You don’t need to deprive yourself of pleasure or, worse yet, endure pain in order to live a healthy lifestyle. Why do you suppose that so many people find this hard to believe? Part of the reason is often because of disappointing experiences we’ve all had. I believe that many of these failures were likely prompted by poor advice provided by celebrated figures or so called authorities in the health care field. Then there’s the messages that we frequently see in advertisements for nutritional supplements, prescription medications, specialized exercise programs and even surgical procedures. The underlying theme is two-fold: 1) you need to buy something they’re selling in order to lose weight or otherwise regain your health; 2) you can try to do it on your own, but it’ll be very difficult and you’ll probably fail. To that, I say “nonsense”! Read more »

There’s a chain of high-end health foods stores in the United States called Whole Foods. It’s an amazing place to visit if you’re interested in gourmet foods, all-natural personal care items and the trendiest supplements known to mankind. But cheap it is not. Some people even joke that Whole Foods should be renamed Whole Paycheck because that’s often what you end up spending there. This can be rather disheartening for those who are interested in natural living, but can’t afford to shop in this manner. If you’ve ever felt that way, please be advised that the vast majority of holistic lifestyle choices aren’t cost prohibitive. The trick is finding creative ways to derive the same benefits that normally come with a hefty price tag. Read more »

One of the hardest “sells” in natural medicine is demonstrating that there can be substantive differences between products that seem similar. Many years ago a skeptical customer was discussing a supplement with an employee at a health food store. At that time, I was a consultant who assisted the owner of that establishment to choose which lines and products to stock. I overheard the conversation and decided to try to help out. The position of the customer was that all echinacea products should be comparably priced. His view was that they all came from the same plant, the same soil, the same planet and therefore should reflect that in their price point. My first approach was to provide details about the specific differences between the brands he was considering - variable concentrations of active ingredients, flower vs. root extracts, the scientific research conducted on certain products, etc. I was unable to sway him with that data. So I tried a different tactic. I asked, “Is it reasonable to pay the same amount for a brand new BMW as you would a used Honda Civic?” “Of course not”, he scoffed. I continued, “Why not? They’re both made with similar materials. They both have four tires and a steering wheel. You can use both cars to get to where you want to go.” Read more »

It’s too bad there aren’t lobbying groups that represent specific foods, practices and supplements. If there were, I could sit back in my office and take meetings all day long. An advocate for wild Alaskan salmon might drop by one afternoon and fill me in on the latest news about the healthiest ways to cook this prized fish. Or maybe a cheerleader for magnesium could make an appointment to reinforce the case for including plenty of this essential mineral in women’s diet in order to discourage cardiovascular disease. I’d even welcome a visit from a good, old fashioned dentist touting dental floss as a way of boosting brain performance in seniors. But alas, this type of lobbyist simply does not exist. That’s why I often travel around (offline and online) to track down such information. I am, in essence, an unpaid lobbyist for all of these causes. Read more »

One of the first things you notice about someone is their smile. It gives you an indication about their mood, personality and quite frankly, their hygiene. But even more importantly, the mouth is the gateway to good nutrition. If we can’t chew properly, then we can’t fully digest our food. Modern science is also building case for the connection between poor periodontal (gum) health and heart disease. So it’s more important than ever to practice good oral care. In today’s blog, I’m going to share some information that can help keep gums and teeth in prime shape. Read more »

Let’s be honest. Having bad breath stinks. It’s makes everyone uncomfortable. The person with bad breath suffers. The people who are exposed to the bad breath suffer. It’s just an annoying problem that leads to feelings of self consciousness for everyone involved. Read more »