Dr Reece Yeo - Holistic Chinese Medicine Practitioner

11/11/2025

Great information!

Did you know you can ask your GP for an indefinite referral – so you don’t need a new one every year? Or ask to be sent for free to a public hospital clinic? Here are ...

11/11/2025

The way your muscles are built determines how your body handles energy; lean muscle uses it, while obese muscle is prone to storing it.

What you’re seeing

This image compares skeletal muscle from lean and obese individuals, revealing how changes in fiber type, mitochondria, and lipid content shift muscle from an energy-burning organ to an energy-storing one.

🟡 Lean muscle has more type I oxidative fibers, which are dense with mitochondria and glucose transporters. These fibers efficiently oxidize fat and glucose, maintaining insulin sensitivity and steady energy output.

🟡 Obese muscle contains fewer oxidative fibers and more type II glycolytic fibers, which tire quickly and accumulate fat droplets within the tissue. Mitochondrial content is lower, GLUT4 expression declines, and overall fuel utilization becomes inefficient.

🟡 This imbalance creates a ripple effect; less glucose uptake, impaired fat oxidation, reduced insulin sensitivity, and higher risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disease.

The bigger picture:
Skeletal muscle is one of the body’s most powerful metabolic regulators. Its cellular composition reflects lifestyle, nutrition, and physical activity. Exercise reverses these changes by increasing oxidative fiber content and mitochondrial density, transforming muscle back into a metabolic engine that supports long-term health.

Citation:
Serrano, N., Hyatt, J. P. K., Houmard, J. A., Murgia, M., & Katsanos, C. S. (2023). Muscle fiber phenotype: a culprit of abnormal metabolism and function in skeletal muscle of humans with obesity. American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism, 325(6), E545–E556.

11/11/2025

How can we mitigate muscle insulin resistance in individuals with lower activity levels?

Rasmus Kjøbsted & team find combining intermittent ischemia-reperfusion with knee-extension exercise improves insulin sensitivity via increased blood flow and reduced muscle decanoyl-L-carnitine.

https://www.jci.org/articles/view/183567

11/11/2025

Amino acids and the brain: how protein shapes cognition

Amino acids aren’t just for muscle; they’re the raw materials for neurotransmitters, brain energy, and communication between neurons. Every thought, mood, and memory depends on them.

1️⃣ The Building Blocks of Brain Chemistry
Amino acids are the foundation of neurotransmitters, the brain’s chemical messengers.
Tryptophan → Serotonin & Melatonin (mood and sleep)
Tyrosine → Dopamine, Norepinephrine, Epinephrine (motivation, focus, alertness)
🟢 Example: Low tryptophan can flatten mood, while adequate tyrosine supports motivation under stress.

2️⃣ Fuel and Communication for Neurons
Amino acids like glutamine, serine, and glycine regulate excitatory and inhibitory balance; the brain’s “on/off switch.”
Glutamine → Glutamate & GABA, the main excitatory and calming neurotransmitters.
Serine & Glycine fine-tune learning and memory through NMDA receptors.
🟢 Example: Balanced glutamate–GABA activity is essential for focus without overstimulation.

3️⃣ Energy and Cognitive Endurance
Some amino acids, like leucine, methionine, and valine, support brain metabolism and mitochondrial function.
They can be used as alternate fuels or regulate appetite and alertness signals.
🟢 Example: During fasting or exercise, these amino acids help sustain mental energy.

4️⃣ Neuroprotection and Plasticity
Arginine makes nitric oxide, improving blood flow and synaptic plasticity (the brain’s ability to adapt).
Histidine produces histamine, which modulates alertness and memory.
🟢 Example: Arginine helps the brain stay flexible - crucial for learning and repair.

5️⃣ Mood, Stress, and Cognition. The "Integration Point"
Together, these amino acids fuel neurotransmitter synthesis, energy metabolism, and neuronal communication- the biochemical basis of focus, learning, and mood stability.
🟢 Example: A diet rich in quality protein ensures the brain has the ingredients it needs to think clearly and regulate emotion.
Amino acids are more than protein fragments; they’re the language of the brain. They build neurotransmitters, power neurons, and regulate cognition, mood, and focus. Every clear thought and calm mood begins with these molecular messengers.

11/11/2025

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the leading cause of dementia, affects nearly 40 million individuals globally, resulting in a gradual loss of memory and independence. Despite extensive research over the past decades, no treatments have been found that can halt or reverse the progression of this devastatin...

11/11/2025

People with anxiety disorders have lower levels of choline in their brains, according to research from UC Davis Health.

10/11/2025

New research has found that commonly used heartburn and blood pressure medications may interact with cancer therapies, influencing side effects and survival outcomes.

10/11/2025

10/11/2025

Liverpool Hospital in Sydney has introduced Australia's first MRI-guided cryoablation system, a groundbreaking technology offering a non-invasive alternative to surgery for patients with painful tumours.

The machine uses a gas-powered needle to precisely freeze and destroy target tissue, such as tumours on the spine or kidneys, while sparing surrounding areas.

This innovation allows patients to experience rapid pain relief—one patient reported being pain-free the next day—and return home the same day, avoiding the lengthy recovery periods of major surgery.

10/11/2025

Bone broth is more than just a comfort food it’s nature’s own gut healer. Packed with collagen, gelatin, and essential amino acids, it works from the inside out to repair and strengthen your gut lining. For centuries, traditional medicine has praised bone broth for its restorative powers, and now science is confirming why.

When you simmer bones for hours, minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus mix with collagen and amino acids such as glycine and glutamine. These compounds help rebuild the mucosal barrier of your intestines, preventing unwanted particles and toxins from leaking into the bloodstream. This process reduces inflammation, supports nutrient absorption, and promotes overall digestive health.

Regular consumption of bone broth can also calm symptoms of bloating, food sensitivity, and irregular digestion. The collagen it provides transforms into gelatin, which coats and soothes the digestive tract, allowing damaged tissue to heal more effectively. It’s like giving your gut a warm, protective hug that restores balance from within.

Beyond the gut, the benefits ripple through your body. Collagen supports glowing skin, healthy joints, and strong hair, while amino acids assist in detoxification and immune defense. A single cup daily can make a noticeable difference in energy, mood, and overall vitality.

Bone broth reminds us that healing doesn’t always require complex solutions. Sometimes, it’s found in the simplest traditions — a slow-simmered broth, rich in nutrients, restoring what modern diets often neglect.

Sip slow, heal deep, and let nature’s oldest remedy bring your body back into harmony.

10/11/2025

🧐"Malnutrition and Allergies: Tipping the Immune Balance towards Health"


✨This review highlights our current understanding of the physiological functions of allergenic proteins, iron, and vitamin A, particularly regarding their reduced bioavailability under inflamed conditions, necessitating different dietary approaches to improve their absorption.
📍For full text: https://bit.ly/47axmnj

10/11/2025

Diagnosis of chronic diarrhea, defined as diarrhea lasting more than four weeks.