Nearly all vegetables are rich in antioxidants. And it’s been proven that antioxidants are effective at neutralizing free radicals in your body. As I have mention in the past it’s these free radical scavengers that can lead to cellular damage and possibly some form of cancer. So, it makes sense that eating more vegetables can not only be good for you…but help prevent cancer.
You can’t help learning a lot about what you eat from food labels. And here’s an interesting observation. Foods containing “0g of trans fat” are all over the place. Your favorite crackers, cookies, and potato chips now proudly proclaim their trans-fat free status.
It’s amazing, isn’t it? How messages stick with us even after they’ve been proven false? I see patients every day that still buy into the low-fat dieting myth. We stop eating many of our favorite foods. Steak, for instance. A low fat diet will take you straight down the path toward weight gain and chronic disease.
All these medical warnings will probably not stop many of you from having those sudden urges for sweets. And they shouldn’t! The satisfying of your sweet tooth is a human desire. So here are a few natural substitutes that can serve a healthy and fun way to eat.
I diagnosed a patient with osteoporosis. She looked me in the eye and said I must be wrong. I assured her that her bone density was low and asked why she didn’t think the diagnosis could be correct. “I’ve taken a vitamin D supplement and a calcium supplement for years to make sure my bones stay strong. I just can’t have osteoporosis… I’ve done everything right.” She’d never been told about the third nutrient absolutely critical to bone health.
I’d like to tell you about another, new (to health research that is) superfood antioxidant that we haven’t talked about before. When I say the name of this berry to my patients they almost always wrinkle up their eyebrows and say “ a what-berry?” to which I repeat, a “chokeberry”. Even though it has a funny name, I’d like to tell you about the new fantastic health benefits researchers are now assigning to this ancient fruit.
I have to admit that a microwave is not the healthiest way to cook. I’m sure most of you have been using a microwave for some time so please don’t stop entirely on account of what I’m about to tell you. But I am going to suggest you limit using it to preparing the occasional snack or disinfecting your kitchen sponges. There is enough evidence to suggest that they can destroy important nutrients in your food.
Good Fats…Bad Fats…it can be very confusing to many of us. But despite a growing understanding of fats—what makes a good fat or a bad fat and why your body absolutely needs fat—there are still a number of myths and misunderstandings out there I need to make clear.
Back in the 90’s there was no question about “fats”. Simply all fats were bad for you. And because of the lack of research in this subject matter, most doctors probably instructed you to stay away from them.
But with new studies being performed things have gotten a little more complicated these days when it comes to the pros and cons of fats in your diet. That’s why I would like to take a few moments of your time to set the record straight.
It usually starts in the small joints of your hands. They become hot and inflamed. They feel stiff and difficult to move. As the condition progresses, other joints will be affected. Your cartilage will be damaged. You may also experience fatigue, general muscle soreness, weakness, and depression.
Rheumatoid arthritis can be a truly debilitating condition, so I am always on the look out for promising non-invasive ways to treat the condition. Just recently, green tea came to the fore as a possible way to relieve RA symptoms.
You’ve probably also heard that the best source of omega-3 fatty acids is fish or fish oil. Now, it’s true—fish and fish oil are fantastic sources of omega-3 fatty acids, but they don’t always work for everyone.
I had a patient the other day asking why I had recommended a multivitamin to him when research now shows multivitamins cause prostate cancer. He’d heard a report on a study that suggested men who take multivitamins have a higher rate of prostate cancer. This is so far from the truth that it scares me about what people are reading.