Some time ago, I came across a speech that David Heber, MD, PhD gave to a group of people interested in nutrition. Dr. Heber is the Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at UCLA. As some of you know, I went to school there, but most do not know that Dr. Heber was my
Healthy eating starts with knowing the facts about what you are putting in your mouth. While reading nutrition labels helps you make wise food choices, knowing how to read the the “Nutrition Facts” on a food label and not relying on package labels like “healthy” or “low-fat” is a key step. Being in better control
Doctors for many years have recommended to their patients, especially older adults or post-menopausal women, to take calcium to help prevent bone loss. In fact, when I was in medical school, my teachers would often recommend that we teach our patients to take antacids that contain calcium or drink more milk. But this isn’t practical
Ninety-eight percent of all diets fail within the first year or two. People either get discouraged and revert to old habits or fail to reach a realistic weight loss goal. But what about those who really follow a good routine and lose weight, but then plateau and not continue toward their goals? What are they
A recent University of Florida study of bottled water from China suggests a great warning for Americans – don’t drink the liquid from a plastic bottle if you’ve left it somewhere warm for a long period of time. Plastic water bottles are made from a material called polyethylene terephthalate which, when heated, releases potentially harmful
The Emerging Role of Gut Microbes in Heart Disease In the past few years, researchers have determined that specific strains of probiotics have the ability to target disease-specific risk factors. This is especially true for cardiovascular or heart disease.1-3 Probiotics and research on the human “microbiome” have become increasingly popular for their ability to boost
In the “Last Frontier” of Medicine, as my Trekkie friends would say, scientists and physicians are exploring how the Microbiome and probiotics play a much larger and more vital role in our health. This role is larger than we could ever have imagined. What is the Human Microbiome? The human gastrointestinal tract (GI Tract) is
Recently, every time you turn on the television, or read a magazine, or surf the internet, you see someone talking about the growing problem of obesity in the US. Now we’re beginning to see all of the news about how obesity is affecting the workplace. Let’s face it, healthy weight is not all about looking
Remember when we were in school and were “forced” to take Physical Education? We were told it was “good” for us. Well science has provided us with overwhelming evidence that exercise is actually good for us. Regular exercise can help protect us from heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, noninsulin-dependent diabetes (Adult-onset diabetes), obesity,
Almost 98% of all “fad” diets fail within the first two years. Go to a local bookstore and you’ll see hundreds of books claiming the latest way to “permanently” lose weight. Watch the television shows famous doctors host that describe the “newest” fads in weight loss – but have only been tested on a small
Advancing the Power of Nutrition Through Education and Research