Dr. Ann

Exercise most days — If you don’t accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity most days of the week you are virtually guaranteed to accumulate belly fat. And the more the better! Eat an abundance of non-starchy veggies and fruits. Enjoy beans daily. Avoid the “Great White Hazards” — white flour products, white rice, white […]

Based on a growing and impressive volume of science, drinking coffee may come with a number of powerful health benefits including: liver cancer protection, diabetes protection and a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease. Thanks to this report, another healthy coffee perk may be protection from prostate cancer. In a study that included 48,000 men whose […]

An international team of scientists have uncovered that mouthwash dramatically reduces the natural blood-pressure lowering effects of exercise – horrors! For this blinded clinical trial, the scientists had 23 healthy adults run on a treadmill for 30 minutes on two separate occasions. Immediately after each run, the study subjects rinsed their mouths with either an […]

The cold and flu season will soon be upon us. Here are 3 simple and tasty ways to boost your immunity. Consume kefir or yogurt with live cultures regularly. Many studies support yogurt’s ability to boost immunity. Plain low-fat or non-fat yogurt sweetened with some fresh or frozen fruit is best. Eat an abundance of brightly colored […]

Onions are uniquely high in prebiotics, the special type of fiber that feeds the good bacteria in our guts. (Remember those good bacteria define your health destiny!) Onions are one of the richest sources of quercetin, a powerhouse phytochemical renowned for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory power. Onions are almost calorie free, yet revered for their […]

Exercise is simply stellar for weight control. Check out all the different ways exercise can help you stay lean! Exercise burns calories. Exercise enhances insulin sensitivity (insulin action) which boosts calorie burning potential. Exercise builds lean body mass (muscle). The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn.  Muscles burn fat very effectively […]

When it comes to blood pressure and stroke risk, even “a little bit above normal” may be deadly. Strokes are the 4th leading cause of death and based on a review of 12 previous studies, folks with blood pressures in the upper prehypertension range (130-139 systolic and 85-89 diastolic) had a 79 percent greater risk […]

Based on the latest science, the single most powerful predictor of functionality in older age is strength capacity. Let me repeat – as we age, maintaining muscular strength is the most important factor in maintaining independence. Unfortunately, the average person becomes more sedentary with age which accelerates the loss of muscles mass and strength that […]

The advice to eat “an apple a day” got a huge boost thanks to a study whose healthy results even shocked the lead investigator.  For this study, 160 middle age to older women were randomly assigned to eat either 75 grams of dried apples a day or 75 grams of prunes a day for a […]

The huge ecosystem of microorganisms that reside in your gastrointestinal tract (your microbiome) largely define your health destiny.  Think of them as your most valuable partner in health and healing. What defines a “healthy microbiome” is having a broad array and an abundance of “good” bacteria in your gut – diversity and high numbers. The […]

Past studies have repeatedly identified snacking as a risk factor for weight gain. As such, it was disheartening to learn that Americans are snacking at an all-time high. Based on this evaluation, snacking accounts for a whopping 25% of our daily calories or an average of 580 calories a day! Even more alarming, half of […]

Get into the habit of kicking up the flavor and health of your bean, poultry and rice dishes with turmeric and curry. Both are teeming with the golden yellow pigment, curcumin now world-famous for its anti-inflammatory power.  Inflammation plays a fundamental role in the genesis of many chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer and […]