Dr. Ann

Healthy Eating & Nutrition


Recipe: Incredibly Tasty Black Bean Burgers

I worked for a few months tweaking this recipe until I nailed it. This wholesome bean-based burger is everything you are looking for – delicious, filling, super-healthy and easy to make.

Healthy Eating & Nutrition, Healthy Living


Fermented Foods Score a Huge Win

This is really big! In an elegantly conducted clinical trial by one of the world’s most esteemed microbiome scientists we find that stepping up the intake of fermented foods is a quick and effective way to boost gut microbial diversity AND decrease damaging inflammation—even more so than stepping up your intake of fiber-rich plant foods! […]


Foods Highest In Flavonoids, Flavones, & Anthocyanins

These remarkable compounds have been linked to powerful health protection and are especially known for their anti-inflammatory and gut microbiome-enhancing properties. Flavonoids Dark Leafy Greens Onions Apples Berries Cherries Dark Chocolate Soybeans Coffee Red Wine Freshly Brewed Green and Black Tea Citrus Fruits  Flavones Parsley – fresh best Apples – organic best; eat the skin […]

Events/ Retreats


Upcoming Wellness Retreats at Plum Hill

NOW BOOKING three new retreat dates! Scroll down for details, schedule, pricing, and to sign up for the date that works for you. I am so excited to open up three brand-new retreat dates at Plum Hill, my family’s property on the Combahee River in Yemassee, South Carolina. If you’ve been wanting to spend a […]

Past studies have shown a stark relationship between sitting and heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and premature death. Another study is sounding the alarm on the brain health front as well. For this report, UCLA scientists recruited 35 adults ages 45 to 75 and had them detail their physical activity levels, as well as how many […]

  Salmon: Salmon is exploding with the omega 3 fats that make up the majority of the solid structure of the brain and play a fundamental role in learning and cognition.  In the brain, omega 3 fats, specifically DHA, are both the structural and functional “lynchpins” for learning.  Wild Alaskan Salmon is my preferred choice […]

Substituting some of your animal-based proteins with vegetable-based proteins is a wise thing to do. By making this swap, you can enjoy your protein along with: A much smaller carbon footprint Phytochemicals Zero cholesterol Negligible to zero saturated fats Beneficial fiber A higher nutrient density Fewer calories The best plant-based sources of protein include: beans/legumes, nuts, […]

Getting lots of dietary potassium has been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Here are the foods that provide the most potassium: Blackstrap Molasses Cantaloupe Avocado Beet greens Peaches Prunes Tomato juice Yogurt Snapper Lima beans Salmon Soybeans Swiss chard Apricots Oranges Pumpkin seeds Sweet Potato Banana […]

Although no one likes to be fooled, researchers from Penn State University have done that. For this clever evaluation, researchers offered 41 unsuspecting young men and women breakfast, lunch and dinner once a week for three weeks.  At each meal, a single dish was altered to substitute pureed “hidden” steamed vegetables in place of other ingredients.  […]

According to a report, this may indeed be the case. In an evaluation that included over 4,000 people who had their cognitive function tested as well as special scans performed of their brains, scientists found a strong link between downing sugary beverages and accelerated brain aging. Study subjects who reported they consumed two servings a […]

Serves 6 This is a wonderful recipe to take advantage of the superstar legume, edamame. And with the flavor and health blast you get from the other ingredients – the sky is the limit! Ingredients 1 lb. frozen edamame (cook per package instructions) 1 red bell pepper, diced ½ cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced 1/3 […]

In an uplifting study performed by one of my favorite eating behavior scientists, Dr. Brian Wansink, vegetables proved to “make the meal”. We already know that including vegetables at mealtime is a healthy thing to do, but it appears vegetable’s virtues really do extend far beyond enhancing nutritional value with fringe benefits both for the cook […]

Looking for a sweet way to take a big bite out of your risk for cardiovascular disease? Go eat some fruit! In an evaluation that included over 450,000 Chinese adults followed over a seven-year period, those consuming fruit regularly enjoyed a significant reduction in the risk for heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure. Study […]

Here are 10 simple, yet powerful things you can do that are guaranteed to place you on the path to optimal wellness. Give yourself an “oil change.”  Make extra virgin olive oil your oil of choice for room temperature, low heat and cold food preparations.  This “make-me-healthier” fat is filled with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory […]

I include fresh garlic in my diet every day. Here are 5 reasons why you should too! Garlic is a powerful natural antibiotic that has antiviral and antibacterial properties. (If I feel a cold or bug coming on, I make a garlic kale salad that has at least 8 cloves of minced garlic in it. […]

When it comes to diet and health, it is the full spectrum of foods you consume that matters the most. In an evaluation from Sweden’s Lund University, scientists documented the awesome, collective health-boosting power multiple great-for-you foods can provide vs. individual ones. For this evaluation, 44 healthy, but overweight study subjects were put on a dietary regime […]