Propolis isn’t nearly as well known as honey. In fact, it serves no culinary purpose in the human food chain. However, for bees, it plays an essential role in building and maintaining beehives by acting as a glue of sorts. It is also commonly employed as an ingredient in many natural cold and flu remedies. I was recently reminded of this while visiting a number of integrative pharmacies throughout France. But popularity doesn’t necessarily equate to efficacy or safety. One of the questions I sought to answer upon returning to the US was scientific evidence to support the modern and traditional use of bee propolis.
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Traveling presents a unique set of challenges in terms of maintaining dietary standards. I was reminded of this during the past few weeks while I was away on a business trip in Europe. Even though I made the best possible food choices, I must admit that the quality of my diet wasn’t on par with what I’m accustomed to eating at home. Fortunately, I anticipated this turn of events and adjusted my nutritional supplements accordingly.
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The first thing I do each day when I sit in front of my computer is to visit a specific web site. Based on what you know of me, you might think that destination would have something to do with natural health. In a way, it does. But perhaps not quite the way you’d expect. My homepage is set to The Hunger Site. Recently, I had the opportunity to engage in a Q&A with Tim Kunin, the CEO of the GreaterGood Network. I hope that the information shared will inspire you to “click to give” like thousands of others do on a daily basis. Did I mention that taking part in this worthy endeavor won’t cost you anything at all?
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This past weekend, I sat in a cozy hotel room in Paris watching the snow fall onto a picturesque street. I snapped a photo of this lovely moment to share with you. In one hand, I held cup of espresso and in the other a copy of USA Today. In it, an article written by the famed pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene captured my attention. The thrust of the piece was to persuade parents to discontinue using white rice cereal as a starter food for their babies. Who could disagree with that? As is often the case in medicine and nutrition, there’s more to the story than meets the eye.
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A client just asked me about a column she read in the New York Times. It dealt with the advisability of using coffee to manage asthma symptoms. Home remedies such as coffee and tea contain naturally occurring chemicals known as methylxanthines which act as bronchodilators. According to a recent summary article in the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews, caffeine can also reduce “respiratory muscle fatigue”. However, the noted benefits for asthmatics tend to be rather short lived with improvements of airway function lasting four hours at best. In my opinion, there are better ways of dealing with the chronic issues that affect patients with asthma. (1,2)
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Garlic is one of the most commonly enjoyed seasonings in modern cuisine. There’s little doubt that many a dish benefits from it. Likewise, the health promoting attributes of garlic have been revered and utilized by civilizations for thousands of years. All that said, the after effects of Allium sativum consumption sometimes leave much to be desired. The reality is that garlic doesn’t just affect breath via the oral cavity. Recent scientific inquiries into this malodorous topic attest to the fact that certain sulfur compounds in garlic such as allyl methyl sulfide (AMS), hydrogen sulfide and methanethiol can also emanate from the gut. But you don’t necessarily need to give up garlic altogether in order to keep your colleagues, friends and mates happy. Before resorting to such extreme measures, you might consider trying out the following natural breath fresheners.
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Many health experts ranging from Dr. Loren Cordain (The Paleo Diet) to Dr. Barry Sears (The Zone Diet) recommend choosing foods that help balance ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. The primary motivation for doing so is a documented anti-inflammatory shift that takes place when n-3 fats including ALA, DHA and EPA account for a larger proportion of your total calories. The most direct way to achieve this end is to consume more fish and/or supplement with algae, fish or krill oil. But modern science has recently revealed a lesser known means of supporting a healthier omega-3 status – the use of antioxidant pigments such as those found in berries and red wine.
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Marinated olives are a staple whenever we entertain company. Not only are olives an excellent low carb source of antioxidants and nutrients, but they’re also incredibly versatile. They can be mild or spicy, plain or stuffed, served as a tapenade or as whole fruits. We typically offer them along side an assortment of fresh cut vegetables and dip, raw cheeses and nuts and of course, a selection or biodynamic or organic red wine. But I must admit that olive leaves never seem to make the cut. I suppose we could serve olive leaf tea as a beverage option, though the bitter taste is probably a bit too acrid and unfamiliar for us and most guests. This is likely a shame because emerging research is revealing some rather noteworthy attributes for olive leaf extract (OLE).

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The premier naturopathic institute of learning in the United States is Bastyr University. The president of Bastyr U is Joseph Pizzorno, ND. Recently, Dr. Pizzorno posted a tweet informing his “followers” that he’s just completed writing a monograph on magnesium. In his brief communication, he goes on to emphasize the importance of this essential mineral by revealing that is “necessary for over 300 enzyme systems” in the human body and that over 60% of Americans are deficient in magnesium. There’s very good reason not to be part of this silent majority.
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Today I’m proud to present the conclusion of my interview with Dr. Barry Sears. After I posted the initial segment of the Q&A, I received some comments and emails inquiring about my opinion of the data and theories that Dr. Sears presented. I’m always happy to offer my perspective even when it differs from the views of my guests. I firmly believe that agreement is less important than an open and respectful exchange of ideas. That’s precisely the type of environment I hope to foster here. The one constant that I can promise you is that I’ll only present information from experts that I think have something valuable to share. By all accounts, Dr. Sears has contributed a great deal of insight and research to what’s currently known about the role that hormones and inflammation play in diabetes, obesity and beyond. You and I may not decide to adopt every recommendation he makes. But I for one will seriously consider what he has to say and incorporate his suggestions when they seem applicable to my goals.
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