Many of us are familiar with static stretching from our elementary, middle school and high school years. In my own experience, I can vividly recall starting off each physical eduction (P.E.) period engaging in a series of stretches that we’d have to hold in place for about 30 seconds or so. The idea behind this ritual was that the stretching and holding helped to lengthen and warm-up the isolated muscles being targeted. The expected result was an improvement in physical performance and a reduction in the risk of injury. However, a series of recent scientific studies did not bear out these expectations. That’s why my Healthy Monday tip of the week is re-evaluate how you stretch and warm up before your work-out.
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When cold and flu season arrives each year, so do questions pertaining to natural means of defending against it. Just the other day I was asked about using echinacea to fend off influenza and/or help speed its departure. Thankfully, each year there’s additional research to factor in when coming up with an answer.
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Are you familiar with a medical condition known as diverticulitis? The answer to this question likely depends on your age. Adults over the age of 50 are far more likely to have an intimate awareness of this inflammatory condition that affects the inner lining of the intestines. In fact, it’s estimated that as many as 50% of seniors will deal with one complication or another associated with the swelling of sacs (diverticula) in the intestinal wall or diverticulitis. Potential symptoms include abdominal pain, chills, fever, nausea, vomiting and weight loss. As with most health care matters, preventing the development of this disease is preferred over treating it.
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My primary objective for this site is to assist patients and physicians in improving the quality of health care. A new article appearing in the October 1st issue of the journal Nutrition suggests a timely strategy to accomplish this end. On June 15, the 2010 Dietary Guideline Advisory Committee Report (DGAC) was released. The recommendations contained therein will play a major role in shaping the USDA Food Pyramid. This will, in turn, affect the lives of most Americans and “strongly influence nutrition education, research funding, governmental meal programs including school lunches, as well as providing direction for the food industry, regulatory agencies, consumer advocates, and the media”. As you can imagine, the health ramifications of the report are immense with respect to health care spending and quality of life. The problem, according to the prestigious authors of the new paper entitled, “In the Face of Contradictory Evidence”, is that the guidelines are likely to continue an upward trend in preventable diseases directly associated with the dietary recommendations espoused by the DGAC Report. Read more »

This past week several readers inquired about my opinion on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s pending approval of a genetically modified salmon known as AquAdvantage. I’ve decided to share my perspective in the context of a column so that you might all understand my position on this controversial topic. My hope is that it helps you to decide whether GMO salmon is right for you and your families.
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Many of the things that improve the quality of life aren’t served on a dinner plate or taken in a pill form. But you’d never know that by visiting most doctors’ offices or reading the majority of medical journals. Then again, there is a great deal of wisdom that often bypasses both of those educational clearing houses. My hope is that the same pattern won’t befall this site. To that end, here are three compelling tweets from Dr. Mehmet Oz, Rick McGuire and Dr. Mary Dan Eades to enrich the quality of your days and nights.
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This is my second entry in a series of columns that will be carried on the Healthy Monday web site. As a reminder, the goal of the Healthy Monday program is to offer practical suggestions that may help reduce the incidence of preventable disease. In my opinion, one of the best ways to accomplish this objective is to address the underlying issues that lead to health disorders in the first place. Get to the root of the problem rather than simply rely on medications to manage symptoms. Read more »

Answering questions about natural health topics is one of my favorite parts of this job. It’s rewarding whether or not I have a good response to the inquiry being posed. If I already know the answer, it makes me happy to share it with others. On the other hand, if I’m stumped by a question, it gives me an incentive to do a little digging and expand my own knowledge base. Either way, it’s a winning proposition for all involved. Read more »

Several years ago I was thinking about my life and wondered whether there was a simple activity I could perform everyday that would contribute something positive to the world. In the past I would visit natural health forums and do my best to answer questions posed by other visitors. Now I try to do my part by writing this daily blog and using HungerSite.com as my homepage. This is a cost-free way of benefiting a variety of charities. You just click on a button and it donates a small amount to non-profit organizations that address the needs of animal shelters, the hungry, literacy groups and even rainforest preservation. This is all well and good, but I want to try to do more and I need your help. Read more »

Most of us use a general practitioner as our primary health provider. It doesn’t make much sense to go to a specialist such as an endocrinologist or neurologist when you’re simply having your periodic check up. Generally speaking, a good G.P. can manage most general health needs. At the same time, doctors and patients alike realize that such physicians have their limitations. They can’t possibly be up-to-date on every new development in every field of medicine, so they refer patients to specialists whenever needed. The same is true of how consumers can approach their own health care. If you’re basically healthy, you may want to focus on staying informed on how to maintain good general health. However, if you’re trying to address specific health issues, then you’ll need to become a “patient specialist”. Read more »

I happened to hear a segment on the radio program “Marketplace” while driving in my car the other day. The piece that caught my attention was entitled, “The Cure: Remaking Health Care”. The focus of this National Public Radio report was the San Diego-based Sharp Memorial Hospital, a $200 million facility that was built using the principles of “evidence-based design”. But can design alone be responsible for improving health outcomes in patients and saving millions, maybe even billions in healthcare costs down the line? Read more »

Dear Ladies and Gentleman,

I’ll be taking President’s Day off to be with family and friends. Please come back tomorrow for the latest information about how bacteria affect our lives for better or worse.

Be well!

JP

Have you ever flipped through cable TV late at night and stopped at one of the stations that regularly features documentaries about UFOs or other supernatural phenomena? It doesn’t much matter whether you believe in the subject matter or not. What’s interesting about the programs is that they’ll often feature noted professors, scholars and even theologians who offer rather involved theories about how and why extraterrestrials or extra-sensory powers could be plausible. These intricate explanations often call upon historical records and even scientific principles to bolster credibility. Naturally there are always opposing experts who can and do dispute these controversial points of view. However the hashing out of information and/or the debate along the way can be rather fascinating. Read more »

Manufacturers of herbal remedies rely on industry support, word of mouth and the occasional, positive scientific study to spur the sale of their products. This basic formula is a necessity because most alternative “medicines” will never corner their respective market or successfully make their way into the mainstream medical system. What ends up happening is that much less money is spent actively promoting said products. Likewise the overall sales figures are also much more modest than what is found in the pharmaceutical sector. This dynamic tends to promote a climate where trends dictate what supplements become darlings and which ones are put out to pasture. Read more »

My parents, Giuliana and Gianfranco, have contributed greatly to my understanding of natural medicine. Anyone who knows my folks will tell you that they’re among the most generous and kindhearted people you could ever hope to meet. Being exposed to that type of example has obviously been of tremendous value. But perhaps the most important gift they’ve given me with respect to my profession is allowing me to learn through their experience. They’ve placed their faith and trust in me as a consultant in most of their health care decisions. Part of this long term arrangement involves me designing a tailor-fit diet, exercise routine and supplement program for them both. Along the way, I’ve learned some lessons – chief among them is that it’s absolutely vital for me to fully comprehend and explicitly convey why I recommend what I recommend. Read more »

Nutritionists generally concede that there are healthy ways and unhealthy ways of implementing almost any type of diet. There are obviously different points of view about what an optimal menu plan looks like. But ultimately, it’s understood that everything from a vegan diet (no animal derived food) to a ketogenic diet (very in high fat, very low in carbohydrates) can be made healthier by choosing the best dietary options within each diet’s framework. You’ll be hard pressed to find a vegetarian advocate who suggests eating meals consisting of potato chips and mixed cocktails or a low-carb authority who recommends pork rinds and diet soda for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Read more »