I often get questions from people who have seen advertisements for weight loss supplements and they wonder if they work. One of those supplement companies has a product that they call "GOLO". Their pitch is that it is a combination of supplement pills and a low-calorie diet, but it is primarily pills that contain a few minerals and some crushed her…

I stumbled upon an article about meditation that led me down a rabbit hole of other articles looking into why or how meditation helps us feel better. Turns out, there are hundreds of recent articles discovering exactly what meditation is doing in our bodies. So where would I begin? It was overwhelming to be sure. But I started with articles from th…

Today's episode is a relatively short one, so I thought I would start by giving you a 5 minute sample of my new memoir, called Helpers Anonymous (now on audible and itunes. If you are interested in listening to the audio version of the memoir, you could send me your first name and email address and I will email you one of the free audible codes for…

Back in the old days, maybe 50 years ago, scientists believed that it was all about the math. We decided that a deficit of 3500 calories would equal 1 pound of weight loss and the weight loss was from the burning of fat stores for that energy. If that’s the case, a daily deficit of 500 calories per day would be equal to 1 pound of fat loss per week…

If there was ever a topic that my unique combination of background experience leads me to have an opinion about, it would be Ozempic. Yet, even I am not sure about exactly where the internal debate in my head finally lands. And that leads me to believe that the “one size fits all” nutrition advice just won’t work here. But before I get into Ozempic…

Once again, I review different types of foods where sell-by dates are important and explain why that may be the case. As in part one, the take-away message is that it's good to know which foods might spoil and taste lousy versus which foods could cause food poisoning. But first, I announce that there are still promo codes for free copies of my memo…

Breaking news! (I hope) My new memoir called "Helpers Anonymous" is now out in audiobook format, on audible and iTunes. I still have free codes to hand out! So if you would like to listen to my audiobook, I still have some available for free audiobooks. If you would like a complimentary audiobook, just message me with your first name and email addr…

When I learned that up to 70% of college athletes are now taking creatine supplements, I decided to look into studies that examined its effectiveness. Before I got into creatine supplements, I went over a few points from the previous episodes on the benefits of berries and other antioxidants. There is a five minute video by Dr. Michael Greger on th…

We all know that rates of cancer seem to be rising for many different types of cancer. Most notably colorectal, breast, prostate, and skin cancer. But why? This is a complicated question with no simple answer. Colorectal cancer is definitely food-related, but smoking, weight, and epi-genetics play a role. Breast and prostate cancer can be influence…

There have been stories in the media recently about cancer rates increasing in younger people in this country. That is also true in England, but not so much in Asian countries (where folks eat less processed meat and more plant-based foods). Among the 14 cancer types on the rise, eight are related to the digestive system. The recent news is based o…

Now, I mean this in only the nicest possible way. But sometimes I review a documentary so you don't have to watch the whole darn thing yourself. Unless you want to; which you may in this particular case. I'm reviewing a documentary called "The Need to Grow", which tells us about two pioneers in the sustainability/save the planet field. These two me…

I don’t mind telling you that I have been obsessed with Balance of Nature supplements since I have been forced to listen to numerous replays of TV ads during one of my favorite shows. I hear myself yelling things like. "have you no shame?" at the TV, but the ads just keep coming. Spoiler alert: These snake oil salesmen will deduct $90 – $100 from y…

For this episode, I go where few podcasters are brave enough to go; that is, a discussion of healthy poop. And more specifically, how to improve the quality of your gut bacteria to have that desirable poop. But first, I get on my soapbox once more to discuss Balance of Nature supplements. The consumer fraud reporting people discuss this company in …

Have you been wondering if the rise in auto-immune diseases is a real thing? Well, it is. The question creating much discussion among scientists is the cause for this rise in many conditions triggered by an overactive inflammatory response. The blame has been focused on the Western diet, and specifically within the US and England. The cases of mult…

Before I tell you about the wonderful benefits of oatmeal, I go on a rant about Balance of Nature vitamins. The first and perhaps only thing you need to know... Is that there are no nutrients listed on the label because there are no nutrients in that bottle. For $100 per month, you get only practice swallowing big pills. Historically, oatmeal was a…

Two independent researchers have recently discovered that inflammation (which is occurring in a tumor in our bodies) is contributing to the tumor's growth. Does this mean that anti-inflammatory compounds can contribute to slowing or even stopping the growth of tumors? Well, that is exactly where the research is heading, and it looks promising. Toda…

Most of us have taken notice of the rise in prices at the grocery store. Is there a way to continue to eat our favorite foods without anxiety about feeling broke? Yes, in fact, there is. But it takes some planning and a few adjustments. Before I get into the “meat” of the episode, I discuss a study published on the fat-suppressing effect of spinach…

Many of us are familiar with bribes to get us to eat our vegetables when we were kids. It was either "you can have a yummy dessert if you eat your vegetables"... Or "you cannot have a yummy dessert if you don't eat your vegetables". Is either option a good idea if the goal is to improve our intake of vegetables as adults? Probably not. Today I look…

I mentioned this In part one but it's worth repeating: if you are seriously considering weight loss surgery, please speak with a trusted healthcare professional. It is a huge decision and cannot be undone once it is done. Having said that, I go over some of the changes your body will experience and things that you need to look out for. I then get t…

I'm bringing you part one of a two-part series on the risks and benefits of weight loss surgery. If I sound like a glass-half-empty person on this issue, you would be correct. I cannot emphasize enough that there are consequences to the surgery that need to be considered before making such an important decision. Usually, surgeons prefer a BMI of 40…

I was recently given this article from the New Yorker magazine on the newest "best" restaurant in the US. The restaurant presents authentic Native American cuisine and the chef is a native American himself. His name is Sean Sherman and he single-handedly brought the topic of native American cuisine front and center. After looking into it myself, I …

In part 2 of my discussion on the damage that fat shaming can do, I brainstorm things we could do in the preventative arena, both through government intervention and individual efforts. The first article discusses the labeling of obesity as a disease and what political actions resulted from that decision. The article can be found here. There was a …

It may be time to get a little uncomfortable with what should be common sense but is seldom discussed. And it's this: Fat shaming is condoned in the medical community and it makes matters worse, not better. Let's put it another way: If someone is shamed or ridiculed for being overweight, they tend to gain weight rather than lose weight. There have …

We women of a certain age tend to take thinning hair very seriously. But here's what I have been wondering. Is it really worse here in the 21st century, or are we more self-aware of our looks since we've been bombarded with images of beautiful hair on TV and video? I have looked into this and it turns out this may indeed be the case. Our hair may b…

In this cranked-up super-speed society we live in, we're usually on to something else if the topic doesn’t grab our attention in the first 6 seconds. And that would certainly be the case if the topic is anhydrous ammonia fertilizer. But today I’m asking you to care, for many reasons that I discuss in this episode. Before I get to the fertilizer, I …

Happy Earth Day, people! I thought I'd celebrate this beautiful planet of ours by talking about garbage. but first, I tell you a little story about a town called Hamilton Massachusetts. It is where the richest 1% hang their hats... and their town sport is polo. (Of course, it is.) Last year they quietly initiated a mandatory curbside composting pro…

Have you ever wondered what causes you to feel hungry, even though you perhaps shouldn't be? In this episode, I discuss the biology behind what makes us feel hungry or full. The initial NIH article that I refer to frequently (a meta-analysis of 10 studies on ghrelin) can be found here in this article from endocrine web.com, the author explains how …

Many of us are feeling some anxiety about what to believe or disbelieve regarding how to avoid getting sick from Covid. Maybe the old saying "if it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck" may be right after all. Does it matter if there is a 5% chance that it is a goose? I've plowed through a bunch of research articles and I…

I decided to do an episode on the light and airy (dare I say fluffy) topic of popping corn for the holidays. But first, I discussed something on a more serious note. I ran across some information on vitamin D as it relates to Covid 19. The first article that I read through came from the journal Science and it can be found here. The second article i…

As most of us who sit through TV commercials are aware, any medications we are prescribed come with both benefits and possible risks. And the risk of side effects will go up when the dose goes up. But how are these clinical drug trials put together and who decides whether or not the risk is acceptable? Today I tell you a story of the Lopid clinical…

Today I am flapping my gums about the use of statins over the past 50 years. First, I give you a little background about what your cholesterol numbers mean, how they may affect your risk factors for heart disease and stroke, and how these statins actually work. Then I delve into the sensitive territory about whether or not dietary changes can do ev…

Have you ever looked at a recipe and thought to yourself: I would like to make this, but I don't like brussels sprouts, or I can't eat wheat flour? This week I go over how we can go about substituting an ingredient, or cooking technique, or a lower fat substitution, without ruining the recipe. But first, I bring to your attention a couple of great …

I recently came across an article in the New York Times magazine that talked about the sciencey details about why we burn extra calories. So I thought I would talk about examples that would clear up any confusion about the science. That article from the New York Times can be found here. There is a broader article in the journal Science that the NYT…

It is a common belief that the obstacle keeping us from achieving our wellness goals is either a lack of time or money. But when it comes to cooking healthy meals from scratch at home, we may want to consider confidence and priority setting as possible obstacles as well. The reality is that we can actually save money and possibly time by planning a…

I recently came across this article from the Journal of the American Medical Association. It basically says that if you supplement money given to food stamp (SNAP) recipients with programs like healthy cooking classes, the nutritional quality and time spent making home-cooked meals increased significantly. All the numbers improved, folks. Weight de…

It's common knowledge that fiber is good for us, but what does it do, and how does it improve our cholesterol levels? Today I will journey through our gastrointestinal tract to answer these questions. The American Heart Association, along with the NIH, published its annual report on the stats for heart attacks and strokes as relates to diet, exerci…

When you see a study that claims that smoking can cause cancer, have you ever wondered how they could get laboratory rats to puff on those cigarettes? When you hear that eating a lot of carrots will turn your skin orange, have you ever wondered what sucker figured that out the hard way? Well, wonder no more because today we are talking about diet a…

An article in The Guardian got me thinking about how we might translate idealistic goals about what to eat to reduce climate change into breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So in this episode, I get into different ways we can do our part to cut down on greenhouse gases and reduce water usage. Could this be as simple as eating more from column A and less …

Do endurance athletes really need a lot of extra protein, or do they just need a lot of extra calories? This week we take a look at several high-protein powders on the market to build muscle and improve performance. As always, if you have any questions or would like to hire a nutritionist, please contact me on my website contact page, which is Heal…

Since many of us are using these protein/calorie supplement drinks for a quick meal or a complement to weight training, I decided to take a second look at them. If you have any questions or would like to work with a nutritionist/wellness coach to reach your wellness goals, feel free to email me on my website contact page.…

Yes, cross-addiction with food is possible. But thanks to some exciting new research, there may be something we can do about it. If you feel that you need some assistance or just support on your journey, you can hire me as your health and wellness coach! Just email me here, on my Healing Outside The Box website, and I will get back to you. If you a…

Not only is cross-addiction with food possible, but it can go both ways. That is the bad news. But the good news is that there is something we can do about it. One of the 2 experts I mentioned was Dr Neil Barnard. The interview I quoted can be found here. Dr. Pamela Peake also has many videos on this topic. I referred to this video in my episode, b…

Welcome to part 2 of my series on the possibility of treating autistic symptoms with broccoli sprouts. This week we put theory into practice with some tips about how to prepare broccoli and broccoli sprouts in a form on the kitchen table that children with autism might eat. After all, even Pres. George H.W. Bush didn't like to eat his broccoli. But…

If anyone ever told you to eat your broccoli, the proof of its benefits has finally arrived. Today we are discussing the multiple reasons why antioxidants, like those found in broccoli, would be a good idea. The National Institute of Health (NIH) has put out a few remarkable journal articles looking into the evidence that one particular substance c…

In part 3 of this 3-part series, I humbly attempt to put this GMO controversy into some perspective with two stories about the unintended consequences of manipulating genes in a plant seed. The first story, from Roundup to dicamba, describes the ability of weeds to become resistant to one weedkiller (roundup) and then the following weedkiller (dica…

In part 2 of this 3-part series, I discuss more information about where we are with this genetic modification business, focusing on fish and animals today. But first I announce that GMO labeling is becoming "a thing" and the mandatory law goes into effect in January 2022. The link to the actual law can be found here. This article in Nature discusse…

I bet you're confused when you hear things like "GMO food is the science of the future." And then you turn around and hear "GMO food causes cancer." Can both people be right? The oversimplified answer is that GMO food is neither good nor bad. It depends on why the food is being genetically modified. And who is doing the modifying. I am going to att…

Have you or someone you know been told that they have irritable bowel syndrome? You may have been too embarrassed to ask your healthcare provider what it's all about. Although I always recommend that you seek medical attention if you have any G.I. symptoms, it may help to break it all down and define a few terms. Inflammatory bowel disease and irri…

Every now and again I take a break from my usual episode content and launch into storytelling. Today I have a couple of stories for you. The first is called "The grand betrayal" and it's about an incident that happened with 2 of my personal care attendants and myself. We all collided and made a hot mess out of things. The second is called "my glass…

One of the (perhaps not so obvious) consequences of organic gardening is keeping the four-legged critters from eating what we grow. But much more serious is the consequence that climate change has on growing large scale food for our planet. We know about the floods and droughts, but what about the nutritional quality of our edibles? Today I look at…