I watched a tragically sad piece on last weekend’s edition of the news program 60 Minutes. A series of patients with life threatening illnesses fell prey to a con artist who claimed to be able to heal them via natural remedies and stem cell treatments. This segment really hit home because it was a stark reminder that hope must be doled out judiciously. I believe the defining difference between well placed and false hope can be summarized in one word: evidence. Hope with a foundation that is evidence-based can be constructive and sometimes yields dramatic outcomes. On the other hand, false hope leaves patients vulnerable to exploitation and heart break.
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How you prepare food and the manner in which you consume it can make all difference. A healthy vegetable can easily be rendered into a health hazard by dipping it in batter and deep frying it in hydrogenated oils. On the other hand, marinating meat with aromatic herbs and spices and cooking it at the right temperature can prevent certain food-borne illnesses. These are a few of the more obvious examples. But looking a little deeper into the scientific literature reveals lesser known tips about how to get the most out of your dietary choices. Read more »

I know today’s topic will affect most of you out there. How do I know this? Because you’re sitting in front of a computer monitor reading. If you do that frequently enough and for long enough stretches of time, your eyes will start to rebel. But the reality is that many of us conduct some or all of our work in front of a Mac or PC. Since that’s the case, allow me to share a useful piece of information that can help make our eyes a little more forgiving. Read more »