I broke my wrist on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon in the park.  I was doing backflips off the monkey bars with my boys and I might have gotten carried away. I over-rotated the landing and was heading right for my tush (which is what I should have let happen) but instead, I stretched out my hand to protect my fall and landed with the full force of my weight on my wrist — my bone didn’t stand a chance.

Refusal to grow up aside, the incident (which happened a few years ago) reminded me of just how disabling it can be to break a bone.

Although bone mass generally peaks somewhere in our twenties, that’s not the end of the story.  Bones are not the fixed, lifeless structures we sometimes imagine.  Instead, they are growing, living tissue that is constantly being remodeled and there’s plenty to do – at all ages – to help preserve bone integrity, improve bone strength and minimize our risk of fracture. …

Read More »

Our skin is our largest and fastest-growing organ.  It is our first line of defense, protecting our interior, helping regulate our body temperature and allowing us to experience the sensation of touch. And like all other body parts, our skin requires and responds to care.

Much of what we see on the exterior of our bodies is a reflection of what’s going on inside of us. You can certainly spend a great deal of money on skin care products and cosmetics that work on the surface but my view is that you will be far more successful over the long run working from the inside out.  Not surprisingly then, this feature focuses on recommendations that support our beautiful, radiant skin from the inside out ~ including, of course, our diets….

Read More »

Gastrointestinal discomfort, or tummy trouble, is one of the most common health conditions I encounter in my nutrition practice.

Some of the more familiar symptoms include: bloating; cramping; heartburn; gas; constipation and/or diarrhea.  The associated discomfort levels can range from mild to debilitating and the causes, consequences and potential cures, are equally diverse.

What I want to talk about today are some of the founding principles and practices we can put in place to help lay the groundwork for gastrointestinal health….

Read More »

In simple terms, our metabolism is the rate at which our bodies utilize calories.  The higher our metabolic rate, the faster our bodies expend calories.

Our metabolism may be influenced by a number of variables including our age, gender and genes – factors which may seem completely out of our control. The good news is that there are certain things we can do to help maximize our body’s calorie burning potential and improve our global health.

The strategies I set out in this feature are science-based. To be sure, I know of no magic pill, pouch or bullet that will do for you what exercise and sound dietary choices can. …

Read More »

In my last nutrition feature I talked about the importance of sleep and discussed dietary/lifestyle strategies for achieving it. The piece generated some good discussion in the comments section so if you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, be sure to drop by to take advantage of that information as well.

One of the most common concerns I encounter in my nutrition practice is low energy levels and fatigue. Whether it’s difficulty getting out of bed in the morning, the classic afternoon slump, crashing early evening or low energy levels persisting throughout the day, fatigue can strongly impact our work productivity, mood, motivation and the quality of our interactions with others. …

Read More »

I’ve always been mystified by the characterization of weight management as a simple matter of ‘calories in vs. calories out’ – a reductionist approach that leaves plenty unsaid.

Our weight may be influenced by a myriad of factors including metabolism, hormones, medication, sleep patterns and stress.  And while none of these factors absolve us of personal responsibility for our health, they may mean that the picture is more complicated than we are often led to believe….

Read More »

If you’re coming out of the holiday season feeling like you need to take a little break from the sweet life but aren’t having the easiest time shaking it, you’re not alone.

Sugar has a very powerful effect on the reward center of our brain.  There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that the chemistry underlying sugar addiction is virtually identical to the chemistry underlying drug addiction in that both are driven by dopamine – the neurotransmitter that controls the brain’s pleasure reward circuit.

When we consume sugar it stimulates the release of dopamine and we experience a sensation of pleasure. We get cued by sights, sounds and smells that evoke powerful memories of pleasure and keep us coming back for more.  Every time we succumb to addictive foods we reinforce the circuit of desire and reward further, making it harder for us to break the pleasure cycle. In short, the more we eat sugar the more we want to eat sugar, and vice versa.  Some of us may have inherited a biochemistry that makes us especially vulnerable to this cycle. …

Read More »