DrCarney.com Blog

With respect to sodium intake, the best advice may be to wait until we're seated at the table to shake on the salt -- if we choose to salt our food at all. Most of us like the flavor of salt. If we haven't been diagnosed with high blood pressure, is there any reason to...

Starch-Smart® System: From Sun To Plant To Plate

"I have really been thinking about . . . how best to describe the principles of a healthy diet, and I think, plant-centered, minimally processed, calorie dilute, low SOS [salt, oil, sugar] & variety, really sums it all up," says Jeff Novick, MS, RD. But what does that look like when we sit down to...

Psoriasis is a prevalent and serious inflammatory skin condition caused by an overactive immune system that attacks healthy cells within the body, believing that they are foreign substances. It is just one of 80+ autoimmune conditions. Psoriasis alone affects approximately 7.5 million out of the 23.5 million Americans with autoimmune disorders. Autoimmune disorders can affect...

The New Year brings with it an opportunity to think about ways in which to improve our lives. Eating healthier and losing those unwanted pounds is the most common New Year's resolution. In an attempt to start fresh, and "cleanse" the body, many turn to different methods of "detoxing." Each method promises successful weight loss...

Our Food Choices Spark the Curiosity of Others. Feasting on foods that are heavily processed and high in animal products, fat, calories, salt, sugar and oils while deficient in nutrients tends to play a central role in social gatherings and celebratory occasions. Therefore, it can be extremely awkward to eat healthfully and keep your health goals...

It is no news to any of us that sugary drinks are bad for our health. But how bad can they be? For some people the answer is "deadly." In fact studies indicate that one in every 100 deaths from obesity-related diseases is caused by sugary beverages. A study reported in the journal Circulation in 2015 broke down...

We've long had a love affair with white sugar. And why not? Its sweetness cheers us up, perks us up, and makes all the good times seem even better. So it's disappointing when we learn that sugar has been cheating on us. The happy, energy burst that sugar gives us is followed by a deceptive...

We've all heard that white sugar is a refined product that's devoid of any nutrients, and how high-fructose corn syrup has led to an epidemic of obesity and poor health. So it's natural that we look for alternative sweeteners. Although honey, evaporated cane juice, brown sugar, fructose, molasses, maple syrup, agave nectar, coconut sugar, and fruit...

Do you frequently eat foods from the Allium family? This group includes onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, scallions, and green onions. If not, you may want to start including these foods as much as possible. Eating foods from the Allium family has shown to reduce the risk of many types of cancer, according to several medical studies....

Cruciferous vegetables are known to be protective against thyroid cancer, as well as against breast, prostate, colorectal, bladder, and lung cancer. This beneficial effect of cruciferous vegetables is due to compounds called glucosinolates which the body metabolizes into isothiocyanates (ITCs). Based on animal studies though, some have theorized that cruciferous vegetables might interfere with thyroid...

Over the years, many of my patients have been addicts. Of course, they don't think of themselves that way. The word "addict" is pretty loaded and usually suggests something illegal. But coffee addiction is perfectly legal, and in fact, many people think that their morning cup of joe is actually a health food! I can...

When I do a lecture series, the last of my sessions is titled "Why We Do What We Do?" That's the fun one because I see hope on people's faces. Through the series, the audience has been listening intently. They've heard the science of eating plants for health, strength, and energy. They've seen the studies...