Can Statins Be Avoided With Lifestyle Interventions? Part 1
It likely comes as no surprise that whenever possible, I advise avoiding pharmaceutical drugs in favor of healthy lifestyle changes. Prescription drugs invariably come with a host of side effects—some of which can be life threatening. Statins, used for lowering cholesterol, are among the most commonly prescribed drugs. Although we’ve long been reassured that statins […]
The Unique Health Benefits of Siberian Sea Buckthorn Oil
Most people are aware that essential fatty acids are a necessary part of a healthy diet, and are familiar with omega 3’s, omega 6’s, and omega 9’s. But you may not have heard of omega 7’s, also known as palmitoleic acid. This rare fatty acid occurs abundantly in Siberian sea buckthorn berries (Hippophae rhamnoides), and […]
The Truth About Grains, Part II
In my last post, I shared my thoughts about the current dietary fad of avoiding grains and my personal approach to a healthful diet. In general, I recommend replacing refined grains with whole grains and suggest two servings of whole grains per day, served as part of two balanced meals. In this post, I delve […]
A Botanical Approach To Hypertension
Hypertension—also known as high blood pressure—afflicts more than one-third of American adults. This common and serious condition can cause life-threatening diseases such as heart attack, stroke, heart or kidney failure, and more. Although drugs are the treatment of choice in conventional medicine, hypertension is primarily the result of an unhealthy lifestyle. In most cases, I […]
The Many Health Benefits of Pomegranates
On our recent trip to Israel, my wife Jen and I appreciated the abundance of healthful foods, including fresh pomegranate juice. Pomegranate juice is a popular beverage throughout the country, and everywhere we went, there were stands offering freshly prepared juice, either straight up or mixed with fresh orange juice. We looked forward to watching […]
Nutrigenomics: Beyond Basic Nutrition
With the advent of a growing scientific field of study called nutrigenomics, the old adage “you are what you eat” is proving to be much more than folk wisdom. Nutrigenomics takes into consideration the relationship between diet and genetics, and identifies the beneficial or detrimental health effects of various dietary components. What researchers have discovered […]
Are Statins Safe?
The straightforward answer to this question is “NO.” Statins are not benign, health protective medications, as the pharmaceutical companies would have you believe. If the decision were left up to the makers of Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor, Pravachol, and other cholesterol-lowering drugs, statins would be prescribed for every American (including children), handed out with fast-food meals, […]
Fish Oil Supplements: Beneficial Or Not?
If you believe the findings of a recent highly publicized research report, you may be wondering if you should throw your fish oil supplements into the garbage. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (September 2012), researchers who evaluated data from 20 previous studies maintain that neither fish oil […]