Debunked: Swimming After You Eat
Friends, I’m here to say that this may be the most impactful article I have ever written. What you are about to read has the potential to alter the course of summer history from this day forward. I’m talking about swimming after you eat. Most of us have probably heard, on more than one sunny […]
Low Back Pain and Space Travel: 3… 2… 1… Blast Off!!!
Earlier this year, many of us eagerly followed the news coverage of Scott Kelly’s epic return to Earth from the International Space Station. Kelly spent 340 days up in space: longer than any United States astronaut in history. You may also remember news outlets mentioning Kelly’s height: he grew an entire two inches during his […]
Debunked: The Gallbladder Flush
The gallbladder cleanse, or flush, is extremely popular these days. In my practice, people ask me about this phenomenon all the time. Usually it’s people who have gallbladder symptoms, or those who have been diagnosed with gallstones. Gallstones are a very common problem, so it’s no wonder that people who hear that there might be […]
Food for a Week
In the waiting room of my office, I keep a photography book called Hungry Planet: What the World Eats, by Peter Menzel. It is the book I most often find on my patients’ laps while they wait, and it makes a great conversation starter about food and nutrition. To compile the photographs for his book, […]
Adaptogens: Our Allies in the Plant Kingdom
Plants have an amazing ability to survive, and thrive, in the most difficult of circumstances. Just think about it: plants can’t move around. They can’t grab a sweater if it’s too chilly. They can’t turn on the AC if it’s too hot. If they’re thirsty, they can’t simply walk into the kitchen to grab a […]
Lessons from the Albatross
The albatross is a majestic seabird that, when flying free, has long symbolized good fortune to sailors. A trapped or dead albatross, however, is seen in folklore and literature as a very bad omen. This symbolism is immortalized in the poem, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. In the poem, the […]
Biotin and Your Thyroid: Not Good News
Biotin is a wildly popular supplement these days. Also known as vitamin B7 and coenzyme R, biotin is found naturally in many foods, such as eggs, milk, nuts, and legumes. As it may help to ameliorate thinning hair, and strengthen nails, it’s no wonder that many people have taken to it. Sounds great, right? However, […]
The Garden in Your Gut
My backyard is like a garden oasis. My wife and I are avid gardeners, and our three children have all understood where food comes from since they were babies. Every one of us still marvels about how tall a bean plant can grow (right now, ours are about 12 feet tall) and it’s hard not […]
Orange Bottles with White Caps
There’s no denying that modern medicine has made many wonderful advances which have benefitted the world. Numerous lives are saved each year because of medical innovations, and when an emergency situation arises, trained professionals are there to take care of us with the newest technologies. Pharmaceuticals, surgeries, and other medical practices can reduce suffering and […]
My Record-Breaking Patient
A perfectly seared steak. The browned top of a cake. The light crunch of a crusty bread. Caramelized onions. Just plain caramel. Cooking is chemistry and all of these familiar foods are examples of a very common and important biochemical reaction. And it is a reaction that is fundamental to the understanding of diabetes and […]
