Two flawed studies, a rehashed review, and an editorial published in the December 17th issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine have attempted to discredit the value of multivitamin supplements. Both of the studies were plagued by grievous methodological flaws. In one of the studies, subjects were given low-quality, low-potency multivitamin supplements. Treatment adherence rates and drop-out rates were horrendous in the studies. Nevertheless, mainstream sources are using these reprehensible studies to undermine dietary supplements. The first study examined the cognitive effects of low-potency multivitamin supplementation in aging male participants. Not surprisingly, the conclusions in the present analysis question the value of multivitamin benefits for cognition. In the other study, […]
When I talk to my patients about ways to protect their heart, and general health by eating more good fats and avoiding the bad fats – they’re often confused. One patient said, “Aren’t they all bad?” You can’t blame his response though, for the last few decades, “fat” in the diet has been blamed for everything from heart disease to cancer to many other conditions in-between. In the last several years though, health researchers have come to learn that all fats aren’t created equal. Not all are bad and, some are even good and necessary for your good health. So I’d like […]
Block Center Takes Integrative Approach to Cancer The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment and Optimal Health has been helping their patients find wellness for over 30 years. Based in Skokie, Illinois, the Block Center uses a many-pronged approach to healing. One of the cornerstones of their treatment approach is their Nutrition Program. Each patient gets a customized Nutrition Guide based on his/her specific health status and personal goals. Patients are also encouraged to adopt a regimen of taking vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements. They are given techniques for body conditioning and stress relief. They are given psychosocial support. And, […]
I’m always counseling my patients on a heart-healthy diet. They’re often surprised to learn that the worst offender is not what they’ve always thought – fat. No, in fact, more and more research has shown that the amount of refined, unnatural sugar in your diet is the real culprit of damaging heart health. So, I’d like to share with you what I tell my patients about the damage that their love of sweets is doing to their heart – and the rest of them. Your Love of Sweets Is Souring Your Heart Health We all like a sweet treat once […]
Type 2 diabetes is running rampant in the United States, if not the world, today, particularly in the Boomer population. It’s one of the 4 diseases associated with aging and leads to the development of 2 of the others. It’s caused by too much refined sugar and carbohydrates in the diet as well as lack of exercise. In addition, deficiency in a certain food group, and its disease-fighting nutrients, can also lead to the development of type 2 diabetes as well as the other diseases of aging. They’re called flavonoids and I’d like to tell you more about the amazing […]
The February 2014 issue of the journal Nutrition Research described the outcome of a trial conducted by Iranian researchers which revealed a benefit for cinnamon in men and women with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease includes steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and can result in death if left untreated. The trial included fifty men and women between the ages of 20 and 65 years with NAFLD. Participants were randomized to receive two 750 milligram capsules of cinnamon or a placebo daily for twelve weeks. Blood samples collected before and after the treatment period were analyzed for […]
There’s increasing evidence that caffeine can be good for you. A mild stimulant that works on the central nervous system, caffeine is something most of us use to “get going in the morning,” said Marcie Prachyl, a dietitian at Hendrick Medical Center. The popular substance — an estimated 90 percent of Americans consume it daily — has been linked to benefits such as potentially minimizing cognitive decline associated with aging, including the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Prachyl said. “It makes them more alert and improves their quality of life if they continue to drink it,” she said of older consumers […]
While many individuals understand that nutrition and exercise play an important role in helping to prevent
Some of the most common health issues my patients face today are weight control, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Did you know that the three of them are related? Yes, they are. They belong to a group of metabolic disorders called “metabolic syndrome” and can put you at risk for developing heart and other diseases!
It’s still early in the New Year and many of you are trying to stick to your resolution to lose weight. But, like