separate silos, when the research has been telling a different story all along.

As The Center for Nutritional Psychology put it: "We now understand from a robust evidence base that nutrition and dietary intake patterns can influence what we think, feel and experience."

This is exactly the intersection I focus on in my practice, how blood sugar balance, gut health, inflammation, and nutrient status directly impact mood, anxiety, focus, and emotional resilience.

Formal recognition like this matters. It means:
🔬 More research funding and rigor in this space
📚 Shared language and standards for clinicians
🤝 Better collaboration between mental health providers and nutrition professionals
✅ More ethical, evidence-based tools for addressing "food and mood" in real-world practice

This is a meaningful step toward mental healthcare that treats the whole person — not just the mind in isolation from the body.

I'm working on a deeper dive into this announcement and what it means for the future of mental health nutrition, stay tuned for the full blog post! 👀

08/04/2026

Are you accidentally oversupplementing? ⚠️💊

Most people worry about not getting ENOUGH vitamins. But in clinical practice, I've seen several cases of clients unknowingly oversupplementing with vitamin D and iron.

Why these two specifically? 🎯

Unlike water-soluble nutrients like B-vitamins, vitamin D and iron are stored in the body. Excess intake accumulates over time, it doesn't just get excreted.

Here's how it happens:
😴 Energy supplement → contains iron
💇‍♀️ Hair growth formula → contains iron
🌸 Multivitamin (especially women's/prenatal) → contains iron + vitamin D
🦴 Bone support supplement → contains vitamin D
🛡️ Immune support product → contains vitamin D

Each one seems reasonable alone. But taken together? The combined totals can climb into ranges that pose real risks:
⚠️ Excess iron → liver and organ stress
⚠️ Excess vitamin D → hypercalcemia

The fix isn't avoiding supplements, it's being aware and intentional.

My approach with clients:
✅ Food first — nutrient-dense whole foods always come first
✅ Test, don't guess — check vitamin D, RBC magnesium, ferritin, B12 before assuming your routine is "good enough"
✅ Read labels across ALL your supplements — check for overlapping ingredients
✅ Personalize based on YOUR diet, health history, and labs — not a one-size-fits-all stack

More isn't always better. The right amount, for YOUR body, is what matters.

Read the full breakdown on micronutrient gaps (and oversupplementation risks) here:
https://www.lauraduffynutrition.com/post/the-micronutrient-gap-why-most-americans-are-falling-short-even-with-a-good-diet

07/30/2026

Do Supplements Fix All Micronutrient Inadequacies?

Short answer: they help, but they aren’t a cure-all 💊🤔

NHANES data shows dietary supplements significantly reduce micronutrient inadequacies for most nutrients:

✅ Vitamin B12: supplements = 93% of total intake
✅ Vitamin D: supplements = 71% of total intake
✅ Vitamin B6: supplements = 61%
✅ Vitamin C: supplements = 52%

But here's what’s shocking 😲 even WITH supplementation:

🚨 59-66% of adults still had inadequate vitamin D
🚨 98% of women & 92% of men were still at risk from food alone

And these nutrients? Barely touched by supplements at all:
❌ Magnesium: only 8.2% from supplements
❌ Potassium: only 0.5% from supplements
❌ Choline: only 0.5% from supplements

Multivitamins are designed to provide a wide variety of nutrients, but they aren’t designed to completely replace a healthy diet. Certain nutrients typically aren’t included in meaningful doses. For example, potassium supplements are limited to a maximum dose of 99 mg per capsule, which represents only 3% of the RDI. Without knowledge of this, most people are still missing critical amounts of magnesium, potassium, and choline, nutrients tied to blood pressure, nerve function, liver health, and so much more.

My takeaway for clients:
🥗 Food first - prioritize nutrient-dense whole foods
🧪 Test, don't guess - labs tell you what your diet + supplements are actually doing
🎯 Personalize supplementation - don't assume a basic multivitamin has you covered

Nutrient sufficiency isn't automatic. It takes intention. 🙌 https://www.lauraduffynutrition.com/post/the-micronutrient-gap-why-most-americans-are-falling-short-even-with-a-good-diet

07/28/2026

The Shocking Micronutrient Gap

You could be eating "healthy" and still be nutrient deficient 😳🥗

NHANES data reveals just how widespread micronutrient inadequacy really is in America:
📉 Vitamin D: 95% of adults don't meet the DRI
📉 Vitamin E: 84% fall short
📉 Vitamin C: 46% don't get enough
📉 Vitamin A: 45% inadequate
📉 Calcium: 44%+ of adults fall short
📉 Magnesium: 40%+ don't reach adequate levels
📉 Potassium: A universal "shortfall nutrient" 🚨

Here's the kicker: even POPULAR diet plans don't fix this. A study analyzing Atkins, DASH, South Beach, and The Best Life Diet found that, on average, these plans were only 43.5% sufficient across 27 essential micronutrients when followed at their recommended calorie levels.

To hit 100% sufficiency for all 27 nutrients would require eating 27,575 calories per day 🤯 obviously not realistic or healthy.
Why does this happen?
🥦 80%+ don't eat enough vegetables
🍎 Most Americans don't eat enough nutritious whole foods
🍟 Meanwhile, ultra-processed foods and added sugar are consistently OVER-consumed

The takeaway: it's not about willpower, it's about the structure of the modern food supply. Nutrient-dense whole foods + targeted testing + smart supplementation is how we close the gap. 💪https://www.lauraduffynutrition.com/post/the-micronutrient-gap-why-most-americans-are-falling-short-even-with-a-good-diet

07/23/2026

Why most people need supplements, what the research actually shows

"Just eat a balanced diet" sounds great in theory 🥗 But the research tells a different story.

The uncomfortable truth:
- Most Americans are not meeting minimum micronutrient needs from food alone, and the consequences show up as fatigue, brain fog, poor immunity, hormonal imbalance, and chronic disease.

Multivitamin:
- A large study of 21,000+ adults found that less than 10% met recommended intakes for all nutrients from diet alone. Source: Reider CA et al. Nutrients. 2020.
- Multivitamins provide general support to help reduce nutrient shortfalls that may lead to impaired energy and mood as well as decreased thyroid and immune function.

Omega-3 (EPA/DHA):
- 76% of people worldwide fail to meet minimum EPA+DHA recommendations (250 mg/day). Source: Wallace TC et al. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2021.
- Omega-3s reduce triglycerides, neuroinflammation, and support mood, cognition, and immune function.

Vitamin D:
- 42% of Americans are vitamin D deficient. Source: Forrest KY, Stuhldreher WL. Nutr Res. 2011.
- Low vitamin D is associated with depression, immune dysfunction, insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality.

Why food alone often isn't enough:
🌱 Soil depletion reduces nutrient density of crops
🏭 Ultra-processed foods dominate the American diet
☀️ Indoor lifestyles limit vitamin D synthesis
💊 Common medications deplete key nutrients (PPIs, statins, metformin, oral contraceptives)
🧬 Genetic polymorphisms impair nutrient absorption and conversion (MTHFR, VDR, FADS)
🍽️ Calorie restriction and GLP-1 use reduce total nutrient intake

My approach:
- Food first, always. But targeted, evidence-based supplementation fills the gaps that diet alone cannot reliably close for most people.

Sources
Reider CA et al. "Inadequacy of Immune Health Nutrients." Nutrients. 2020. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061735
Gaziano JM et al. "Multivitamins in the Prevention of Cancer." JAMA. 2012. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2012.14641
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1811403
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2010.12.001
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4909

Laura Duffy Nutrition

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