Beyond Thirst: The Crucial Role of Hydration on Health & Performance

The connection between hydration and health is a relatively new and still under-researched area of science. However, emerging evidence suggests that staying well-hydrated plays a far more significant role in our health than most people realize. While it's widely known that adequate hydration supports healthy bowel function and helps regulate body temperature, research shows it also impacts a variety of health factors ranging from exercise performance to kidney function and even the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Tune into this episode to learn about:

● the difference between dehydration and underhydration

● the paradox of hydration

● common myths about hydration

● what happens in the body when you’re not optimally hydrated

● what research shows regarding the impact of hydration on kidney function, UTIs, kidney stones, cortisol levels, glucose regulation, development of diabetes, fatty liver disease, life expectancy, dementia and cardiovascular disease

● how hydration Impacts endurance and strength during exercise

● how to determine if you’re underhydrated

● how much water/fluid people are actually drinking

● if there’s any validity to the “8 glasses a day” recommendation

● if thirst is a reliable signal for hydration

● the difference between a high drinker and low drinker

● tips for staying adequately hydrated

Full shownotes, transcript and resources: https://soundbitesrd.com/288

Despite the growing body of research, we are still in the early stages of understanding the gut microbiome. Consumer interest in biotics is growing and this trend is driving more research into pre, pro, post and synbiotics and their potential health benefits. This episode focuses on prebiotics, which are defined as “a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit” and are often associated with dietary fibers but may also derive from non-fiber substances such as polyphenols.

Tune into this episode with Hannah Ackermann, MBA, RDN to learn about:

● what prebiotics are and what they have to do with fiber

● research regarding the known and emerging health benefits of prebiotics

● health claims for prebiotics

● trends in consumer interest in biotics

● low FODMAP diets

● what to look for on food labels

● how different prebiotic fibers may impact GI symptoms

● the prebiotic fiber ingredient Arrabina Wheat Fiber

● resources for health professionals and the public

Commercial support has been provided by COMET, a company specializing in prebiotic dietary fiber ingredients.

Full shownotes, transcript and resources: https://soundbitesrd.com/287

“Low” Carbohydrate Diets and Metabolic Health: What Does the Research Show?

Commercial support has been provided by Simply Good Foods. Dr. Jim Painter was sponsored by an unrestricted grant from Simply Good Foods to speak on the podcast. No products or brands are discussed or promoted.

Lower carbohydrate, higher protein and higher fat dietary patterns have seen a resurgence in interest in both the research community and in popular culture in the past decade. This has been accompanied by a clearer understanding of who may benefit from dietary patterns that reduce carbohydrate and increase other macronutrients and the ways in which these approaches change human metabolism to facilitate weight loss and improve glycemic control.

While often regarded as fad diets, there is a significant amount of clinical evidence that can be used to evaluate the potential upsides and downsides of these types of dietary approaches. This research can be leveraged to understand what dietary factors should be considered when trying to optimize lower carbohydrate diets and how other macronutrients need to be shifted in order to provide sufficient nutrition. It should be noted that there is a large body of evidence that can be used to help answer many of the outstanding questions related to carbohydrate reduction or restriction. Furthermore, this large body of clinical research has resulted in many high-quality meta-analyses that help give a clearer picture of the utility of such alternative dietary patterns, especially regarding improving glycemic control in those with type 2 diabetes.

Tune into this episode with Dr. Jim Painter to learn about:

● Research studies on low/lower carbohydrate diets and metabolic health

● Research related to diabetes, prediabetes, inflammation

● How “low carbohydrate” is defined in various research studies

● Ketogenic diet research

● Higher protein and fat intake related to lower carbohydrate diets

● Popularity of higher protein diets

● How the quality of carbohydrates, protein and fat may impact health

● Intermittent fasting research

● Insights on ketosis, autophagy

● diabetes remission

● the “best” diet(s) for diabetes

● 2025 Diabetes Standards of Care

● If the Mediterranean diet can be considered low carb

● Potential health benefits with or without weight loss

● resources for health professionals and the public

Full shownotes, transcript and resources: https://soundbitesrd.com/286