The reviews you see online for Nutrafol seem to be 5 stars and unanimously positive. But is it really worth the hype? What is the science behind it?
First, the primary reason that most consumers turn to Nutrafol are for hair shedding and hair thinning. Both can be incredibly traumatic, but also more common that it seems. Hair loss affects 80% of men and half of all women during their lifetime. We have tons of clients who come to us desperately seeking nutritional remedies or questioning whether hair shedding could be related to nutritional deficiencies.
While there are a long list of hair loss culprits, there is an even longer list of possible remedies from shampoos to supplements. First, it is important that you seek professional help to rule out more serious conditions of hair loss and potentially help you pinpoint the most plausible root causes. Some of the most common contributors that we notice within our patient population include:
Stress hair loss - this is often related to any type of traumatic stress on the body including childbirth, illness/infection (COVID), nutritional deficiencies often brought on by eating disorders or rapid weight loss, birth control pill cessation, etc.
Genetic and/or hormonal hair loss - hormonal hair loss, otherwise known as androgenetic alopecia, is often a symptom of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), but is not always related. It often comes out in non-PCOS women with advanced age.
Many experience both 1 and 2 concurrently. A dietitian and dermatologist team can help you narrow down the issues and formulate a targeted treatment plan. This may or may not include supplementation.
Speaking of supplements, Nutrafol is one of the leading hair loss supplement solutions thanks to top-notch SEO and strategic marketing. Positive Nutrafol reviews are ubiquitous.
What is Nutrafol?
Nutrafol is a vitamin and herbal supplement formulated specifically for hair growth.
Here is what Nutrafol claims:
A 6-month randomized, double-blind trial demonstrated 80% improvement in hair growth and hair thickening, and 73% saw improved growth rate.
Here is the problem:
Aside from this one study that was only done on a total of 40 participants, there is no other compelling evidence to support Nutrafol efficacy. Further, this one “promising” trial was paid for by the very company who sells you Nutrafol supplements. Suspect? While this is pretty typical of many product studies, it should also raise some flags, or at the very least draw some skepticism.
Ultimately, more studies need to be done in order to prove that this product works. In the meantime, you can decide if you want to invest in taking Nutrafol. It is certainly a commitment as it costs upwards of $80 per month. And remember, like with most lifestyle changes or products, the results will typically only last as long as you continue to stick with the supplement.
Our opinion:
We have a front-row seat as to whether this can demonstrate noticeable improvements in hair growth and restoration because many of our clients have tried it for periods of 3-6 months. While we haven’t seen any remarkable changes in our clients when taking Nutrafol alone, it may not hurt and might help boost growth while pursuing other treatment options. Majority of those who take Nutrafol also try other remedies and therefore, it’s tricky to conclude whether it’s the supplement that’s helping or the other remedies - or both!
What’s are your reviews of Nutrafol? Write us and let us know!
If you’re struggling with hair loss, we understand how stressful and devastating this can be. While nutrition is not a magic cure, it can either help or hurt your hair growth journey.
Reach out to us and we can set you up with one of our hair growth specialists.
- What is a calorie-deficit diet? How does one do it?
A calorie-deficit is simply a state in which your body is burning more calories than it's consuming. For example, if you burn about 2000 calories per day (including voluntary and involuntary actions) and consume 1800 calories, that is a calorie-deficit.
- What factors contribute to how many calories we need—and how much of a deficit we need to be in?
Calorie needs depend on a variety of factors including age or various life cycles, activity level, genetics and gender.
A calorie-deficit is required for weight loss and body fat-burning. This deficit doesn't have to be large and in fact, starting off smaller around 200-300 calories per day is much healthier and better for your metabolism.
- What kind of food can you eat on a calorie-deficit diet?
The good news is you can eat any food you want and still achieve a calorie-deficit. The kicker is that not all calories are created equally when it comes to health and sustainable weight loss. Although you can potentially eat 1500 calories worth of jelly beans and lose weight if you're in a deficit, this weight loss is not considered healthy weight loss and it will certainly be difficult to sustain these results and remain healthy.
Certain foods - such as vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, lean protein, and whole grains - make it easier to stay within a desired calorie range because they can stabilize blood sugar, slow digestion and therefore prolong the duration of time you feel full, and provide essential nutrients that keep your metabolism functioning at its peak.
- Do you have any lower-calorie foods that make people feel fuller that you can recommend? What contributes to making people feel fuller longer?
Filling up on fiber-rich vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, kale, and cauliflower, and fruit, including berries and apples, is a great way to feel fuller on fewer calories. Further, a diet rich in lean protein can also mitigate cravings and manage appetite.
- What are the benefits of a calorie deficit diet?
Although majority of the benefits of a calorie deficit is potential weight loss - and that's only beneficial if the individual is appropriate for a weight loss plan - some research shows that mild calorie restriction can also slow the aging process.
- What are the drawbacks and dangers?
Any time you restrict calories, you also restrict nutrients and this can lead to health-altering nutritional deficiencies. Further, if not done under supervision calorie-controlled diets can be extreme and go too far leading to a slowed metabolism, protective muscle mass loss, disordered eating habits, poor sleep, disrupted energy levels and mood changes .
- Is a calorie-deficit diet a long-term diet? Why or why not?
Remaining in a calorie-deficit for long periods of time is not advised and also very difficult to sustain. Eventually, restricting calories can lead to increased cravings and urges to over-eat. It can disconnect you from hunger and fullness cues which can make it difficult to eat appropriately and nourish your body properly.
If you’re considering a calorie-reduced diet, it’s vital to work with a professional who can ensure you’re still eating balanced and appropriately for your specific needs and demands. We have a device called the metabolic rate test available in both of our office locations that measures your calorie needs through oxygen exchange. To book an appointment and/or have this test done, click below!
What is Noom?
Noom is a popular weight loss app with tons of positive reviews and over 45 million users worldwide, that is based on psychology, technology, and human coaching skills to help users meet their personal health and wellness goals. Noom is backed by behavioral science and mindfulness techniques, which encourages individuals to make conscious choices about what and how much they eat. The Noom program emphasizes the importance of forming healthy habits and lifestyle changes to prevent and/or manage chronic and non-chronic conditions, such as stress and anxiety, hypertension, and diabetes.
How does Noom Work and What is the Noom Diet?
Noom uses a color-coded system that labels foods as green, yellow, or red based on their nutrient density and how often you should consume them. In general, green-labeled foods contain the highest amounts of nutrients and least amount of calories, while red-labeled foods contain more calories and fewer nutrients. Yellow-labeled foods fall somewhere in between the two categories.
Once you log into the Noom App, you’ll enter your information that will then create a customized weight loss and fitness plan determined by your health status, goals, demographics, and overall lifestyle. Soon after, you’ll even be matched with a clinical psychologist or trained coach who can provide ongoing support to help achieve your goals. Users will log and track everything from their food intake, exercise, sleep hygiene, stress management, and daily weights.
The Pros:
Focus on eating primarily whole foods: Although there are some cons to Noom’s color-coded approach (explained below), this system encourages users to choose nutrient-dense, whole foods to get the most out of their daily calorie range. Noom does not entirely eliminate any foods or food groups; it's really up to users which foods they’d like to fill up their day.
Backed up science: Noom is supported by a number of peer-reviewed scientific journal articles since it was founded in 2009. Some publications exclusively study the Noom program and its health benefits while other studies focus on weight loss, in general, and how the health outcomes are comparable to Noom.
Accountability and Support: Accountability and support from others can be an important piece of the puzzle for achieving our health goals. In addition to your matched health coach, users can join interest-based communities, known as Noom Circles, to gain insight and support from other Noom users. There are also daily ‘bite-sized’ lessons and activities to help individuals develop the coping skills and mindfulness techniques needed to manage stress and improve our relationship with food. You can go through these lessons at whatever pace you’d like.
Weight Loss Zone: Noom encourages you to be eating within the weight loss zone, but not below it. To ensure you’re not underfueling, Noom prohibits users to adjust their calorie goal below a certain range depending on if you identify as female, male, or don’t choose to select a binary gender.
Now here are the cons:
Misleading Color-Coding Approach: While the color-labeling approach to what and which foods to eat show benefits, for others, it can result in disordered eating habits and/or an unhealthy relationship with food. For instance, nut butters are labeled as a red food because it’s higher in calories, but almond butter contains monounsaturated fats, which may help to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. This approach to nutrition focuses mostly on weight loss and overall calorie intake rather than on ‘whole body’ health and maintaining a healthy relationship with food.
Limited Support: If you prefer in-person coaching, Noom may not be the right program for you. Noom only offers virtual coaching and support through the chat service and prohibits the use of video coaching with your matched health coach. This exclusively virtual coaching requires the use of a smartphone or tablet.
Price: Noom offers a variety of subscription plans, ranging from $70-$209, which may cost more than some are willing or able to spend on a weight loss program.
Meticulous Tracking and Time Consuming Food Logging: Users are required to keep track of their food intake and overall progress in order for the program to work properly. For many, this may not be realistic for our busy days and can increase stress levels.
Noom Health Coaches: Noom coaches may not be as legitimate as we think. Although coaches are required to complete ‘Noomiversity,’ Noom’s health coaching training platform, some may not be credentialed health professionals such as registered dietitians, doctors, and personal trainers. Finally, if you message your health coach during ‘off-hours’, you will likely communicate with someone who doesn’t know your full health history, dietary preferences, and goals that could result in conflicting and harmful recommendations.
Ultimately, many of our clients use Noom successfully and concurrently while working with us one-on-one for a more personalized counseling and support. We believe that there are individuals who can benefit from an approach like the Noom app. Despite the Noom reviews you read online, we also know there are many who don’t find this helpful, sustainable or healthy for their mindset with food, weight and health.
For a more personalized approach, or discuss options like Noom with one of our trained professionals, email us or call us today!
Are you confused about "what is a healthy weight for me?" Determining your healthiest weight is not as simple as looking at the BMI chart. In fact, the BMI chart is a 200 year-old artifact that does not take into account body composition, gender differences, body frame size or water fluctuations. For example, a body builder with 5% body fat can come up as morbidly obese, according to the BMI chart.
For that reason, people are often left feeling bad for not unnaturally fitting in to the strict and unscientific parameters that the BMI chart enforces.
So how do you know what your weight should be?
Well a much healthier and more realistic approach to understanding where your healthiest weight may be is to think about the following:
Ultimately, your healthiest weight finds you when you’re more focused on healthy eating habits and behaviors. Weight loss as a product of making positive changes to your lifestyle or self-care regimen is much healthier and more sustainable than when you lose weight only because you’re obsessing over calories, cardio, or controlling everything you eat.
For more help with healthy weight loss and determining what a healthy weight for you might be, schedule a consult with one of our nutrition experts today.
Ozempic (semaglutide) is an injectable drug, approved by the FDA in 2017, that is used to treat type 2 diabetes. However, thanks to popular social media sites like TikTok, the #Ozempicchallenge has racked up millions of views and inquiring minds. Although Ozempic is not approved or marketed as a weight loss drug, it is often being prescribed by doctors for this exact reason. As a result, patients with type 2 diabetes who actually need this drug to manage their condition are losing access as availability dwindles. But that’s not even the biggest problem. The biggest problem is that most consumers who are lucky enough to get this medication, and those who are even more fortunate to get this covered by insurance, are not being truly informed of the risks and the actual price of this ostensibly miraculous fat-melting injectable.
First, it’s important to understand how it works. Ozempic, like most semaglutides, are a once-weekly injectiable medication that helps control blood sugar levels by delaying gastric emptying and slowing down circulating glucose. This mechanism is also what can decrease appetite and increase satiety and fullness after a meal. As a result, patients are able to reduce calorie consumption more easily and thus, lose weight and body fat.
This all sounds great right? Not necessarily.
Ozempic can cause side effects. Aside from the immediate risks of sticking in a needle in your body, there can be other uncomfortable side-effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. For some, it can be severe enough for patients to completely stop taking it all together. However, some individuals do build up a tolerance to Ozempic and find that after a few weeks most of these GI issues subside.
Long-term and more serious side-effects of Ozempic include gallbladder disease and gallstones, kidney problems, pancreatitis, and increased risk of thyroid cancer.
Although side-effects are not common, they are a possibility so it’s important to discuss risks with your doctor.
Keep in mind that you’re likely not going to be on Ozempic for the rest of your life so if you lose weight while taking Ozempic and then stop the medication completely, rebound weight gain is probable. Working one-on-one with a dietitian before or while taking this medication can help set you up with the tools you need to sustain healthy eating habits. A dietitian can offer education, guidance, support and accountability so that you can continue to make positive changes and live a healthier lifestyle.
There is a new trending supplement on the market that claims to be a “cure-all” for your health concerns. We did the research so you don’t have to.
Sea moss, also known as Irish moss, is a type of seaweed that is often consumed as a supplement. It is a rich source of minerals and vitamins such as iodine, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron. Some potential benefits associated with consuming sea moss supplements include:
Supporting thyroid function: Sea moss is a good source of iodine, which is important for proper thyroid function.
Improving digestion: Sea moss contains a type of soluble fiber called mucilage, which acts as a prebiotic to improve gut health and relieve constipation.
Strengthening immunity: Sea moss is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, which may help bolster immune system and protect against disease.
Supporting heart health: Sea moss is high in potassium, which can help to lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health.
Enhancing skin health: Sea moss is rich in minerals that can help to improve skin health and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
It's important to note that more research is needed to confirm these potential benefits and understand the appropriate dosages.
When it comes to supplements, you have to accept the potential rewards with the potential risks:
Seaweed can absorb high amounts of health hazardous heavy metals.
Nutrient composition in sea moss is unpredictable: they depend on the temperature and minerals found in the growing region.
Iodine toxicity could occur if you overconsume sea moss.
If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it is not recommended as the effects on your fetus or baby are unknown.
It is ALWAYS crucial to speak with a dietitian or other healthcare professional before taking any new supplements, especially if you have underlying medical conditions.
Make an appointment with us today to sit down and get personalized recommendations.
There are no “good” or “bad” foods. A healthy diet includes a variety of nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins and nuts, but also considers the importance of satisfaction and food enjoyment. All foods can fit into a healthy, balanced eating plan.
If you’re craving chocolate, it’s important to give yourself permission to enjoy real chocolate. If not, this deprivation can lead to an increased urge for certain foods and feeling out of control while eating.
However, if you’re in the market for some additional options to quench a sugar craving while simultaneously introducing more nutrients into your diet, these are some attention-worthy alternatives.
We’ve tried them all and can vouch for their high satisfaction and health score.
