In some circles we talk about food-as-medicine (FAM), a term that tends to focus on functional foods which have been studied for their healing effects on the body. It might also refer to FAM programs in a healthcare plan, or in Government policy.But food really is medicine and this fact was perfectly embodied in the 4-day Food-is-Medicine Summit I was privileged to attend recently in the heart of Texas...
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As I set out this week on the Wednesday morning hike I take with my husband, I realized I’d forgotten to put on my elastic knee supports. We were hiking a steep uneven trail at 7am when it was foggy and damp. I worried about making it to the top with my achy knees but was pleasantly surprised to have no pain at all.We can...
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I just completed a road trip between California and Texas, across some of the most remote parts of the country. Without my large cooler stuffed with fruit, nuts, pre-made salads and hard-boiled eggs, we’d have been in dire straits. I refuse to put chemical-laden, nutrient-devoid, food-like substances in my body. But so much is working against us these days in the options available, that you...
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Mushrooms are quite magical. Long revered for their nutritional value, they may actually hold the key to a longer life.Usually considered the fruiting part of the fungi family, mushrooms are neither plant nor animal. But their health benefits have been enjoyed by ancient cultures worldwide for centuries.While touted to be one of the only food sources of vitamin D (when exposed to sunlight) and to...
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My cat Oscar died last weekend. He was diagnosed with a heart condition just two weeks earlier at not quite six years old, barely middle aged. However, this is not a story about a cat but a very human story about how we accept the status quo, the marketing messages and what everyone else seems to be doing, rather than thinking critically and doing our...
Read MoreI was recently interviewed by the Nutrition Therapy Institute about the career opportunities in corporate wellness for their students and others with a background in nutrition.It was an engaging conversation and got me thinking about the typical corporate wellness professional who tends to have an HR background or perhaps a qualification in public health. Useful skills but not necessarily well suited to addressing the myriad...
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The ark of my life story seems to have bread as a main character.There were the peanut butter sandwiches I lived on at college; the time I got physically addicted to hamantasch (a doughy pastry filled with poppy seed paste available around the Jewish festival of Purim); the egg salad sandwiches (and assorted pastries) I consumed every day at work in Leeds, the bagels and...
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It seems like a simple question. It’s what I eat three times a day. It stops me from feeling hungry. The Oxford English dictionary comes a little closer – notice the reference to “nutritious” and “nourishment”. Food (noun): Any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink in order to maintain life and growth; nourishment, provisions. [Oxford English Dictionary] With the wide array of food-like substances...
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Last week I was dropping off my older son to start his freshman year at college and got to spend a couple of days on the beautiful campus getting him settled in. His unlimited meal plan includes some guest passes so we ate together at one of the dining halls. I have to say I was fairly horrified at the poor food options with the...
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