Archive for December, 2010

Best Of Dietary Fiber and Cancer

December 31, 2010 Written by JP

Some types of foods are easier to incorporate into one’s diet than others. If your doctor advises you to eat more fruits or vegetables, you can quite easily select the varieties that you like best and up your intake. The same can be said for other commonly recommended health foods such as fish, nuts and seeds. But adding more fiber into your daily routine requires some planning because not all fruits and vegetables contain much and animal based foods are completely devoid of it. In my opinion, being reminded of the importance of fiber, while becoming more aware of foods that are abundant in this dietary component is the key to making it a priority.
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Posted in Detoxification, Food and Drink, Nutrition | 8 Comments & Updates

Best of Dietary Fiber and Heart Disease

December 30, 2010 Written by JP

Some people like to play board games, watch sporting events or knit in their spare time. Me? I like to browse around the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site. I sometimes search around there for statistics that help shape the content that ends up here. The other day I found a few interesting facts and figures. I already knew that heart disease is the “leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States”. But I was still stunned by a few other statistics. In 2005, 7.6 million people’s lives ended prematurely due to coronary heart disease. In 2003, almost 40% of adults exhibited two or more of six risk factors for heart disease and stroke (diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity and smoking). These figures have probably only gotten worse in the time since they were compiled. This is evidenced by the most recent figure available: “In 2009, heart disease is projected to cost more than $304 billion dollars, including health care services, medications and lost productivity.”
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Posted in Food and Drink, Heart Health, Nutrition | 7 Comments & Updates

Low Carbohydrate Renaissance

December 29, 2010 Written by JP

One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year came in the form of an article that my wife sent me via e-mail. The piece, “A Reversal on Carbs”, was written by Marnia Jameson and appeared in December 20th online edition of the Los Angeles Times. It features the voices of many of the leading nutritional scientists the world over. The general thrust of the publication is best summarized by Dr. Walter Willet, the chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. He emphatically states that, “If Americans could eliminate sugary beverages, potatoes, white bread, pasta, white rice and sugar snacks, we would wipe out almost all of the problems we have with weight and diabetes and other metabolic diseases”. I would’ve added a few additional foods to that list, but otherwise I agree wholeheartedly. (1) Read more »


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Posted in Diet and Weight Loss, Food and Drink, Nutrition | 44 Comments & Updates

Best Of Chiropractic Adjustments

December 28, 2010 Written by JP

I have a confession to make. Even after many years of using and working with natural medicine, I still have an underlying fear of chiropractors. Not the men and women who make up the profession. But the actual process of getting an adjustment. I’ve just never gotten used to the cracking and popping sounds brought about by manual adjustments. However my concerns are often at odds with some of the positive evidence that exists about this widely utilized holistic technique. The most recent figures published by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine estimate that upwards of $4 billion a year is spent on “chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation” in the US alone. It appears that many health conscious consumers do not share my reservations about visiting their friendly, neighborhood chiropractor.
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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Bone and Joint Health | 3 Comments & Updates

Best Of Food Chemistry News

December 27, 2010 Written by JP

When you think of the word ‘chemistry’ an image of a science lab filled with beakers, flasks and petri dishes probably comes to mind. But you don’t need a Ph.D., safety goggles or a white lab coat to apply the power of this science as it relates to food. There are already scientists hard at work doing research in the field of food chemistry. All we have to do is pay attention to the papers they publish in the medical literature.
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Posted in Detoxification, Food and Drink, Nutrition | 7 Comments & Updates

Best Of Sarcopenia

December 24, 2010 Written by JP

Physical strength isn’t just a characteristic of athleticism and youth. Rather, it’s something we rely on in order to live the type of lifestyle we choose. It’s not imperative that we look like bodybuilders on Muscle Beach or bikini models in a sports magazine. But, we all hope to have enough power in our muscles to take walks in the park, shop at a sprawling super market and to play catch with our grandchildren. Unfortunately, maintaining lean body mass as we age is not a given. For many, it requires actively railing against the course that nature has plotted.
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Posted in Diet and Weight Loss, Exercise, Nutrition | 36 Comments & Updates

Soy Brain Damage

December 23, 2010 Written by JP

The claim: Men who eat tofu run the risk of (literally) shrinking their brains! Says who? Well, one of the leading or, at least, loudest voices in the natural health community – who shall remain nameless. It’s hard to find any component of the modern food chain that inspires quite as much debate or hyperbole as soy. Detractors claim it can cause everything from cancer to severe hormonal disorders in both men and women. On the other hand, promoters point to select evidence that suggests that soy offers many of the benefits of hormonal replacement therapy without the well documented risks. Where does the truth lie? I submit that the best possible answer is likely found in the medical literature.
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Posted in Food and Drink, Men's Health, Nutrition | 12 Comments & Updates

Best Of Aromatherapy News

December 22, 2010 Written by JP

The key to feeling more energetic and peaceful may be right in front of your face. Before you go crazy trying to figure it out – take a deep breath. Part of the solution is just breathing deeply. Now combine that action with essential oils derived from flowers, fruit rinds and leaves and you have a powerful natural remedy known as aromatherapy. My health promoting tip of the day is to inhale your way to a better state of mind.
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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Heart Health, Mental Health | 13 Comments & Updates

Hot Spiced Cereal Recipe

December 21, 2010 Written by JP

When you’re on a gluten-free, low carbohydrate diet you need to be inventive if you hope to have a richly satisfying and varied diet. I follow this type of eating plan because it suits my health better than any other diet I’ve ever tried before. The science supporting the avoidance of gluten, a protein found in many grains, and carbohydrate restriction played a big part in informing my decision. Thankfully, I’ve also created and discovered numerous recipes and products that help make my chosen diet a pleasure instead of a burden.
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Posted in Food and Drink, Heart Health, Recipes | 11 Comments & Updates

Best Of Snacking Confusion

December 20, 2010 Written by JP

Does snacking assist with weight loss or encourage weight gain? At first glance the answer may seem obvious. Many people come to the conclusion that adding a snack or two to your daily schedule surely increases caloric intake and, thereby, contributes to extra pounds. Well, that’s one theory. Another theory is that snacking between meals can help balance blood sugar and stave off overeating in subsequent meals. So which of these competing hypotheses is correct? I’ll give you my two cents on this debate in today’s Healthy Monday tip.
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Posted in Diet and Weight Loss, Food and Drink, Nutrition | 5 Comments & Updates

Healthy Criticism

December 17, 2010 Written by JP

On this site, I generally focus on the more positive and promising aspects of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). But not every study that examines the merits of natural treatments yields successful results. It’s important to point this out because I don’t want any of you to put your faith in holistic practices that could be ineffective and/or unsafe. To my mind, this is perhaps the greatest threat to the natural health movement. Setting unrealistic expectations in both open-minded patients and physicians is a recipe for disaster.
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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Food and Drink, Nutritional Supplements | 8 Comments & Updates

Yogurt Shopping

December 16, 2010 Written by JP

The yogurt section in health food stores and super markets isn’t what it used to be. Today there are more varieties of cultured dairy products than ever, without even touching on the multiplicity of flavors available. These days, you can buy yogurts made of cow’s milk, goat’s milk, rice or soy. There is also a wide array of additives or functional ingredients to consider. The options range from soy-based phytosterols which help lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol to probiotics which support a healthy immune system. However, with greater access to alternatives comes the responsibility of the consumer to discern which products are legitimate and which are just gimmicks.
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Posted in Diet and Weight Loss, Food and Drink, Nutrition | 11 Comments & Updates

Tomatoes and Diabetes

December 15, 2010 Written by JP

Are you diabetic? I’m not. But I approach my health care as if I were and I think most people should as well. By this, I don’t mean that the majority of you should start popping medications that help manage blood sugar. Far from it. Why do that when you can most likely attain healthy glucose control via exercise, stress management and a whole food diet? That’s the game plan I advocate for most of my clients. However there’s more to supporting diabetic health than simply sustaining optimal blood sugar levels. One of the other pieces of the puzzle involves restoring oxidative balance within the body. Eating or supplementing with foods rich in antioxidants may very well reduce the risk of health threats that are commonly associated with adult-onset diabetes and beyond.
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Posted in Diabetes, Food and Drink, Nutrition | 13 Comments & Updates