Fiber to Treat Diabetes, Obesity, and Heart Disease

  Why Fiber Is So Important To Health A diet high in fiber may be one of the best things that you can do for your health. When people ask me what I think is the most important change they can make to improve their health, I usually recommend a diet that is mostly plant-based, minimally processed, and high in fiber. Most anthropologists today believe that early humans ate a diet much richer in plant foods than we currently do. And most health experts agree that the daily intake of fiber should be approximately 25 grams or…

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Los Angeles Syndrome: How To Treat Chronic Stress and Exhaustion

The Stress of Living in Los Angeles Could Be Costing You Your Health The People of Los Angeles are stressed, very stressed. In fact, stress is one of the first things I notices about living and working as a naturopathic doctor in Los Angeles. Perhaps, it is how the city is laid out;  a sprawling metropolis that both frightened and fascinated me when I first moved here. The constant onslaught of amazing, talented, harried and over-worked people, has inspired me to call the this health phenomenon “L.A Syndrome.” Amongst some of the symptoms I see are, a…

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The Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee

Coffee Has Many Health Benefits For those people who truly love coffee, the idea that it could actually be good for you is welcome news. Among its many health benefits include reduced risks of developing Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, diabetes type II, cirrhosis of the liver, and gout. There are several different species on the market. The most common, coffea canephora, commonly referred to as “robusta,” is the form we most often see in common brands available at local supermarkets. This type of coffee is often high in caffeine and fairly inexpensive to produce. A…

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Green Tea and Cancer Prevention

Green Tea is Rich in Nutrients That May Prevent Cancer Over the years, there have been multiple research studies published that suggest that green tea may help prevent several types of cancer.  This is the conclusion from a meta-analysis recently published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  Extensive research has shown that substances in green tea, known as polyphenols, may have cancer preventative properties.  Of particular interest to the scientific community, is a polyphenol known as Polyphenon E, which acts as a powerful antioxidant inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. Drinking several cups of green tea…

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Flax Seeds and Omega-3’s For Heart and Brain Health

Consuming Flax Seeds and Other Omega-3 Rich Foods for Health One of the most important nutrients that we can take for our health, and one of the easiest to become deficient in, is the family of oils called, "Omega-3’s". Omega-3’s include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These important oils can be found in fish, algae, flax, walnuts, and chia seeds. Flax seeds are particularly high in the Omega-3 oil ALA.  ALA is particularly important because our bodies can make both EPA and DHA from ALA.  DHA and EPA are two types of…

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Eat To Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, M.D: A Book Review

Learning About Dr. Joel Furhman's Diet When I was in medical school, I took a class on nutrition that required we read the book Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Furhman. Dr. Furhman is a family physician who specializes in treating obesity and chronic disease with diet alone. At that time, I was intrigued by the common sense logic of Dr. Furhman’s approach,.  And, quite frankly, could not understand why more doctors did not refer to his book when developing treatment plans for their patients. Currently, Joel Furhman's entire program with DVD's is now available via Amazon, at a very affordable…

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