Blog
News and ideas worth your attention.
Four decades of writing on living long and living well, with 1,000+ posts on functional and longevity medicine.
Nov 15, 2019 · MovementThe Ultimate Brain Boost? Turns Out It’s Exercise
We all know that exercise does the body good, but did you know it also works wonders for the brain? Turns out, working up a sweat has a positive impact on what’s happening inside your head—and the benefits are major, ranging from improved memory and increased focus to a better ability to manage stress.
Nov 11, 2019 · Health & Wellness6 Ways To Stay Well – and Not Get Sick This Winter
As the leaves and temperatures start to fall, colds and flu are never far behind. While it may seem like getting sick sometime between now and April is a forgone conclusion, it doesn’t have to be. Yes, I’m saying you don’t have to get sick this year, that is, as long as you start fortifying your body now.
Nov 8, 2019 · Health & WellnessWhat Is Nutrigenomics?
Here is a good example of nutrigenomics: In 2006, researchers made a fascinating discovery: After dozens of studies found that drinking coffee escalates heart-attack risk, this new inquiry revealed that while coffee did up the hazard significantly for some, the exact opposite was true for others.
Nov 4, 2019 · NutritionHow to Juice Like a Grown-Up
Stroll any supermarket these days — especially the health-conscious ones – and where once there were aisles lined with soda pop, now they’re stocked with every kind of juice and juice drink imaginable.
Nov 1, 2019 · MovementPrevent Tech Neck with These 5 Tips
Remember the days we use to sit hunched over our books studying and reading? With the incredible development of the smart phone, tablet and laptop computer, we are now spending hours on end texting, researching and reading. While we may be getting a lot accomplished it can come with a tremendous toll on our bodies.
Oct 28, 2019 · SleepSleep Right Tonight – Make Light Work For You!
It’s no surprise that people who get a full, deep night’s sleep – on a regular basis – are much healthier, on average, than those who don’t. Wish you could join their ranks? You can. Here’s a topline on how to use light, to help you take back the night – and snooze happily through it.
Oct 25, 2019 · MovementThe Case for Low-Impact Exercise
Low impact doesn’t mean low intensity, low effort, or low reward. Learn how to have fun, stay engaged, and get results without sacrificing your joints.
Oct 23, 2019 · Health Coach TipsHealth Coach Tip - Get Your Micronutrients
We often talk about macronutrients like proteins, fats, and carbs when we talk about diet – and although these are important – there are also so many micronutrients that we need to think about.
Oct 21, 2019 · Nutrition6 Ways to Lose the Sweeteners – and Your Cravings
By now, just about everyone understands that sugar, especially all the added sugar dumped into sweetened drinks and other processed foods, is a health and wellness disaster. It hijacks our taste buds, pumps up blood sugar and insulin levels (next stop, diabetes) and it’s a major driver, maybe the major driver, of weight gain.
Oct 18, 2019 · Sleep8 Yoga Poses to Help You Unwind Before Bedtime
Finding deep, restorative sleep can be challenging after a long day, whether you are active or sedentary. Monotonous movement — or lack thereof — at work or home can create tension and pressure on the joints and spine. A gentle yoga routine performed before bedtime can help quiet the mind, lower stress and blood pressure, release muscle tension, and loosen stiff joints.
Oct 14, 2019 · Movement6 Ways to Walk Your Way to Health
Walking. Most of us have been doing it since we were very little kids. Not only is it an excellent way to get from one spot to the next, it's an excellent, and often underrated, form of exercise that far too many people simply don’t do enough of. Long commutes, sedentary jobs, family and social obligations make finding time tough, but walking is an essential health-booster that I urge everybody to fit into their day – even if it’s only for a few minutes at a time.
Oct 11, 2019 · NutritionWhat’s in Your Wine?
Most bottles contain more than just grapes and yeast. Find out which ingredients find their way into wine — plus 9 tips to make healthier choices without sacrificing taste.
Oct 7, 2019 · Sleep13 Ways to Re-synch Your Natural Rhythms
In these pressure-cooker times, with so many people feeling over-stressed and under-slept, is it any wonder that depression, burn-out, and chronic illness are considered routine costs of getting through life? With every corner we cut, in the way we eat, rest and move, we push ourselves further away from the natural rhythms that should be guiding our daily lives.
Oct 4, 2019 · NutritionThe Healthiest Baby Food Pouches
If you become a parent in 2019, you’ll inevitably end up buying these ubiquitous pouches of baby food—they are simply so much easier to handle than homemade or even store-bought jarred food, especially on the go. Even toddlers and preschoolers enjoy them, so you’ll probably be buying them for years.
Sep 30, 2019 · Health & WellnessClean-Up, Green-Up and Fight Your Indoor Air Pollution
Entire books have been written on ways to minimize the toxic hits our bodies take every day. From the products we slather on them to the furnishings we live and sleep in to the offices we work in, even to the cars we drive, most of us are steeped in toxins around the clock.
Sep 27, 2019 · Gut HealthA Healthy Gut Makes a Healthy Heart
Despite the fact that I am a functional and integrative cardiologist, I often look first at a patient’s gut health to shed light on the underlying cause of heart disease. What could the gut possibly have to do with the heart? It’s all about inflammation.
Sep 23, 2019 · NutritionCruciferous Superfoods to the Rescue!
The world of health-promoting vegetables is so rich and diverse, it’s maybe a mistake to pick favorites….but if I were to pick a favorite veggie family, I couldn’t go wrong with cruciferous! Named after their cross-shaped flowers and also referred to as the Brassica family, veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are among the true superfoods of the produce aisles.
Sep 20, 2019 · Health & WellnessAutoimmune Disorders: When Your Body Turns on You
There’s been a stark rise in autoimmune disorders over the past 50 years, from type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis to celiac disease and asthma. What is autoimmune disorder? The first step toward a cure is understanding and controlling the causes.
Sep 16, 2019 · Health & Wellness4 Ways To Side-Step Autumnal Allergies
Autumn is one of the most glorious times of the year. The trees bursting with color, the crunch of falling leaves underfoot, the still-warm days and cooler nights. If, however, you’re saddled with seasonal allergies and all the respiratory misery that goes along with them, the arrival of fall may be anything but a cause for celebration.
Sep 13, 2019 · Health & WellnessEmpowering Parents to Grow Healthy Resilient Children
Much of my work as a holistic pediatrician these days is focused on empowering parents to grow healthy, resilient children in body, mind, and spirit. The basis of this empowerment lies in our ability to connect effectively to the world around us. When disconnected, all the physical and mental alarms go off, and that can make us feel sick.
Sep 9, 2019 · Health & Wellness8 Ways to Instantly Cut Your Pesticide Exposure
One of the key concepts in my work is “toxic load,” in other words, the sum total of all the harmful things that your body is exposed to. When we do everything in our power to reduce that toxic load, for instance, reducing our exposure to chemicals in the home, we reduce chronic illnesses and lead healthier, happier and longer lives.
Sep 6, 2019 · Health & Wellness22 Bad Habits to Avoid for Glowing Skin
Feeling comfortable in our skin is something everyone can achieve. Letting go of our images of what we should look like and enjoying the true beauty of who we are can be a challenging, but empowering endeavor.
Sep 4, 2019 · NutritionRecipe: 10 Minute Lettuce Tacos
In this recipe, I’m using romaine lettuce to act as my ‘tacos’ and these lettuce leaves work perfectly because they’re crunchy and delicious. These tacos are full of protein, fiber and healthy fats so they’re sure to keep you satisfied all day.
Sep 2, 2019 · Nutrition5 Ways to Eat Healthy Fish Wisely and Eco-Consciously
Fish – that beautiful, edible gift from the sea. It’s an excellent health booster and the cornerstone of many a tasty meal. But, as the saying goes, you are what you eat, so eating the healthiest and most responsibly sourced fish possible is essential to extract maximum benefits. But eating fish is a tricky business — there are the issues of over-fishing, ecological impact and mercury levels to factor onto your plate as well.