The first Monday in September ushers in Labor Day in the United States. This is a federal holiday that celebrates the achievements of American workers and the establishment of the labor movement over 100 years ago. It also provides an extended three-day weekend for many families and a final opportunity to enjoy the long, hot days of summer. A familiar part of many Labor Day get-togethers is firing up the barbecue. Beef, turkey or “veggie” burgers top the list of grill-friendly candidates to serve at such occasions. But this year, I’m going to do something slightly different. Instead of the standard fare, lamb burgers are on the menu and with good reason.

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There is an enormous gap between what we know and don’t know in the field of alternative and complementary medicine. Countless questions remain unanswered simply because there isn’t enough financing and resources to test in a scientific manner. That’s why it’s vitally important to put to use every last study that has been conducted. Because even the slightest of experiments can yield important clues that help bridge the knowledge gap. Read more »

Every once in a while I stumble across a “Where are they now?” program on television – a show documenting the lives of famous figures long after the spotlight has left them behind. A similar analogy could be made in the field of medicine. Select foods, medical procedures and supplements are always the recipients of media attention, but typically, it doesn’t last for very long. Does this mean that they’re no longer noteworthy once the spotlight has left them behind? Not from my perspective. That’s why I think it’s so important to continually update the columns I’ve written in the past. Read more »

Here’s an age old question: “Do you need to see something in order to believe it?”. The answer for some is “yes” and many require visual proof before they can accept something as legitimate or real. But there’s a whole other camp of thought. Some ascribe to the notion that you must first believe something is possible before you’re capable of seeing it. There isn’t a chance in the world that I can negotiate an agreement between these two schools of thought. However, a recent post on Twitter adds an interesting twist to this debate.
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This past weekend was a little different than most. Instead of spending it with family or friends, I took a little road trip to Anaheim, California – probably best known as the home of the Angels baseball team and Disneyland. But, my destination was neither a sporting event nor “the happiest place on Earth”. Rather, I was on a mission that would take me deep into the heart of the natural product industry. March 12th through the 14th marked the 30th annual Natural Products Expo West/Supply Expo. I was there along with approximately 56,000 other members of the natural health industry. This is my first report from the field. Read more »

There’s a seemingly never-ending list of controversies in the natural health movement. All of the conflicting proclamations can either drive you mad or stimulate curiosity and a desire to get to the bottom of the prickly issues involved. Believe it or not, one the most intense battlegrounds in the nutritional field has to do with the role of the humble soy bean in the modern day diet. Some authorities claim that soy is harmful to babies and children. Others warn of soy’s role in affecting thyroid function and women’s health issues. Then there’s the issue of how soy impacts men, which is the focus of today’s column. Read more »

One of the biggest downfalls of any diet is the feeling that your food options are limited. Another pitfall is the impression that eating a natural, whole food diet is generally quite bland. The relative absence of flavor enhancers takes time to adjust to and some people never totally embrace that shift. Recently, I’ve discovered a few natural food additives and substitutes that have helped me to make my diet both healthier and more flavorful. Read more »

It’s late at night and I’m driving home after a decidedly rough evening. I’m feeling kind of down and all I see is an endless parade of fast food restaurants with convenient drive-thrus beckoning. A thick, cold and creamy milk shake sounds just like the ticket. Maybe some of you out there can relate? I know all too well that a pit stop to “soothe” the pain with some junk food would, ultimately, only make a bad night worse. So instead, I decide to stick to the resolve that’s helped me to lose over 80 pounds in the past several months. Then a thought occurred to me. Why not try sticking to my diet while still having some comfort food? So I that’s what I did. Read more »

At some point in of our lives, we’ll all be wounded in one way or another. It could be something minor, like a sprained ankle or something as serious as spinal cord injury. Even the after effects of elective surgery should be considered in any thorough discussion about wound recovery. But there is an aspect of healing that is rarely discussed in modern medicine – the role that one’s mental state and nutrition play in physical recovery.

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One of the biggest obstacles to living a healthy lifestyle is a lack of time. Many of us are constantly “on the go”. The thought of preparing three, wholesome, homemade meals on a daily basis is just not practical. But I have good news – one answer to this conundrum can be found within the problem itself. Today, I’m going to share a personal strategy that allows me to stick to a day-in and day-out healthy lifestyle. The key to my success is choosing a WOE (way of eating) that is practical. Read more »