When I speak to college students, especially non-science majors, I often encourage them to take some science classes; like say, physiology. The reason for this seemingly bizarre suggestion is that I’ve found it so upsetting over the years to see how the food processors, commodities companies and their organizations can effectively distort science. I believe […]

On June 10, 2014 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new report related to diabetes. It was somewhat discouraging to learn that more than 29 million Americans (9.3 percent of our population – we’re almost at one in ten) have diabetes; the number was up by 3 million over the 2010 […]

Do we want to embrace prevention?  Sometimes it seems not. How much motivation is necessary to encourage us to improve our prevention habits? I don’t know the answer to these questions, but I do know the numbers tell us that it’s worth our efforts to choose preventive practices. The other day I was on the […]

Today I’m celebrating differences. I must admit that there have been times that I wished that some of my friends loved science and math as much as I do. I wished that I could share with them the beauty that I see in both science and math. But today I’ve reminded myself that the reason […]

On November 13, 2013, Ben Hirschler for Reuters in London reported that the battle with diabetes and its disabling, life-threatening complications is being lost. This article notes that the number of people affected has “soared to a new record” this year, the majority of cases being type 2 diabetes – “the kind linked to obesity […]

When you see the word phytonutrients or phytochemicals, does it just look like a scientific word and your eyes roll back a bit? In September’s issue of RD Today’s Dietitian, Denise Webb PHD RD has written an article called Phytochemicals’ Role in Good Health. The article has given me the impetus to write a short […]

Are you still dedicated to transitioning to the Mediterranean-style of eating? How are you doing? I hope well. Or are you new to the idea? The Mediterranean-style of eating is certainly not the latest fad diet, but it continues to amass a mound of statistical and epidemiological evidence that makes moving toward it worthy of […]

Last week I read a story about a fruit breeder in Kern County – a rural part of California where I enjoyed shooting the rapids, floating down the Kern River and exploring the mountains during my preteen and teenage years. One on my numerous childhood memories of the ‘50s and ‘60s was the drive to […]

Sometimes being a dietitian/nutritionist provides the opportunity for an imaginary movie to appear right before my eyes. The latest experience happened on Wednesday when our daily community newspaper hit the breakfast counter along with National Geographic’s August 2013 issue. My imaginary movie was a train wreck; the following are some details of the wreck. The […]

Peanuts are wannabes; I think the little guys want to be nuts, because health-conscious consumers are sprinkling nuts (tree nuts like almonds, Brazil nuts, pecans, walnuts, macadamias, and cashews) on their cereal, stir fries, salads and yogurt. Look up, I remind the humble peanut; reach for the stars! Remember, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Peanuts have […]