Is Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar Really That Good for You?

Is Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar Really That Good for You?

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has debunked the theory that following an alkaline diet can improve your health and reduce your risk for cancer, stating, “What you eat can have a profound affect on your cancer risk, but the acidity or alkalinity of foods is not important. Instead, focus on making dietary choices that can truly affect your risk.” The AICR has launched a campaign to hep bust common myths and present science-based facts about cancer prevention. (link) As the recipient of numerous publicists’ pitches on the benefits of an alkaline diet, risks of high acid in your

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Probiotics Versus Enzymes: Digesting the Difference

Probiotics Versus Enzymes: Digesting the Difference

Many women experience digestive issues during different times of their lives. Taking birth control pills or antibiotics, dealing with chronic stress, alcohol consumption, lack of sleep and an imbalanced diet are just a few reasons. You may have read or heard about the benefits of taking probiotics and enzymes for your digestive health. But do you know the difference? Here is a short explanation. Probiotics are living bacteria that the human body needs but does not produce. Probiotics help support your digestive system to help it function properly.  Since the human body does not produce probiotics, you need to consume

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The High Cost of Cheap Food

The High Cost of Cheap Food

I’m all for cutting corners in the right places to save waste, time and money. But not when it comes to your health. This includes purchasing the best health insurance you can afford, finding doctors and a health facility you trust, making sure your home and environment are toxin free, and following an optimum eating, hydrating and exercise regimen. You can be proactive about all of these or learn the hard way. The good news is you don’t have to spend a lot of time and money to make healthy changes. Diet and exercise are two of the simplest and most cost-effective. While there are many

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Is Your Elderly Parent Eating Properly? Fearless Fabulous You! July 11

Is Your Elderly Parent Eating Properly? Fearless Fabulous You! July 11

Remember when your Mom used to bug you about eating your vegetables when you were a child? Well, in my case the shoe is now on the other foot. My 80ish young at heart mother does not like to eat vegetables. Nor does she like to cook. Her meals consist of supermarket takeout or restaurant leftovers or, sigh!, slices of cake and pie. She has a wicked sweet tooth. I worry she is too thin and malnourished; she brushes it off as earning the right at her age to eat whatever she wants if it tastes good. According to the nonprofit

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Make No Bones About It……..

Make No Bones About It……..

When it comes to our bones, there are no lucky breaks.  One in two women over the age of 50 and one in 4 men over 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Of the estimated 10 million Americans with osteoporosis, about eight million or 80% are women. Osteoporosis causes an estimated two million broken bones a year. Source: National Osteoporosis Foundation. Make no bones about it. We all need to be proactive to protect our bones. May is National Osteoporosis Awareness Month. Here’s what you need to know:

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The Bitter Truth About Sugar

The Bitter Truth About Sugar

I’m always game for a fresh slice of layer cake or fresh fruit pie. And I want to support my friends who are pastry chefs by tasting their dishes. I try and leave a little room for dessert when I dine out. But like many of us, I’m trying to reduce my sugar intake. And for good reason. Sugar is linked to a number of health issues. These include: Obesity. This in itself can lead to a litany of health issues from cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and stroke to Type 2 diabetes. Increased triglyceride levels, which may increase your risk

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Nutritional Supplements: Hope? Hype? Help?

Nutritional Supplements: Hope? Hype? Help?

The word “wellness” may end up as the Word of the Year in 2016. The self- improvement industry is a $10 billion juggernaut, from books to products to services to make you look, feel and act better. Chefs have jumped on the bandwagon; so have many film and TV celebrities who are now “lifestyle and wellness experts.” I am the recipient of numerous pitches on how to improve your life, and I write about health and wellness regularly. It’s a topic that has been of primary importance to me all my life but even more so now as both a cancer

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Fab Books: The Planet Friendly Diet- Steps You Can Take Today for Optimal Health

Fab Books: The Planet Friendly Diet- Steps You Can Take Today for Optimal Health

Cat Smiley runs a successful weight loss retreat in Whistler, Canada. (Whistler Fitness Vacations) where women undergo a healthy boot camp for 1-12 weeks. But for anyone who can’t make it to Canada, Cat has just released “The Planet Friendly Diet: Your 21 Day Guide to Sustainable Weight Loss and Optimal Health” (New Society Publishers). I like this book’s practical approach, easy recipes and no nonsense approach. Here are a few of Cat’s tips that I am taking to heart:

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Fearless Fabulous Women: Ann Ogden Gaffney: Cook for Your Life

In the early 1990s, fashion industry executive Ann Odgen Gaffney found herself cooking and caring for a designer in the industry fighting AIDS, The experience taught her to be fearless which was especially helpful when she was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2001. Fortunately, Ann recovered following her surgery and her life went back to a new normal….well, sort of. A second diagnosis of unrelated breast cancer came later and was a more difficult journey with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Ann learned from this experience that cooking was solace and nutrition was essential to manage side effects from treatment and support

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How To Eat Like a Greek Goddess

The Greek economy may be in turmoil, but the Greek diet is healthier than ever. International renowned Chef Maria Loi joins me July 13, 4pm EST on Fearless Fabulous You! to discuss her 12 Pillars to eating healthy using fundamental and simple recipes that are fresh and flavorful from her book The Greek Diet. The Greek Diet by Chef Maria Loi and veteran health journalist Sarah Toland offers a path to healthy eating that is not only sustainable but also completely satisfying and enjoyable. A few things I love about Maria’s approach:  Yes, you can, enjoy good coffee and wine, both in moderation, and everything

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Liquid Diets Are Not My Cup of Tea

Who remembers Carnation Instant Breakfast? You just needed to add milk or water to these nutritious, artificially flavored, sugar laden meals-in-a-packet. My mother drank them before she took off for work. I drank them before I took off for school. We both tolerated the taste in the spirit of fast, nutritious and calorie conscious consumption. It’s still in the marketplace along with an assorted other liquid meal options. Flash forward. Today, I dread the idea of liquid meals. They remind me of being ill or watching my sick father consume Ensure (also a nutrient dense but sugar laden drink) during

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Getting Things Off My Chest: Food Hysteria- The New Eating Disorder?

As a lifelong foodist and longtime food professional, I have always taken a keen interest in what I put in my body and share at the table with others. Lately that table has become a matter of dining diplomacy as more people are concerned less about what to eat and more about what not to eat. I am thrilled that communities and the media are focusing more on diet, health and sustainability. I read the Health Section of The New York Times with as much focus as the Food Section, seeking out morsels of news about the latest scientific research

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