DrCarney.com Blog

We know fiber is "good" for us, but what does it actually do? Fiber plays many roles in our health. For one, it stabilizes our blood sugar which helps stabilize our energy and moods. Easier trips to the bathroom also come courtesy of fiber bulking up body waste. But did you know that fiber binds to by-products...

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a painful, chronic digestive disorder affecting millions of Americans every year. GERD occurs when the muscular valve between the esophagus and stomach is weakened or fails to close properly, which causes the contents in the stomach (including stomach acid) to travel up the esophagus. Constant irritation of the delicate lining...

Physicans like myself who follow the wise words of Hippocrates: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food" — witness amazing transformations in the lives of our patients when disease-promoting foods are removed from their diets and their bodies are instead nourished with the finest ingredients. When animal products, refined oils/sugars and processed...

Artificial butter-flavor lovers beware — studies show that the artificial butter flavor, diacetyl, can cause lung diseases, including a life-threatening disease called bronchiolitis obliterans, commonly called “popcorn lung.” This disease was first noticed in workers who manufactured microwave popcorn. Many who developed this serious lung disease were put on a list to receive lung transplants...

If you've been searching the Internet for relief from hemorrhoids, GERD, constipation, or other gastrointestinal disorder, you may be interested in viewing the below 15-minute session featuring Neal Barnard, MD. Dr. Barnard gives a general overview of how eating a diet based on a wide variety of whole grains, beans, fruits, vegetables, and some nuts/seeds...

The origin of many serious health conditions including autoimmune disease can be traced back to a condition called increased intestinal permeability, or better known as "leaky gut syndrome." You may be thinking, "How can my gut possibly be related to my (fill in the blank)? This is a very common question. Knowing how the lining of the...

The statistics are distressing. Eighty-one million Americans suffer from cardiovascular disease, making it our nation's leading cause of death for both men and women. Every year, 1.5 million people suffer a heart attack in the U.S., killing 1 out of every 3 people, or approximately 1 million per year. Considering these facts, it's no surprise that...

We hear it all the time: protein. If we're hungry midafternoon, our coworker wonders if we didn't include enough protein in our lunch. If we say we're feeling tired lately, our sister asks if we're eating enough protein. If we twist our ankle, our neighbor wants to know… Okay, that's an exaggeration, but you get...

Heart attack, stroke, and sudden death — side effect warnings you don't see on the back of a calcium bottle. If you did, you might not purchase the product. Indeed, if this warning was listed, supplement manufacturers would certainly suffer a great loss. At the same time, many health-conscious individuals don't hesitate to take supplements...

In my previous blog, How do the Majority of Heart Attacks Occur? Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn Jr. demonstrates how the greatest percentage of heart attacks (87.5%) occur when newly formed plaques on the inside of our arteries rupture, causing a clot to form, and thus blocking the flow of blood. This little-known fact comes as a...

Many people love the classics. Swiss Family Robinson. Jane Eyre. Or even Good Night Moon. All genres have their classics. These stories often owe their appeal to an artful exploration of some truth regarding the human condition. There truly is "no place like home;" a family really can survive by pulling together and using their wits; we...

Cholesterol is a naturally occurring, waxy substance primarily synthesized by the liver. Cholesterol is necessary to form cell membranes, to produce hormones like testosterone and estrogen, to transform sunlight into Vitamin D which helps build our bones and strengthens our immune system, and to synthesize bile acids which aid in the digestion of fat. Cholesterol...