Articles Index
The Weight of the Nation: The Obesity Crisis in America
On May 14th, 15th, and 16th, HBO is hosting The Weight of the Nation, a dramatic and compelling documentary series on the obesity epidemic in America. HBO created an unparalleled partnership with the National Institutes of Health, the CDC, the Institute of Medicine, Kaiser and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation to bring this health campaign into being. The program is in four segments; Part 1: Consequences, looks at the obesity epidemic while examining health consequences; Part 2: Choices, looks at medicine’s role; Part 3: Children in Crisis, takes a long look at the food systems and marketing geared toward children, and the disastrous state of our nation’s school lunch program; Part 4: Challenges, looks at how the epidemic came about, and the ways that families and communities can take a proactive role in fighting back. In addition, the Great Cafeteria Takeover kicks off a special family segment called the Weight of the Nation for Kids.
BPA: Bisphenol A, The Plastic Poison
BPA is a toxic chemical contained in plastics used to line aluminum cans and in hard clear polycarbonate plastic containers. Polycarbonate plastics and most cans leach BPA into food and water, and as such represent potential serious health threats to humans. Plastic containers marked on the bottom with PC and/or #7 should be avoided if at all possible. Studies have been conducted that indicate BPA triggers changes to cell formation, breast tissue, prostate tissue, testosterone, the urinary tract and more. BPA damages human eggs, and creates vulnerability in both genders to hormonal imbalances and cancer. The implications are far-reaching if we are exposed to even relatively low levels of the chemical. Routine exposure to low levels of Bisphenol A can trigger increased risk for breast and prostate cancer, diminished testosterone levels, early onset of puberty, changes in the genital tract, fertility impairment and insulin resistance.
To Supplement or Not to Supplement: Navigating A Trillion Dollar Industry
Clients often ask what I recommend in terms of vitamins and supplements, and there is no quick and easy answer to that question. Most of us can really benefit from a boost now and again, and some of us need extra support if we are dealing with particular health challenges, exceptional stress levels or an inadequate food supply.
The 5 Elements: The Wood or Liver Element
Spring marks a miraculous bursting of energy and carries with it the energy of wood. Sap, which is nature’s lifeblood, courses through the trees; new life pushes its way up from the depths of the earth, and we are surrounded by a bright sense of renewal and creativity.
The Five Elements: The Water or Kidney Element
Winter governs the water element, or Zhi. It is the dormant season, when all life force burrows deep in the bosom of the earth. It is a gestational time of replenishing the wellspring of life so that when spring comes, the gathering energy will burst forth with new growth.
The Mobile Guide to Healthy Eats
We live in a mobile world, and eating well in our travel-oriented universe can be really hard unless you plan ahead. For all of you who struggle to maintain balance on the road, we've got some great suggestions. And no, you don't have to pack an extra suitcase full of food!
Travel Tips for the Whole Foods Human:
Unless you land on one of the coasts, or in a country with wholesome culinary traditions, eating whole foods while traveling can be a daunting undertaking. A business trip or vacation can take us into many environments where the food supply is limited and/or downright unhealthy. So what to do?
The Food Hangover
One of the challenges of cleaning up your diet is the increased sensitivity you experience when you eat the “wrong” thing. The more oriented towards a whole foods diet we become, the more we will notice a reaction when we eat commercial, chemically altered food.
Navigating the Holiday Food Circuit:
The average American consumes an extra 600 calories per day between Thanksgiving and New Year's, which can translate into pounds and inches. By the time 5 weeks pass, we have effectively created new -and unhealthy- eating habits, and are faced with an uphill climb to undo the damage. So what might happen if we decided to "pick our poison"?
Cheap Eats: How to Make the Most of Your Whole Food Dollar on A Tight Budget
There’s no question that eating well can be more expensive than eating poorly. My clients often ask how they can eat well without breaking the piggy bank, and there are a number of things we can do to offset our food costs.
Staying Healthy in Unhealthy Times: A Survival Guide to the Cold and Flu Season
How can we be proactive about caring for ourselves and our families during what may be a volatile flu season? This guide gives suggestions for herbal and dietary protocols that can help us stay healthy during the cold and flu season.
Seasonal Cleansing: Preparing Our Bodies for Transition
As each season shifts into the next, we can support our bodies by gently cleansing our energetic pathways. Blood, digestion, elimination all need attention, much in the same way we tune up our cars, change the oil, and ensure that all the fluids are adequate.
The Dirty Dozen and The Fresh Fifteen
To be, or not to be? Organic, or not organic? Some fruits and vegetables are traditionally very low in pesticides and can be purchased from a "conventionally grown" source. Others, like berries and apples and greens, are particularly vulnerable to poisons. What should you buy organic? What is safe from a conventional grower?
David Wolfe and the Longevity Now Conference
Living foods educator David Wolfe is a dedicated advocate for health information and empowerment. His biannual Longevity Now Conference in Costa Mesa, California is an exciting opportunity for newcomers and professionals alike to gain cutting edge information on advances in the field of longevity, peak performance and anti-aging. Read on for a deeper look at the man behind this extraordinary event.
I’m in the Mood For Love:
We’ve all heard about the legends of food-as-aphrodisiac: chocolate, oysters, figs, and truffles are but a few that have been around for thousands of years. The following ingredients are only a partial list of foods purported to strengthen the libido, but they should give you a good start.
Bone Density 101: A Primer for Women of All Ages
Osteopenia (thinning bones) and osteoporosis (porous bones) are on the rise. Modern lifestyles, diet, and undue amounts of stress are all contributing to pushing us out of our naturally alkaline states into low-grade chronic acidosis, and our bones are taking the hit. There are several steps women can take to ensure bone health across the lifespan.
The Alkaline Diet
The medical community has established that an alkaline diet rich in plant foods is key to longevity, but maintaining an alkaline diet is increasingly difficult in modern western culture. Complex alkalizing minerals are contained in abundance in vegetables and a selection of fruits, yet convenience foods, soda, and excess proteins have replaced them.
The “New” Macrobiotics
Amongst people who have explored macrobiotic lifestyle there is a growing movement away from the traditional Japanese model and towards what I call the "new" or "global"macrobiotics. Some have tried the model and not thrived on it. Many others have expressed a desire for food that is more adapted to an ethnically diverse palate, and which includes the bounties of native agriculture.
The GMO Maelstrom of 2011
In the storm of activity surrounding the Organic Consumer Alliance’s (OCA's) incendiary accusation that the CEOs of Whole Foods (WF), Stonyfield Farm, and Organic Valley (OV) collectively caved in to Monsanto, I received communications from both Organic Valley and Stonyfield Farms asking for fair airtime on their side of the story.
Genetically Modified Organisms: What is GMO Food Doing to Us?
As a holistic nutritionist I have been struck by the radical increase in immune, gastrointestinal, and fertility issues that seemingly healthy people are presenting in my office. Over and over again I have educated clients that “convenience” in food has a very high price tag attached to it, and that ultimately the cost of local and organic food is far lower than the cost to our lives when we eat out of boxes, and consume “natural” rather than whole, organic food.
I’m in the Mood For Love:
We’ve all heard about the legends of food-sa-aphrodisiac: chocolate, oysters, figs, and truffles are but a few that have been around for thousands of years. The following ingredients are only a partial list of foods purported to strengthen the libido, but they should give you a good start.
The Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Cooling the “Fires” Within
Inflammation is one of the big buzzwords in the holistic medical community, and evidence is mounting that chronic inflammation is at the root of many, if not most, disease states.Americans' diets are increasingly made up of processed and genetically modified foods, excess sugars and fats. This is a recipe for chronic inflammation. An anti-inflammatory diet can quiet symptoms, and turn back the tide on many health issues, with the added benefits of increased energy and, in many cases, weight loss
Restaurant Reviews and Recommendations: New York City
Recommended Macrobiotic and Whole Foods Restaurants in New York City will be updated and expanded regularly. I’m including establishments that have macro-friendly options on their menus.
Care Giving, Nurturing, and Everything in Between:
Seriously ill patients are in need of competent caretaking, but the equally important and often complex question of Nurture cannot be disregarded for either patients or the family members, spouses and partners who take care of them.
Sound Healing: Meridians
An obvious first question might be: What does sound healing have to do with macrobiotic cooking? Macrobiotic lifestyle is about longevity, and longevity in great part depends on keep our energy moving and flowing, a concept understood for thousands of years by Asian medicine. Food, breath, water, and the practice of opening the energy channels (meridians) of the body all contribute to energy flow. Sound healing is an ancient art, and existed in global cultures since the dawn of humanity.