Dr. Ann

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 […]

One of the most delicious, easiest and effective ways to ensure that you get the recommended 5 or more servings of veggies a day is to eat lots of salads. Here is how to get the most nutritional bang for your efforts: Well stocked salad bars offer a quick and convenient opportunity to tap into the […]

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 […]

In a landmark new study that comprises the most comprehensive evaluation to date, scientists have uncovered a set of modifiable risk factors for developing depression. Depression is epidemic in America and is the #1 cause of disability worldwide. Thus, the results of this study are especially timely. For this 2-stage evaluation, the scientists first scanned […]

Popeye loved his spinach and his olive oil and you should too. In a study including 30,000 Italian women followed for about 8 years, those who reported eating at least 1 serving of dark leafy greens a day were 46% less likely to develop heart disease versus those who ate two or less servings a […]

We have known for a long time that regular aerobic exercise lowers the risk of breast cancer and now we have some wonderful science that shed some powerful light on how regular physical activity benefits breast health. For this study, researchers assigned 391 healthy, but sedentary pre-menopausal women to one of two groups. One group engaged in […]

Washed, bagged or boxed lettuce greens Fresh salsa (Jack’s brand or Garden Fresh Gourmet) Canned beans Frozen berries (especially large bags of wild organic blueberries – available from wholesale grocers like Costco) Plain low fat or non-fat Greek yogurt Canned pumpkin Canned red sockeye salmon Prepared hummus Canned tomato products Dried Apricots Here is one […]

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 […]

Be sure these foods make their way into your grocery cart often! A variety of fruit – especially berries, apples, red grapes, cherries, oranges, and plums A variety of vegetables – especially dark leafy greens, red onions, tomatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and red/orange/yellow bell peppers Extra virgin olive oil Herbs and spices – especially ginger, […]

  Sitting down for family meals proves to be a powerful avenue to boost kids’ fruit and vegetable intake. In a study involving over 2000 school-age children, even those sitting down for family meals just once or twice a week consumed significantly more produce than those who never ate together. Relative to children who rarely […]

Red meat suffered yet another scientific setback when researchers from Harvard’s School of Public Health uncovered a powerful link between eating this “4-legged protein” and a greater risk of type 2 diabetes. For this study, the researchers combined the data from a number of large studies that involved a total of over 400,000 subjects, including […]

Healthy Blueberry Crumble Serves 6 My family loves this filled with antioxidants!! dessert for Sunday night – with some ice cream of course. Ingredients 6 cups berries of choice, frozen or fresh ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tsp. cinnamon, divided 2/3 cup whole-wheat flour ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats ½ cup […]