For most of human history, infectious diseases have been the leading causes of illness and death. Most ancient peoples used botanicals as the earliest antibiotics to combat various plagues, even without specific knowledge regarding the microbes responsible. With the advent of modern pharmaceutical …
Food and Drink
Food as Medicine
Recently, I was honored to be included in Mother Earth Living magazine's piece on foods that "fight illness" (or better yet, prevent them). I was one of several integrative practitioners, including Andrew Weil, Tieraona Low Dog, and Aviva Romm, who contributed recipes for yummy and healthful …
Buzzed: Energy Drinks + Stimulants = PEDs of Choice?
Teens and young adults are increasingly self-medicating with a combination of caffeine, stimulant medications and alcohol, and it seems that energy drinks -- at times mixed with other substances -- have become the performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) of choice. Two recent Drug Abuse Warning Network …
May 2011 Kiwi Post: The Food of the Gods
Mother’s Day is around the corner, and (at least in my family) chocolate is never frowned upon as a gift. With an increasing number of published studies highlighting its health benefits, could chocolate really be “the food of the gods”? To keep reading, click here. …
New “The Whole Child” Post on the Kiwilog: January 2011
Ring in the New New Year’s is in part about resolutions: wishes for the year to come. On everyone’s list is usually something about eating healthier, exercising more, and being less stressed. These are often cited as personal goals, but more importantly, they are core integrative principles …
The Death of the Mediterranean Diet
Startling, sad news about children's health from the front page of the New York Times. …
Something’s Fishy
OK, it's a goofy title, but kudos to the NY Times for a relatively-balanced article on fish oils for kids in this week's special "Well" section. …
The Rise of Food Allergies
Any parent with preschoolers or school-age children knows that food allergies are on the rise. What's going on? …
Sports Drinks Gone Wild
Back to school, as autumn spreads across the land. Check out any suburban sports scene and you'll see them: the youth of America, out there giving it their all in soccer, football, softball, whatever - chugging their favorite sports drink du jour. Just like the coach tells 'em to, just like their …
Live Food
What's the story with probiotics in food? The NY Times features a piece on the topic on today's front page. Seems like manufacturers are trying to cash in on the public's hunger for better living through healthier food. Marketing scheme or the real deal? …