We’re all told to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables in order to support good health. But has your doctor or nutritionist ever explained which produce items are most likely to contain higher levels of pesticides? Probably not. This is a shame because if you’re eating large amounts of conventionally grown fruits and veggies, you’re almost certainly taking in a fair amount of pesticide residue right along with the valuable antioxidants, fiber and nutrients inherently present in these foods. This may seem like a discouraging state of affairs. However, being aware of this reality is a good starting point to improve upon the quality of what you eat and feed your family. Read more »

Sometimes the best way to draw attention to a specific issue is to simply lay out the stark facts and figures. It is estimated that nearly 50,000 people will die in 2009 from colorectal cancer in the United States alone. If you look at the combined incidence of colorectal cancer in both men and women, it is the second leading cause of cancer related mortality. In the US, that means that over 106,000 people will be diagnosed with colon cancer and about 41,000 will learn that they have rectal cancer this year. What’s more, governmental statistics estimate that the lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is about 1 in 19 or 5.3%. These numbers may seem shocking because these forms of cancer simply do not receive as much attention as breast or prostate cancer for instance. But the news about colorectal cancer isn’t all negative. According to the US Centers for Disease Control, the “death rate” from colorectal cancer is on the decline, perhaps due to better screening and removal of pre-cancerous colon polyps. But, as always, I believe the most promising avenue in the field of cancer research involves the safe and judicious use of “preventive medicine”. Read more »

In an attempt to personalize HealthyFellow.com, I’m going to invite you all into a part of my world that only my wife and select family and friends ever venture into: our bathroom. Don’t be scared! There’s a perfectly logical reason for this. If you’re anything like me, you probably stare at the seemingly endless wall of natural hair and skin care items at your local health food store with a perplexed look on your face. The good news is that this very expression often attracts the cosmetics attendant on staff to try to rescue you from your daze. The bad news is that I rarely feel like I end up walking out of the store with exactly the type of product I was looking for. But through much trial and error, I’ve found a group of products by a single manufacturer with which I’ve experienced some success. I’m not trying to sell you anything, but rather hope that this information will assist you in finding cleaner products at a fraction of the cost and time. Read more »

Lots of people become frustrated when trying to interpret nutritional information. One day the news will report that eggs are dangerous and should be eaten only on rare occasions. A few months later, the headline will read that eggs can actually promote good health when eaten daily. This same type of back and forth can be found in most aspects of diet and lifestyle modification. The way to deal with conflicting data is either examine them closely or seek out those who make it their business to do the detective work for you. By following either of these tactics, the mystery surrounding the debate about what’s healthy and what’s not becomes much more manageable and, in turn, will make you a nutritional insider. Read more »

What’s the first thing you notice when you look at a blueberry or a cranberry or a raspberry? Our eyes usually pick up on the vibrant colors that are painted all over these seasonal fruits. And perhaps there’s a good reason why these colors draw our attention. You see, many of the health promoting substances in berries are present because of the pigments that make them so distinctive. Read more »

Shopping for healthy foods is always a balancing act. How do we go about finding the healthiest foods while staying within our budget? The answer is simple: by shopping smarter. Read more »