The NatureCity Podcast

Nature City
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Nutrition
  • Semiweekly

The Nature City Podcast dives into the world of supplements and nutrition to help you make the best decision for your health and lifestyle needs. Hosted by CEO and Founder Carl Pradelli, The Nature City Podcast is your go-to podcast for all things supplements, nutrition, and much more. To learn more about Nature City and our work, visit https://www.naturecity.com/ You can also follow us on Youtube to watch the latest episodes, of the Nature City Podcast

  1. Oct 16

    Screen Time and Young Eyes: Nutrients Research Shows May Help

    Kids and teens today spend hour after hour focusing on screens a foot or two from their eyes, something previous generations didn't do to the same degree. Carl Pradelli walks through what new research in teenagers actually shows about screen time, nutrition, and young eyes. WHAT YOU'LL LEARNCarl Pradelli, CEO and Co-Founder of NatureCity, looks at how near-focus screen time has reshaped childhood and what researchers can measure now instead of waiting decades for eye-health outcomes. He sets an honest baseline first: according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, there's no good evidence that normal digital screen use permanently damages the retina, though prolonged screen use can contribute to temporary discomfort like dry eyes, blurry vision, headaches, and eye strain. From there he reviews a 2026 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in Nutrition Researchinvolving 82 teenagers ages 13 to 18 who were heavy screen users with low fruit and vegetable intake. You'll hear what macular pigment optical density is and why it’s important, why lutein and zeaxanthin concentrate in the macula, and what six months of supplementation changed for the teens' eyes and for certain measures of attention and processing speed. He pairs it with a second controlled study on AstaReal astaxanthin in children ages 10 to 14, covering digital eye strain scores and measures of visual performance. You'll also get the basic eye-care habits that still matter, including the 20/20/20 rule and more outdoor time, plus why conversations with an eye care professional come first for any young person. EPISODE SUMMARYChildhood looks different today than it did a generation ago. Classroom distance, outdoor play, and bike rides have largely shifted to phones, tablets, laptops, and gaming screens, where schoolwork, homework, entertainment, and socializing all happen a foot or two from young eyes. Carl Pradelli opens by naming that shift and the question researchers are now asking: how does all this near-focus screen time affect young eyes, and can nutrition help support them. Carl makes an important distinction up front. The American Academy of Ophthalmology reports no good evidence that normal digital screen use permanently damages the retina, or that blue light from devices causes unwanted eye conditions as you age. What prolonged screen use can contribute to is temporary discomfort, partly because we blink less when we stare at screens. Laboratory research shows blue light can contribute to oxidative stress in retinal cells, but the amount from ordinary screens has not been shown to cause retinal damage or age-related eye conditions in humans. Long-term data are still limited, so there's a lot we have to learn about the long-term picture. That uncertainty is why Carl finds a new teen study interesting: rather than waiting decades, researchers measured something we can evaluate now, the amount of protective macular pigment, which can be bolstered with lutein and zeaxanthin. The study, published this year in Nutrition Research, enrolled 82 healthy teenagers ages 13 to 18 who were heavy screen users with relatively low intakes of fruits and vegetables. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, the teens took either a placebo or 10 milligrams of lutein plus 2 milligrams of zeaxanthin daily for six months. The primary measure was macular pigment optical density, or MPOD. The macula is the central part of the retina responsible for the sharp, detailed vision we use to read, recognize faces, or look directly at something. Lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin concentrate there to form macular pigment, which helps filter short-wavelength blue light and provides antioxidant protection inside the eye. After six months, the teenagers taking lutein and zeaxanthin had significantly greater increases in macular pigment optical density in both eyes compared with placebo. They also showed improvements in attention and processing speed, though not every cognitive measure improved, and Carl is careful to say we shouldn't turn this into a claim that lutein and zeaxanthin suddenly make teenagers smarter. Carl then reviews a second randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study using AstaReal astaxanthin. It included 64 children ages 10 to 14 who spent at least four hours a day on digital devices and had mild to moderate digital eye strain symptoms. Over 84 days, the astaxanthin group had significantly greater improvements in digital eye strain scores, along with gains in certain measures of visual performance, including depth perception and the pupillary light reflex. Two controlled human studies in young people point in an intriguing direction, but Carl is clear that supplements are not the answer to unlimited screen time. Basic eye care habits still matter: the 20/20/20 rule, keeping screens about an arm's length away, reducing glare, remembering to blink, and getting more outdoor time, which has been associated with a lower risk of nearsightedness. TIMESTAMPS0:00 — Screen time and young eyes intro0:42 — What the research does and doesn't show4:00 — The teen lutein and zeaxanthin study5:00 — MPOD and how macular pigment works6:00 — Attention and processing speed findings8:00 — The astaxanthin children's study9:03 — Eye care habits that still matter10:00 — Talk to a provider first and takeaways If this look at screen time and young eyes was useful, subscribe to the NatureCity channel for more researcher-formulator breakdowns of what the studies actually show. Like the episode and share it with a parent thinking about their teen's screen habits. LINKS & RESOURCESTrue Vision: https://www.naturecity.com/products/true-visionTrue Astaxanthin: https://www.naturecity.com/products/true-astaNatureCity website: https://www.naturecity.com/ #EyeHealth #LuteinZeaxanthin #ScreenTime #Supplements

  2. Oct 9

    Can Your Gut Help Keep Your Brain and Muscles Younger?

    Can the bacteria in your gut help keep your brain sharp and your muscles strong as you age? A new meta-analysis points summarizes the evidence to date. WHAT YOU'LL LEARNCarl Pradelli, CEO and Co-Founder of Nature City, walks through a new systematic review and meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Nutrition that pulled together 24 randomized placebo-controlled trials involving 1,809 people with an average age of about 70. You'll learn what the gut-brain axis and the gut-muscle axis actually describe, and how trillions of microorganisms in your digestive tract may influence far more than digestion. You'll hear what the research shows on cognition using the Mini-Mental State Examination, and what it found for hand grip strength as a marker of muscle function. Carl keeps the findings in research framing: these are preliminary short-term signals, not proof. You'll also learn why a probiotic is a category and not a single ingredient, so strain, dose, and survivability all matter, plus practical steps you can take now to support your gut. EPISODE SUMMARYHow we think about gut health has changed over 25 years at Nature City. The early focus was digestive comfort, nutrient absorption, and keeping the colon healthy. Those still matter. What's new is the growing science connecting a healthy gut microbiome to healthy aging across the whole body. Carl starts with the brain. The gut and brain communicate constantly through several pathways: gut bacteria produce compounds that enter circulation, the immune system sends signals, hormones are involved, and nerves carry direct communication. That two-way system is what researchers mean by the gut-brain axis. The new review analyzed 24 randomized placebo-controlled trials involving 1,809 people with an average age of about 70. Twenty studies looked at cognition, four examined muscle-related outcomes. For the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the combined results favored probiotic and synbiotic supplementation, though there was a lot of variation from study to study. Another broader cognitive test did not show a statistically significant overall benefit. Carl is clear: this review does not prove probiotics improve memory or prevent age-related cognitive decline. The researchers described preliminary short-term signals that are interesting, but more work needs to be done. Then comes the part that may surprise you more: the gut-muscle axis. The gut can influence inflammation, intestinal barrier function, nutrient absorption, and the production of short-chain fatty acids, all of which affect the environment in which your muscles operate. In the review, only four studies looked at muscle-related outcomes, and just three could be combined for the main analysis of hand grip strength, a simple marker of overall muscle strength and physical function. The pooled result showed a modest improvement, but when one larger study was removed, the benefit was no longer statistically significant. An encouraging signal, Carl says, but not yet a conclusion. A recurring lesson runs through the episode: not all probiotics are the same. The studies used different bacterial strains, different combinations, very different doses, and different treatment periods. Reported doses ranged from about 1 million CFUs per day to more than a trillion. Saying you take a probiotic doesn't tell you much when the strain, the dose, and how well the live organisms survive all matter. Carl closes with the practical part. You don't have to wait for the research to be finished to take care of your gut. Eating a variety of plant foods, getting enough fiber, and regular physical activity all appear to support microbiome health, and scientifically studied probiotics and prebiotics may offer another way to support a healthy intestinal environment. He describes how NatureCity approaches this in two ways: TrueLife PB, a traditional probiotic and prebiotic formula with 30 billion CFUs from six strains carefully designed so the probiotics can “arrive alive” in the intestines and flourish. And second with TrueDYB, a drink powder with resistant potato starch and other ingredients that support the intestinal environment. TIMESTAMPS0:00 — Why Gut Health Is Part of Healthy Aging0:50 — The New Frontiers in Nutrition Review2:15 — Inside the Gut-Brain Axis3:20 — What the Cognition Studies Showed5:15 — The Gut-Muscle Axis Explained6:20 — Grip Strength and the Muscle Findings7:55 — Why a Probiotic Is a Category9:20 — Practical Steps and Nature City Formulas If this episode helped you think about gut health as part of whole-body healthy aging, like it and subscribe to the Nature City YouTube channel so you don't miss future episodes. You can also follow along on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. LINKS & RESOURCESTrueLife PB: https://www.naturecity.com/products/true-life-pbTrueDYB: https://www.naturecity.com/products/truedyb-digest-your-bestNature City website: https://www.naturecity.com/Frontiers in Nutrition study: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2026.1869929/full #GutHealth #HealthyAging #Probiotics #GutBrainAxis #NatureCity

  3. Sep 25

    5 Healthy Aging Habits No Pill Can Replace (A Supplement CEO Explains)

    Healthy aging isn't only about how long you live. It's about how well you live for however many years you get. Carl Pradelli, CEO and Co-Founder of NatureCity, marks Healthy Aging Month with the five habits he believes matter the most for adding life to your years and explains why no longevity supplement can replace them. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ✓ Why healthspan, not lifespan, is the better goal for healthy aging ✓ How resistance exercise protects the muscle and bone that keep you independent ✓ Why brain health depends on blood flow, sleep, nutrition and lifelong learning ✓ Where supplements fit in a healthy aging plan, and where they don't ✓ Why recovery and staying engaged with life matter as much as your lab numbers According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Americans aged 95 and older grew by nearly 49% between 2010 and 2020. Carl calls that wonderful news, but it creates a new challenge. Most people don't simply want to reach 85, 90 or 95. They want to arrive there still able to travel, play golf or pickleball, garden, carry their own bag through an airport and keep up with their grandchildren. That is the difference between lifespan and healthspan, and it sits at the center of this year's Healthy Aging Month theme, “Curiosity Has No Age Limit.” Carl's first two habits start with the body and the brain. As we age, muscle stops being about appearance and becomes what gets us out of a chair, up the stairs and through daily life on our own, which makes resistance exercise increasingly important. Weights, resistance bands and body weight exercises all count, and so do walking, cycling, swimming, and gardening. Brain health follows the same logic. The brain depends on healthy blood flow, good nutrition, exercise, sleep and metabolic health, and like muscle, it benefits from being challenged by reading, travel, new hobbies and mentoring others. The third habit is eating for the person you want to be 10 or 20 years from now. That means adequate protein to support muscle maintenance, plus fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, fiber and an overall nutrient-dense diet. Supplements can help fill nutritional gaps or provide nutrients and compounds that have been scientifically studied for benefits that may be difficult to achieve through food alone. Carl, who started NatureCity with his wife, Beth, more than 25 years ago, is clear on the limit: healthy aging is not about finding one magical longevity pill. It is about building a strong foundation and then intelligently supporting it. Recovery is the fourth habit, and the one Carl says we probably don't talk about enough. Poor sleep and unmanaged stress make everything else harder, from exercise motivation to food choices to concentration. The fifth, staying engaged with life, may be the most important of all. Carl shares how he stays in touch every day with childhood friends he has known for more than 50 years. Carl closes with the newer longevity research on mitochondrial health, cellular energy production, oxidative stress and healthy inflammatory balance, including his recent conversations with the teams behind Pomanox P30 pomegranate extract and AstaReal natural astaxanthin. His perspective: the newest longevity science doesn't replace the basics. It sits on top of them. The chapters below take you straight to each habit. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Healthspan vs. Lifespan: The Real Goal 1:27 - Census Data: How Fast America Is Aging 2:42 - Habit 1: Protect Your Muscle and Bone 4:06 - Habit 2: Brain Health Is Whole-Body 5:15 - Habit 3: Eat for Your Future Self 6:12 - Habit 4: Why Recovery Matters 6:48 - Habit 5: Stay Engaged With Life 7:43 - Longevity Science vs. the Basics 8:17 - Your Next 20 Years: One Question Watch next: The Antioxidant Your Cells Need (Updated Research From AstaReal Scientists) https://youtu.be/Qv0dYHXPts8 ABOUT NATURECITY NatureCity was co-founded by Carl Pradelli and his wife, Beth, more than 25 years ago with a mission to deliver transparent, science-backed natural health supplements. With more than 500,000 customers served, NatureCity is committed to quality, honesty and results. LINKS NatureCity website: https://www.naturecity.com/ This video is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Talk with your health care provider before starting a new supplement or exercise program. #NatureCity #HealthyAging #Healthspan #HealthyAgingMonth

  4. Sep 18

    Could Astaxanthin Help Your Body Use More Fat for Fuel?

    A new AstaReal astaxanthin study looked at something researchers hadn't isolated before: not whether astaxanthin supports exercise performance, but which fuel your muscles reach for while you're exercising. 20 recreationally active women completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover-design study — each woman served as her own control. After taking 12 milligrams of AstaReal astaxanthin daily for two weeks, their respiratory exchange ratio (RER) during a 30-minute cycling test was significantly lower than on placebo, meaning their bodies shifted more toward using fat and less toward carbohydrate to fuel the exercise. Heart rate, blood lactate, and perceived effort didn't change — the women weren't working harder or easier, but how their muscles fueled the work was different. Carl breaks down what that shift actually means (and, just as importantly, what it doesn't mean — this was not a weight-loss study, and endurance wasn't tested here), why most previous astaxanthin-and-fuel research was conducted in men, and how this connects back to one of his favorite astaxanthin stories: salmon swimming hundreds of miles upstream to spawn without eating. At NatureCity, our TrueAsta astaxanthin supplement uses the same AstaReal branded astaxanthin used in this study — two soft gels provide the 12-milligram daily amount studied here. Timestamps [00:00] Introduction [00:08] The reversal: why "burn more fat" isn't a weight-loss claim here [00:43] Two fuel tanks: carbohydrate vs. fat during exercise [01:19] The new study: 20 women, crossover design, 12mg AstaReal daily [02:13] What RER measures and why it matters (clean take begins after retake at [03:00]) [02:50] The result: lower RER on astaxanthin vs. placebo [03:16] What this does NOT mean [03:49] Heart rate, blood lactate, and perceived effort unchanged [04:15] Metabolic flexibility, explained with the two-gas-tank analogy [05:03] Why this study focused on women, not men [05:40] Callback to Episode 128 and the salmon-swimming-upstream story [06:17] Salmon, fat stores, and the "salmon aren't humans" caution [06:40] Prior astaxanthin-and-exercise research: soccer players, cyclists, resistance training [07:39] TrueAsta: used same AstaReal astaxanthin in a study [08:02] Closing thoughts

  5. Sep 11

    Why Living Longer Isn't The Real Goal Of Aging

    We live longer than people did in the 1950s, but many of those extra years can come with frailty and a loss of mobility and independence. Our health goal shouldn’t be to just live longer – you want those extra years to be good years. One powerful nutritional ally that can help support healthy aging is the pomegranate fruit. Carl Pradelli sits down with two Euromed scientists to review the latest research with their Pomanox P30 extract, which is made using the whole pomegranate fruit. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN This conversation moves the focus from lifespan to healthspan, the idea that quality years matter as much as total years. Carl Pradelli, CEO and Co-Founder of NatureCity, talks with Dr. Andrea Zangara, scientific communications advisor at Euromed, and Silvia Mont, a registered pharmacist and nutritionist who is part of the Euromed scientific marketing team, about the numerous biological systems that Pomanox P30 can support and recent findings about the extract’s impact on several blood biomarkers linked to healthy aging and longevity. Some of these include Urolithin A, AhR activity and IGF-1 levels. You will also hear how Pomanox P30 can help support heart and cardiovascular health. The discussion covers blood flow, nitric oxide, and maintaining flexible arteries. It closes on what studies show for skin appearance, muscle recovery, and staying functional as the years add up. EPISODE SUMMARY Aging well is not about chasing a longer number of years. Dr. Andrea Zangara opens by naming the shift researchers have already made: the focus is on healthspan, living well, not just living longer. As guest Silvia Mont notes, there is no single magic bullet, so a holistic approach is the most effective one. The episode focuses on the pomegranate fruit, a stable of the Mediterranean diet, and how the Pomanox P30 whole pomegranate extract stands out as a well-validated example of a dietary addition that can support healthy aging. The guests explain how a standardized whole pomegranate fruit extract works with the body rather than around it. Instead of shortcutting the body's own processes, it supplies compounds the body already knows how to recognize, digest, and transform through the gut microbiome. That framing, a physiological approach over a single molecule, is the heart of the episode. Carl and his guests walk through the biological systems pomegranate polyphenols touch to help support healthy aging and longevity: gut bacteria that convert precursors into urolithins (stimulate cellular energy and the “cleanup” process known as mitophagy), AhR cellular protein activity (helps detox, immunity and metabolism), and keeping the vital IGF-1, protein hormone in a healthy range. Blood flow gets its own segment. Carl explains pulse wave velocity in plain terms: a blood pressure pulse travels faster through stiffer arteries and slower through flexible ones, so a slower reading is what you want. The guests connect flexible arteries and healthy nitric oxide production to better circulation, which touches brain performance, energy, and recovery. A healthy Inflammation response ties it together. Dr. Zangara describes “inflammaging”, the low-grade inflammatory state that builds quietly with age and often escapes a normal health test. Carl adds a point the podcast returns to often: inflammation protects us, and the challenge as we age is often in resolving it, cleaning up after the threat is gone, and getting back to normal function. The episode ends on beauty from within, exercise recovery, and a consumer-facing summary from Silvia: it is not about magic, it is about science. The takeaway for a general listener is simple. Support the whole system, give the body what it already knows how to use, and pair it with a healthy lifestyle. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 — Live longer and better4:30 — Why there is no magic bullet12:42 — Working with the body, not around it21:52 — IGF-1 and the healthy range27:53 — Pulse wave velocity explained simply31:33 — Inflammaging, the silent state35:45 — Beauty from within research If this helped you think differently about aging well, like the episode and subscribe on YouTube so the next conversation finds you. Listening on the go? We are on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. LINKS & RESOURCES Learn more about TrueBerry7: https://www.naturecity.com/products/true-berry-7?srsltid=AfmBOoofH5NgS7II2oW5KAm52Sa2tuQT2lCKd8Ta9HAsQv4Szvt14GxWMore NatureCity episodes on healthy aging: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRwO7b_fPoq7Kl7IvaQIP0a-8UpX0vUKe Visit NatureCity: https://www.naturecity.com/ #HealthyAging #Healthspan #Longevity #Pomegranate

  6. Sep 4

    Tired at Work? Try This Instead of More Coffee

    A newly published study compared EnXtra directly with caffeine — and what happened after one-hour and at the five-hour mark is worth understanding before you reach for another cup. Subscribe for research-backed conversations on supplements and health. Carl Pradelli, CEO and Co-Founder of NatureCity, walks through a May 2026 study on EnXtra, the reason TrueMind was formulated without caffeine, and what he means by calming energy. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN - How this study was designed and what makes its comparison unusual - What happened at 1, 3 and 5 hours in the four study groups - The specific measurement where caffeine-only performance fell below baseline - The combination that sustained alertness and mental energy the longest - Why TrueMind was built without caffeine and 3 other nutrients instead - What Carl means by calming energy, and the daily routine he uses Most conversations about mental energy start and end with caffeine. Carl opens this episode with a simple question: when you are trying to maintain alertness for several hours or across the whole workday, is more caffeine always the best answer? A new study published in May 2026 in the Open Access Journal of Clinical Trials helps clarify answers to that question. It compared EnXtra directly with caffeine, not just with a placebo. EnXtra is a standardized extract of Alpinia galanga — the plant related to ginger that is sometimes called Thai ginger or galangal. It has been studied for its effect on mental alertness and energy without acting as a stimulant. The study was randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled, and it ran in two stages: an acute crossover with 128 people, then a 28-day arm with 127 people. Participants were healthy adults between 18 and 40, they were habitual caffeine consumers, and their sleep was deliberately restricted so the researchers were testing under real-world mental fatigue rather than fresh-from-eight-hours conditions. The study had four arms: 300 milligrams of EnXtra, 200 milligrams of caffeine (roughly two cups of coffee, so caffeine was not being given a handicap), 300 milligrams of EnXtra combined with 200 milligrams of caffeine, and a placebo. Alertness was measured at baseline and again at one, three and five hours. Caffeine did what caffeine does — it worked, primarily at the one-hour measurement. By three and five hours those effects were much more limited. EnXtra continued to show benefits at later measurements, and at five hours the combination of EnXtra and caffeine produced the strongest result. On one measure of alertness, caffeine-only performance had actually fallen below where it started — the crash most heavy caffeine users can describe from experience. Carl is careful about the limits. Sustained attention and psychomotor measurements showed favorable trends with EnXtra but were not consistently statistically significant. It was a fairly young cohort with restricted sleep. He is not extrapolating this study to every aspect of cognitive performance, and he says so on the record. What the study demonstrated most clearly was support for alertness and reduced fatigue, and the ability to sustain those benefits across several hours, which fits earlier research on the ingredient. The rest of the episode is about why TrueMind was formulated the way it was. Carl explains that TrueMind does not contain caffeine on purpose — most listeners are already getting caffeine somewhere, and stacking more of it was not the goal. Instead, the formula pairs EnXtra with PharmaGABA (a naturally produced form of GABA studied for supporting a relaxed, focused state) and a third standardized ingredient Landkind Salidroside (salidroside is a compound found in the Rhodiola plant), which helps support mental energy while experiencing stress. Carl calls the target state calming energy — awake and alert and focused, but not wired. He closes with the routine he actually uses: tea between seven and eight in the morning, then a serving of TrueMind a few hours later, between ten and eleven. None of this replaces sleep. Carl says it directly. Get more sleep. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Why More Coffee Isn't the Answer0:43 - How This Study Was Designed2:05 - EnXtra vs Caffeine, Head to Head3:50 - The 5-Hour Caffeine Crash5:05 - Stimulated Is Not the Same as Focused6:20 - What Calming Energy Actually Means8:05 - Why Sleep Beats Any Stimulant9:48 - Carl's Daily Routine ABOUT NATURECITY NatureCity is hosted by Carl Pradelli, CEO and Co-Founder. Carl started the company over 20 years ago with his wife Beth. The show covers the ingredients, research and formulation choices behind NatureCity supplements. Learn more about True Mind: https://www.naturecity.com/products/true-mind?srsltid=AfmBOooMZNw1C7dDQun7l4vBDPv6ylnm8V1fvLJq2ZlTfFoiD0v9S2HX #NatureCity #TrueMind #EnXtra #MentalEnergy

  7. Aug 21

    How Eating the Rainbow Actually Protects Your Cells as You Age

    You've heard that antioxidants fight free radicals. Carl Pradelli, CEO and Co-Founder of NatureCity, goes one step deeper: there isn't one kind of free radical, and no single antioxidant can handle them all. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Carl explains why "free radicals" are really a whole spectrum of reactive compounds, each with different chemistry, locations, and challenges. He walks through how the body defends itself with a network of nutrients – both from diet and internally produced antioxidants – working as a relay team, not a single fighter. You'll also hear why breadth beats brute force in antioxidant nutrition, how different colorful plant foods deliver different beneficial compounds, and what a large flavonoid study found about antioxidant variety and health outcomes. Carl closes with the same philosophy behind the TrueBerry7 formulation This episode fits anyone thinking about how they age and how they choose supplements, with research kept in its proper framing throughout. EPISODE SUMMARY Carl Pradelli hosts this episode of the NatureCity podcast on antioxidant nutrition and why the popular picture of it is too simple. The core idea: oxidative stress isn't one problem. Cells encounter a range of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, and different antioxidants have different strengths against them. Carl references his earlier conversation with Dr. Karen Hecht and Dr. Susan Emrahi of AstaReal, who described antioxidants as having different "fingerprints" and capabilities. He covers direct antioxidant activity versus compounds that help support the body's own internal defenses, the science behind eating a variety of colorful plant foods, and a study of roughly 125,000 adults linking flavonoid diversity to better health outcomes (discussed further in episode 109). The takeaway Carl lands on: think variety, think teamwork, think breadth over brute force. Use the timestamps below to jump to the sections most useful to you as you listen. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 — Why one step deeper on antioxidants1:24 — Free radicals are a spectrum of challenges4:08 — Balance, not zero free radicals5:41 — Your antioxidant network as a relay team7:56 — Different fingerprints: the astaxanthin example11:52 — Eat the rainbow and the flavonoid study14:49 — Breadth over brute force and TrueBerry7 If this episode helped, like it and subscribe to the NatureCity YouTube channel so you don't miss future episodes. Find us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. LINKS & RESOURCES TrueBerry7: https://www.naturecity.com/products/true-berry-7?srsltid=AfmBOop8m9YyLqRuFB3ywpJpaD43hqswsWXQLFSUStAQep5_ti3UJhLk Episode 109 on flavonoids: https://youtu.be/TRdX2c_0wDE AstaReal astaxanthin episode with Dr. Karen Hecht and Dr. Susan Emrahi: https://youtu.be/Qv0dYHXPts8 #antioxidants #supplements #healthyaging #NatureCity

  8. Aug 14

    Inflammation Isn't the Enemy - Why The “Cleanup” Process Matters for Healthy Aging

    Most of us treat inflammation as the enemy. Carl Pradelli, CEO and Co-Founder of NatureCity, makes the case that you couldn't stay healthy without it, and how your body finishes an inflammatory response may matter as much (or more) as how it starts. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Inflammation has a beginning, a purpose, and an ending. This episode focuses on that ending, the active biological process researchers call resolution. Carl explains why resolution isn't inflammation simply fading on its own, and why some of that cleanup machinery may become less efficient as we age. You'll learn what specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) like resolvins, protectins, and maresins do, and how omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA supply raw materials the body uses to make them. Carl covers the lifestyle factors that keep low-grade inflammation simmering, including visceral fat, poor sleep, chronic stress, smoking, and being sedentary. He closes with three researched nutrients that support the healthy inflammation response and how each works: omega-3s (EPA and DHA), curcumin from turmeric, and PEA (Levagen+) found in NatureCity's TrueJoint FLX formula. EPISODE SUMMARY Carl Pradelli, CEO and Co-Founder of NatureCity, opens with a reframe: inflammation isn't a mistake your body makes, it's an essential defense and repair system. Cut a finger, fight an infection, or exercise, and an inflammatory response is part of how you heal, respond, build muscle, and adapt. The problem starts when that response becomes excessive, lingers too long, or doesn't resolve once its job is done. To make it concrete, Carl uses a kitchen-fire analogy. When there's a fire, you want firefighters to rush in, break a door or window if needed, and spray water. You don't complain about the mess in that moment because you need them there. But once the fire is out, the hoses have to stop, the damaged material has to be cleared, and rebuilding has to begin. That second phase is resolution, and Carl describes it as an active process in which the body produces signals that stop the response, clear damaged cells, and shift tissue from defense mode into repair. The episode connects this to aging. Persistent low-grade inflammation, sometimes called “inflammaging”, becomes more common as we get older. Newer research adds a layer: we may not just be triggering more inflammatory responses with age - we may also become less efficient at resolving them. Carl introduces specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) and the cleanup work of macrophages, then keeps the science practical with a single takeaway: putting out the fire is not enough, someone has to clean up the mess. Carl grounds the discussion in what people can influence. Lifestyle matters tremendously, from visceral fat and metabolic health to smoking, chronic stress, poor sleep, and being sedentary, along with a diet built on minimally processed foods. Supplements, he stresses, should support those fundamentals rather than replace them. He then walks through three researched ingredients working through different mechanisms toward the same goal. Omega-3s EPA and DHA supply building blocks for pro-resolving mediators, with human studies showing changes in circulating lipid mediators involved in inflammation and resolution. Curcumin, the key compound in turmeric, has been studied for modulating inflammatory signaling and oxidative stress, with favorable effects on markers including CRP, TNF-alpha, and IL-6. PEA (Levagen+) in NatureCity's TrueJoint FLX is a lipid signaling molecule the body already makes to help regulate inflammatory and discomfort responses. Carl ends with a clear note of care: persistent, severe, or unexplained inflammation isn't something to self-treat, and it deserves evaluation by a healthcare provider. His closing line ties the science back to the analogy: inflammation isn't the enemy, and healthy aging depends on a response that has a beginning, a purpose, and an ending. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 — Why inflammation isn't the enemy1:51 — Resolution, the active cleanup process4:06 — “Inflammaging” and why aging changes it4:56 — SPMs and the cleanup crew explained6:39 — Lifestyle factors you can influence7:48 — Omega-3s EPA and DHA as building blocks9:16 — Curcumin and PEA for joint support11:23 — Three takeaways and a caution If this changed how you think about inflammation, like the episode and subscribe to the NatureCity YouTube channel for more researcher-formulator conversations from Carl Pradelli. You can also follow along on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. LINKS & RESOURCES TruJoint FLX (with Levagen+ PEA): https://www.naturecity.com/products/true-joint-flx?srsltid=AfmBOoqlTsL3oXxAy39DBSD1wHaZijVWMyDJNiINfhPwbTA_i32z5F6G NatureCity website: https://www.naturecity.com/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-naturecity-podcast/id1678816753 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/64DPMHuV8FtOTommUSBxnG?si=85959191581e49a1 #inflammation #omega3 #healthyaging #curcumin #NatureCity

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The Nature City Podcast dives into the world of supplements and nutrition to help you make the best decision for your health and lifestyle needs. Hosted by CEO and Founder Carl Pradelli, The Nature City Podcast is your go-to podcast for all things supplements, nutrition, and much more. To learn more about Nature City and our work, visit https://www.naturecity.com/ You can also follow us on Youtube to watch the latest episodes, of the Nature City Podcast

Information

  • Creator
    Nature City
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    151
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Nature City
  • Show Website
    The NatureCity Podcast

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