The Hype It has been called the most powerful herb on the planet. Basically, turmeric has been long hailed for both it’s anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant capabilities. Suffice it to say that if you suffer from it, turmeric can help! ’Nuff said… The Science Turmeric is the plant (curcuma longa), and curcumin is the yellow/orange chemical…
The Hype If you google ‘canola oil’ these days, you will see a barrage of websites claiming that it is poison, toxic, and a terrible and unhealthy oil, that it is not even a real oil. Yikes, sounds pretty scary. This has made me think twice. As a dietitian, back in college we were informed…
The Hype: Coconut oil is seems to be having it’s heyday right now. Good for your body, good for your skin, good for your hair. Their are also many health claims associated with coconut oil. It has reached super-food status. So, how does it really break down? The Science: Coconut oil is a medium-chain…
Fats are one of the three macronutrients that the body requires for fuel, the other two being protein and carbohydrates. While protein and carbs provide the body with 4 calories per gram, fats provide 9 calories per gram. They have a higher caloric density, which means you eat less of the food and have a…
The Hype Currently being hailed as “the world’s healthiest diet”, the Paleo (caveman, stone age, primal, etc.) is one of the fastest growing diet trends in America right now. It appears to be marketed primarily toward men, “Eat like our ancestors did” and “Be strong like a caveman” with many pictures of beefy muscle men…
The Hype Recently, I have been hearing all kinds of, shall we say, ‘interesting’ things about soy. So interesting, in fact, that I felt the need to write about it. For years, I have been aware of a lot of research supporting the myriad health benefits of soy. The soybean contains phytonutrients called isoflavones…
Well, it felt like the right time, starting a new year and all. I went for it. I followed the 7-day detox plan that I put together. One of my sisters decided to do it with me, so we got together and hashed out our plan (as described in the previous post – 7 day…
There is evidence that we are exposed to and absorb many different toxins. So, I want to follow a detox diet to see what happens. I put together a 7-day detox plan for myself, based on what I learned from Mary Purdy’s detox seminar (1) and my own research. I used the following principles to…
The Hype You’ve heard it so many times over the past several years: our environment is toxic! Our food is toxic! Our water is toxic! Industrial chemicals are inside our bodies making us sick and we must detoxify ourselves to safeguard our health. Then you hear the diet and product claims: Rejuvenate yourself, kick start your…
The Hype: On one hand, there are pro-GMO people, scientists, and large biotech corporations producing the genetically modified foods. Their point of view: -GM foods will save the environment and promote sustainability by using less herbicide and pesticide, thus lowering water pollution and lowering greenhouse gases. -GM foods will solve the world hunger crisis, by…
The Hype Some say it is poison. Some say it’s as addictive as cocaine. Some say it is the root cause of obesity and diabetes. My favorite: “The floozy of the sugar world”(1). It is man-made and cheap. It is in A LOT of processed foods. Is it toxic or harmless? What is the real…
The Claims: We are hearing and reading about all kinds of stuff that can disrupt the gut: medicine by-products and antibiotics, stuff in our water supply, chemicals and pesticides in the ground that leech into our fruits and vegetables (or sprayed directly on them), chemical additives and preservatives in processed foods, hormones and antibiotics in…
The Hype: Energy drinks are marketed for increasing one’s physical and mental performance. They are very popular on an international level. When I checked out some popular energy drink websites, I realized that I could really become the next superhero or rock star daredevil, if only I drink this stuff. How exciting! But then, alas,…
The Hype There are companies that sell ‘Alkaline Water’ and push the alleged many health benefits of drinking it. Searching the web for a few minutes, I found websites purporting that alkaline water fixed everything from knee joints to diabetes to ‘neutralizing the body’ to bowel issues to “improved hydration”. Interestingly, these websites seemed to…
The Hype Have you been told that everyone is deficient in Vitamin D and we all need supplements? For the past couple of years, people are rushing to the store to buy high-dose Vitamin D supplements. Just browsing the internet for a few minutes, I found many reports on why we need more vitamin D,…
