Modern conveniences developed over the decades have made it hard for us to know what “healthy” means or looks like anymore. Here are a few instinctual habits of healthy people that are more in line with our human design. 1. Eat real food. When we eat food that comes from the earth instead of a… Read more »
In my practice as a nutrition consultant, I am continually trying to support people in their struggle with foods that sabotage their health goals. In my own life I am constantly battling my own “sugar addiction.” Eating and the desire to eat stimulate different mechanisms in the brain. Dopamine, the neurotransmitter I introduced in the… Read more »
We all want to eat more vegetables, but often the effort gets boring. Eating more of the same old thing – salads, sautéed, steamed or roasted veggies – diminishes your enthusiasm and can derail your efforts. The secret is to keep things interesting and easy. Since starting a pescatarian diet in January (primarily vegetables and… Read more »
Meal plans are the number one request I get from new clients who are fed up with dieting. Meal plans are set recipes for days or weeks, measured out and calculated, telling you exactly what to eat and when. Seems like a slam dunk success, right? The dreamy concept of following a done-for-you plan and… Read more »
It seems the hot diet trend these days is the term ketosis. People are losing weight quickly and keeping it off with a great deal of discipline and significant effort. The aim of a ketogenic diet is to keep your body in a metabolic state called ketosis. Our bodies normally burn carbohydrates for energy. When… Read more »
Whether we want to admit it or not, with age comes declining function of every major bodily system we have. The World Health Organization defines the aging population as 60 and older, but symptoms may start to show decades earlier. Common aging concerns should be addressed early when they are typically more manageable – or… Read more »
The old phrase “you are what you eat” is now the center focus of integrative medicine. But sometimes simply eating food is not enough, so we take vitamins to supplement what we may be missing. Another option growing in popularity is nutritional IV therapy which delivers vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients directly into the bloodstream.… Read more »
In a nutshell, disordered eating is when an individual’s relationship with food causes problems in their life or that of their loved ones. People are often surprised to find out that what they consider to be a lack of self-control or poor discipline is really “disordered eating,” driven by a part of our brain over… Read more »
That’s it. You have to make a change. Maybe after a routine checkup you discovered your cholesterol or blood pressure were elevated beyond normal. Could be that your clothes pinch and tug in ways you can no longer ignore. Perhaps you’re inspired by a friend’s change in habits and the ensuing tales of increased energy…… Read more »
Phew. It’s been a very hot summer. Personally, I must be mindful of keeping hydrated to maintain a proactive lifestyle in this scorching heat and humidity. What better thing to help with hydration than fresh young coconuts, to help us transition into fall! Coconuts have become all the rage in the wellness industry from the… Read more »
There are many beautiful lessons woven into historic Italian traditions which continue to be passed down through generations. A few weeks on the Amalfi Coast offered me the opportunity to see firsthand why Italians live longer, better-quality lives than most other nations, despite their blatant enjoyment of wine, pasta, cheese, and pastries on an almost… Read more »
Sulfur, which is present in every cell of our bodies, is the third most abundant mineral in the body and is crucial in forming a variety of sulfate compounds that perform a vast array of biological processes.1 Many experts recognize we are at risk of sulfur deficiency due to diets high in grains, mineral-depleted soils,… Read more »
Cinnamon is well-known as an aromatic spice that people enjoy adding to oatmeal and baked goods. Less well-known is the fact that it can also be used therapeutically to improve several common health conditions including high blood sugar, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Cinnamon is derived from the bark of several species of Cinnamomum… Read more »
The ketogenic diet was developed in the 1920s to treat epilepsy. Physicians had long noted that there were fewer seizures when their patients fasted, so to mimic the fasting state, a diet high in fat and very low in carbohydrates was created. When carbohydrates are restricted, the body runs out of glucose quickly and must… Read more »
A cholecystectomy, or gallbladder removal, is the second most common surgery in the United States. The removal is a safe, conventional treatment for the diseased organ, but it can often result in various complications on a daily basis. A cholecystectomy does relieve pain, but 50 percent of patients still have digestive symptoms afterwards1 and most… Read more »
Whether you’re someone who walks the grocery store aisles with the calculator app perpetually open or ends up shamefacedly setting things aside at the self-checkout as you see the grand total rising much higher than anticipated, you may have noticed food prices are up. There are many factors at play here, one being that over… Read more »
The reputation of mushrooms has varied over the decades. There are many varieties of this curious delight from the most common button mushroom to the more exotic Brazilian blazei or the Japanese nameko. They can be delicious, nutritious, deadly, magical, toxic – and very mysterious. With their meaty texture and filling density, it’s no wonder… Read more »
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a popular method of weight loss with the additional benefits of increased energy, lowered inflammation, improved insulin sensitivity, revved-up metabolism, and possibly even cancer prevention. IF is simply applied by extending the hours between dinner and breakfast. The fasting period typically ranges from 12 to 18 hours. Men do particularly well… Read more »
In 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formally announced that the Nutrition Facts Label would have its first significant makeover in over 20 years. Originally, the compliance date was set for July 2018; yet the FDA recently stated that the deadline was extended with no new date offered. The new changes have been… Read more »
Why do some choose a raw food diet? Eating raw means food is not cooked over 116 degrees. When foods are cooked, the natural enzymes in foods that are most beneficial to our gut and bodies become inactive. This applies to any plant- or meat-based natural food; however, eating raw meat is not advised. Most… Read more »
