March 2023

MARCH 2O23
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA
NUTRI NEWS
GUT-BRAIN
CONNECTION

TABLE OF CONTENT
"A healthy gut is a happy brain"
04.
08.
10.
15.
18.
21.
22.
YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO VITAMINS
AND MINERALS
Biotin and B6
NUTRITION SCIENCE
Women in Nutrition
NUTRITION RESEARCH
The gut-brain connection and vagus nerve
MONTHLY HACKS
Feed your Gut
MYTHBUSTING
Do Juice cleanses work?
THE LUNCH BOX
Chickpea Salad
RESEARCH ROUND UP
Gut Health and Probiotics/Prebiotics
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
26. Alicia Scott
30.
32.
36.
SPORTS NUTRITION
The impact of gut health on athletic
performance
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
Translational Research: Is it applicable in health
promotion?
NUTRINEWS STAFF
Follow us @unfnutrinews

N U T R I N E W S
M A G A Z I N E
P O S I T I O N S A V A I L A B L E
E d i t o r s
W e b s i t e M a n a g e r
P u b l i s h e r s
W r i t e r s
L e a d e r s h i p P o s i t i o n s :
E d i t o r i n C h i e f
C o - e d i t o r
T r e a s u r e r
H e a d P u b l i s h e r
C O N T A C T S A I L Y M E D E R O
N 0 1 4 4 0 5 5 6 @ U N F . E D U

Your Essential Guide to Vitamins
and Minerals
Biotin and Pyridoxine
In this month’s issue of “Your Essential Guide to Vitamins and Minerals” we will be talking about
two important water-soluble B vitamins: biotin and pyridoxine, also known as vitamins B7 and B6!
Written By: Ashley Valle
What are Pyridoxine and Biotin?
Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) performs various
jobs in the body, including breaking down
macronutrients and supporting immune and
nervous system function.1,2 It also breaks
down homocysteine in the body, high levels
of which increase the risk for blood clots
and damage to the arteries, raising the risk
for heart disease and stroke.1
Biotin (vitamin B7) aids in the breakdown of
macronutrients like vitamin B6, and it is also
vital for the creation of fatty acids and
glucose.3,4 You may recognize biotin due to
its popularity in the world of beauty and
skincare, as many claim that biotin is
beneficial for the growth of beautiful hair,
skin, and nails. However, even though
supplementation of biotin is beneficial for
people who are deficient, there is
insufficient evidence currently to support
the effectiveness of biotin supplements for
people who are not deficient.3
Deficiency and Risk Factors:
Pyridoxine deficiency is usually
accompanied by other vitamin deficiencies,
specifically of folate (B9) and B12.2 If a
vitamin B6 deficiency is not treated, then it
can lead to depression, lowered immunity,
microcytic anemia, and certain skin
conditions.1 Risk factors for vitamin B6
deficiency are kidney disease, alcoholism,
autoimmune inflammatory disorders
(multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis,
etc.), and autoimmune intestinal disorders
like celiac disease.1
As previously mentioned, B6 aids in the
breakdown of homocysteine in the body.
Therefore, when we have a deficiency in
vitamin B6, we are at risk for developing heart
disease. With this, it is important to mention
that supplementation of this vitamin for the
prevention of heart disease is not fully
supported yet. Some studies have shown a
decrease in cardiovascular events with
4

vitamin B6 supplementation; however,
other research studies have shown no
difference between individuals who
supplement and those who don’t.1
Deficiency in vitamin B7 (biotin) is
uncommon, but not impossible. Risk factors
for developing this deficiency are
alcoholism and pregnancy. Symptoms of
deficiency include brittle nails, thinning
hair, skin rashes around the nose, eyes, and
mouth, high cholesterol, and even heart
health issues!3,4 There are also conditions
that increase the need for biotin, such as
gastrectomy (surgical removal of some or all
of the stomach) and a genetic disorder of
biotin deficiency.4
Dietary Sources of Pyridoxine (Vitamin
B6)1,2
- Potatoes
- Chickpeas
- Bananas
- Fish
- Beef liver
- Papaya
- Dark leafy greens
- Cantaloupe
Supplementation and RDA
Recommendations:
As pyridoxine and biotin are water soluble,
toxicity is unlikely to occur since the excess
of both vitamins is excreted through the
urine. However, prolonged supplementation
of excessive vitamin B6 can result in nausea,
ataxia (poor muscle control resulting in
uncontrolled body movements), and
neuropathy in the extremities (numbness,
swelling, or weakness in hands and feet).1
The RDA for vitamin B6 is 1.3 mg/day for
women aged 19-50 and men aged 14-50,
and the adequate intake for vitamin B7 for
both men and women aged 19+ is 30
μg/day.1,3
Dietary Sources of Biotin (Vitamin B7)3,4
- Avocado
- Pork
- Salmon
- Cooked eggs
- Sweet potato
- Nuts, seeds
- Cauliflower
- Carrots
References:
1. Vitamin B6. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-b6/. Published September 4, 2019. Accessed February 1, 2023.
2.
Vitamin B-6. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-b6/art-20363468. Published February 3, 2021. Accessed February 1, 2023.
3. Biotin – vitamin B7. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/biotin-vitamin-b7/. Published August 21, 2020. Accessed February 1, 2023.
4. Biotin (Oral Route) . Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/biotin-oral-route/description/drg-20062359. Published November 1, 2022. Accessed February 1, 2023.
5.
5

National Anthem Day
March 3, 2023
“The Star-Spangled
Banner” written by
Francis Scott Key in 1931.

WOMEN IN
NUTRITION
Written by:
Isabelle Brazelton
March is women’s history month, so let’s take a
look at the roles women have had in the field of
nutrition and dietetics!
To start, there is a considerable amount of research
that has been conducted on the roles that women
play in food systems. Evidence suggests that female
empowerment and gender equality within food
systems will produce better food security, nutrition,
and sustainability for everyone.1 Women are key
components in all parts of the food system: acting
as farmers, processors, wageworkers, traders,
dietitians, and consumers. Unfortunately,
regardless of their prevalence and importance, the
contributions of women are frequently
undervalued, under-compensated, and overlooked.
The field of nutrition and dietetics is primarily occupied by women, with roughly 92% of current registered
dietitians being female.2 Additionally, it wasn’t until women began to enter the field of science in the early 1900’s
that studies of human nutrient requirements really began to emerge.3 Through this development in the field of
nutrition, a few women in particular stand out, and some of their most notable contributions are highlighted
below.
Ellen Swallow Richards
8
Ellen Swallow Richards, born in 1842, was not only a chemist but also the first woman to attend MIT.4 She was
devoted to utilizing science to improve daily life, and she knew that some of the most pressing public health
issues were poor nutrition and unsafe food/water. Richards used her knowledge of chemistry to study and
analyze the nutritional composition of different foods and various food and water contaminants. She also
founded MIT’s women’s chemistry lab and taught there while she continued her nutrition research. Additionally,
Richards helped spread her knowledge by writing books for the everyday person, established the first major
school lunch program in America, and wrote the USDA’s first nutrition pamphlet.

Agnes Fay Morgan
Agnes Fay Morgan, born in 1884, was also a chemist. She found herself teaching nutrition at UC Berkeley due to
there being limited opportunities for female chemists. She was also determined to raise the bar for nutrition
education by requiring that her students learn chemistry, organic chemistry, physiology, and statistics.4
Furthermore, Morgan made countless discoveries in the field that helped lay out the building blocks for
understanding human nutrient requirements. Some examples of her discoveries include showing that excess
vitamin D leads to brittle bones, bone density decreases as women age, and dietary fat intake impacts blood
cholesterol levels.
Elsie Widdowson
Elsie Widdowson, born in 1906, was most interested in finding the ideal diet for individuals that were ill.4 She
partnered with physician Dr. Robert McCance, who was investigating diabetes treatment, and she actually came
to find errors in the nutrient tables that he was using. Their partnership led them to produce The Chemical
Composition of Foods, which was mostly based on her research. This became known as the “nutritionist’s Bible"
because it held the most comprehensive nutrient tables ever made.
Doris Howes Calloway
Doris Howes Calloway, born in 1923, was a dietetic student at Ohio State.4 Upon graduating, she became a
research dietician for a U.S. Army project that evaluated the impact of protein on recovery from surgeries.
Calloway became the Chief of the Nutrition Branch of the Armed Forces Food and Container Institute before
eventually moving on to the Stanford Research Institute and then ultimately going back to her metabolic studies
at UC Berkeley. It was Calloway’s research that the IOM and FAO/WHO Expert Committees used to devise their
official dietary protein and energy recommendations.
In conclusion, women have played a massive role in shaping the field of nutrition. Their early research and
dedication were crucial in paving the way for the world of nutrition and dietetics that we know today.
R e f e r e n c e s :
1 . N j u k i J , M a l a p i t H , E i s s l e r S , W a l l a c h J . G e n d e r e q u a l i t y , w o m e n ’ s e m p o w e r m e n t , a n d f o o d s y s t e m s : C o n s e n s u s a n d g a p s i n
t h e l i t e r a t u r e . I n t e r n a t i o n a l F o o d P o l i c y R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e . h t t p s : / / w w w . i f p r i . o r g / b l o g / g e n d e r - e q u a l i t y - w o m e n s -
e m p o w e r m e n t - a n d - f o o d - s y s t e m s - c o n s e n s u s - a n d - g a p s - l i t e r a t u r e . P u b l i s h e d M a y 2 4 , 2 0 2 1 . A c c e s s e d F e b r u a r y 1 , 2 0 2 3 .
2 . R e g i s t e r e d D i e t i t i a n D e m o g r a p h i c s a n d S t a t i s t i c s i n t h e U S . Z i p p i a . h t t p s : / / w w w . z i p p i a . c o m / r e g i s t e r e d - d i e t i t i a n -
j o b s / d e m o g r a p h i c s / . P u b l i s h e d S e p t e m b e r 9 , 2 0 2 2 . A c c e s s e d F e b r u a r y 1 , 2 0 2 3 .
3 . K i n g J C . C o n t r i b u t i o n s o f W o m e n t o H u m a n N u t r i t i o n . J . N u t r . 2 0 0 3 ; 1 3 3 ( 1 1 ) : 3 6 9 3 - 3 6 9 7 . d o i : 1 0 . 1 0 9 3 / j n / 1 3 3 . 1 1 . 3 6 9 3
4 . W o m e n ' s H i s t o r y M o n t h : 4 W o m e n W h o H e l p e d S h a p e t h e N u t r i t i o n I n d u s t r y . G l a n b i a N u t r i t i o n a l s .
h t t p s : / / w w w . g l a n b i a n u t r i t i o n a l s . c o m / e n / n u t r i - k n o w l e d g e - c e n t e r / i n s i g h t s / w o m e n s - h i s t o r y - m o n t h - 4 - w o m e n - w h o - h e l p e d -
s h a p e - n u t r i t i o n - i n d u s t r y . P u b l i s h e d M a r c h 1 9 , 2 0 2 1 . A c c e s s e d F e b r u a r y 1 , 2 0 2 3 .
9

The Gut-Brain
Connection and
Vagus Nerve
Written by: Sofie
Van Moorleghem
We all know that sometimes the
stomach has a mind of its own. Have
you ever wondered why you may feel
like your heart is dropping into your
stomach, or butterflies before a big
presentation or exciting event? This
happens because of the evolutionary
connection between the brain and
your digestive system. The digestive
system is also known as the gut-brain
as it is a part of your autonomic
nervous system which has thousands
to millions of neurons that run along
your GI tract. The vagus nerve is a big
part of this autonomic nervous system
and the gut-brain axis, as it aids in
many of the involuntary functions in
our bodies such as digestion,
breathing, and heart function. The gutbrain
axis also sends tons of signals to
and from the gut to the brain as it
works in a beautiful, unified system
advanced over hundreds and
thousands of years to keep the human
body safe and healthy.¹
Additionally, the Vagus nerve can also
influence many different areas of the
brain and hence influence our moods.
The gut-brain is affected by everything
that we consume and can influence
overall health, brain function, and wellbeing
long term. This is because the
Vagus nerve is not only connected to the
organs of the GI tract but also to the
neurotransmitters and hormones in the
brain. For example, chemical
messengers like dopamine, which
controls satisfaction, serotonin, appetite,
sleep, and GABA (a stress and anxiety
reducer) are all necessary to help both
the gut and the brain manage
information to run properly. The gut
microbiota produces the largest amount
of serotonin and up to half of the
dopamine in the body.² So, these
chemical messengers and the Vagus
nerve are important for guiding the
internal organs to ensure that all signals
within the GI tract are accounted for and
correct. The delicate connection
between the brain and the gut is super
important, and interrupting this balance
can be harmful, not only to our digestive
systems but to emotions as well.
10

So, while the Vagus nerve does
influence some of the
neurotransmitters involved with the
gut, it can also influence some of the
hormones of the pituitary gland in the
brain and the adrenal gland with the
kidneys. In stress responses, the gutbrain
can aid in releasing stress
hormones as they help to reduce nonessential
digestive function to prepare
for fight or flight situations. The two
primary hormones released are
cortisol and adrenaline as they are
both used to overall increase blood
pressure, enhance bodily functionality,
and raise heart/respiratory rates.²
These types of responses are helpful in
fight or flight situations, but with poor
diet choices and an impaired Vagus
nerve, these hormones in excess can
hurt more than help.
We all know that what we nourish our
bodies with can impact our total health
and well-being. Therefore, with a healthy
gut-brain connection and a thriving
Vagus nerve, it can be an indicator of a
long and healthful life. Decreased Vagus
nerve and gut-brain axis function has
been shown to increase feelings of
depression, insomnia, and anxiety as
well as chronic issues like ulcerative
colitis and Crohn’s Disease. Since the
lower part of your brain to the chest and
abdomen are all where the Vagus nerve
is overseas it is important to maintain
this nerve to understand and preserve
the regulation of your internal organs. To
further aid in the support of your Vagus
Nerve function, there are a few methods
to help. A couple is, ingesting pro and
pre-biotics (to increase microbiota),
singing (to stimulate the Vagus nerve),
Mediation/Breathing/Yoga (to decrease
fight or flight response), and
Craniosacral Therapy (to promote fluid
movement in the brain).²
11

As of now, more research on the Vagus
nerve and its stimulation is being
done, as it can be a new promising
treatment for a multitude of mental
health disorders and inflammatory GI
disorders.³ With the new science
coming out on the effect of microbiota
gut bacteria on anxiety and mood, it
can be a great alternative to regulate
some of our stress responses as it can
mitigate those symptoms. Regardless,
it is important to maintain the health
of both our brain and our gut as they
are both interconnected systems that
seek to control most of our bodily
functions.
Now we know that what we put in our
bodies has a deep connection to all of
our feelings, and preserving our
microbiota and Vagus nerve is vital to
maintenance of our emotions. So, start
with some meditation and breathing, so
you can maintain the health of your
Vagus nerve and gut-brain axis today!
Resources:
1. Amy Myers MD, Michael. Vagal Tone:
The Gut-Brain Axis & the Vagus Nerve |
Amy Myers MD. Amy Myers MD.
Published May 11, 2022.
https://www.amymyersmd.com/article/v
agal-tone/ Accessed February 1, 2023.
2. The Vagus Nerve and Gut-Brain
Connection (+Interesting Facts about the
Gut) - Superhumn. Superhumn.
Published May 6, 2022.
https://superhumn.com/vagus-nervegut-brain-connection/
Accessed
February 1, 2023.
3. Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler
G. Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the
Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and
Inflammatory Disorders. Front
Psychiatry. 2018; 9:44. Published 2018
Mar 13. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044
12

WOMEN’S HISTORY
MONTH

M O N T H L Y H A C K S
FEED
YOUR
GUT
B y S o f f i e H a r r i s
The body has many strains of both good and bad
bacteria in the body. In a healthy body, one would
have more good bacteria than bad bacteria.1
Keeping this balance of more good bacteria
compared to bad bacteria can reduce
inflammation, which is a precursor to heart disease
and obesity.1 You may have experienced some
symptoms of poor gut health at least once. Some
symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating, gas,
constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn.2 These are
only some of the more physical symptoms. The gut
bacteria, or your microbiome, can also influence
your emotions.2 The microbiome will send
messages to the nervous system and causes
mood swings.2 With the evidence presented, it is
vital to keep up with the health of your gut
bacteria. One way to maintain the health of your
microbiome is to add more prebiotics and
probiotics to your diet.3 Prebiotics are the foods
that are used to feed the good bacteria in your gut
so that they can grow and overpower the bad
bacteria.3 Foods that contain these prebiotics are
ones that are made of complex carbohydrates.
Foods that contain these complex carbohydrates
are usually plant foods and may contain fiber.4
These foods include apples, berries, sweet
potatoes, bananas, flaxseeds, garlic, carrots, and
oats.3
15

Probiotics are the combination of live bacteria and yeasts that live inside your body.5
Probiotics are found in foods and drinks that are fermented.5 Examples of probiotic foods
and drinks include kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut, sourdough bread, miso soup, pickles, and
yogurt.5 Adding these probiotic foods or drinks can help add more of the beneficial bacteria
in the body which can help overpower the amount of the harmful bacteria that may be in the
body.5
Another important way to maintain the health of your microbiome would be to stay hydrated.2
By drinking more water, the body will digest food quicker by softening the stool which can
prevent constipation from occurring.6 Another important tip to create a healthy environment
for the microbiome to flourish would be to reduce stress.2 Experiencing high amounts of
stress can lead to craving more delectable treats which may not be the most nutritious treats
to consume.7 The less nutritious treats can cause the growth of bad bacteria which leads the
body more prone to inflammation, stress hormones, and autonomic nervous system
changes.7 The harmful gut bacteria in turn gives off harmful substances like metabolites,
toxins, and neurohormones that have huge effects on one’s emotions and eating habits.7 The
harmful bacteria will increase levels of stress and the risk of developing depression.7
Because the stress allowed for the multiplication of bad bacteria, the good bacteria would
become weakened and numbers of them will start depleting.7
Another way to keep the bad bacteria at bay would be to get enough sleep.2 When the body is
deprived of sleep, the body releases an overabundance of peptides called cytokines.8 These
proteins induce inflammation of the GI tract which leads to digestive issues like constipation,
abdominal pain, diarrhea, etc.8 The inflammation is worsened if the individual has a digestive
disorder like Crohn’s disease or irritable bowel syndrome.8 Thus, It is best to sleep for 7 to 8
hours to keep the cytokines at an appropriate level.2 The last tip that can help maintain a
healthy gut would be to implement exercise into your routine.2 The latest research results show
that exercise can elevate the number of beneficial bacteria, add a more diverse population of
bacteria, and improve the evolvement of the commensal bacteria.9 As stated before, you will
want to build up the number of good bacteria so that it can overpower the bacteria in your
system to prevent yourself from getting sick. It is also helpful to have diverse microbiota in
your system to have a strong defense against a variety of diseases and illnesses.
16

It is also beneficial to further the development of commensal bacteria. Commensal bacteria work
to protect the immune system by fighting against harmful pathogens to prevent them from
overwhelming the body. Remember that there are many fun ways to get some exercise such as
walking your dog, playing frisbee with family and friends, swimming at the pool or beach,
paintball, dancing with friends, skipping rope, hula hooping, or even trying a new sport like ballet,
gymnastics, ice skating, or martial arts.10 Another benefit to exercising is that it helps keep your
bowel movements regular which can prevent constipation and abdominal pain.
To sum it up, to keep your GI tract happy and healthy all you need is to add more prebiotics and
probiotics, drink plenty of water, diminish stress levels, get plenty of rest, and finally find ways to
move around. These tips all contribute to regular bowel movements and minimize the risk of
inflammation of the GI tract. Implementing these habits into your lifestyle can lessen your chances
of experiencing abdominal pain, diarrhea, gas, bloating, constipation, and heartburn.
R e f e r e n c e s
1 . F r a n c i s c a n H e a l t h G e n e r a l H e a l t h a n d W e l l n e s s T e a m . G u t H e a l t h : W h y I s I t I m p o r t a n t ? F r a n c i s c a n H e a l t h w e b s i t e . P u b l i s h e d A u g u s t 2 4 , 2 0 2 2 .
A c c e s s e d J a n u a r y 2 3 , 2 0 2 3 . h t t p s : / / w w w . f r a n c i s c a n h e a l t h . o r g / c o m m u n i t y / b l o g / g u t - h e a l t h - w h y - i s - i t -
i m p o r t a n t # : ~ : t e x t = A % 2 0 h e a l t h y % 2 0 g u t % 2 0 m e a n s % 2 0 t h a t , l o w e r i n g % 2 0 t h e % 2 0 c h a n c e % 2 0 o f % 2 0 o b e s i t y
2 . F r e d e r i c k H e a l t h . 1 0 S i g n s o f a n U n h e a l t h y G u t . F r e d e r i c k H e a l t h w e b s i t e . P u b l i s h e d J u l y 2 9 , 2 0 2 1 . A c c e s s e d J a n u a r y 2 3 , 2 0 2 3 .
h t t p s : / / w w w . f r e d e r i c k h e a l t h . o r g / n e w s / 2 0 2 1 / j u l y / 1 0 - s i g n s - o f - a n - u n h e a l t h y -
g u t / # : ~ : t e x t = F r e q u e n t % 2 0 d i s c o m f o r t % 2 C % 2 0 g a s % 2 C % 2 0 b l o a t i n g % 2 C , h a v e % 2 0 i m b a l a n c e s % 2 0 i n % 2 0 t h e % 2 0 g u t
3 . G i n g r a s s o A . G o o d b a c t e r i a f o r y o u r g u t . M a y o C l i n i c H e a l t h S y s t e m w e b s i t e . P u b l i s h e d A p r i l 1 , 2 0 2 2 . A c c e s s e d J a n u a r y 2 3 , 2 0 2 3 .
h t t p s : / / w w w . m a y o c l i n i c h e a l t h s y s t e m . o r g / h o m e t o w n - h e a l t h / s p e a k i n g - o f - h e a l t h / g o o d - b a c t e r i a - f o r - y o u r - g u t
4 . P h y s i c i a n s C o m m i t t e e f o r R e s p o n s i b l e M e d i c i n e . T h e C a r b o h y d r a t e A d v a n t a g e . P h y s i c i a n s C o m m i t t e e f o r R e s p o n s i b l e M e d i c i n e w e b s i t e . A c c e s s e d
J a n u a r y 2 3 , 2 0 2 3 . h t t p s : / / w w w . p c r m . o r g / g o o d - n u t r i t i o n / n u t r i t i o n - i n f o r m a t i o n / t h e - c a r b o h y d r a t e -
a d v a n t a g e # : ~ : t e x t = C o m p l e x % 2 0 c a r b o h y d r a t e s % 2 C % 2 0 f o u n d % 2 0 m o s t l y % 2 0 i n , a n d % 2 0 m a n y % 2 0 o t h e r % 2 0 p l a n t % 2 0 f o o d s
5 . C l e v e l a n d C l i n i c . P r o b i o t i c s . C l e v e l a n d C l i n i c w e b s i t e . R e v i e w e d M a r c h 9 , 2 0 2 0 . A c c e s s e d J a n u a r y 2 3 , 2 0 2 3 .
h t t p s : / / m y . c l e v e l a n d c l i n i c . o r g / h e a l t h / a r t i c l e s / 1 4 5 9 8 - p r o b i o t i c s
6 . P i c c o M F . D o e s d r i n k i n g w a t e r d u r i n g o r a f t e r a m e a l a f f e c t o r d i s t u r b d i g e s t i o n ? M a y o C l i n i c w e b s i t e . P u b l i s h e d M a y 2 5 , 2 0 2 2 . A c c e s s e d J a n u a r y 2 4 ,
2 0 2 3 . h t t p s : / / w w w . m a y o c l i n i c . o r g / h e a l t h y - l i f e s t y l e / n u t r i t i o n - a n d - h e a l t h y - e a t i n g / e x p e r t - a n s w e r s / d i g e s t i o n / f a q - 2 0 0 5 8 3 4 8
7 . M a d i s o n A , K i e c o l t - G l a s e r J K . S t r e s s , d e p r e s s i o n , d i e t a n d t h e g u t m i c r o b i o t a : h u m a n - b a c t e r i a i n t e r a c t i o n s a t t h e c o r e o f p s y c h o n e u r o i m m u n o l o g y a n d
n u t r i t i o n . C u r r . O p i n i o n s i n B e h a v . S c i . 2 0 1 9 ; 2 8 ( n . d . ) : 1 0 5 - 1 1 0 . h t t p s : / / d o i . o r g / 1 0 . 1 0 1 6 / j . c o b e h a . 2 0 1 9 . 0 1 . 0 1 1
8 . S l e e p A d v i s o r . H o w D i g e s t i o n A f f e c t s Y o u r S l e e p Q u a l i t y . S l e e p A d v i s o r w e b s i t e . U p d a t e d D e c e m b e r 2 7 , 2 0 2 2 . A c c e s s e d J a n u a r y 3 1 , 2 0 2 3 .
h t t p s : / / w w w . s l e e p a d v i s o r . o r g / s l e e p - a n d - d i g e s t i o n /
9 . M o n d a V , V i l l a n o I , M e s s i n a A , V a l e n z a n o A , E s p o s i t o T , M o s c a t e l l i F . E x e r c i s e M o d i f i e s t h e G u t M i c r o b i o t a w i t h P o s i t i v e H e a l t h E f f e c t s . O x i . M e d .
a n d C e l l . L o n g e v i t y . 2 0 1 7 ; 2 0 1 7 ( n . d . ) : 8 . h t t p s : / / d o i . o r g / 1 0 . 1 1 5 5 / 2 0 1 7 / 3 8 3 1 9 7 2
1 0 . C a n c e r R e s e a r c h U K . 3 0 f u n w a y s t o e x e r c i s e . C a n c e r R e s e a r c h U K w e b s i t e . A c c e s s e d J a n u a r y 3 1 , 2 0 2 3 . h t t p s : / / w w w . c a n c e r r e s e a r c h u k . o r g / g e t -
i n v o l v e d / f i n d - a n - e v e n t / t h e - e x e r c i s e - c h a l l e n g e / 3 0 - w a y s - t o - e x e r c i s e
17

T H E J U I C E
C L E A N S E
M y t h B u s t i n g
Written By:
Dahnine McCune-Moyer
Maybe this has happened to you: You invite a
friend out to lunch because you haven’t seen
them in a long time, and they decline the
lunch offer because they state they are on a
“juice cleanse”. Turns out they are on a juice
fast consuming nothing but juice for the next
three days because they want to give their
digestive tract a kind of “hard reset”. There
are programs that provide juice cleanses or
juice fasts that will ship you fresh juice to
drink in a particular order. Most of these
programs claim a cleanse will clear out your
toxins and rest your digestive system. They
are also considered a quick way to lose
weight. Except, none of these are actually
based on science.
Let’s explore how a juice cleanse supposedly
works and compare that with what we know
about the human body. It is rare to find a
juice program that explains what they mean
by toxins or specifies any of them. A
generally accepted definition of a toxin is
that it is a kind of poison produced
biologically. Don’t get me wrong, your body
produces harmful byproducts like ammonia
in our urine. But that is the thing, it ends up
in your urine because it is filtered out first by
your liver and then by your kidneys. Your
body has built-in mechanisms to get rid of
the bad stuff.
Drinking juice for a few days isn’t going to
make your liver or kidneys suddenly go into
overdrive and clear anything and everything
out. Your liver, kidneys, and digestive system
are supposed to be constantly working. If
they are not, that is what defines kidney or
liver failure.
These programs seem to present an image
that there is all this extra gunk stuck to the
sides of your intestines and the best way to
get rid of it is to give yourself a good old
18

fashion case of diarrhea to clean out the gunk.
But our bodies are not old houses that the
plumber needs to be cleanse. Instead, waste is
constantly moving through a healthy digestive
system. There is nothing that is hanging out in
your intestines from the time you ate the
watermelon seed when you were a kid to that
double cheeseburger you ate a month ago.
That has all moved on so to speak.
The motility of your food is highly
individualized, but a good range is 12-72 hours
to be completely digested. This is all
dependent on what has been consumed and
how often you have a bowel movement. Your
body absorbs what it can and removes the
rest. Nothing gets stuck to the walls of your
intestines.
Some of these products claim to help you lose
weight. Others emphasize that a cleanse
should be for your health and not for weight
loss, or to help put you on the path to
healthier habits. These juice fasts can cause
people to lose weight but most of it is water
weight. Despite what it sounds like, this water
weight is not just the weight you lose from
urinating a bunch of water. It actually comes
from glycogen in your muscles. Glycogen is a
form of stored sugar (glucose) that your body
uses when it is running low on energy. This is
because you are consuming less calories than
usual because you are only consuming juice.
This is temporary weight loss because as soon
as you start to eat normal again, you will
replace all that glycogen stores and your body
will recover.
It is not necessarily dangerous if you do a
juicing cleanse for a day or two. However, for
any diet to work it needs to have the three
“S’s” that is safe, simple, and sustainable. The
juice cleanses tend to be very high in sugar,
void of fiber, hypercaloric, and absent to low
in protein. So, for one day, it will not do any
harm but long term it is not sustainable. The
other issue is the word “cleanse”. Your body
doesn’t need to cleansed because your skin,
your lungs, your liver, your kidneys, and your
gastrointestinal tract do all these functions
day in and day out. The human body is
amazing at cleansing the body.
Reference:
1.https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/inflammatory-boweldisease/#:~:text=Transit%20time%20is%20the%20duration,travel%20through%20the%20digestive%20
2.https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/juice-cleanse#benefits
3.https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-detox-your-body#Common-misconceptions-about-detoxing
4.Betrosian AP, Agarwal B, Douzinas EE. Acute renal dysfunction in liver diseases. World J Gastroenterol. 2007;13(42):5552-5559. doi:10.3748/wjg.v13.i42.5552
19

$ Paid $ leadership positions available as well as volunteers needed
Give back to your community by preparing nutritious meals for
seniors at the UNF Center for Nutrition and Food Security. Interested?
Send your N# @ cnfs@unf.edu

Written By:
Kate Overby
Sometimes learning about the
importance of gut health can get
overwhelming. Focusing on high-fiber
foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole
grains is a good way to start taking
care of your gut. This recipe is great for
when you haven’t been to the grocery
store in a while but still want
something fresh, filling, and fast. This
recipe also contains fruits, vegetables,
and legumes that are great for your
gut microbiome. Chickpea Salad tastes
great on toasted sourdough bread and
can be topped with lettuce, tomato,
sprouts, and cucumber.
Ingredients
1 can drained and rinsed
chickpeas
1 avocado
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp minced garlic
A dash of fresh squeezed lemon
juice
Fresh herbs of choice (parsley,
sage, thyme, etc.)
Optional- chopped red onion
Instructions
In a large bowl mash, all the
ingredients together until it is
the desired consistency (aim for
that of tuna salad). Then, enjoy!
21

Gut Health with Prebiotics
Written by:
Alicia Scott
Probiotic vs Prebiotic Rich
Foods
22
The study of the effects of probiotics
and prebiotics on gut health has been
expanding over the past several years.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that
give health benefits to the host when
administered in adequate amounts.¹ On
the other hand, prebiotics are food
ingredients that are non-digestible and
can have a beneficial effect on the
host by stimulating the growth and/or
activity of bacteria that already live in
the colon.² The clear distinction
between the two is that prebiotics feed
bacteria, which are found in foods such
as legumes, fruits, cereals, and other
high carbohydrate-containing foods. A
lot of probiotics are found in fermented
foods such as yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and
kombucha.
Yogurt
Kombucha
Kimchi
Legumes
Apples
Asparagus

When discussing probiotics and
prebiotics, the microbiome and
microbiota have to be discussed as
well. A microbiome is the collective
genome of a microorganism in a certain
environment, and the microbiota is a
group of microorganisms. Gut
microbiota is essential for the
fermentation of non-digestible products
such as dietary fibers and endogenous
intestinal mucus.³ The studied purpose
of probiotics is that they may be able to
restore the overall composition of the
microbiome in the gut and introduce
beneficial properties that can have
positive results on gut inflammation.4
Recent research is being conducted to
see if there is any effect on probiotic
and prebiotic supplementation when it
comes to gut health in patients with
stage 3-4 Chronic Kidney Disease
(CKD). The study was a randomized
controlled trial with 30 participants and
some of the criteria included adults
over the age of 18 and an estimated
glomerular filtration rate between 15
and 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. 5 The
participants were either given a
symbiotic supplement (mixture of a
prebiotic and probiotic ) or a placebo
and this was over a period of 12
months.
The goal of the study was to have
participants describe their experiences
while taking the supplements. Since
the study was a qualitative study,
participants were able to talk freely
about how they felt, and it gave
researchers insight. The general
consensus from the questionnaires was
that the symbiotic combination helped
with the overall feel of their stomach
and improved bowel movements. The
researchers determined that there was
limited evidence to show acceptance
of symbiotic supplementation when it
comes to CKD.
With the limited results from the study,
there were more limitations than
strengths. The major strength of the
study was the qualitative approach
that was taken. The limitations of the
study were that the selection criteria
were strict. The participant pool was
small, and the participants had to be
English speakers. This excluded people
of several different ethnicities and
nationalities. The only CKD patients
were those that were in stages 3-4,
but the other stages were excluded.
With these limitations and the overall
results of the study, more research is
needed to determine if applying a
symbiotic complex is beneficial for
improving gut health in Chronic Kidney
Disease patients.
23

References
1. Hill, C., Guarner, F., Reid, G. et al. The
International Scientific Association for
Probiotics and Prebiotics consensus
statement on the scope and
appropriate use of the term probiotic.
Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 11, 506–
514 (2014).
https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2014.
66
2. Connerton PL, Timms AR, Connerton
IF. Using antimicrobial cultures,
bacteriocins and bacteriophages to
reduce carriage of food-borne
bacterial pathogens in Poultry.
Protective Cultures, Antimicrobial
Metabolites and Bacteriophages for
Food and Beverage Biopreservation.
2011:181-203.
doi:10.1533/9780857090522.2.181
3. Valdes AM, Walter J, Segal E,
Spector TD. Role of the gut microbiota
in nutrition and health. BMJ. 2018.
doi:10.1136/bmj.k2179
4. Hemarajata P, Versalovic J. Effects
of probiotics on gut microbiota:
mechanisms of intestinal
immunomodulation
and
neuromodulation. Therap Adv
Gastroenterol. 2013;6(1):39-51.
doi:10.1177/1756283X12459294
24

W O R L D T E E N M E N T A L
WELLNESS DAY
MARCH 2, 2023

S T U D E N T S P O T L I G H T :
A L I C I A S C O T T
What inspired you to pursue your
degree?
Growing up, I was what you would call
a picky eater. I did not eat a wide
variety of foods and my brother loves
to remind me that I mostly lived on
juice for most of my childhood. As I got
older, I realized the importance of
food, and I have been intrigued by
nutrition ever since. My first
introduction to the field of dietetics
was after taking food and nutrition in
ninth grade and learning about food
science and the importance of macro
and micronutrients. The decision to be
a registered dietitian was made then
and I have loved every step of the
process so far.
What activities or hobbies do you enjoy doing outside of school?
Apart from studying and volunteering, my favorite hobby is spending time with my
family. I love spending quality time with my parents even though it may not be as
much as id like. I also love to read so whenever I can take a quick break away from
school, I am in bed reading. I have also developed a love for grocery shopping. I love to
just go to the store and walk around and see the different kinds of food they have
even though I might not buy it. I think what may be described as chaos when being
in the grocery store, is actually very calming to me.
26

What advice would you give to
incoming students entering the UNF?
The one piece of advice I would give
to incoming students is to get
involved. I know going to a new school
and being in a new environment can
be scary, but you must be willing to
get out there. I remember my very
first-time entering college; I was the
type of student that would just go to
class and go home and it wasn’t until I
started a job on campus that I
developed friendships. Upon starting
UNF, I made the decision that since I
was going to be in a new
environment, having people I can
count on was important. I got involved
in volunteering and different clubs
and I was able to create relationships.
What has been most challenging to you
since beginning your program here at
UNF?
Moving away from home. Since my
parents live in Fort Lauderdale and I had
to move away for school, leaving home
was very hard. Normally I would be able
to just walk across the hallway and be in
my parents’ room and see them when I
wanted but now I have to drive hours
away. Stressing about my parents while
taking 15 credits and participating in
different activities has not been easy but
I know that it will be worth it in the end.
What has been your favorite class in
the Nutrition and Dietetics Program?
Surprisingly, my two favorite classes
have been the two that have
challenged me the most, Advanced
Nutrition Science and Medical
Nutrition Therapy. Learning about
the behind-the-scenes nutrients that
food offers the body and then
learning how we can apply that to a
specific condition has been
amazing. Being in MNT has shown
me the importance of having a
dietitian as a part of any medical
team.
27

What plans and goals do you have after
graduation?
My plan after graduation is to complete
my dietetic internship and master’s
program and then go on to pass the RD
exam. My career goal is to work in an
oncology center as an RD. I would love to
be certified to work in oncology and learn
more about nutrition related to organ
transplants.
Do you have a favorite inspiring quote or
mantra that you live by and would like to
share with others?
My favorite quote has been one I have
heard since attending primary school.
“Labor Omnia Vincit”, which means “Hard
Work Overcomes All Difficulties”. It was
the motto of both my primary school and
High school and it has gotten me
through most of my academic career.
Short answer Qs
Favorite color?
Black (even though it’s a
shade) and pink
Favorite food?
French fries, sour foods,
and chicken
Favorite book?
Alice's Adventures in
Wonderland by Lewis
Carroll
Favorite pastimes?
Taking a nap and reading
Biggest fear?
Ducks (All Birds)
Greatest motivation?
My parents
Labor
Omnia
Vincit
28

International Day of Forests
March 21, 2023
“Conserving and sustainably using forests
is one of the best ways of protecting our
planet and ourselves. Healthy forests are
vital for all aspects of a healthy planet,
from livelihoods and nutrition to
biodiversity and the environment, but
they are under threat. It’s up to us to
safeguard these precious natural
resources.”

Sports Nutrition
How Does Gut Health Impact
Athletic Performance?
Athletic performance can be influenced by
the gut microbiome during and after intense
exercise.1,2 Recent studies have suggested
that maintaining a healthy, well-balanced gut
can boost energy levels and reduce
inflammation.1 Improving gut health may
help maximize training sessions, aid in the
recovery process, and enhance overall
health. These are all crucial aspects of being a
competitive athlete. Therefore, the question
of if there a link between gut health and
performance arises. This is because your gut
bacteria creates critical nutrients that your
body requires during exercise, gut health and
athletic training are related.1,2
W R I T T E N B Y :
A S A L A B B A S Z A D E H
can accomplish. In order to maintain or
increase load during extended physical
activity, the body must draw on a variety
of energy sources. Fortunately, a strong
microbiota can contribute to this energy
source. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are
created by gut microbes when they digest
and use food as fuel. These SCFAs serve as
a substrate for a procedure known as
gluconeogenesis, which produces glucose
for muscles to consume as energy.2
During vigorous training, energy availability is
a significant limiting factor; the more energy
your body has available, the more work you
Additionally, athletic performance
depends heavily on the gut microbiota's
ability to reduce inflammation.3
Inflammation results from the natural
tearing of muscle fibers brought on by
exercise. Blood flow to the afflicted area
improves during the healing process to
replace oxygen, supply energy to our
muscles, and remove waste, which
enables our muscles to recover and
grow.3 Inflammation can be beneficial for
the process of growing muscle, but can
also be harmful to the immune system if it
30

persists for an extended period of time.
However, a strong stomach helps fight off the
risk of excessive inflammation brought on by
strenuous exercise.1-3
In order to support a healthy gut, it's crucial
to provide these tiny living microorganisms in
your stomach with prebiotic-rich foods
containing lots of fiber.2,4 Whole grains,
legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds
are a few great examples of these foods.
Certain gut microorganisms won't have the
energy they need to flourish if an individual
follows a limited diet or doesn't consume
enough of these items.4
Overall, by sustaining your energy levels to
aid in your recovery after a workout, the
intestinal community in your stomach will
have a significant impact on how well
you exercise.1,2 While the benefits of
exercise for overall health are widely
recognized, it has only recently come to
light that it also has a significant impact on
the health of gut bacteria. Further
investigation is required to fully
comprehend the connection between
physical exercise and the gut microbiome,
as is the case with many other areas in the
field of sports nutrition. In the meantime,
you can do the following to support a
healthy gut microbiome and athletic
performance: prioritize sleep, adequate
intakes of micro and macronutrients, and
manage stress hormones.4 Athletes may
benefit from this by having their sporting
careers and general quality of life
optimized.
References:
1.Mohr AE, Jäger R, Carpenter KC, et al. The athletic gut microbiota. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2020;17(1):24. Published 2020 May 12. doi:10.1186/s12970-020-00353-w
2.Mach N, Fuster-Botella D. Endurance exercise and gut microbiota: A review. J Sport Health Sci. 2017;6(2):179-197. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2016.05.001
3.Barton W, Penney NC, Cronin O, et al. The microbiome of professional athletes differs from that of more sedentary subjects in composition and particularly at the functional
metabolic level. Gut. 2018;67(4):625-633. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2016-313627
31

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
Doctorado en Ciencias de la Nutrición Traslacional, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud (CUCS),
Universidad de Guadalajara (UdeG), Guadalajara 44320, Mexico
T R A N S L A T I O N A L R E S E A R C H :
IS IT
APPLICABLE IN
HEALTH
PROMOTION?
Written By:
Ana Silvia Flores Vázquez; Ximena Emelia Ballato
Bucio; Martha Betzaida Altamirano Martínez
Currently, research and health systems are mainly focused on the curative field of
diseases; however, the preventive approach has proven to be necessary to improve
populations' health, and quality of life and reduce directly related costs if it is well
implemented. Health promotion focuses precisely on preventing diseases and the
maintenance of health. The World Health Organization defines it as "the process that
allows people to increase control over their health" through multidisciplinary health
programs 1. Its purpose is to positively influence the health behavior of people and
populations despite the environmental and social conditions that affect their health 2.
On the other hand, in recent years, the concept of "translational research" and its
application in different areas of health has boomed. One of its best-known definitions
refers to the process of transferring laboratory research to studies in humans and later
to practice in real environments 3, a well-understood definition when we talk about
curative treatments, such as the development of drugs. However, when we talk about
health promotion, the application of translational research is not entirely clear, so how
could translational research contribute to developing and improving health
promotion?
32

To answer this question, we must further analyze the concept of translational research;
Mc Gartland et al. 4 define it as one that "fosters the multidirectional integration of basic
research, patient-oriented research, and population-based research, with the long-term
goal of improving public health." That is, to develop a strategy based on different phases
of research that contribute to improving the health of the population; according to this,
there are three main phases of translational research (T1, T2, and T3), which can be
applied to different areas, including health promotion.
T1 Basic research: its objective is to identify the mechanisms of diseases or health problems;
although for many areas, this implies laboratory studies, for health promotion, this stage
refers to pre-intervention studies, that is, formative evaluation or the foundations for the
development of the health promotion program. The latter includes studies that examine
the problem to address and the associated factors, such as observational studies, survey
studies, and qualitative research studies, such as focus groups. In addition, studies that
evaluate the characteristics and efficacy of existing related interventions are included, as
well as the analysis of theoretical foundations and evaluation of intervention tools 3,5.
T2 Patient-oriented research: its objective is to apply basic research in human studies
under controlled environments that maximize the research's internal validity (the degree
to which changes in the dependent variable are the result of the independent variable).
This kind of research is usually related to clinical studies. However, controlled
observational studies are also considered, and in the case of health promotion, small-scale
intervention studies are included, preferably randomized controlled trials, to assess the
efficacy of interventions, i.e., their ability to produce the desired effect 3,5.
T3 Population-based research: aims to expand and disseminate research through largescale
studies and actual practice (evaluating its impact on public health). External
validity is maximized here, that is, the generalization of the results to non-experimental
conditions or different populations. Therefore, the evaluation of dissemination,
implementation, and effectiveness should be included, considering both effectiveness
and efficiency (ability to produce the desired effect with the minimum possible
resources). In the case of health promotion, it refers to intervention studies applied in
sample sizes more representative of the population and natural field conditions and the
evaluation of the impact of health promotion on public health 3,5.
33

Having analyzed the application of translational research in health promotion, we ask
ourselves a second question: is translational research necessary in developing health
promotion programs? For example, consider public policies and health promotion
programs implemented on a large scale, arising from ideologies and not from
translational research; how likely are they effective and efficient? Most likely, they will
require excessive resources to invest in their implementation, and there are low
probabilities of effectiveness.
Otherwise, when health promotion programs at the population or public level arise from
translational research, how likely are they to be effective and efficient? they are more
effective and they also save a large number of resources, this is because they have the
following characteristics: 1) they are based, first of all, on the existing scientific knowledge
about the health problem, the factors associated with the problem and the intervention
methods that have been shown to be more effective, 2) have validated instruments and
techniques to evaluate the results of health promotion, in the short, medium and long
term, 3) the previous small-scale studies that demonstrated that the intervention is
capable of producing the desired result in the health problem, in controlled
environments, 4) are preceded by medium-scale studies that verified the efficiency of
the intervention (the optimal use of resources) and the feasibility to implement and
maintain this program over time and 5) have evaluations of the degree of dissemination,
implementation and effectiveness of the health promotion program at the population
level (in actual environments). Therefore, the answer to the second question posed is yes,
translational research is valuable and necessary for developing effective and efficient
health promotion programs.
In conclusion, although many definitions of translational research are more readily
applicable to the curative setting, health promotion can take advantage of this
perspective, so that translational research guides the development of different health
programs and interventions aiming at disease prevention and health maintenance.
Translational research is necessary and urgent to have health promotion actions that
facilitate resources optimization that can face health problems from a preventive
approach.
References:
1. OPS,OMS. Promoción de la Salud. Published 2021. Accessed November 21, 2021. https://www.paho.org/es/temas/promocion-salud
2. College of Public Health. What is health promotion? University of Giorgia. Published 2021. Accessed November 23, 2021.
https://publichealth.uga.edu/departments/health-promotion-behavior/what-is-health-promotion/
3. Zoellner J, Van Horn L, Gleason PM, Boushey CJ. What Is Translational Research? Concepts and Applications in Nutrition and Dietetics. J
Acad Nutr Diet. 2015;115(7):1057-1071. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2015.03.010
4. Mc Gartland Rubio D, Schoenbaum EE, Lee LS, et al. Defining translational research: Implications for training. Acad Med. 2010; 85(3):470-475.
doi:10.1097/ACM.0b013e3181ccd618
5. Glasgow RE, Linnan LA. Evaluation of theory-based interventions. In: Glanz K, Rimer BK, Viswanath K, eds. Health Behavior and Health
Education: Theory, Research, and Practice. 4° ed. EUA: Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint; 2008:487-508.
34

Meet the team
Editor in Chief
Co-Editor in Chief &
Head Publisher
Saily
Treasurer
Georgina
Priscilla
Medero
Brace
Stevens
Social Media
Faculty Advisor
Flyer Creator
Manager
Lindsey
Dr. Alireza
Angela
36
Cedeno-Ortiz
Jahan-Mihan
Martinez-Zea

Meet the team
Writer
Sofie Van
Moorlegham
Writer
Dahnine
McCune-
Moyer
Writer
Alicia
Scott
Writer Writer Writer
Asal
Abbaszadeh
Isabelle
Brazelton
Kate
Overby
37

Meet the team
Writer
Writer
Editor
Sophia
Harris
Ashley
Valle
Delaney
Tindal
Editor
Giovanna
Faria
Editor
Maryam
Alnouman
Publisher
Laurel
Dunathan
38

Meet the Team
Publisher
Zelina
Vazquez
39