DrCarney.com Blog

The "Paleo" diet or "Caveman" diet has recently become a popular diet, especially among some fitness groups such as CrossFit.  The Paleo diet is a modern day diet based on the presumed ancient diet of early man during the Paleolithic Era.

There are many aspects of this diet which are health promoting, such as the addition of fruits, vegetables, and nuts and seeds.  Other beneficial attributes include the avoidance of dairy products, processed snack foods, and alcohol.  However, legumes, grains, and starchy vegetables have also been eliminated which are beneficial and are a significant part of a whole-food, Starch-Smart® diet.  The Paleo diet centers its meals around animal products, much like the typical American diet, and is high in saturated fat and low in carbohydrates.  Advocates state that the high percentage of animal products to whole plant food is a key feature of this diet with sausage, bacon, lard and tallow being acceptable. 

Debbie Cockrell spent many years suffering from numerous health conditions including pneumonia, depression, breast cancer, bronchitis, sinus problems and considerable crippling pain from her rheumatoid arthritis. She would wake up crying, with terrible joint pain, convinced she was dying. She took a powerful immune system suppressing drug, which made her "crash hard and feel very...

A fascinating study showed that, "During sleep, the flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain increases dramatically, washing away harmful waste proteins that build up between brain cells during waking hours."

Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, a professor of neurosurgery at the University of Rochester, along with a team of scientists, discovered this "washing away" process when they studied the brains of mice that were sleeping. Dr. Nedergaard states that the scientists noted that during sleep, cerebrospinal fluid circulated through the brain and nervous system at a "very rapid pace." They believed this to be partly due to the brain cells of the mice actually shrinking when they fell asleep, making it easier for the cerebrospinal fluid to circulate. She goes on to say, "The process is important because what's getting washed away during sleep are waste proteins that are toxic to brain cells. This could explain why we don't think clearly after a sleepless night and why a prolonged lack of sleep can actually kill an animal or a person."

Atherosclerosis (or hardening of the arteries) is a disease caused by years of eating the rich Western diet. Fatty plaque deposits accumulate and coat the inside of the blood vessel walls beginning in early childhood. These fatty plaque streaks can be seen in children as young as three years of age, and by the age...

Kelly Binkoski was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in January of 2012. Her surgeon scheduled her for surgery with an aggressive chemo and radiation plan following surgery. She and her husband inadvertently watched Forks Over Knives two days before her surgery, and their lives were forever changed. The documentary introduced her to the work of Dr....

Making the transition to a whole-food, plant-based diet, involves a process known as detoxification. It is not unusual for a person to experience feeling ill shortly after beginning their healhier lifestyle. Some of the most common symptoms are fatigue, headache, shakiness, and GI symptoms of gas, bloating, and diarrhea.

It has been noted that some symptoms can even mimic those of the flu including an elevated temperature.  Generally speaking, the severity of the symptoms is directly proportional to how toxic a person is and the richness of their previous diet.  Some choose to make positive changes in their diet quickly which may intensify the symptoms.  Making changes more gradually may work better for those who need a slower adjustment period.

If you or someone you love has heart disease, please watch and share this video. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America. Approximately 1.5 million people will suffer a heart attack this year. From these, approximately 1 million deaths will occur, resulting in one death every 30 seconds. Tragically, the majority of...

Yes, sprouts can be very healthy to eat.  In fact, a Russian scientist group recently published a database of the antioxidant content in over 1000 foods, including sprouted seeds grains, and legumes. Dr. Michael Greger's video (below) shows us how the nutrient content changed dramatically after these foods were sprouted. One grain in particular increased...

After making the transition to a plant-based diet, it's only natural to want to rush out and buy an expensive juicer to make our own juice. However, before you start searching on Amazon for the best kind, watch this six minute video clip from Jeff Novick's "Fast Food - Shopping School" dvd.

Jeff explains how fruit juice is not a natural state of the whole fruit, but actually a highly processed, refined food that should be used very sparingly, as a condiment for extra flavor. A whole fruit contains fiber, is low in calorie-density, and high in satiety, whereas fruit juice has had its fiber and many nutrients removed, is calorie-dense, and is low in satiety. Jeff refers to juice as "liquid calories" that can quickly add unwanted pounds and elevate blood sugar levels as well as triglycerides.

Grocery store aisles are filled with products labeled as "all natural," "heart healthy" and "organic." It's easy to be attracted to these products, since they claim to be so healthy. Since it's organic, all natural, and good for our hearts, we would be crazy not to purchase it, right However, when we take a closer...

If you enjoyed my blog posts regarding food addictions and how dieting doesn't work, you'll also enjoy the below ten minute video clip featuring Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Dr. Fuhrman discusses in detail why eating less and exercising more doesn't work. Most people try dieting, only to fail after a few weeks. After several attempts and numerous weight loss strategies, many people feel hopeless and give up.

Dieting - it doesn't seem to work, does it?  Cutting back on portion size, counting calories, and using will power can only last so long before we're back to our old eating habits. By the looks of all the diet books available today, it would seem like we would all be a trim and healthy...