November 17, 2023

EWG’s Guide to a Healthy Holiday Season

This year, give thanks with less–fewer pesticides, greenhouse gases and maybe less money. Small turkeys can be tastier.  And when you cook just what you need, you don’t waste. Try an organic, local or heritage turkey or one raised without antibiotics.  Or embrace a seasonal, climate-smart, stuffed winter squash centerpiece instead. Cranberry sauce is super easy, delicious and even more nutritious to make from scratch.  Opt for organic cranberries if you can, because conventional berries are heavily treated. Pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving tradition, with good reason.  Pumpkin is packed with nutrition, widely available locally and generally low in pesticides.  Baked pears are simple and delightful. White potatoes […]
November 7, 2023

What To Eat At Any Age to Fend Off Alzheimer’s

Put down the fork. Step away from the buffet table. UC Davis nutrition expert Liz Applegate wants us to think about exactly what we’re shoveling down our throats. Not just to lose weight but to protect our brains. “Brain food is real and it really does matter,” said Applegate, an author, professor and director of sports nutrition at UC Davis. She’s an advocate of the MIND diet, a combination of two long-studied diets that have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. We talked with her recently about so-called “brain foods,” their impact on […]
November 6, 2023

The Superstar Benefits of Quinoa & Kale

I like to frequently use an ancient Socrates quote to my patients when I try to drive home the importance of eating the right foods to both preserve and heal their health.  The saying, roughly, goes, “Let your food be your medicine” and with these 2 nutritional powerhouses, that I’m going to tell you about here, old Socrates couldn’t be closer to the truth.  These 2 simple foods are quinoa – an ancient super-grain – and the beautiful kale plant.  They not only taste great but I’m going to tell you how they can actually save your life. The Amazing Health Benefits […]
October 23, 2023

How To Get Fit for Fall Eating Season

The fall and winter seasons, combined with the upcoming holidays, mean the re-emergence of those comforting classic dishes: Mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and a plethora of pastries. Many of the typical comfort foods are filled with calories and fat, plus the potential to overeat these dishes during the colder seasons is always tempting; but if you’re smart about it, you don’t have to deprive yourself, said Karen Bright, adult and youth nutrition outreach instructor for the WVU Extension Service. “The biggest thing people have problems with that I’ve noticed is portion size,” she said. “During the holidays and colder […]
October 10, 2023

5 Really GOOD Foods with Really Bad Raps

There are some foods out there deemed ‘bad’ that have gotten this label somewhat unfairly. Calling foods ‘good’ or ‘bad’ is also misleading – food is FOOD but some of it can support our health while others may hurt it if consumed in excess. Check out these 5 foods that have a bad reputation and see the FoodTrients discussion on how to incorporate them into any healthy diet! Eggs Research has undeniably changed on dietary fat and cholesterol in recent years, finding that fat and even cholesterol that we consume may not have the adverse effects once thought. Eggs are […]
October 10, 2023

Mining the Herbal Medicine in Your Kitchen

Did you know there’s a powerful herbal medicine chest in your kitchen? Imagine being prepared for that next cold, scrape, headache, digestive issue, stressful day, or sleepless night with simple ingredients from your cupboard. Instead of pills, reach for: Cinnamon Tea to soothe your throat . . . Garlic Hummus to support your immune system . . . Ginger Lemon Tea for cold and flu symptoms . . . Cayenne Salve to relieve sore muscles . . . Cardamom Chocolate Mousse Cake for heart health . . . A glass of Spiced Cold Brew Coffee as a powerful antioxidant . […]
September 24, 2023

Savory and Satisfying Dishes with Mushrooms

Most people either love or hate mushrooms. But hear me out: the beauty of mushrooms is that they take on the flavor of whatever they’re cooked with. They become Asian cooked in a soy or teriyaki-style sauce. They’re Italian sauteed in olive oil, garlic and fresh basil. Sprinkle middle Eastern spices on them such as zaatar or sumac and they become Moroccan or Lebanese. For those who want to cut down on eating meat, a portobello mushroom grilled and placed in a hamburger bun is very satisfying.  Mushrooms provide that ‘fifth taste’ (joining sweet, salty, sour and bitter), umami, which […]
September 11, 2023

Back to School? Gluten-Free Lunch Ideas

Preparing school lunches for our gluten-free kiddos is no simple task. While kids can often times be picky eaters making mealtime complicated no matter the location, school lunches introduce even more factors: Will the food keep until lunch time? What if his lunch is different from everyone elses and he is embarrassed? What if the other kids make fun of him? What if he doesn’t understand the severity of his intolerance and is buying school lunch without telling me? Read on for tips on how to navigate this process, and suggestions for gluten-free lunch ideas that your munchkins will love! […]
September 10, 2023

Optimize Your Health with Superfoods

There is so much talk around superfoods lately and the health benefits of including them in your diet. As a doctor who specializes in anti-aging strategies, I can truly say that the addition of superfoods to your daily food intake will totally optimize your health and lower the risk of disease. That’s why I make it a priority to recommend green foods to all of my patients. Since whole foods and greens have recently become popular many questions about them still remain unanswered, so here’s a brief but informative insight to help you know more about how these foods can […]
August 30, 2023

Top 50 Foods for Energy and Performance

You can’t be active or workout without the right fuel for your body. The food you eat makes a huge difference in athletic performance and also for a quick stop at the gym. Foods that contain energy in the form of carbohydrates and protein in addition to certain vitamins, antioxidants and stimulants known to boost performance top the list of 50 foods for physical activity. Here they are: 1. Almonds The key to using almonds to fuel activity lies not only in their caloric density – a useful combination of healthy unsaturated fat, protein and carbohydrates – but also in […]
July 21, 2023

Extending Life with Resveratrol

Scientists are discovering significant additional benefits that resveratrol confers in fighting aging and degenerative disease. While much of this research was initiated by a prolific group at Harvard University and in the biotech industry, scientists around the globe are now making unprecedented discoveries that define resveratrol’s multiple preventive and therapeutic potentials. Most exciting are findings showing how resveratrol may help protect against devastating age-related diseases including cancer, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and Alzheimer’s. We’ll start with an in-depth look at just what they’re discovering and then review the most compelling findings about resveratrol’s current and future roles in sustaining human health and […]
July 4, 2023

Foods That Help Balance Your Hormones

Healthy whole foods offering a rich and concentrated source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are often referred to as “super foods” and can play a significant role in human health. Aside from support to the cardiovascular, neurologic, inflammatory, immune and digestive systems, the plants we eat play a role in balancing hormones. Hormones are a complicated discussion because they are all interconnected and play master regulatory roles in the body. When talking hormone balance, it is important to consider external hormones affecting us from the environment as well. Compounds in food and plastics like the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) can […]
June 20, 2023

Summer Health 101: How To Beat the Heat

Summer is finally upon us! And with it, of course, comes the sun. For many of us, lots of it. If you’re making plans for summer fun and vacations, keep in mind that the sun, while the source of life for our planet, has potentially dangerous effects that should not be overlooked. Below, we’ll explain the basics for helping to keep you and your family safe and healthy in the summer months. Should You Wear Sunscreen? Enough has been said concerning the harmful effects of UV rays. Everyone knows of the risk of skin cancers incurred by sunbathing or tanning […]