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This is definitely one of those topics that only gets more confusing the more you read. So, you need to have a philosophy about it and fit each new bit of information into your overall framework. That way, you're not constantly reeling from 'no carbs' to 'low fat' to 'grapefruits only' to whatever is in. Among physicians, there isn't any consensus about what is best for you. The only thing we can probably agree on is that no one diet suits everyone. In this section, over time, we hope to provide enough helpful information so you can make healthful decisions on your own.

In a nutshell, my philosophy is that fruits, vegetables, and whole grains should make up most of your intake. Lean protein such as fish, chicken, turkey or tofu, nuts, lentils. and beans should comprise the rest. The most important to me is eating 'whole foods' as they come out of the ground and limiting processed foods as much as possible. The food industry has studied and perfected combining the most tempting, and at times addictive, combinations of fat, salt, and sugar in restaurant and supermarket offerings. They know how to keep you coming back for more.

Varying what you eat can keep your meals interesting. I aim to include 'superfoods' such as spinach, tomatoes, pumpkin, blueberries, and hemp seed, which I think are delicious. Experiment with foods that contain antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, lycopene (think tomatoes), and beta-carotene (pumpkin and carrots). These and many others are beneficial when eaten in 'whole foods' but not when taken in pill form.
Of course, not one nutrition plan suits everyone, since food preferences or intolerance and medical issues must be considered.

But for the majority of people, if you eat whole foods and nourish your body and soul with a wholesome variety of nutritious foods, your mind and body will thank you. Often, people don't realize that fatigue, insomnia, depression, and other issues are closely tied to what we eat. In our posts in this section, we'll provide some practical information and keep you posted on the latest and greatest in nutrition news. Send us your questions!

Education While on Vacation?

Early morning a week ago, while David was on a flight to Australia for his healthcare consulting work, I drove my son Sandy to the Franklin and Marshall campus or F&M in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He will be attending a three-week course at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) camp.  Sandy will study chemistry…

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Car driving is no ‘sitting in the pool’

Driving can be part of our lives, either trucking kids in the afternoon to all their lessons, driving to and from work in traffic or driving from one office to another. The third is my situation and there are some days, although uncommonly, I can be in the car 3-4 hours, driving to different hospitals….

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No Pain, NO PAIN!

In the past, there was a common saying, “No pain, no gain,” to encourage people to exercise harder and longer. I don’t hear that expression much any more. Either I’m hanging around with wiser people, or all those, “no pain, no gain” believers have been injured and changed their tune. Whether you are stretching, lifting…

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Women as Breadwinners

I was on call this past weekend and in and out of the hospital everyday. Babies seemed to come only in the middle of the nights whenever I was on call.  Luckily, I  was able to run my usual 3.2 miles Sunday afternoon followed by a 50-minute swim in my next door neighbor’s pool, so…

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In the Long Run, Shorter is Better

One of today’s biggest exercise trends? Interval training. But what is the big hype about it? There are many adaptations that the body makes when put under the stresses of intense exercise followed by lighter exercise repeatedly.  The biggest change that occurs in the body is the improvement of one’s VO2 max – the largest amount…

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Mmm – looks good, but is it worth the calories?

In today’s Local Living section of The Washington Post, there’s a well-written and illustrated article titled Walk away vs walk it off by Gabriella Boston. It gives a visual demonstration of how few calories you burn with various activities relative to how many you can consume by eating a fast food meal. When you’re huffing and puffing at the…

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Happy Independence Day

Happy Independence Day to you! The opening picture was the fireworks on the Chesapeake Bay last night behind our house enjoyed from our deck overlooking the water.  I hope you have today off  to spend time with your friends and family. It has been raining  on and off for several days now, and my office…

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Jackson Hole Summer Journey

We left Maryland last Saturday for Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It has been a year and a half since I went on a family vacation with my father and my older brothers. The last vacation we had together was a Christmas cruise to the Caribbean with both my parents and our children.  My mother died two…

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Add some more SPICE – cardamom and ginger – to your recipes

Add some more SPICE – cardamom and ginger – to your recipesfeaturing Teriyaki Flank Steak and Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Pears In the first spice article, we were roaming through the spice market in Istanbul. When we were there, we learned how to choose ‘true’ cardamom pods, which are actually from India. They should be…

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The Emperor of all Maladies – A Biography of Cancer

  The Emperor of All Maladies by Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee The year was 1994. The scene was the Johns Hopkins Hospital Oncology ward. I was on call for the 2nd week as an intern accepting admissions to the Solid Tumor Service. The fellow in Oncology asked me to journey to the dark basement where the Emergency…

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