Green & Healthy Living

Food Bars and Shakes vs. Regular Wholesome Lunch: Video Interview with Keri Gans, Registered Dietitian

Here is a video interview with Registered Dietitian and author of The Small Change Diet, Keri Gans on how a busy person can eat healthy. The video interview was broken into 3 parts. Here is part 1 on food bars and shakes versus a "regular wholesome lunch". About Keri: Keri M. Gans, MS, RD, CDN - Keri Gans is a Registered Dietitian and has had a private practice in Manhattan for over ten years. She is a Spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association Spokesperson (ADA), an ADA Delegate for New York State Dietetic Association (NYSDA) and a Past President of NYSDA. Keri...

Trying the Raw Food Diet? Raw versus Cooked Food

A few months back I addressed the issue of veganism in my blog, and provided a series of snippets and references from my book, suggesting that a long term vegan diet – especially in women and children – can be dangerous. This post generated a fair amount of reaction by vegans, but it also opened up the possibility of a more nuanced, well-reasoned approach to this issue. Today I want to continue this debate, by addressing the issue of raw foodism and the raw food diet. The following is taken from my book, Food As Medicine, and is a compilation...

Celiac symptoms in children

Are there common childhood symptoms in undiagnosed children with celiac disease? Do boys and girls present with different signs and experience a different set of symptoms? The answer to all three of these questions is YES. If you think your child is at risk for celiac disease read on. Celiac disease is the most under diagnosed, chronic pediatric disease in the U.S. affecting one in 100 children and one in 22 for those associated with risk factors. Amazingly, 95% of all cases are undiagnosed. The disease is a genetic intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. When...

A Question About Pea Protein…

I recently posted an article to the urbandiner.ca website on the subject of the legumes ("Beans, beans, the magical fruit?"), in part taken from a chapter of my upcoming book "Food As Medicine" The Theory and Practice of Food". In the last part of my blog I discuss the issue of the vegan protein powders that seem all the rage these days. I have spent some time on medline researching these ingredients, chief among them being pea protein isolate. If you do a google search on it, most of the "information" is marketing, about how it's well-tolerated, well-digested and hypoallergenic....

4 Easy Steps to Eternal Youth

The hippocampus is the area of the brain responsible for memory and certain types of learning. Beginning in our twenties, this area starts losing an average 1% of volume each year. As the years go on, our immune systems weaken, our muscles lose mass, our joints feel sore, and our brains shrink by the day. These, among other potential declines make aging a frightful thought. Contrary to popular belief however, aging is not the inevitable downward spiral that we once thought it was. Research in a vast array of complementary fields shows that lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, learning, and...

8 Tips For Better Digestion

Digestive disturbances can be irritating and uninvited, like your in-laws. Symptoms like  bloating, flatulence, constipation and acid reflux can be your body’s intelligent way of trying to to let you know when something isn’t peachy. Proper digestive function is essential to optimal health and vitality, energy and prevention of disease. It is intimately connected to weight loss (or weight gain), your mood and how you feel overall on a regular basis- which should be fantastic for the most part. Here are 8 simple and effective tips to help promote digestion. ** If you do experience these symptoms frequently on a regular basis, it’s...

Is Natural Choice Always the Best Choice When it Comes to Health?

My dog has fleas. Creepy crawlies are getting me in the night! Despite my best efforts to deter fleas from my dog, she got them. I can’t SEE them, but she has bites and is scratching. And I have bites! I recently got back from a trip to California, during which time I stayed at a not-so-swanky hotel, so my initial fear was that I brought bed bugs home with me. But no – thank God – we’re just dealing with fleas. That said – Still very gross! Upon moving to the Lower Mainland, I did everything a yogi dog owner...

Chiropractic Explained

Chiropractic is the most widely used natural health care in North America, though probably the most misunderstood. It is based on the understanding of the self-healing capabilities of the human body. The body is a self-healing, self-regulating organism. The nervous system is the master control system of the body and is responsible for maintaining the function of every muscle, organ, cell and tissue. Therefore, if there is any interference in how the nervous system is working, the body loses its ability to heal and self regulate. A chiropractor’s role is to eliminate any interference to your nervous system, thus allowing your...

Does the Label Organic Deliver on its Promise?

What does the word “organic” conjure up for you in your mind? For me, ten years ago before I began to research food, “organic” meant over-priced, blemished fruits and veggies. I certainly didn’t understand why anyone would pay extra for what I thought must be subpar produce. Of course, I had never seen an organic apple at that time - I just believed they would be full of worms, since no pesticides were used. Later, after I’d actually gone into a store that sold organic produce, and found my first organic apple to not only be blemish free, but also to...

Keeping Your Adrenal Glands Healthy with the Proper Foods

Do you suffer from fatigue or low energy? Do you eat healthfully yet wonder why you can't lose weight? In this post we will discuss adrenal health, and specific foods to eat to combat adrenal fatigue. Included is a VEGAN recipe: Slow Cooker Chickpea and Lentil Stew. If you answered yes to the questions above, you could be suffering from adrenal fatigue! Anyone can experience adrenal fatigue at some point in his or her life. Nutrient deficiencies, inadequate rest, a life crisis, or too much pressure can drain the adrenals of even the healthiest person. What are the Adrenal Glands? Adrenal glands are part...