Nov
3

Coconut Flax Cereal Recipe

Posted in Food and Drink, Nutrition, Recipes | 10 Comments & Updates

Many of my clients are looking for ways to limit carbohydrate and grain consumption. This mirrors some popular trends in the current nutritional landscape. Bestselling books such as Always Hungry?, Eat Fat Get Thin, Wheat Belly and The Whole30 recommend eating plans that are rich in healthy fats and fiber while limiting or omitting most grains – particularly those containing gluten.

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Oct
14

Tea Seed Oil

Posted in Food and Drink, Heart Health, Nutrition | 3 Comments & Updates

In recent years, the low fat diet trend has lost a lot of steam. These days, many health authorities no longer recommend restricting dietary fat indiscriminately. Having said that, there is still a fair share of disagreement about what exactly constitutes healthy lipid sources. Just about everyone agrees that hydrogenated fats (aka trans-fats) are harmful. Likewise, most nutritional experts recommend seeking out omega-3 fatty acids such as those found in cold water fish, grass fed meat and select seeds, including flax, hemp and chia. On the other hand, saturated fats and vegetable oils tend to fall into the “questionable” category.

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Sep
28

Prescription 2016: Yakult for Seniors

Posted in Alternative Therapies, Bone and Joint Health, Food and Drink | 11 Comments & Updates

Earlier this year there was a major review in the journal Digestive Diseases focusing on the role of gut bacteria in relation to healthy aging. The authors of the paper describe various “pathophysiological” mechanisms such as impaired immune function and systemic inflammation, which appear to be linked to undesirable changes in the microbiota of seniors. However, this observation has not yet been matched with a widely accepted medical solution. In part, the reason has to do with uncertainty about exactly how to re-establish a healthier bacterial environment.

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Sep
8

Prescription 2016: Supplement with Spices

Posted in Alternative Therapies, Bone and Joint Health, Food and Drink | 16 Comments & Updates

In modern times, culinary herbs and spices have primarily been relegated to the role of flavor enhancers. Want to liven up chicken or pork? Add some fresh garlic and rosemary sprigs. Tired of the same old oatmeal in the morning? Try a pinch of freshly ground cinnamon and nutmeg to the mix. And, the skillful use of dill, sage or thyme can make all the difference when preparing seafood or vegetable dishes. But, what’s often missed is that common herbs and spices can be as healthy as they are tasty.

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Aug
17

Prescription 2016: Blue Blocker Glasses

Posted in Alternative Therapies, Mental Health, Product Reviews | 6 Comments & Updates

The idea of wearing tinted glasses at night may seem counterintuitive. In previous generations, there would be very few reasons to do so. But, in many ways, we live in a very different world today. The natural rhythm of the sleep-wake cycle was set up for mankind to slumber as day turns to night and awaken as night returns to day. However, this all changed with the advent of computers, digital displays, mobile phones, street lights and numerous other sources of nighttime illumination. And, I think it’s fair to say that the light genie is well out of the bottle and is unlikely to go back in any time soon.

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Aug
4

Four Green Cooler

Posted in Food and Drink, Nutrition, Recipes | 6 Comments & Updates

There’s no doubt it: green vegetables are at the peak of their popularity. They are the rock stars of the produce section! These days, nutritionists are quick to recommend them as a healthy part of just about any dietary plan, whether gluten-free, low carb or macrobiotic. Finding greens while eating out is no problem either. Most restaurants from fast food chains to gourmet eateries now feature chard, dandelion leaves, kale or spinach as side dishes and, sometimes, even as primary components of a main course. And, of course, you’ve surely seen countless juices in your local markets or natural food stores that proudly proclaim their “greenness”. There is a lot of good to be found in this trend. However, the benefits can be even greater if you make more greens at home.

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Jul
20

Traditional Hawaiian Healing

Posted in Alternative Therapies, Exercise, Mental Health | 4 Comments & Updates

In recent years, western medicine has begun to embrace a wide array of traditional healing practices from other cultures. Acupuncture, curcumin supplementation, tai chi and yoga are but a few of many “alternative and complementary” therapies now being studied and utilized worldwide. The success of this burgeoning integration is also opening the door to historically revered treatments from other parts of the globe.

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Jul
4

OCD Alternatives

Posted in Alternative Therapies, Exercise, Mental Health | 7 Comments & Updates

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a relatively common condition which involves cyclical and unreasonable thoughts. Those living with OCD often engage in rituals to calm their exaggerated or unfounded compulsions and fears. The severity of OCD varies among individuals. For some, it manifests in rather innocuous ways such as the avoidance of specific clothing, foods or locations. On the other end of the spectrum, certain people find that OCD can be quite debilitating. A prevalent example is an excessive desire for cleanliness and/or fear of germs. In the most severe cases, the entire course of one’s life can be dictated by an insatiable “need” to follow certain rules in order to create the impression of control and order.

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Jun
28

Dark Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe

Posted in Food and Drink, Nutrition, Recipes | 8 Comments & Updates

It’s cool, chocolatey and undeniably good for you! Of the three claims I just made, the first two probably won’t raise any eyebrows, but the latter one may ruffle a few skeptical feathers. After all, ice cream isn’t something you’ll find on most lists of wholesome dietary options. Even health food store varieties are probably best enjoyed as an occasional treat if only because of their sugar content. Today’s culinary creation is an exception to the status quo.

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Jun
19

Prescription 2016: Aromatherapy for Pain Relief

Posted in Alternative Therapies, Mental Health, Women's Health | 12 Comments & Updates

In July 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration warned of increased risk of heart attacks and strokes associated with the use of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. Earlier this month, a different class of pain relievers, collectively known as opioids, was also linked to higher rates of early death primarily due to cardiovascular complications. As disturbing as this is, there is still a large segment of the population that will continue to use these medications in the short term and, sometimes, chronically.

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May
30

Prescription 2016: Natural Appetite Suppressants

Posted in Alternative Therapies, Diet and Weight Loss, Food and Drink | 26 Comments & Updates

Appetite suppressants have earned a well deserved, bad reputation in many medical circles. Time after time, so called miracle “diet pills” have failed to promote sustained weight loss and/or caused serious side effects. Perhaps the highest profile example is fen-phen, a drug combination consisting of fenfluramine and phentermine. In 1997, the FDA required that fen-phen be pulled from the US marketplace after numerous reports of heart valve disease and pulmonary hypertension became too common to ignore.

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May
14

Natural Products Expo West 2016 Part Five

Posted in Food and Drink, Nutrition, Product Reviews | 5 Comments & Updates

My fifth and final Expo West entry is geared towards healthier pleasures. These days, there are many faux-health foods on the market. Terms like “All Natural”, “Gluten Free”, “No Sugar Added” and “Non-GMO” are appearing on labels at an alarming rate. In some instances, this is the result of a positive shift in product composition which has largely been driven by consumer demand. So that is good cause to pat ourselves on the back. But, having said that, many of these so-called functional foods aren’t actually as health promoting as they may seem.

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May
6

Natural Products Expo West 2016 Part Four

Posted in Alternative Therapies, Dental Health, Product Reviews | 3 Comments & Updates

Diet, exercise, sleep and stress reduction usually top the list of modifiable risk factors that affect our well being, and, with good reason. Still, it’s important not to stop there. The products we use day-in and day-out to brush our teeth, care for our skin and color our hair are capable of causing dis-ease and/or endangering health. Fortunately, in many instances, a simple switch from conventional cosmetics, hair dyes, moisturizers and toothpastes to more natural alternatives can make a big difference.

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