Research links this American-diet staple to early death
I never thought I would see this day come. And I’m absolutely giddy with delight. Because at long last, the word is out: White bread kills. Can I get a hallelujah!? Of course, as a reader of mine, you might be thinking to yourself… “We’ve known this for decades. Why is this so shocking?” Well, for one thing, it’s shocking that we’re even still […]
COVID-19 breakthrough: An old drug cuts death risk nearly in half
Since day one of the pandemic, I’ve been waiting for the great scientific minds to figure out how to repurpose old drugs in the fight against this virus. Keep in mind that not everyone will have access to the vaccine. Some simply won’t be able to take it, for various reasons—like allergies. Whereas others may simply choose not to get […]
This five-cent supplement may save your life—and your wallet
Vitamin D is the gift that keeps on giving. Unfortunately, way too many people remain deficient—in part because most mainstream doctors don’t know any better. But I’m hopeful that maybe that’s finally set to change. If nothing else, it’s become abundantly clear during this pandemic that populations with lower vitamin D levels suffer the worst COVID-19 outcomes. And if that’s what it takes [...]
“All work and no workout” is hazardous to your health
Since we’ve been talking about the many health benefits of simply moving every single day, allow me to add yet another important caveat to that conversation. New research shows that not all physical activity is created equal after all. In fact, some of it may actually be harmful… You can’t exercise on the job A new large study looked at the different effects of physical activity [...]
One in every 14 deaths is attributed to this common “disease”
After yesterday’s discussion about the benefits of a brisk walk, I thought I’d spend some time today on an equally important message: Walking at any pace—heck, doing anything at all—will always be better than sitting still. In fact, recently published research shows that a sedentary lifestyle—also known as “sitting disease”—is responsible for eight percent of all chronic disease and [...]
COVID-19: Walk your way out of the danger zone
It’s been a while since I preached about the life-saving power of a simple walk. So today, I’m going to do just that. (I know—I manage to sneak exercise into everything that I write. And I’ll keep doing so until the message sinks in!) But today’s conversation is going to be a little different than the ones we’ve had before. Because I won’t be talking about how often to walk… or […]
Women: Don’t let stress dig you an early grave
I warn my patients about the hazards of stress all the time. The fact is, if you don’t deal with the stress in your life, it can (and will) kill you. And, unfortunately, that’s especially true for women. That’s the takeaway of a recent study featured in the Journal of the American Heart Association. And with pandemic worries crushing women at a disproportionate rate, the sooner […]
The secret to refueling a failing heart
After decades defending the positives of ketones in the blood (and on the breath), I’m pleased to report that modern American medicine may finally be catching up. (Instead of trying to shut me up.) In fact, a recently published review found that ketone bodies may be protective for patients with heart disease … Harness the power of ketones Ketones are formed when you eat a [...]
The twice-weekly secret to a longer, healthier life
It’s surprising to me that so many of the simplest pieces of nutritional wisdom—the very same truths our parents and grandparents lived by—cause such shock and awe among the modern medical community. But since I’m always urging you to take control of your health—especially your cardiometabolic health, as I discussed yesterday—I’d like to keep that conversation going here today. More [...]
COVID-19 hospitalization risk can be prevented
Believe me, I’m as tired of writing about COVID-19 as you probably are of reading about it. But the fact is, we are still very much in the midst of this pandemic—and shoving our heads in the sand won’t change that. So as research comes out, I’m going to continue sharing it here with you. Especially when it focuses on issues that we should have been taking seriously long before COVID-19 came [...]
Combat chronic sinusitis and banish brain fog
If you’re a longtime allergy sufferer, you’re all too aware how rough springtime can be on your sinuses. But what you may not be as aware of is how hard it is on your brain, too… Inflammation hijacks cognition New research has linked sinus inflammation with changes in brain activity. This isn’t the first finding to suggest the connection, of […]
COVID-19: When to test for antibodies
As the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel begins to get brighter, I’ve been getting lots of questions about COVID-19 antibodies. Specifically, many of my patients want to know: when is the right time to test for them? It’s an important question… whether you’ve had the virus or have just been vaccinated. Because we’re all eager to see our friends and family again. And we all want to [...]
The lethal fallout of the PSA smear campaign
I’ve always been one of the loudest voices out there declaring my disgust at how many men have been overtreated for prostate cancer. But I never once abandoned the idea of routine PSA screening. After all, it’s not the fault of the PSA test that overzealous doctors used its results to justify barbaric and excessive treatment plans. Especially when you consider how PSA screenings are just one [...]
[EXPOSED] Conventional thyroid treatment is practically useless
Throughout my entire career, I’ve recommended and prescribed natural thyroid preparations that include both T3 and T4, almost exclusively. After all, our bodies need both hormones to function optimally. So it’s really no surprise that patients almost always feel better on these natural preparations than they do on the synthetic T4 options available. (Try as they [...]
Eat your way to a healthier heart
It’s exciting to see that people are finally admitting that obesity plays a central role in diabetes. (A fact that has been crystal clear for decades… yet no one has wanted to do anything about it.) But can you just imagine how many lives could have been saved? How many heart attacks, strokes, and years of lost earnings could have been avoided if the powers–that–be had only [...]
New “diet” pill promises dramatic weight loss
It looks like there’s a new weight loss wonder drug on the market. I’m talking about semaglutide, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017. Of course, it wasn’t originally intended as a “diet pill.” It was actually designed to help control type 2 diabetes. But the fact that it’s now being touted for weight loss isn’t a […]
The epidemic sending young adults to an early grave
Yesterday, I shared some grim statistics—and talked a little bit about the high price we stand to pay as a country for letting the twin epidemics of diabetes and obesity run rampant for far too long. So, today, I want to make sure that message really sinks in—by reminding you that amputation, blindness, and cancer are just a few of the potential consequences of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis… [...]
The latest diabesity statistics paint a grim picture
I first learned the term “diabesity” from my mentor, Dr. Robert Atkins, years ago. And I still use the term today—more often than not, unfortunately. It describes the twin epidemics of type 2 diabetes and obesity… which have rocketed alongside one another for a reason. In fact, these two conditions are so tightly linked that even the powers-that-be can’t deny it any longer. But if we don’t [...]
Can COVID-19 spread through our food supply?
Now that the COVID-19 pandemic has been going on for over a year (and has quite literally affected the entire planet), we are finally getting to know our enemy—its strengths, weaknesses, and most importantly, how to conquer it. That’s why, today, I’d like to share yet another encouraging milestone: Learning how COVID-19 is actually transmitted. Food packaging isn’t a problem A handful of [...]
COVID-19: Proof that vaccination is essential to recovery
We already know that COVID vaccination prevents against infection the vast majority of the time. But as I mentioned briefly on Tuesday, it’s still unclear whether vaccinated individuals can be asymptomatic carriers. And since there’s still so much misinformation, rumor, and just downright stupidity about the vaccines out there, allow me to tackle that burning question here today: If a [...]
COVID-19: How to properly wear a mask
Forgive me for tooting my own horn, but let’s face facts. I have always considered myself to be a trendsetter, both professionally and personally. And now, something that I’ve actually been practicing since day one of this pandemic is becoming a trend: Double masking. (Though truthfully, I’ve actually been going out with three masks— two surgical masks, and one cloth mask with a filter on [...]
COVID-19: Two safety measures that still matter
I’ve always been passionate about public health. I love studying and learning about what keeps populations healthy… especially during a pandemic. In fact, I had been in public health school at the beginning of the AIDS crisis. (I have a Master’s degree in the field.) So I learned firsthand how public behaviors can change the course of an epidemic. So, […]
Antidepressants continue to do more harm than good
Of all the drugs that drive me absolutely insane, few infuriate me quite as much as antidepressants. Yet they remain one of the top ten drugs in the country, even as research continues to expose one shocking side effect after another. This would be bad enough if the only reason doctors prescribed these drugs was to address depression and anxiety. […]
COVID-19: Do you suffer from “coronasomnia”?
It’s going to be quite a few years until we start to see the real toll that the coronavirus pandemic has taken on all of us. There will be many long–lasting physical and emotional damages that linger after this crisis is behind us. None of which will “just go away” once we can hang up our masks—and we’d be wise to recognize the struggle that lies ahead. As for me, I’m […]
Combat anxiety at the dinner table
Even before the coronavirus hit our shores, some 40 million adults in the U.S.—and countless kids and teens—struggled with an anxiety disorder. And now, a full year into the pandemic, it’s safe to say that we’re hurtling toward a full-blown national mental health crisis. (I don’t have the exact statistics on hand, but I’m willing to wager that these numbers have at least doubled.) Of [...]
The “less popular” way to achieve optimal health
With everyone jumping on the plant–based diet bandwagon these days, I try to bring some sense to the narrative whenever I can. It’s not that I don’t understand the trend. After all, I love fresh produce myself—and routinely encourage you to make vegetables part of your healthy diet. But the jury is still out on a lot of the fronts that make plant-based diets […]
This morning “vice” may help prevent the second most common cancer
I’m not a coffee drinker myself. But I also know that a lot of my patients and readers can’t imagine a day without that morning cup of joe. Which is why I’m always excited to share new research that highlights the benefits of this daily ritual. Because the truth is, despite its longstanding reputation as a “vice,” coffee is a bona fide health food. And now, researchers are […]
Six common drugs that can destroy your sex life
These days, there more factors interfering with our sex lives than ever before… If you’re in a relationship, maybe you’ve just spent too much time under the same roof with your partner (especially during lockdown). If you’re single, maybe you’ve been afraid to meet new people—much less to be intimate with them—in the age of COVID-19. Plus, both stress and anxiety are also notorious libido [...]
The COVID vaccine: Why I choose to trust the science
We still have a long road ahead of us before the world returns to anything resembling the way that it was before the coronavirus pandemic gripped the globe. But the new COVID-19 vaccines mark a huge step forward. So when I see so-called “experts” discouraging the public from getting them? Needless to say, I get pretty outraged. So, allow me to continue yesterday’s […]
Debunking the controversies surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines
I’ve always considered it my duty to champion the truth in medicine. And hopefully, as a reader of mine, that’s something you have come to expect from me. So when I came across a recent article filled with inconsistencies and dishonesties about the COVID-19 vaccines, I knew I had to address it. This article appeared on a website called Conservative Republicans of Texas News, which should be [...]
What an afternoon nap does to your brain
Since we spent the entire week talking about simple ways to help keep your brain young, I thought I would wrap things up today with one more strategy that’s so simple you can do in your sleep… literally. Let me explain… Napping boosts brain power It’s no secret that people tend to nap more as they age. But […]
Stave off Parkinson’s with this classic vitamin combo
In the era of the 24-hour news cycle, it’s actually sort of refreshing to write about something “old”. And it’s encouraging to see that science still cares about the most basic vitamins. (Although perhaps I should be alarmed that it took them this long to discover some of their best benefits.) Case in point: A recent Swedish cohort study has linked higher intakes of vitamins C and E with a [...]
How to shave six years off of your brain’s age
I’m so glad I came across the study I want to share with you today. Because you can’t even begin to imagine how many times I’ve talked to patients about this very topic over the course of my 30–year career in private practice: “Can I cheat here and there?” As a diet doctor—and knowing how passionate I am about healthy eating—my answer to […]
The single best way to preserve an aging brain
Did you think I was done talking about exercise? Well, not so fast—because there’s more new research to share. We’ve already talked about how exercise can help keep pandemic anxiety and depression at bay and fight against cognitive decline and dementia. And now, a recent study adds to that growing body of evidence—reiterating how regular exercise has the power to protect your brain [...]
The ultimate secret behind healthy aging
I’ve spent a lot of time this week talking about the toll obesity takes—both personally and societally. And this topic has never been more urgent than in the face of a global pandemic that preys on those whose weight has negatively impacted their health status. But of course, as a career “diet doctor,” nobody knows […]
COVID-19: Obesity throws another wrench in recovery
Earlier this week, I exposed the high price of obesity throughout this pandemic—to one’s health and to society. That’s why, today, I’d like to reveal yet another crucial risk—one that could ultimately prove just as costly. A new study is showing that people who are heavier, older, and male may have trouble mounting an immune response to COVID-19 vaccination. In other words, not only are [...]
The shocking factor behind thousands of COVID deaths
I often talk to you about the health risks of obesity. And I’ve spent practically my entire career trying to teach people that we are what we eat… and that our choices do affect our health, both positively and negatively. Of course, that message has stayed in the spotlight throughout this pandemic, because obesity emerged as a lethal risk factor right from the get-go. And [...]
COVID-19: One step forward, two steps back
It pains me to say it, but I’m beginning to lose faith in this country. Because honestly, I don’t see how we’re ever going to operate as a truly united group of people when, even in the midst of a pandemic—which is still killing thousands of Americans per day—we can’t agree on something as simple and life-saving as wearing a mask. Perhaps you’ve already heard, but the governors of Texas [...]
The stairway to happiness
On Tuesday, I explained how intermittent exercise just doesn’t work. Rather, consistency is the key—not only for your heart health, but for your overall sense of well-being, too. In fact, new research reveals how even the most mundane activities could make a world of difference… Everyday activity engages your brain German researchers looked at the impact […]
One easy, breezy way to feel better in the wake of COVID-19
Do you find yourself feeling less and less like yourself? Perhaps you feel sadder, angrier, foggier, more bored, more fatigued, or more irritable than usual? If so, you’re not alone. We have all had our fill of the hysteria and devastation COVID-19 has caused. And a whole year later, it still isn’t over. Sure, the end is in sight. But it isn’t as close as most of us would hope. So […]
