Dr. Ann

Even a few nights of poor sleep in healthy individuals results in a transient state of pre-diabetes. That is the eye-opening conclusion of a study that underscores how vital sleep is for metabolic function. For this study, researchers subjected 19 healthy, young men to four consecutive nights of sleep deprivation (just 4.3 hours of sleep) […]

Maintaining muscle mass as we age is paramount for health and quality of life. In some studies muscular strength is the single greatest predictor of independence in old age! Indeed, muscle mass is instrumental in avoiding frailty as well as the entire family of metabolic conditions, like type 2 diabetes. Thanks to a pivotal study […]

Boiling vegetables – significantly reduces nutrients, particularly vitamin C and B vitamins.  Deep frying – creates toxic molecules like oxidized fats and advanced glycation end products that damage cells and increase inflammation in the body. Microwaving in plastic – facilitates the movement of potentially toxic and cancer-boosting plastic residues, like BPA, into the food. Grilling meats over charcoal – […]

Regardless of how much you exercise, your body weight, or health status, prolonged sitting appears to dramatically boost the risk of dying. This is the riveting conclusion from a landmark report, and everybody needs to take heed. This study is part of the largest ongoing evaluation of healthy aging in the southern hemisphere and included […]

Eating a “big” breakfast relative to other meals has been shown in past studies to be helpful with appetite control and weight loss.  According to an intriguing laboratory evaluation, it may be especially wise to include a hefty dose of fat in this first feeding of the day. In this study, mice fed a breakfast […]

Public Health experts have confirmed a clear link between a commonly used family of pesticides, organophosphates, and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. In a call to action, the researchers urged the government to take immediate steps to ban the use of these dubious agents. According to the lead author, “There is compelling evidence that exposure of […]

Flavored yogurt products: Although these “healthy favorites” provide some of the calcium, B vitamins, and essential amino acids, they are loaded with added sugar – in many cases more than is typically found in a standard dessert.  “Yogurt” products, through slick packaging and clever marketing have very successfully garnered what is referred to as the “health halo effect” […]

I am totally bullish on regularly drinking freshly brewed tea as a quick, easy, and highly effective means of delivering a hefty dose of healthful antioxidants to your cells. Thanks to a report from Food Research International (Sept 09), there is a simple and tasty way to turbo charge the process – add some vitamin […]

Because life happens for me too – sometimes fast food is my only option. Here is how I handle this precarious situation. If I am really pressed for time, my first choice is Subway. Fortunately, Subways are everywhere and now outnumber any other fast food chain. Here is exactly what I order: Turkey and Provolone […]

Over the past decade, there has been a flood of studies supporting the supreme importance of optimal sleep for weight control. It appears that inadequate sleep can lead to weight gain through a host of separate mechanisms that affect both the energy intake and the energy expenditure side of the body weight equation. In summery of […]

The studies confirming movement as a “magic pill” for vitality and health protection just keep rolling in. Here are two exciting ones to get you going. In a study that was the first to evaluate the relationship between fitness, heart function and blood flow to the brain, scientists concluded that exercise at any age likely […]

Studies over the past decade have consistently shown that belly fat, also known as visceral fat, is notoriously dangerous. In an evaluation involving over 100,000 adults, researchers found the bigger the belly, the greater the risk of death from any cause. Even study subjects with normal BMI’s, but larger bellies had a higher risk of […]