August 19, 2019

Fenugreek: Try Its Bounty of Benefits

On those days when you are procrastinating by doing things like alphabetizing your spice rack, I’ll bet almost anything that you don’t have (and have probably never heard of, much less used) an herb called, fenugreek. Sometimes known as “Greek hay,” fenugreek is actually a member of the pea family. It’s grown mostly in the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Middle East and India. Its seeds and leaves have been used all around the world for hundreds, if not thousands of years for medicinal purposes.  Both are also dried and ground for use as recipe ingredients for cooking. Fenugreek’s flavor is […]
August 5, 2019

Viva Mayr: A Place To Relax, Restore and Learn To Chew Your Food

I have been very fortunate to visit a number of wonderful spas including The Golden Door in Southern California, Sanoviv in Ensenada, Mexico (a medical spa), and others. Each offers an experience in healthy pampering and wellness. Recently, I spent six days at Viva Mayr in the magnificent Austrian Alps. The philosophy of this world-renowned med-spa combines modern complementary medicine with traditional diagnostics and therapies according to the practices of Dr. Franz X. Mayr (1875-1965), an Austrian physician. Through his medical practice, he observed that health was determined by an effective digestive system. Food can either keep us healthy or […]
June 18, 2019

Foods That Fight a Pain in the Joint

Summer is just ahead. That means the days are longer and it’s time to get active. If the thought of picking up that tennis racquet or trying on those hiking boots makes you dread achy knees and shoulders, start thinking about how what you eat can help protect your joints and other moving parts. Obesity and age also contribute to the degeneration of joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease where the body’s defenses attack itself, in this instance, cartilage surrounding the joints. Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis presents in both sides of the body—both knees, both hips, etc. RA […]
June 11, 2019

What’s Better? Farmed vs. Wild Salmon

I love seafood of all types and while I like salmon, it’s not first on my list of favorites. However, it’s so versatile, so nutritious and full of FoodTrients, I try to eat it fairly often. One of the things I am careful to do is to eat wild salmon as opposed to farmed salmon. Most experts agree that wild or farmed, the protein in all salmon is excellent and that it is loaded with Omega-3 fatty acid, which are good for heart health, your joints and brain function. Here are more health benefits to salmon: Improves bone density and […]
May 21, 2019

Soursop: The Ugliest Fruit You’ll Ever Love

I have to admit that a fruit known as ‘soursop’ does not sound very appetizing. Plus, its spiky green skin makes it appear slightly dangerous. But an important part of writing this blog is to introduce you to new and interesting foods that help promote health and well-being. I have (and probably will again) written blogs about ‘Ten Top Foods for Reducing Inflammation’ or ‘The Nutritional Benefits of Citrus Fruit’. These are important and useful topics. But I am always on the lookout for unique foods, topics and trends that you won’t find just anywhere. Soursop, also known as guanabana, […]
May 13, 2019

Lemongrass: A Stalk to Remember

Lemongrass, a plant native to India and Southeast Asia, looks like stiff grass stalks (it really is a grass!), but it smells and tastes a bit like lemon or lime. The stalks, which can reach five feet in height, also grow in Australia, Africa, and the United States. The oil from lemongrass is used to scent soaps and bath products, as a potent antiseptic, and, when diluted and applied to the skin, to reduce acne. Lemongrass contains citral, which studies have shown induce cancer cells to self-destruct. Lemongrass also contains vitamins A, B, and C, plus calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. […]
April 30, 2019

Hormones and Aging: Doctors Weigh In

The FoodTrients team and I attended the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress (A4M), which was held in Las Vegas in December. It’s three days of speakers, workshops and exhibits presenting clinical education and advances in the most recent research, studies and healthcare practices as they relate to wellness and aging successfully. Many of the sessions were geared toward medical professionals, but we were able to distill information to share with you in ‘civilian’ terms. There was a series of presentations on what hormones—male and female—do for the body in terms of anti-aging. Some of the presentations were a little […]
April 16, 2019

Expo West: A Taste of Things To Come in 2019 and Beyond

If it’s early March, you’ll find the FoodTrients team trolling the endless aisles of the Anaheim Convention Center near Disneyland for the latest in the world of food, beauty products and health and wellness. This is the 39th year for this annual event showcasing over 3600 exhibitors, of which 600 were there for the first time. These consist of manufacturers, marketers, and entrepreneurs of all stripes from companies as large as General Mills to a local couple perfecting organic peanut butter. They are all vying for the attention of 86,000 attendees, making Natural Products Expo West the world’s largest natural, […]
February 18, 2019

Want To Live Longer & Healthier? Here’s How You Can Do It

LAS VEGAS ( January 23, 2019)–In December, the FoodTrients team and I were in Las Vegas to attend the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress (A4M). This is an intense three days of speakers, workshops and exhibits presenting clinical education and advances in the most recent research, studies and healthcare practices as they relate to wellness and aging successfully. Many of the sessions were geared toward medical professionals, but we were able to glean valuable information to share with you in lay-person terms. Dr. Peter Attia is a physician who began his medical career as a surgeon. His practice […]