88 results found for: Allergies

Bring On the ‘Good’ Bacteria

Doctors often need to give patients advice on their diets. I have talked with countless patients who are confused about the huge amount of information on what will keep you healthy, what will keep you thin, and what will keep you young. Furthermore, the latest news about healthy eating often changes from year to year and even month to month. To make life easier for my patients, I follow the latest research in nutrition and healthy eating. One food that consistently makes headlines has actually been around for hundreds of years. I am talking about kefir, the cultured milk beverage. […]

Bee Propolis: An Ancient Healer of Many Things

Did you know that one of the oldest folk remedies is something that is probably in your pantry at this very moment?

Miraculous Mushrooms Are a Food Powerhouse

Most of the people I know have very strong feelings about mushrooms—they either love them or hate them. One of the beauties of mushrooms is that they usually take on the flavor of whatever they are cooked with. If it’s garlic and olive oil, that’s what they taste like. If they’re in a spicy Asian stir fry, they take on those flavors. One thing is certain — mushrooms are healthy little powerhouses of immunity boosters, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Rich in B vitamins such as riboflavin, folate, thiamine, pantothenic acid, and niacin, they are also the only vegan, non-fortified dietary […]

Researched Health Benefits of Turmeric

Over the centuries, the root-like stem of the Curcuma longa plant has been used to make yellow dyes and spike food with some tasty zing. But an ever-growing mountain of evidence shows that boldly colored turmeric with its earthy, bitter-gingery taste may offer a plethora of potential health benefits. Multiple studies — most originating in India, Europe and Australia — show that turmeric, and especially its color-rich constituent of curcumin, can help prevent or treat a wide spectrum of cancers, inflammatory conditions, autoimmune problems, neurological ailments including Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and diabetes neuropathy, among other metabolic diseases. Interest in turmeric and curcumin began […]

Spicy Foods Can Help You Live Longer

Do you enjoy hot and spicy Indian, Thai, Mexican or Creole foods? Yes? Well, you’ll be happy to know there’s a new healthy reason to eat more of them. Recent research shows that people who regularly eat hot, spicy foods have a lower risk of getting major diseases. Let me tell you why… A recent study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) revealed that people who ate hot, spicy foods regularly (at least twice per week) had a 10% lower risk of death. Those who ate these foods every day, increased their longevity by 14%. Why? Well, hot, spicy […]

Vitiligo Can Develop As You Get Older

Vitiligo can be a depressing condition to live with. Generally, people get it in their younger years and live with it throughout their life. But, late onset vitiligo, occurring after 55 years of age, is also becoming more common. But, a couple of new treatments are showing new promise in treating vitiligo. New Non-Drug Treatments for Vitiligo Vitiligo is a skin condition marked by many, or just a few, white patches of skin and/or hair. Singer Michael Jackson brought vitiligo to greater public attention as he developed the condition in his early 40’s. It’s estimated that about 2% of people […]

Getting Cultured! Kefir vs. Yogurt

I remember years ago as a kid reading about people in Bulgaria who lived into their hundreds. Part of their secret (besides hard, physical work and a little alcohol each day) was eating yogurt and drinking kefir (KEE-fur). Back when I was a youngster in Southeast Asia, yogurt was still a pretty exotic food without the huge selection we see in the dairy case today. Yogurt has rightfully been recognized as a ‘super food,’ loaded with protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorous and beneficial bacteria.   Yogurt Facts One cup (8 fl. oz.) of plain low fat yogurt contains about 154 calories, […]

Beets Show Major Health Benefits

Americans generally don’t like beets. People online put the bulbous red root on par with anchovies, chicken liver and Brussels sprouts. It’s hard to hit a root too low, but people typically say that beets taste like dirt, with less hostile commentary simply referring to them as “earthy.” Even President Barack Obama says he doesn’t like beets, which are never served at the White House, although it hasn’t sparked the level of controversy generated by President George H.W. Bush’s disdain for broccoli. But research now is rooting for the beet as the Steve Jobs of the vegetable world — generally […]

9 Not-So-Harmless Habits That Might Be Disrupting Your Sleep

Few appreciate a true, good night’s rest. A rare but mighty thing, sleep is pretty much always a main goal-second only, perhaps, to vacation. Which may very well mean the same thing. That said, we are all guilty of a handful of habits, that can sabotage sleep. Struggling to catch those Z’s even when the opportunity presents itself every once in a blue moon? (Definitely not a full moon, because we all know what that means….) Here are some of the daily DON’Ts you may want to ditch. 1. You aren’t practicing methodical munching. It’s hard to develop a consistent meal routine when […]

Age-Fighting Quercetin Is Anti-Inflammatory

Quercetin (pronounced kwer-suh-tin) has been in the news recently, and for good reason. This yellow pigment is a flavonoid that occurs in apples, grape skin, red onions, and green tea. While quercetin’s presence in foods has long been recognized, it has only been lately that some of its remarkable effects have come to light. Quercetin’s recently discovered properties include protective effects against cancer, cardiovascular disease, allergies and immune dysfunction — all of which, if prevented, could help improve or extend life. For life extensionists, however, the most exciting research involves the use of quercetin as a potential treatment for aging. […]