Dr. Ann

The disease-busting credibility of the famed cruciferous family of veggies just received yet another accolade. Past studies have shown that people who consume more cruciferous veggies are less likely to develop heart attacks and strokes, and for this new study the scientists decided to dig a bit deeper. Specifically, they compared reported levels of cruciferous […]

Although science has been lacking, my instincts have always told me that sunlight has health benefits well beyond its profoundly important role of providing the body with vitamin D. And now we have some concrete, proof-of-principle data to support my health intuition. For this evaluation, researchers from the University of Edinburgh monitored the blood pressure […]

What we eat and how we sleep are linked. That was the conclusion from a study evaluating diet and insomnia status in a large group of post-menopausal women. For this study 53,069 women kept food diaries and reported their sleep status at baseline and at the end of three years. The results? Women who consumed […]

The science linking diet to brain function is growing by the day and totally captivates me. Thanks to a new double blind, crossover clinical trial, we have evidence that even a single meal high in saturated fat can compromise focus and concentration. For this study scientists carefully monitored the focusing ability of 51 women fed […]

The type of fat in your diet has a profound impact on the structure, function, and health of your brain. Enjoy Omega-3 fats in abundance. They can be found in oily fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, and sardines), walnuts, canola oil, flaxseeds, omega-3 eggs, wheat germ and small leafy greens, make up the majority of […]

A compelling body of published studies have repeatedly linked belly fat (visceral fat), particularly in middle age, to a greater risk of dementia. Thanks to a series of carefully conducted lab studies in mice, for the first time scientists have identified at least one specific way belly fat damages brain cells. Here is what they […]

Ingredients 5-6 cups of fresh kale, chopped 1 yellow onion, chopped 1 package of fresh, sliced mushrooms, any variety 1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes, roasted in extra virgin olive oil 1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed 3 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped 2 tbsp of fresh oregano, chopped 2 tbsp of extra virgin […]

  Although poor sleep can impact cancer risk through a number of obvious mechanisms, scientists speculate that its drain on the immune system (your body’s anti-cancer and anti-infection system) is likely the most significant factor. A stunning (headline news) report from the January issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine hammered home how essential sleep […]

  Past studies have linked low levels of vitamin D with depression, and this evaluation adds to the growing pile of evidence that adequate levels of vitamin D are fundamental to good mental health. This evaluation included over 7,000 British subjects and found those with vitamin D levels in the normal range had a 43% lower […]

There is now overwhelming evidence that the bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract, the gut microbiome, plays a major role in our mood and behavior. Knowing that what we eat is the primary determinate of the state of our gut microbes, European scientists performed an in-depth review of past studies looking at diet, mood, and gut […]

Fuel for Life Breakfast Muffins Serves 12 These hearty and tasty breakfast muffins will fuel your body, mind, and soul. Ingredients 1 cup whole wheat flour 2/3’s cup old-fashioned oats 1 ½ tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp. salt 2 omega 3 eggs 2 ripe bananas, mashed ¼ cup […]

Intermittent fasting (IF) is smoking hot in scientific circles and deservedly so. According to a comprehensive review of published studies to date, IF appears to have far-reaching positive effects throughout the body. IF encompasses two basic approaches: the 5:2 method or the 6-8 time-restricted method. In the 5:2 method, two days a week food is […]