Dr. Ann

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 […]

In a review of 11 published studies including 247,510 adults, researchers concluded that consuming potassium rich foods was associated with significant stroke prevention.  People who consumed 1.64 grams or more of potassium a day (equivalent to 5 servings of fruits and veggies) were 21 percent less likely to have a stroke than those getting the […]

Eat 1 ounce (a generous handful) of any variety of nut each day. Enjoy up to 1/3 of an avocado daily. Include ½ cup or more of any variety of beans (canned best) daily. Choose a small piece (up to 1 ounce) of high quality dark chocolate as your daily treat of choice. Did you […]

Eating for pleasure and eating to make your heart healthier tomorrow than it is today can go hand in hand. Here are 7 easy ways to do it: Extra Virgin Olive Oil– This highly flavored, for real make-me-healthier fat provides four separate benefits to your arteries – making it hands down the very best oil for your […]

Evidence is rapidly mounting that junk foods may be truly addicting.  Both in animal and human studies, it seems that ultra palatable foods, especially those high in both fat and sugar (think donuts, milk shakes, cheesecake) can highjack our normal appetite regulatory mechanisms, throwing us into a perpetual cycle of desire and binging. A laboratory study […]

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 […]

If you are looking for a tasty, healthy, and highly effective way to quiet your hunger and eat less—look to beans. In a placebo-controlled clinical trial that pitted bean-based meals head to head with meat-based meals, beans came out on top. For this study, investigators fed 43 young men three different test meal burgers, each […]

I wanted to share a recipe that my daughter and I threw together as a protein-packed side dish for dinner.  I served it with some Wild Alaskan Salmon and fresh green beans, but it works great alone as a light supper or lunch as well. Edamame & Veggie Extravaganza Serves 6 This is a wonderful recipe to take advantage of […]

Tomatoes are the most widely consumed non-starchy “veggie” (really a fruit) in America and this is a wonderful thing!  Tomatoes offer a treasure chest of nutrients for boosting your health, but their crown jewel is a super potent antioxidant called lycopene.  Scientists speculate that tomatoes’ rich supply of lycopene is the key factor in the […]

Mushrooms are great for you! They’re super low in calories (20 calories per ½ cup), but high in key nutrients, including B vitamins, copper, potassium, and selenium – it’s wise to get into the health habit of including them regularly in your diet. A little known fact is that mushrooms are also filled with powerful […]

In an uplifting report that adds to the well-deserved and glowing reputation of omega- 3 fats for heart health, scientists determined that increasing our intake of these precious and vital fats helps lower blood pressure. The analysis combined the data from 70 formally published clinical trials and found that study subjects who increased their intakes […]

If you are looking for a science-based tactic for choosing the very best fruits and veggies for weight control, keep reading. In an exciting study from researchers at Harvard, scientists found that those consuming the highest levels of a unique category of plant compounds called flavonoids, experienced superior weight control vs. those consuming lesser amounts. […]