It’s Thursday once again and that means it’s Twitter time. This week I’m going to highlight a whole new group of gurus and health authorities that caught my eye over the past several days. In this week’s line-up is “America’s doctor”, Dr. Mehmet Oz; the grandaddy of alt-med integration, Dr. Andrew Weil; the nutritionist, therapist and trainer to the stars, Dr. Jonny Bowden; my local newpaper’s very own health column and finally Mr. Excuses Begone! himself, Dr. Wayne Dyer.

I really love to see big time, celebrity doctors actually take a moment or two out of their busy days to answer questions from random followers on Twitter. It’s the small things that can reaffirm your faith in humanity after all. Recently Dr. Mehmet Oz answered a young lady’s question about how to naturally satisfy hunger. Dr. Oz mentioned that he eats a “handful of walnuts every few hours”. I’m happy to report that this strategy is also supported by scientific research. A study published in the November 2009 edition of the journal Obesity found that adding walnuts to the breakfast of 20 men and women resulted in a greater level of satiety and sense of fullness. In that 4 day experiment, the benefits first became evident by day 3. This suggests the regular walnut consumption may be the most effective means of administration. (1,2,3)

Dr. Andrew Weil is one of the most influential members of the integrative health movement. This Harvard trained MD recently mentioned a Danish study on Twitter that focused on the beneficial effects of eating apples on intestinal flora. Researchers from the Technical University of Denmark discovered that feeding rats a diet rich in pectin, a type of soluble fiber found in apples, lead to larger populations of healthful bacteria in their digestive systems. In addition to positive bacterial changes, the scientists also noted increased concentrations of a chemical known as butyrate which may help support the integrity of the intestinal walls and discourage malignancies. (4,5,6,7)

Dr. Jonny Bowden is a really interesting figure in the field of low-carb, whole food nutrition and beyond. He’s got a master’s degree in counseling and psychology, a PhD in nutrition and six national certifications in exercise and personal training. This past week he tweeted about his love of the “incredible edible egg”. Dr. Bowden accurately points out that: a) the cholesterol contained in eggs has a minimal effect on cholesterol levels in the human body; b) much of the fat contained in egg yolks is the monounsaturated variety – much like that found in olive oil; c) eggs are loaded with healthful antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin (carotenoids) and essential nutrients including choline, folic acid and Vitamin D; d) eating eggs for breakfast can lower overall caloric intake for the day and thereby assist with weight management and; e) most studies have not found a negative correlation between egg consumption and cardiovascular risk. The one caveat that Dr. Jonny mentions is to avoid scrambled eggs such as those found in open buffets. The combination of the scrambling process and long periods of exposure to air and oxygen may damage the cholesterol and fat in eggs and render them decidedly unhealthy. Food for thought. (8,9)

I’m happy to report that my local (online) paper recently posted a message on Twitter that I can wholeheartedly endorse. Shari Roan of the LA Times posted a piece on March 22nd about the benefits of regularly drinking alcohol in small to moderate quantities. She cites three current studies that essentially come to pretty similar conclusions about the impact of drinking on cardiovascular and overall health – a little bit of alcohol is health promoting, but larger quantities are not as beneficial and can actually lead to a higher risk of all-cause mortality and decreased quality of life. (10,11,12,13,14)

If you’ve ever lied awake in bed late at night and turned on your local PBS station, then you’ve almost certainly seen at least one of Dr. Wayne Dyer’s motivational presentations. Dr. Dyer is one of the most popular gurus in the self help community. He also tweets. Here are a few of his pearls of wisdom of late: “The elevator to success is out of order today. You are going to have to take the stairway, one step at a time.” “Needing approval is like saying, ‘your view of me is more important than my own opinion of myself’.” “You are what you choose today, not what you’ve chosen before.” I know very well that some of you may be seriously contemplating these quotes while others are probably laughing out loud. Either outcome is a good one! Until next week … (15,16)

Be well!

JP