A new study was released recently that makes a connection between the regular intake of berries, like strawberries and blueberries, and a reduced risk of heart attacks in women. The study was big: 93,000 subjects strong. The timeline was long: the women were monitored for a period of 18 years. And the benefit was significant: heart […]

I’m always happy to report when there’s good news about chocolate. And here’s the latest: a recent study found an association between chocolate consumption and a reduced risk of stroke. The study was conducted in Sweden and examined the dietary habits of more than 37,000 men aged 45-79. Researchers found that the men who ate […]

We already know that wine is full of antioxidants, is good for your heart, and reduces your risk of stroke…but now a recent study has suggested that wine may actually improve your bone health, too. I’m going to go ahead and file this news under Y for Yesss. In fact, this isn’t the first study to […]

April is Cancer Awareness Month. (Watch for me on Breakfast Television in Vancouver on Friday morning, we’re talking about cancer prevention!) Here, I’ve rounded up a few delicious things that can help you prevent cancer. Feast on these: Garlic Garlic is bursting with phytonutrients and antioxidants. Several large studies have found that people who eat more garlic have a lower risk […]

I know–when life is throwing you curveballs, your impulse is to bee-line for the freezer (chocolate chip cookie dough Haagen-Dazs, anyone?) or the snack cupboard (hello, Sea Salt & Vinegar Kettle chips…). But that’s not going to make anything better. Especially not your coronary arteries. Or your muffin top. So I’ve rounded up some healthier options–and snack […]

People bat around the word superfood pretty blithely these days, which is easy, because there’s no real definition. Scientists tend to use the term “functional food” (meaning: food which provides a clinically proven and documented health benefit) but it’s not quite as sexy, is it? Anyway, I like the term superfood, but I try to reserve […]

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.  […]

When I was younger I used to avoid nuts because of their high fat content. You too? Fortunately, we now know about the blissful thing called “healthy fat“. There’s no doubt, nuts do contain a lot of fat, but most of it is the monounsaturated kind (same stuff that’s in olive oil). And that sort of fat is good for your cholesterol profile, […]

It sounds like the holy grail: Boost your metabolism, lose weight without even trying! Is such a thing even possible? All manner of supplements trumpet this claim. But to my mind, that seems pretty dubious. Chemicals to boost metabolism are out there for sure (meth, anyone?)…but they’re not always healthy.  So, instead of that, are there […]