It seems red meat is always getting a bad rap – everyone from the American Heart Association to environmentalists to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has something negative to say about eating beef. From a health standpoint, the cholesterol and saturated fat content of meat is still noted as grounds to avoid it. However, studies examining the link between red meat intake and cancer, cardiovascular disease and overall mortality have consistently yielded mixed results. What’s more, grass fed meat, which contains a significant amount of healthful omega-3 fats, is now quite common in the food supply. This adds yet another wrinkle to the current beef battle.

Read more »

One of my favorite films of the past few decades is the modern classic, Defending Your Life. The comedic story follows the life and death of a meek character played by Albert Brooks. After passing away, he enters a sort of afterlife in which key moments of his life are replayed for him and a panel of judges. If you magically had the opportunity to review my life you’d see that about 15 years ago I was caught up in a destructive eating pattern. The drive-thrus of fast food restaurants were my mainstay. However, on this day, I spent the better part of my afternoon working on a homemade dish that I’m presenting to you as a healthy recipe. This reality would have seemed impossible to me 10, 15 or 20 years ago. But in the present it feels as natural as can be.
Read more »

In this week’s edition of Twitter Thursday I’m going to focus on practical ways to avoid some common pitfalls of 21st century living. Our expert line-up today includes a few familiar faces, such as Dr. Michael Eades, author of The 6 Week Cure for the Middle-Aged Middle and Rick McGuire, one of the most informative and prolific health figures on Twitter. But there are also some new contributors in the bullpen: Dr. Soram Khalsa, a founding member of the American Holistic Medical Association; Joy McCarthy, an influential nutritionist from Toronto, Canada and last, but not least, some words of wisdom from Neatorama – one of the more enjoyable and entertaining sites on the worldwide web. Read more »

Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Those two words often provoke a fearful and visceral reaction in many people. I think part of the reason is that when AD strikes there’s really nothing much that can be done to strike back. Today’s blog reports on a new “medical food” that may help those diagnosed with AD to regain some control over their destiny. Read more »