Dr. Ann

In as little as two weeks, a daily dose of a sugary beverage can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in healthy young subjects. That was the riveting conclusion from a clinical trial that is the first to show a direct dose-response relationship between sugary beverage consumption and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. For this […]

If you want to reduce your risk of strokes, shunning soda, both regular and diet, appears to be a wise move. In the first large study to evaluate the relationship between soda consumption and stroke risk, researchers determined that relative to study subjects that did not drink soda, those consuming a single serving of regular or diet […]

It is now widely accepted that sugary beverages are the most fattening of all forms of calories and have subsequently played a leading role in the obesity epidemic. In fact, of all the things you could do to lose weight, dumping sugary beverages appears to provide the single greatest return for your efforts! The unique […]

According to research from the American Academy of Neurology, you may want to rethink your drink if you want to reduce your risk of future depression. For this study, researchers evaluated the beverage intakes of over 260,000 adults age 50 or older for a one year period of time. 10 years later they reconnected with […]

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 […]

The food industry has mastered labeling their products in such a way that we are tempted to eat just about anything. Many so-called “health foods” are nothing more than nutritionally defunct, empty calories masquerading as the good guys you want them to be. What follows are the most notorious “health food imposters.” Flavored yogurt products: Although […]

If you are looking for a healthier and more wholesome way to replenish your energy during exercise, you may want to go with the classic snack, peanut butter’s best friend, banana. Sounds like a smart snack to me! Exercise scientists at Appalachian State University’s Human Performance Lab compared eating bananas to drinking a sports beverage as a […]

Sugary beverages can wreck your health. According to the most comprehensive and authoritative review of published science to date, Harvard scientists determined that drinking as little as one to two servings a day of a sugary beverage was tied to significant health risks. Among the most compelling were a 35 percent greater risk of heart […]

Weight control is of monumental importance to your overall health and functionality.  If you are a non-smoker, weight control is the most powerful tool you have to increase your chances of a long, healthy, and productive life.  Here are nine strategies that I consider “essential” for lasting success with weight loss and weigh control.  Meaning, if you […]

All carbonated beverages, including diet brands, are acidic in nature. The acids from carbonated beverages enter your bloodstream and are buffered by calcium. However, if the calcium levels in the bloodstream are inadequate, your bones will supply it. Studies have shown that even modest levels of cola consumption are associated with lower bone mineral density scores. And […]

Thanks to a new scientific analysis, it appears that coconut water can rightly claim its reputation as Mother Nature’s sports drink. Coconut water is the clear liquid harvested from young green coconuts and is now available at many grocery outlets and health food stores. Researchers analyzed the components in coconut water relative to those in […]

After completing the most rigorous and comprehensive review of scientific data to date, an expert panel of world-renown cancer experts recommended, “fast foods be consumed sparingly, if at all.” They concluded that limiting calorically dense food, especially fast foods and sugary beverages, was one of the most important steps an individual could take to reduce […]