Dr. Ann

Awesome avocados just received yet another health victory. Past studies have shown that avocados can lower “bad,” LDL cholesterol so scientists were curious if it could reduce the most ominous form of LDL of all —“oxidized” small, dense LDL’s. To perform this study, the scientists had 45 overweight study subjects consume a series of three […]

Here are some easy ways to save money while improving your weight control: Control your portions. This can reduce your grocery bill along with your restaurant bill and scientific reports find that consistently controlling portions may be the fastest direct route to weight loss.  Dump liquid calories (sodas, fruit juices/drinks, sport drinks.) These liquid sugars cost […]

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 […]

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 […]

One of my biggest pet peeves is the ever-exploding selection of designer waters now available on the grocery shelves. Despite their labels that include ultra healthy words like “vitamin”, “fitness”, or “skinny”, there is no evidence that fortifying water with vitamins, minerals, herbs, or antioxidants has any health benefits. To the contrary, given the growing […]

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 […]

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 […]

Plant-based diets are all the rage and deservedly so. Studies continue to pour in supporting the power they bestow to keep us healthy and disease free. This month we have two new, big ones to add to the list. In the first, scientists followed the diets and health status of over 10,000 US adults from […]

Quick and Easy Vinaigrette: 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup vinegar of choice (apple cider, balsamic, rice, sherry, white wine, red wine, etc.) 1 heaping tsp. dijon mustard 1 tsp. honey Optional – Herbs or spices (fresh or dried) as desired (garlic, rosemary, basil, chives, curry, cumin, turmeric, dill, cilantro, etc.) I prefer […]

For the morbidly obese at imminent risk of life-threatening obesity-related complications, weight loss surgery can be acutely life-saving.  However, its extraordinary initial efficacy, like any other lose-weight-quick scheme, is clearly attenuated over time as many patients find they can eventually consume at or near their pre-bypass level.  I once met a clinical psychologist whose job […]

September 23, 2019 • Heart Health

Women Take Heart

Heart attacks remain the leading killer of women – killing more women than the next 5 causes of death combined.  Additionally, heart attacks tend to be more deadly in women vs. men.  So it was especially good news and incredibly empowering that a provocative study in the Archives of Internal Medicine (October 2007) reported that women could […]