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 »
Nutrition
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 »
Jason Fung, MD, taught me how not to eat. I never realized I could skip meals and have greater mental clarity and more energy. In his book, The Obesity Code (Greystone, 2016), Fung, a nephrologist turned obesity physician, describes with great clarity and solid science that obesity is a hormonal illness: the central hormone is… Read more »
There’s nothing like a guest speaker to get third graders’ hands in the air. Today the guest is up at the whiteboard drawing pictures and asking students to identify parts of a plant. The kids at Katherine Finchy Elementary have got this. “What’s the tiny thing the farmer puts in the soil?” “Seeds!” “What pokes… Read more »
Eating healthy is crucial for our body and overall well-being. It becomes even more challenging when the holiday season is upon us. Holidays come with a never-ending list of party invites, activities, and entertaining which often leads to over indulgence. As we gear up for the holidays, meal prepping (or meal batching) is a great… Read more »
It is rumored that Americans gain an average of 5-7 pounds each year, and some just never lose it. To avoid the dreaded pounds this season, here are few tips to keep you slim but still allow for the pleasures of good food: Before: Keep your exercise routine. You may have a more hectic schedule… Read more »
Three Coachella Valley chefs, Amanda Nees, Lorraine Ornelas and Stephen Lee, all make a point to source the majority of their ingredients directly from small family farms rather than ordering from a produce broker or food purveyor. When asked why they choose to conduct these weekly interactions themselves rather than outsourcing to timesaving middlemen, the… Read more »
You’re on board with the modern movement towards a healthier lifestyle. You pride yourself on eating clean and thrive on fresh vegetables and quality protein. You exercise and limit your intake of sugar, carbs, and grains. You eat plenty of healthy fats like avocados and nuts, and use coconut oil as your go-to for cooking,… Read more »
As July temperatures spike into the 100-teens, we desert dwellers emerge into baking parking lots and remember the importance of hydration. Most year-round residents have a lukewarm bottle of water rolling around under car seats and a liquid-bearing vessel on our desk at work; yet, many of us walk around in a perpetual state of… Read more »
It may be a little hard to swallow, but this latest trend is receiving praise from not only butter lovers, but the integrative health and fitness communities as well. The concept is simple. Most of us should start our day with a heavy dose of fats versus carb-heavy cereal, toast and bagels known as The… Read more »
As a health and lifestyle coach, I am constantly looking for ways to live a life that is revitalizing, energetic and in balance. There are so many different perspectives to consider, and each factor is as important as the other. On a daily basis, I am learning to do things one step at a time,… Read more »
