Wellness

The so-called optimism bias may get in the way of a healthy lifestyle. Yes, media messages about nutrition are often confusing and inconsistent, but many Americans know what is considered a healthy diet. I mean, does anyone really think drinking brown carbonated sugar water is good for them? The issue is that they don’t appear […]

Exposure to the bovine leukemia virus from meat and dairy (or a blood transfusion from those who eat meat or dairy) is a risk factor for cancer. In 2015, researchers in California found bovine leukemia virus (BLV) stitched into the DNA of human breast cancer tumors from mastectomies. The virus was found at much higher

As many as 37% of breast cancer cases may be attributable to exposure to the bovine leukemia virus. The incidence of breast cancer continues to increase worldwide. In the United States, this amounted to a 40% increase in the incidence by the turn of the century. Presently, the main approach to preventing mortality is early

Billion-dollar drugs have been pulled from the market for less carcinogenic contamination than is found in a single serving of grilled chicken. In 2018, one of the bestselling blood pressure drugs, valsartan—sold as Diovan—was found to be contaminated by the “probably carcinogenic” nitrosamine known as N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). It’s believed that about 20 million people worldwide

What did randomized, controlled human trials find about the ways we may—or may not—benefit from eating onions? Onions are potentially a good source of antioxidants, which, interestingly, are concentrated in the outer layers just beneath the papery peel. White onions, for example, contain more than ten times the antioxidants in the outer layer compared to

What can physicians do to promote healthy, life-extending lifestyle changes? A pivotal paper published in Europe more than a decade ago entitled “Healthy Living Is the Best Revenge” found that practicing just four simple, healthy lifestyle factors compared to none could potentially have a strong impact on preventing chronic diseases. We’re talking nearly 80% less

What are the risks and benefits of using vitamin C for depression and anxiety? “In adults, emerging evidence suggests that higher daily intake of fiber-rich fruit and vegetable servings is associated with lower incidences of anxiety, greater happiness, higher life satisfaction, and greater social-emotional well-being,” says a review in the journal Nutrients. So, “persuading people

Are yellow-fleshed potatoes healthier than white? And what about the glycoalkaloid toxins? The high glycemic impact of potatoes may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, perhaps by chronically overstimulating the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. In my last two blogs, I explained how you can decrease the glycemic impact of white potatoes by eating

Broccoli, vinegar, and lemon juice are put to the test to blunt the glycemic index of white potatoes. White potatoes have a high glycemic index, and consumption of high glycemic impact foods may increase the risk of diabetes. Normally, after a meal, we’d like our blood sugars to rise and fall gently and naturally. But

If you eat potatoes when they’re cold, as in potato salad, or chilled and reheated, you can get a nearly 40% lower glycemic impact. If you systematically pull together all the best studies on potato consumption and chronic disease risk, an association is found for the risk of type 2 diabetes and hypertension—but that’s for