The first thing I do each day when I sit in front of my computer is to visit a specific web site. Based on what you know of me, you might think that destination would have something to do with natural health. In a way, it does. But perhaps not quite the way you’d expect. My homepage is set to The Hunger Site. Recently, I had the opportunity to engage in a Q&A with Tim Kunin, the CEO of the GreaterGood Network. I hope that the information shared will inspire you to “click to give” like thousands of others do on a daily basis. Did I mention that taking part in this worthy endeavor won’t cost you anything at all?
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Today I’m proud to present the conclusion of my interview with Dr. Barry Sears. After I posted the initial segment of the Q&A, I received some comments and emails inquiring about my opinion of the data and theories that Dr. Sears presented. I’m always happy to offer my perspective even when it differs from the views of my guests. I firmly believe that agreement is less important than an open and respectful exchange of ideas. That’s precisely the type of environment I hope to foster here. The one constant that I can promise you is that I’ll only present information from experts that I think have something valuable to share. By all accounts, Dr. Sears has contributed a great deal of insight and research to what’s currently known about the role that hormones and inflammation play in diabetes, obesity and beyond. You and I may not decide to adopt every recommendation he makes. But I for one will seriously consider what he has to say and incorporate his suggestions when they seem applicable to my goals.
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A few weeks ago, a reader named Vicky left me a comment that has stuck with me ever since. She wondered if there was a way for me to help poor people who don’t have Internet access or the resources necessary to implement much of the information I present on this site. Specifically, the post she was referring had to do with the Novel H1N1 Swine Flu virus. As I typed my response, I realized that even something as basic as a multivitamin was out reach for some of the most vulnerable populations in the world. It is at that point that I remembered the name of a charity that I have seen in natural health magazines and trade journals. The two words that came back to me were: Vitamin Angels.
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Dr. Barry Sears is the highly acclaimed author and creator of The Zone Diet. If you were at all tuned in to the world of health and nutrition in the mid-to-late 90’s you’ve almost certainly heard about and/or experimented with his unique dietary recommendations that calls for a specific ratio of carbohydrates, fat and protein. Since then, Dr. Sears has gone on to research and report on novel ways to address disease and obesity by countering “silent inflammation”. His bestselling books, The Anti-Aging Zone, The Omega Rx Zone and Toxic Fat, all reflect the latest medical findings and practical ways for the average person to modify health risks via natural means. Recently, Dr. Sears took some time out of his busy schedule to answer some of my questions. This is part one of my two-part interview with Dr. Barry Sears.
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If you’re one of the millions of people who suffer from chronic sinus headaches, today’s column is for you. Several weeks ago my wife was in the throes of a severe sinus headache that had lasted several days. Nothing we tried seemed to help drain her sinuses at all. That is, until she came across a home remedy on the Internet that was attributed to one Dr. Lisa DeStefano. Prior to trying it out we were both highly skeptical. But that soon changed. My Healthy Monday tip of the week is to apply rhythmic pressure to your ethmoid and vomer bone in order to promote sinus drainage. Details to follow.
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In part two of my interview with Dr. Loren Cordain, I’ll turn the spotlight on the most recent scientific developments regarding Paleolithic nutrition. Dr. Cordain shares some insights about using a traditional diet to manage autoimmune diseases. He also comments on a current batch of “modern day Paleo diets” and describes what he’d like see in future scientific investigations. We’ll even get a sneak peak into his forthcoming book, The Paleo Diet Cookbook.
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Today I’m very happy to present part one of my interview with Dr. Loren Cordain of Colorado State University. Dr. Cordain is widely regarded as the preeminent authority on paleolithic nutrition – a dietary approach which aims to practically replicate the eating style of humans “prior to the Agricultural Revolution (a mere 500 generations ago)”. A Paleolithic menu primarily consists of lean meats, seafood and low-glycemic fruits and vegetables. It’s naturally rich in antioxidants, dietary fiber, phytochemicals, omega-3 fatty acids and protein. As one might expect, it discourages the consumption of many of the controversial elements of modern diets including artificial flavors and sweeteners, dairy, grains, hyrdrogenated fats, processed foods, salt and sugar. The net result of adopting such a diet is often a dramatic improvement in conditions ranging from acne to osteoporosis.
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Today I’m pleased to present the finale of my interview with Dr. Richard Feinman, editor-in-chief of the medical journal Nutrition and Metabolism. Regular readers of this site know that it’s unprecedented for me to devote so much time to a solitary figure in the scientific community. Here’s the reason why. There are certain nutritional strategies that are considered illegitimate and/or politically incorrect. Carbohydrate restriction is sometimes lumped into this pejorative category. There are a whole host of misconceptions and prejudicial characterizations assigned to those who engage in such a lifestyle and the researchers who investigate the health effects of doing so. I believe that a large portion of the misgivings about such menu plans result from a lack of evidence-based data. If my theory is correct, then one of the most effective remedies for dispelling such myths is to confront them with the most articulate and reliable authorities in the field of carbohydrate restriction research. It’s hard to imagine a better advocate or representative than Dr. Feinman.
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This is the second part of my interview with the founder and president of the Nutrition and Metabolism Society, Dr. Richard Feinman. Apart from the information presented, I hope you’ll take note of a theme that he continually comes back to: concerns and/or opinions do not equal evidence. This is true whether they’re stated by celebrities, doctors, family or neighbors. In order to truly understand the value of any diet or health practice, we must first evaluate the evidence behind it. What’s more, any reasonable health authority should be willing to back his or her point of view with a solid scientific foundation. Dr. Feinman is an excellent example of this. He handles my inquiries head on with the confidence that he has science on his side.
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If you’re a frequent visitor to my site you know that I place a high value on presenting responsible information that is evidence-based. You won’t find much in the way of hyperbolic health claims or tabloid style rhetoric here. That sort of reporting is not productive and rarely brings about meaningful change. The same holds true in the fields of higher education and medical research. I believe that Dr. Richard Feinman exemplifies the type of philosophy and attitude that will eventually revolutionize the world of biochemistry and nutrition. I’m proud to announce that over the next several weeks I’ll be presenting some of his insights on the role that low carbohydrate diets can play in transforming modern health care.
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If you’re one of the millions of people who suffer from chronic sinus headaches, today’s column is for you. Several weeks ago my wife was in the throes of a severe sinus headache that had lasted several days. Nothing we tried seemed to help drain her sinuses at all. That is, until she came across a home remedy on the Internet that was attributed to one Dr. Lisa DeStefano. Prior to trying it out we were both highly skeptical. But that soon changed. My Healthy Monday tip of the week is to apply rhythmic pressure to your ethmoid and vomer bone in order to promote sinus drainage. Details to follow. Read more »

This week’s edition of Twitter Thursday offers up several important reasons to exercise more often and new information about a nutraceutical/spice which may protect against the damage caused by heavy metal exposure. My guests today are Shari Roan, a health columnist from The Los Angeles Times; Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, the founding president of the Bastyr University and Missy Chase Lapine, “The Sneaky Chef”. Read more »

People visit this site daily from all corners of the world – from Canada to India and in between. If not for the World Wide Web, these readers would probably never know about me. The same can be said for my recent discovery of a truly unique individual in the field of integrative medicine, Nancy Onyett, FNP-C. Read more »