I’m always on the lookout for “new” foods that I can add to my diet to keep things interesting. If these culinary additions happen to be delicious and nutrient dense, all the better. Sweet potato leaves are an excellent candidate that I’m planning to experiment with for two reasons. First and foremost, they bring robust nutrition to the table. A publication appearing in the October 2010 issue of the journal Nutrition Reviews proclaims that eating sweet potato leaves may “play a role in health promotion by improving immune function, reducing oxidative stress and free radical damage, reducing cardiovascular disease risk, and suppressing cancer cell growth”. All of these assertions and more are backed up by scientific studies in prestigious medical journals. There’s even evidence that eating sweet potato greens may protect consumers from age-related conditions such as macular degeneration. Secondly, according to a few of my foodie friends, these dark green leafy vegetables are quite versatile and can be used in place of other, more commonly used contenders including collard greens, kale and spinach. They can also be eaten raw as complementary or primary ingredients in salads. Perhaps best of all, they’re naturally low in calories (about 20 calories per cup) and have a very low glycemic load of only 2. I hope you’ll join me in trying out this traditional food which may be as new for you as it is for me.

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There is much debate within alternative and conventional medical circles about the appropriate role of dietary supplements in patient care. Opinions range from absolute avoidance to daily dependence. However, there is one thing that just about everyone agrees on. A healthy diet should be the primary source of essential nutrients. But, what constitutes a wholesome diet? According to many nutritional authorities, an emphasis on low-glycemic fruits and non-starchy vegetables is an excellent starting point. If you have a hard time achieving this goal, I think it’s worth considering supplements that consist of concentrated fruit and vegetable extracts. The latest support for my position comes courtesy of a study published in the August 2011 issue of the journal Skin Pharmacology and Physiology. It found that a 12 week course of supplementation with “an encapsulated fruit and vegetable juice concentrate” resulted in statistically relevant improvements in skin quality (dermal density, hydration and thickness) in a group of 26 middle aged women. Two other publications from earlier this year go on to report that the same supplement decreased LDL cholesterol and oxidative stress in “heavy smokers” and reduced the incidence of common cold symptoms by 20% in a relatively large sampling of healthcare professionals. These are real world results that mimic what you might expect to find by eating a fruit and vegetable rich diet. This is also precisely the sort of data needed for patients and physicians to consider the validity of dietary supplements in their personal lives and public practices.

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One of the reasons I chose the Internet as my primary mode of communication is that it allows me to continually and publicly update my points of views without much lag time. If a new study is published that contradicts or modifies my opinion about a health topic, I can spread the word about the breaking data almost immediately. The same is not true of books, magazine articles or print newsletters. This reality often leaves me wondering what some of the finest minds in integrative medicine think about current headlines that don’t make it into their finished work. Fortunately, on occasion, I’m able to follow up with some of the health experts I respect the most and ask some of the questions that have been left unaddressed.
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New York City is rightly considered one of the culinary capitals of the world. Top chefs from every conceivable background set up shop in NYC to show off their most creative and revolutionary gastronomic concepts. This is great news for visiting epicureans, but a potential disaster for anyone trying to adhere to a healthy diet. I fall squarely into both camps. I’m an admitted foodie that insists upon nutrient density. What to do?
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Tomorrow will mark the release of a new educational tool created by the U.S.D.A. that is intended to shape the way Americans eat. A “dinner plate” will be used to illustrate the recommended intake of various food groups instead of using the previous graphic – a “food pyramid”. The exact details of what will be served on the plate have yet to be made public. But clues provided by administration insiders highlight the expected guidelines that are to come. Read more »

As a child of two Italian parents, I can tell you that one of the most difficult dietary changes I’ve made is to eliminate pasta from my life. The one thing that capellini, fettuccine, linguine and spaghetti all have in common is that they’re traditionally made from wheat flour. That, in and of itself, excludes them from my menu plan. Even reduced-carbohydrate pastas and countless others don’t work for me because they typically contain gluten – a protein found in grains that can provoke allergic reactions and other health consequences. But rather than give up on pasta altogether, I’ve opted to rediscover it in a slightly different form.
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I’ll be away on a business trip for the next couple weeks. I have some consulting work and research to conduct in Europe. While away, I plan to continue to post new content. However, you’ll notice a difference in the length of my road trip material. Some of my upcoming columns will be abbreviated because of my hectic itinerary and time constraints. But, when I return home, I hope to have some interesting anecdotes and information to share with you about my time abroad.
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One of the top news stories from this past week was the “voluntary” removal of the weight loss drug Meridia from the US market. Dr. John Jenkins, the director of the Food and Drug Administration’s drug evaluation branch, stated “Meridia’s continued availability is not justified when you compare the very modest weight loss that people achieve on this drug to their risk of heart attack or stroke”. Presently, there are an estimated 100,000 patients in the US using this previously sanctioned medication. But now, they’re being urged to discontinue using it and consult with their physicians about alternative means of losing those extra pounds. My Healthy Monday tip of the week is to strategically use safe dietary techniques to accomplish your weight loss goals instead of potentially dangerous drugs.
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There are certain trends that are very difficult to predict. Long term economic forecasts, technological prognostication and weather outlooks are notorious for making many analysts look the fool. However, select aspects of health care are considerably easier to estimate. An example is preventable disease. Far too many people are literally speeding up their own demise by the way they live their lives. Some of the hardest hit segments of this population are children and adults experiencing financial hardship. What is desperately needed is some meaningful form of intervention. Several recent messages on Twitter offer practical suggestions about how to reduce the economic burden and widespread damage associated with preventable health conditions.
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Recently, Mrs. Healthy Fellow and I celebrated our 11 year anniversary. When we first started dating one of our favorite meals was a dish known as Melanzane Alla Caprina – a devilish, culinary creation from Italy, the land of my ancestors. Goat cheese is rolled into breaded and fried slices of eggplant, then topped with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and served with freshly baked, artisan bread. We’ve long since abandoned that style of eating. But the lovely recollections of that time period were in my thoughts while I was thinking up a recipe for this week.
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Traveling can be be a lot of fun but it can also be challenging if you’re on a prescribed diet or wellness routine. Mrs. Healthy Fellow and I were reminded of this when we spent this past July in Martha’s Vineyard. Today I’m going tell you about a few of the strategies we personally employed and also give you an idea about what kinds of foods we ate while away from home. If we can manage to stay true to our health objectives while on the road, so can you. Read more »

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 »

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 »

Kids often times wonder why things are the way they are. Parents know this phenomenon all too well. Rarely does a word strike as much dread in a father and mother’s heart as the word “why”. The answer to such a question usually isn’t that complicated. But rather it’s the understanding that any answer given will often prompt the follow up question – “But, why?”. I think I may be able to help out with this. The next time you instruct your daughter or son to eat their broccoli, Brussels sprouts or cauliflower and they ask you why, you can simply tell them that: “Cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates that assist the body in detoxifying xenochemicals and discouraging aberrant cellular and hormonal processes that can ultimately result in malignancies”. Works every time! Read more »

Many doctors and nutritionists have long held the view that eating more fruits and vegetables is key to maintaining a healthy weight. Sometimes there’s some disagreement about what kinds of plant foods best serve this purpose. But ultimately, there is a general consensus that this is a positive step we can take towards combating obesity. It’s been widely assumed that fruits and veggies largely replace less nutritious foods in the average diet. This is frequently the case. However, recent scientific developments help explain exactly why plant-based foods have a fat fighting effect. This additional knowledge may provide a renewed incentive for eating more natural, whole foods. Read more »

I think almost anyone who uses the Internet can relate to this scenario: You receive an e-mail from a family member or friend alerting you to a health threat that isn’t very well known, but potentially deadly. In recent years, one of the most frequently circulated e-mails of this type has focused on the supposed connection between eating grapefruits and breast cancer risk. As with many of these chain e-mails, there is some basis for the concern. But the question is: How alarmed should we be? Read more »