Welcome to science-informed home baking 101! Here are some facts you should know about sugar. Sugar acts like a street drug: Sugar activates the same pleasure and reward pathways in the brain as cocaine and heroin. Similar to other addictive substances, people develop tolerance to sugar, and need increasing amounts to feel satisfied. Sound familiar?…
Category: Organic Food
Understanding the EWG’s designations of the clean 15 and the dirty dozen is helpful in knowing which foods should be purchased in an organic form. Herbicides and pesticides are harmful to your health.
Ginger: An Ayurvedic Herb with Modern Sensibilities-A Rheumatology Perspective
Ginger root is used all over the world for spiritual enlightenment, as well as for its pro-mobility, thermogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties. In Ayurvedic medicine, the ginger plant is considered to be “sattvic,” or infused with a divine energy leading to mental clarity, empathy, and wisdom. Ancient Ayurvedic texts explain that the act of ingesting ginger…
How Safe is the Water We’re Drinking?
We all need water to survive; in fact, we can’t last more than five days without it. Water regulates our body temperature, flushes out waste, and transports nutrients to vital organs and joints. Water is a daily necessity, and up to 60% of the human body is water. But how safe is the water we…
Glyphosate: It’s Everywhere, and What to Do About It.
Glyphosate is the most commonly sprayed herbicide used on crops today. Glyphosate is otherwise known as Roundup-you may be familiar with it as a product for lawn care. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified glyphosate as “non-toxic under the acute toxicity classification system.” Unfortunately, this statement does not address the bigger problem with glyphosate,…
The Dirty Dozen, and the Clean Fifteen: What you Need to Know
Dirty dozen The Environmental working group publishes an annual shopper’s guide of produce with a catchy name, the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15. Each year the EWG analyzes data from the USDA to determine which fruits and vegetables in the US have the most and least pesticide contamination. Fruits and vegetables with delicate exteriors…
What to Eat if you have Rheumatoid Arthritis: Fish is on the Menu
By Dr. Jill Weintraub When I design recipes for people with rheumatoid arthritis, I start with the research. Then I synthesize the medical evidence through a “what to add, and what to remove from your diet” paradigm. High up on the “what to add” list are fish. The oils in fatty fish like salmon, sardines,…
How to Support your Microbiome
If you have ever felt alone in this world, please be assured that you are not! Millions of beneficial organisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, have been with you all along, mostly populating your large intestine. If this is not reassuring, (and it should be-because they can do a lot of good for you) please…
Turmeric-A Rheumatologist’s Perspective
As an integrative rheumatologist, I am often asked about how to use Turmeric. Turmeric, an ancient relative of ginger, contains curcumin, which has both potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. I frequently prescribe curcumin supplements, often combined with other botanicals, for my patients with degenerative and inflammatory arthritis. However, I also encourage my patients to use…
How I Arrived Here
My first home was the kitchen. As an introverted child with a large capacity for self-doubt, I found solace and escape in leafing through my mother’s handmade recipe catalog, and our never used “Cooking of California” cookbook. This led to bargaining with my parents for designated alone time in the kitchen, where I could experiment…