Chocolate and peanut butter is a classic pairing of savory and sweet. The trouble is that most incarnations of this delectable combination aren’t very good for you. And, while an occasional treat is fine for most, eating such desserts regularly is clearly ill advised. That’s why I made it my mission to create a recipe that will please both your body and palate. Your taste buds will suspect they’re being treated to something naughty, but the rest of you will know you’re having something nice.

Read more »

A reader recently inquired about why I use so many eggs in the recipes I post on this site. After all, eggs contain a considerable amount of cholesterol and saturated fat. Some medical authorities claim that these dietary components are harmful to the cardiovascular system. In fact, if you browse through the scientific literature you’ll find plenty of reason for pause with respect to eating eggs as a regular part of your diet. And if you happen to be “at risk” for heart disease, forget about it! Don’t even look at eggs! But as is often the case, first impressions don’t always tell the entire story. Read more »

One of the most frequent questions I’m asked with regard to my diet is whether or not I miss eating certain “restricted” foods. When addressing this issue I always begin by clarifying that I can eat anything I want. However, I choose to avoid certain foods that I think are counterproductive to my good health. It’s a fine distinction, but an important one. It emphasizes a personal decision or will power rather than simply adhering to a defined restriction or following a dogmatic rule lockstep. Getting back to the initial question, yes, I do occasionally crave foods from my past which I now choose to avoid. And I’m not the only one. Recently, I noticed that Mrs. Healthy Fellow had been longing for something special that we both hadn’t indulged in for a very long time – cake. It just so happened that Mrs. HF had a birthday this past weekend. The following is the exact birthday cake I made for this glorious celebration.
Read more »

I always try to find new and inventive ways to improve the health of those I love. I keep this objective in mind whenever I scour the medical journals or surf the information superhighway. But, in all honesty, I have an even more specific agenda – to discover delicious, pleasurable and/or simple ways of promoting wellness in my family and friends. I simply despise having to tell them that they need to make difficult changes in order to achieve better health. Sometimes this an unavoidable fact of life. However, if there is any way for me to offer a kinder, gentler alternative that’s precisely what I’ll do.
Read more »

Cooking can be an adventure. I recently undertook a recipe that involved using an ingredient and cooking technique that were completely new to me. In doing so, there was a certain degree of excitement and trepidation involved, but it’s precisely that kind of risk and uncertainty that can produce a richly rewarding (and delicious) experience. Today’s recipe now ranks among my favorite seafood meals of all time. What’s best of all is that I know exactly how it was made and the quality of the healthful components contained therein.
Read more »

Today’s edition of Twitter Thursday focuses of three topics that I think can positively impact your health care. In the first segment I’ll continue my quest to dispel the myth that eggs are an unhealthy food because of their cholesterol and saturated fat content. The middle segment will bring to light an emerging theory that some cases of appendicitis may not require surgical intervention. Lastly, I’ll add my two cents to a popular list of the “12 Best Smoothie Ingredients”. By the time you’re done reading today’s column, I hope you’ll take away a few ideas and insights about how to better serve your own wellness and beyond.
Read more »

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. * Read more »

My wife and I had the pleasure of celebrating Father’s Day with my parents and sister this past weekend. It may come as no surprise, but the topic of health almost always pops up whenever we get together. The unfortunate reality is that some of the stories we discuss are rather sobering. For instance, my mother mentioned an old friend of the family who is now in her late 90′s. Apparently she’s lost much of her appetite so that her nutritional outlook isn’t very promising. This is particularly troubling because getting adequate nutrition is all the more important for seniors. This exchange with my mom inspired the following two recipes. Read more »

One of our favorite places to visit is Santa Fe, New Mexico. There was a period of time when we even considered relocating there. The desert landscape is incredibly beautiful. The weather is milder than you might expect in summer and winter. The people are warm and generous. We are happy there because it melds many of the finer aspects of small town living with some of the cultural benefits you’d associated with “big city life” – fine dining, a vibrant art scene and a top-notch opera company. The following recipe is our little homage to Santa Fe and something we prepare when we are longing for “The City Different”. Read more »

What’s good for the individual is good for society. That adage may not always be true, but it often is with regard to health care. But even if you accept this principle, you still have to establish the meaning of the word “good” in the realm of medicine and nutrition. This past week on Twitter I discovered several examples of “good” advice from a varied group of health experts. Some of the recommendations presented may very well surprise you. Read more »

In this week’s edition of Twitter Thursday I’m going to focus on practical ways to avoid some common pitfalls of 21st century living. Our expert line-up today includes a few familiar faces, such as Dr. Michael Eades, author of The 6 Week Cure for the Middle-Aged Middle and Rick McGuire, one of the most informative and prolific health figures on Twitter. But there are also some new contributors in the bullpen: Dr. Soram Khalsa, a founding member of the American Holistic Medical Association; Joy McCarthy, an influential nutritionist from Toronto, Canada and last, but not least, some words of wisdom from Neatorama – one of the more enjoyable and entertaining sites on the worldwide web. Read more »

It’s Thursday once again and that means it’s Twitter time. This week I’m going to highlight a whole new group of gurus and health authorities that caught my eye over the past several days. In this week’s line-up is “America’s doctor”, Dr. Mehmet Oz; the grandaddy of alt-med integration, Dr. Andrew Weil; the nutritionist, therapist and trainer to the stars, Dr. Jonny Bowden; my local newpaper’s very own health column and finally Mr. Excuses Begone! himself, Dr. Wayne Dyer. Read more »

There’s a common perception out there that academics live in “ivory towers”. The papers and studies they publish often seem distant from the realities of life outside of the halls of academia. However some researchers clearly don’t fit this mold. An example can be found in the most recent edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Within the pages of the journal resides a paper written by a staff member of the University of Washington. The topic revolves around a guide referred to as The Nutrient Rich Foods Index, a “formal scoring system that ranks food on the basis of its nutrient content”. The author of this particular paper set out to identify the most affordable, nutrient rich foods. Read more »

I always try to find new and inventive ways to improve the health of those I love. I keep this objective in mind whenever I scour the medical journals or surf the information superhighway. But, in all honesty, I have an even more specific agenda – to discover delicious, pleasurable and/or simple ways of promoting wellness in my family and friends. I simply despise having to tell them that they need to make difficult changes in order to achieve better health. Sometimes this an unavoidable fact of life. However, if there is any way for me to offer a kinder, gentler alternative that’s precisely what I’ll do. Read more »

Certain foods tend to get a bad rap across the board. These so called “dietary offenders” generally fall into two camps: foods that are rich in cholesterol and saturated fat, and desserts, drinks or snacks that are abundant in simple carbohydrates. I can’t think of a good argument for sugar laden treats, but I do believe that many foods containing cholesterol and saturated fat are, in fact, healthy. This point of view is often shared by nutritionists and physicians who have adopted a low-carbohydrate philosophy. However, the vast majority of conventional doctors and nutrition advisors disagree. One of the reasons why I personally think that foods such as beef, eggs and pork can be healthful additions to the average diet is because they’re loaded with an essential nutrient known as choline. Read more »

Culture and geography have a profound influence over the types of scientific trials that are conducted worldwide. The health benefits of natural medicines such as cat’s claw or yerba mate are frequently investigated in South America. Ginseng and tea have been extensively researched by Asian institutes of medicine. In the United States, a great deal of time and energy has been devoted to the study of dairy products and eggs. The common link among all of these foods and herbal remedies is that they play a major role in the economy and health of their countries of origin. Read more »