Tag Archives: nutrition

Netflix’s “What the Health” wants you to be a vegan

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netflix what the healthExtreme viewpoints entertain, not educate

I finally got around to watching the Netflix documentary What the Health.

Bottom line on top: This film is too extreme and manipulative to be a good source of information.

In short, the filmmakers cherry pick statistics and use fear mongering to promote their hypothesis that veganism is the only healthy lifestyle choice. That is a gross oversimplification of a complex and hard-to-study topic—nutrition.… read on

Overnight oatmeal with a probiotics twist

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overnight oatmealOvernight oatmeal is an easy, healthy breakfast

I’ve seen a lot of recipes online for overnight oatmeal, but I think mine (or my husband’s, more accurately) is the best.

Rather than just refrigerate the oats and milk overnight, we add a small amount of fermented liquid—we use homemade yogurt whey or kefir—and then leave the oats at room temperature overnight.

In the morning, we have a slightly fermented bowl of … read on

Embrace a healthy lifestyle in 2018

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And save money on healthcare!

I’m writing this post on New Year’s Day. Typical of the day, I’m also pondering a few questions.

What did I learn last year about staying healthy? What have I done well in my quest to be healthier and save money? What can I do better this year?

As so many of us know, healthcare is unreasonably expensive. My goal the last few years has … read on

My favorite healthcare books and gifts for 2017

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healthcare books and giftsThis is my week for buying gifts for my family. I try to get everyone something that I think will not only bring them pleasure, but better health 😊

*I have to include a disclosure here that this post contains affiliate links for Amazon. That said, I’m not trying to make any money with my blog, so if you can find these products for better prices elsewhere, great!

Last year … read on

Oh, no! Raw cookie dough can make you sick

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raw cookie doughThe hazards of raw cookie dough

Just in time for the cookie-baking frenzy of the holidays, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a consumer warning about the health hazards of eating raw cookie dough.

This didn’t seem like new news to me. We’ve all heard for years that we shouldn’t eat raw cookie dough because eggs can carry the Salmonella bacteria.… read on

Lifestyle changes can lower cholesterol

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lifestyle changes can lower cholesterolMore exercise, more soluble fiber

Good news!

I’ve been posting about my husband’s high cholesterol since it became quite high about a year ago. Last December his total cholesterol was 297, with an LDL (low-density lipoprotein) of 219 and an HDL (high-density lipoprotein) of 65.

Now I’m happy to report that after 9 months of pretty simple lifestyle changes his total cholesterol is down to 240. His LDL (the … read on

Carbs vs fats: It’s all about moderation

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carbs vs fatsCarbs vs fats in the news…again

A few weeks ago, a study was published that resulted in a lot of dramatic headlines, such as “Your Low-Fat Diet Could Kill You!”

The media always make a big deal out of these nutritional studies because they know we need to eat, we like to eat, and we’re already confused about what we should eat. Or not eat.

Headlines that the one above … read on

Is bad cholesterol really bad?

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Rethinking LDLs (low-density lipoproteins)

I’ve posted a couple of times about my husband’s high LDL level and his attempts to lower it through diet and exercise.

I’ve also said that because he doesn’t have any other risk factors for heart disease, we aren’t too worried about it. But the engineer in him likes the challenge of seeing how low he can get his LDL.

When I saw this recent YouTube … read on

The health benefits of fermented foods

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fermented foodsThe fermented foods bible

Our niece recently gave my husband a fascinating book: The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz.

He’s already an enthusiastic yogurt maker, bread baker, beer brewer and kombucha fermenter (is that a verb?). But this book has increased his knowledge and his projects several-fold, and by extension I’ve learned a lot about the health benefits of fermented foods, too.

Fermented foods include, but are by … read on

Embrace a healthier, happier lifestyle

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Healthy living abroad

My husband dreams of retiring abroad to a tropical country, like Belize, Panama or Costa Rica.

While I’m not quite as attracted to year-long sun and beaches (we Northwest natives have an aversion to too much sunshine), the idea of a less stressful lifestyle coupled with low-cost healthcare definitely makes me think about it.

He showed me a recent email he received from an expat living in … read on