I’m going to end this week by engaging in some good ol’ fashioned mythbusting. Have you ever heard a doctor emphatically state that you should never combine nutritional supplements and conventional cancer treatment? How about all those so-called experts who tell you that eating lots of fat will put you on the fast track to chronic disease. Are they as right as they think they are? I’m sure many of you have been made to believe that skin care creams sold by dermatologists are more effective than those you can buy at your local supermarket or the cosmetics counter of your pharmacy. Let’s put that notion to the test. Finally, can we at least agree that chocolate is fattening? I mean come on! Everybody knows that! It’s time to reconsider what we’ve been taught and take a closer look at what the real scientists are actually trying to tell us. Read more »

The most cost effective way to reduce medical spending is to require less of it. This isn’t a commentary on what the government or private health insurance companies should or should not cover. What I am suggesting is that we can, in large part, control the number of medical interventions that we’ll need over a lifetime. This is primarily the domain of preventive medicine, but I think it extends beyond that. The lifestyle decisions you make affect more lives than just your own. Like it or not, we all set an example whether constructive or destructive for those around us. There is no escaping that reality. The good news is that we’re all capable of changing the way we live and becoming better role models. It is that very notion that can empower us all to participate in reshaping the current medical system. Read more »

I was recently reminded of one of the most important tools available to us as patients: awareness. The quality of care we receive can be greatly influenced by the feedback we provide to our treating physicians. A seemingly insignificant change in how we feel such as headache, muscle pain or an occasional “racing heart beat” could identify whether a new medication or therapy is working or life threatening. Likewise, it’s important to be mindful of any minute or substantial signs of positive changes as well. In short, we need to understand what we should expect from any new treatment and then pay close attention to any potentially related reactions. Read more »

In everyone’s life there are specific images that we associate with childhood. It might be a photograph taken on a family vacation or the memory of a swing set that used to reside in the backyard of your first home. Iconic foods can also take us back in time to our youth. More often than not, these foods consist of confections that we’ve mostly given up as we’ve grown older and more health conscious. One of the most memorable treats from my early years is the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It’s been a long time since I’ve had one because I no longer eat bread and sugar sweetened jelly. But Mrs.Healthy Fellow recently came up with a creative solution that could once again reunite me with my childhood buddy, PB&J. Read more »

Most nutritionists agree that a hearty breakfast is an integral part of a healthy diet. But many people avoid morning meals either because of a lack appetite or a scarcity of time. I can’t personally relate to the absence of hunger, but I can understand not having the time to prepare and eat a proper meal on the go. That’s why I’ve devised a few simple recipes that help me to sidestep these pitfalls. These “breakfasts on the go” are dairy-free, low in sugar and nutrient dense. I also happen to think they’re quite delicious. Read more »

Convenience is a valuable commodity in today’s world. Many of us take business trips, commute or otherwise find ourselves away from home for at least some of our meals and snacks. This is one of the reasons why so-called “convenience stores” and fast food restaurants are more popular than ever. But we all understand that the quality of food found at those establishments is rarely health promoting. Still, we’re often in the position of having to make the best possible food choice in a less than ideal locale. This predicament sometimes leads us to the protein bar section of a liquor store or mini-market. But once there, you will find that not all nutritional bars and snacks are created equally. Read more »

Technology can be both a blessing and a curse. It’s all a matter of how we decide to use it. The Internet is a good example of this. Some experts warn that sitting in front of a computer for prolonged periods of time can bring about physical and psychological consequences, including obesity and social isolation. But there’s a growing body of science that points to a constructive way to spend time online. Specifically, researchers are finding that overweight individuals can benefit from the educational content and interpersonal support that is readily available to nearly anyone who has an Internet connection. Read more »

Thursday is the day of the week that I venture out to my local health food store. Today’s mission: To find a crunchy snack that’s all-natural, nutritious and delicious. It’s a tall order, but I think I’ve come up with three noteworthy items that fit the bill. There’s a little something for everyone: raw foodists, vegetarians and those of us on low-carb diets. I’m even throwing in a recipe from my own kitchen that is far more versatile and easy to prepare than any other chip or cracker I’ve ever made. Please join me on this brief tour to the land of healthy snacking. Read more »

I believe that the cornerstone of good health is a constructive relationship between patient and physician. It’s a real gamble to remain passive and simply hope that doctors will ask all the right questions and pass along every piece of pertinent information that is currently available. That’s simply too great a burden to place on any type of “healer”. But beyond that, I think all patients have a responsibility to share what they’ve personally learned in order to improve the quality of their own care and, possibly, the care of fellow patients. The following information may be relevant to many who would like to take a more pro-active approach in their own wellness program. Read more »

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you know my general philosophy is to steer you toward antioxidant and nutrient dense whole foods that are low in sugar. This is the basic tenet of most low carbohydrate diets. But there is a common misconception about carb reduced menu plans and that is that they can’t include plenty of vegetables and even some fruit. This is simply not the case. Today I’ll focus on several exceptional fruits and vegetables that can be deliciously incorporated into almost any diet. These are the exact types of foods that have enjoyed a favorable scientific spotlight for years now. In addition, I’ll provide some very simple ways in which you can prepare these nutritional gems to enhance flavor while keeping prep time in check. Read more »

I have a simple and completely immodest goal for today’s column: to help drastically reduce the number of breast cancer diagnoses in the years to come. It may not be realistic to expect that kind of impact from a health blog such as this. But I’m confident that implementing the research presented on this site and other scientifically based sources, you can influence the risk of developing this all too common disease. By taking proactive steps to protect yourself, you’ll then likely influence others in a positive way, including your doctors. This is how true health revolutions take foot. Inform yourself, lead by example, spread the word and defy the odds. Read more »

I’ve noticed that some people tend to compartmentalize their health conditions. Doctors and lay people alike often think about organs and systems in isolation. It’s not uncommon for someone to identify the status of their health by mentioning a particular condition, such as diabetes or heart disease. But the truth is that any serious health concern or collection of symptoms is almost always influenced by seemingly unrelated conditions. This concept is widely embraced in the holistic community but has gained slower acceptance in the allopathic medical establishment. Regardless of what kind of doctor treats you, I think it’s important to emphasize the subtle links between body systems. Today, I’ll illustrate an example by connecting the dots among several separate news items. Read more »

This site is all about providing information about safe(r) and viable alternatives to conventional treatments. Although I understand that some of the data presented here could be considered controversial, that’s not my intention. In fact, I try not to factor that in at all when writing these columns. My sincere intent is to allow for the scientific research to dictate which items I cover. I do, however, make a conscious effort to find material that is unlikely to get much attention from the “traditional medical establishment”. By presenting such data, I hope to assist readers in making a more informed decision as to how to best formulate a wellness program.
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Let’s say you’re hosting a party and a few of your guests have special nutritional needs. Maybe they’re diabetic or trying to avoid refined carbohydrates and sugar. Or perhaps they suffer from celiac disease, which makes eating most grains out of the question. Today I’d like to share a few of my favorite appetizers, which happen to be very low in sugar and gluten-free. But make no mistake, they’re loaded with robust flavors that’ll satisfy even the pickiest eaters. Read more »

One of the greatest gifts of the Internet is the ability to learn more about the lives of others. By writing this blog, I hope to not only provide scientific information that may be useful, but also a glimpse into some of the healthier practices of my life. Sometimes seeing how others apply health principles can help us to adopt similar concepts or even inspire us to improve upon the examples we see. Read more »

Type 2 diabetes affects approximately 18 million men, women and children in the US, and that number is growing at an alarming rate. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control have recently classified type 2 diabetes as an epidemic because the number of people diagnosed has doubled between the years of 1990 to 2005. Why is this happening? Poor diet and lifestyle are thought to be the primary reasons. The fatter and more out of shape we become, the more likely were are to contract this potentially life-threatening disorder. Read more »