It’s like Voldemort. It strikes such fear into people’s hearts, some of us are afraid to even speak the word, for fear of invoking the name…but let’s just say it: Cancer. Everybody is afraid of cancer. It’s the elephant in the room for many, many of my patient visits. Occasionally people will vocalize their fear, but often it’s lurking there, unsaid.  […]

I’ve written about chocolate in the past, of course. But…I think it’s a topic worth revisiting, don’t you? Especially this time of year. To that end, I recently dug into the research and created a handy little roundup of the top health benefits of chocolate. I compiled no fewer than six reasons chocolate is good for you, and I […]

I’ll admit it: I’m a little obsessed with Europe. In the past I’ve written about the French Paradox , and there’s a big part of me that would like to be reborn in this life as a French woman (and not only because spa treatments are considered part of the French healthcare system). Also, I […]

So I talk a lot about coffee. I love my Starbucks. But what about tea? Yes, I love tea too. At my house, 3 pm is definitely tea time. This is more a cultural thing than anything else, for me, having British parents and having spent two sabbaticals in the UK. Most people have a […]

Many people have no idea whether a multivitamin is essential or a total waste of money. Or something in between. So what’s the truth? As with many things, it’s controversial. And not even the “experts” can agree. Some studies have shown benefit. Others have been equivocal, or downright discouraging. For example, the Annals of Internal […]

It’s this little thing I do: I like “collecting” things that, traditionally, have been considered bad for you…but turn out to be healthy. Girl’s gotta have a hobby! Anyway. Here’s my lovely little roundup of vices you should be indulging in. 1.Shopping. Oh yes, it’s true. In a recent study, seniors who shopped every day had […]

In the short term, inflammation is not a problem. It’s the body’s normal response to injury, and it’s a healing response. It’s also part of our immune system, and how we fight infection. But when inflammation doesn’t shut off like it should, and becomes chronic? That’s a problem. Why inflammation is bad for you We’re not […]

So you feel, well, okay. But is okay good enough? Could you do better? Time to be honest…with yourself. Because prevention, in my book, is far better than waiting for symptoms to appear. Below you’ll find some questions to answer. Now, this is not a multiple choice quiz, with a cute classification scale at the end. These […]

Coffee has long been one of my favorite indulgences. Actually, let’s be honest. I can’t get through my day without visiting Starbucks. Even so…my sipping usually comes with a teeny bit of guilt. Reasonable? Turns out, probably not. In fact, it looks like I just might be doing myself some good with my daily dose. There’s a growing […]