Yet another health benefit of green tea is currently being explored by scientists at Penn State. See the article here!!
DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. You should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.
Neither of these books are actually new but I recently discovered them and wanted to share. The first is Wonderfoods by Natalie Savona published by Quadrille and the second is The Big Book of Juices by Natalie Savona published by Duncan Baird Publishers.
Wonderfoods contains Food as Medicine information about the health benefits individual foods and also includes some great recipes and gorgeous colored photos. The Big Book of Juices similarly focuses on nutrition but all of the 400+ recipes are for juice. One of the cool things about juice is that you can pack a lot of nutrients into a relatively small serving, and additionally if you’re not a big fan of vegetables you can mask their flavor by combining them with fruit.
If you’re at all interested in nutrition, definitely check out these two wonderful books; you won’t regret it!
DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. You should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.
Hello again, everyone! I’m sorry there was such a long break between posts but as I mentioned in my note a couple of weeks ago I recently moved and it wound up taking a lot more time, energy, etc. than I was anticipating! However, things have settled down a bit and from now on I’ll be able to update a lot more. I saw this article a few weeks ago and thought I’d link to it here for everyone because it relates to my first Food as Medicine post!
DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. You should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.
The New York Times had a great article a couple of days ago about physicians who integrate yoga into their patients’ treatment plans for various orthopedic problems. Check it out!!
“Ancient Moves for Orthopedic Problems,” by Jane E. Brody
DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. You should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.
Kale is undoubtedly one of the healthiest foods in existence, particularly lauded for its anti-cancer properties and excess vitamins and minerals. A member of the cruciferous vegetable family (which also includes cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts and others), kale is the subject of a fair amount of Food as Medicine research and is often listed by scientists as an essential component of any cancer-fighting diet. Despite its profound benefits, kale remains a relatively obscure and unpopular vegetable. Many people are put off by its appearance; the tough curly leaves look chewy and daunting to anyone who does not particularly enjoy eating dark leafy greens. Indeed, raw kale does taste rather like a dense, fibrous version of broccoli that may not seem particularly appetizing to a novice vegetable eater. If you aren’t familiar with kale, here’s what it looks like raw:
Raw Kale
Fortunately, when prepared correctly kale changes completely in both texture and taste and can be transformed into something endlessly palatable. Kale Chips are a popular recipe among veteran healthy eaters and a delicious snack option for anyone wishing to incorporate this invaluable anti-cancer food into their diet without offending their taste buds. To make Kale Chips, simply wash kale thoroughly and rip it into bite size pieces, then toss lightly with olive oil and lay flat on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake at 325° for 10-15 minutes or until the chips look translucent and crispy. Remove chips from baking sheet with a spatula, place onto a plate, and enjoy! This is what a well-cooked Kale Chip should look like:
Kale Chip
Many people are skeptical that such a simple recipe could possibly transform a dark leafy green vegetable into the sort of crunchy chip we all crave; I know I certainly was when I was first introduced to Kale Chips. Nevertheless, its impossible to imagine how good this recipe really is until you experience it firsthand. The next time you’re at your local supermarket buy some kale and give Kale Chips a try— you certainly won’t regret it.
DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. You should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.
Resources
1. Anticancer: A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber MD, PhD. First Edition, published by the Penguin Group, New York, NY 2008. Originally Published in French by Éditions Robert Laffont, S.A. Paris 2007.
2. The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden Ph.D., C.N.S. Published by Fair Winds Press, Gloucester, MA 2007.
3. Foods that Fight Cancer by Richard Béliveau Ph.D., and Denis Gingras Ph.D. Published by DK Publishing, New York, New York, 2007.
In the process of relocating. Regular blog updates will commence in approximately one week.
My first encounter with Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) occurred just after my sophomore year of college. I was visiting my cousins in Northern California and my aunt suggested that I tag along with my oldest cousin (a dancer) when she visited her acupuncturist. For fun, I could have an appointment too. Having had virtually no firsthand experience with CAM until this point, I thought, “why not?”.
An hour later I was sitting on a cushioned table having my tongue examined by a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner as she described her training (four years in the U.S. followed by five years in China), and explained how she was going to use acupuncture to help bring my “Qi” or vital life force back into balance. I spent the next twenty minutes lying on my back listening to soothing music and trying not to think about how incongruous it was to see acupuncture needles sticking out of my hands, legs and feet, but to not feel any pain.
Uncertain though I was about the efficacy of acupuncture (or any other type of alternative medicine, for that matter), I had to admit to myself as I left the office that day that I really did feel more relaxed and energetic. This observation piqued my curiosity, and I decided to learn more about alternative medicine and whether it was true that it could be effectively used to complement conventional care and enhance wellness.
Three years later, I completed my M.S. in Physiology/Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM) at Georgetown University after learning a considerable amount about the scientific basis for CAM. To me, it seemed like a shame that the information I learned in my M.S. program wasn’t more widely known, since it could have huge implications for healthcare. And that’s how I got the idea to start The Zeneration.
The 2007 National Health Interview Survey found that about 38% of adults and 12% of children in the United States had used CAM in the previous year; it is likely that these percentages are even higher now since CAM use is steadily increasing. Chances are, you have used CAM within the last year, whether you realized it or not; CAM encompasses a number of common health practices. As new scientific studies are conducted, the field of CAM is in a permanent state of flux, and it can be hard to keep up! How do you know that the herbal supplement you bought at Whole Foods last week to boost your immune function is supported by legitimate research? That’s where I come in.
The Zeneration is my attempt to bridge the information gap between people within the field of CAM and everyone else. For basic background information about CAM, check out the “What is CAM?” page and the CAM Modalities drop-down menu. The Zeneration Blog will contain entries about more specific CAM topics including the most recent advances in research, CAM misconceptions, “Food as Medicine” Recipes, and CAM in the News. Have questions or comments about CAM? Check out The Zeneration Discussion Forum to share your insights and opinions. Also, feel free to use the Forum to request Blog topics if there is anything in particular you’d like to learn more about.
In a time when health care costs have skyrocketed, it is important to learn about preventative medicine and to take control of your health. Many CAM modalities focus on prevention and overall wellness and can be extremely helpful to that end. Welcome to The Zeneration!
DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. You should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.
