May 8, 2013

Do You Know The Risks of Fiber Diet Supplements?

It’s spring and, like many of my patients, you may be trying to get some extra weight off before summer and swimsuit season arrives.  I’ve recently been asked about those expanding fiber diet products many have seen advertised on television and the Internet.  The ads claim they cause you to effortlessly lose weight without changing your diet or exercise routine. I’d like to explain the pros and cons of using some of these products and let you be the judge of whether you want to use them or not.
May 2, 2013

SOD: Do You Know About This Powerful Antioxidant?

In the last several years, researchers have learned unequivocally that the process we normally think of as “aging” is really a process of disease-states taking hold on the body.  The typical diseases of aging – diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and even cancer – can all be outgrowths of free radical damage that sets cellular aging in place.
March 28, 2013

Laughter: Its Surprising Health Benefits

I have an older patient; I’ll call him Jack, who comes to see me now and then. Jack is 67 years old but looks and acts more like someone in his 40’s! He has a few minor health issues but none of the major ones, like heart disease, etc, that sometimes come in his age group.
March 28, 2013

Is Your Food Aging You?

Eating healthy is one of the ways in which to ward off the effects of aging for as long as possible.  Towards that goal, you’re buying more fruits, vegetables, and less red meat.  Yet, you may be unaware that certain foods you eat, or even the way you prepare them, can be unhealthy, cause you to age faster, and put you at risk for serious diseases.
March 12, 2013

Your Depression: Brain Changes or Nutritional Deficiency?

As you get older, it’s typical to have sporadic incidents of misplacing your keys, forgetting someone’s name, or where you left your glasses. Yet, persistent memory loss that’s also accompanied by depression can be early warning signs that you may be developing brain changes than can result in dementia in the coming years.
February 26, 2013

Chia Seeds: Health Benefit Pros And Cons

Many of you may not have known much about chia until it became a household word about a decade ago when chia “pets” were everywhere.  Remember those terra-cotta plant holders in the shape of an animal that grew chia plants out the top of the head? Chia seeds have actually been around since the days of the Aztec civilization when they were used for food, medicine, and currency and were highly valued. Modern health researchers have found that those same chia seeds have a lot of health benefits.  They can also have a few health drawbacks so I’d like to […]
February 8, 2013

Oranges & Vitamin C

At the first sign of a runny nose many of my patients load up on Vitamin C for its protection and relief from the common cold. Some take vitamin C in supplement form whereas others prefer to stock up on juices and fruits. What most people are surprised to learn is that an orange does not top the list of fruits for vitamin C content although it is the most common. Other fruits such as guava, kiwi, and strawberries actually contain more vitamin C than citrus.