April 24, 2023

Foods That Can Help You Fight Allergies

When pollen is flying through the air on a spring or summer breeze, foods that reduce allergy symptoms can be a lifesaver. Eating specific compounds—such as the FoodTrients omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, gingerol, oleuropein, and quercitin, as well as probiotics—go a long way toward reducing the swelling of nasal passages and the production of antihistamines. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in large, deep-water fish, whole grains, and nuts. You can also take omega-3 supplements daily to help fight inflammation. Curcumin is an ingredient of the spice turmeric. I have a few recipes using turmeric if you need some ideas for […]
April 11, 2023

Fuel Your Brain with the Right Foods

What does food have to do with brain health? Everything. Psychiatrists ask a lot of specific questions to evaluate patients, but they never ask their patients what they eat. As funny as it sounds, we don’t talk about food in medicine and mental health, even though we talk about the compounds in food — omega-3 fats, b-vitamins, magnesium — a lot. Things really shifted for Dr. Drew Ramsey when he realized food presented an incredible opportunity for patient empowerment and added a delicious method in his clinical toolbox, along with psychotherapy, medications, and other lifestyle interventions such as exercise, to […]
March 28, 2023

Slow Cooking Is Fast, Easy & Affordable

I had never used a slow cooker until a few years ago when someone gave me one as a sort-of joke. To tell the truth, I’ve come to love it! You throw in a few ingredients in the morning, you come home in the evening and dinner’s ready. The Crock-Pot debuted for home cooks over 40 years ago as a method to cook dried beans. It became an efficient way for homemakers and busy people to serve affordable, tender, delicious meals using inexpensive cuts of meat, making it easy for moms and dads to prepare wholesome meals every day. Crockpots and […]
March 14, 2023

Eastern European Favorites Walk on the Lighter Side

Eastern European foods are not necessarily known for their healthy attributes. In general, the foods of countries including Russia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Lithuania and the Czech Republic are heavy on meat, sour cream and lard or chicken fat. However, they are delicious comfort foods, no matter where in the world you or your ancestors hail from. In the spirit of FoodTrients, I’ve adapted some recipes to make them lighter, more healthful versions of the originals. Here are a few of the guidelines I used to make these recipes more modern and health-friendly: Add vegetables – By increasing the […]
February 14, 2023

Hearty Winter Produce with Superpowers

Even living in sunny California during the winter when the days are shorter and a little bit chilly, I like to prepare hearty winter produce that also happens to fall into the “superfoods” category.  Their many disease fighting and anti-aging properties make them some of my top produce. These fruits and vegetables lend themselves to recipes that serve as comfort foods during the cold, dark winter months, but they have the added benefit of doing great things for your body. Pumpkin You may only associate pumpkins with Halloween, but fresh pumpkins are available from October through February. They contain large […]
December 28, 2022

Saving Our Health and the Planet One Bite at a Time

Chronic disease, economic disparity, social injustice, and climate change. These are significant problems — but wouldn’t it be great if there was ONE solution to them all? According to Dr. Mark Hyman, there is. The solution is food. What we eat has tremendous implications not just for our waistlines, but also for the planet, society, and the global economy. What we do to our bodies, we do to the planet; and what we do to the planet, we do to our bodies. In Food Fix: How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities, and Our Planet—One Bite at a […]
November 21, 2022

5 Day-To-Day Ways To Trim Holiday Fat All Year Long

We see holidays as an excuse to eat bad things. First up is Easter with all chocolate eggs and marshmallow bunnies associated with that. July 4th: hot dogs, hamburgers, and potato salad. Halloween: need I even mention it? Thanksgiving: an excuse to completely gorge yourself of your own body’s weight full of turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. Christmas/Hanukkah: meat, casseroles and cookies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for an entire week. Valentine’s Day: chocolate hearts, chocolate bath salts, chocolate teddy bears, chocolate roses, chocolate fountains, chocolate husbands… So how do we overcome the massive amounts of junk food at our […]
October 25, 2022

What Foods and Vitamins Help Your Eyes?

Eyesight is a critical sense to protect, especially as a person ages. Macular degeneration, cataracts and other age-related deterioration of the eyes are real concerns. You may have heard suggestions such as “eat more carrots to improve your eyesight” or seen supplements targeted towards eye health. Does diet make a difference and are supplements indicated?  Read on to learn more about foods and supplements for healthy aging of the eyes. The vitamin with the largest body of research in support of eyesight is vitamin A; likely the reason you’ve been told to eat your carrots as a child. Orange vegetables […]
October 23, 2022

Spice It Up With These Indian Superfoods

Indian food is a hot trend today. It has expanded beyond traditional Indian restaurants onto menus all over the country. It’s no wonder. Today’s more adventurous diners have embraced Indian flavors for some time now, and Indian spices like ginger, coriander, cumin, cayenne, cloves, cardamom and turmeric have been enhancing everything from sweet potato fries to chicken salad. But the added bonus of Indian cuisine is that many of its signature foods have long been prized for their healing properties as well as their great flavors. Ayurveda is the name for India’s ancient medical practices. Most Indian super foods have […]