Recently some patients in our waiting room were talking about wasting food, which is a topic close to my heart. I was shocked to find out that here in the US we throw away $43 billion of edible food each year. In fact a 2004 study at the University of Arizona, estimated that between 40 and 50% of the food we buy does not get eaten. As food prices rise I have become more conscious of the way my own family wastes food and have been looking for ways that we can improve.

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A recent study in The American Journal of Hypertension caught my eye.

It showed that if women increase their fiber intake in early pregnancy they can cut their chances of a serious pregnancy complication by two-thirds. Pre-ecplampsia, which is characterized by high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine, effects about 8% of pregnant women towards the end of their pregnancy. Most women with mild pre-ecplamsia deliver their babies without any problems but if it is left untreated it can threaten the life of both the mother and the baby. Continue reading…

My recent post about 5 Healthy Ways to Start Your Day sparked some conversations in our waiting room this week. As we shared our experiences and passed on tips, some Mom’s spoke about how they get their kids to start the day in a healthy way. My own daughter, Emma, is 17 now and my days of being able to influence her breakfast choices are long past. However I distinctly remember chopping kale into her breakfast oatmeal when she was smaller and what’s more I remember my own Mum doing the same thing. I guess Moms have been trying to sneak healthy food into their kids meals for ever. Recently, Jessica Seinfeld wrote a bestselling book on the subject which confirmed that another generation of Moms have discovered the same old tricks.

Research has shown that kids who eat breakfast do better in school and are also less likely to be overweight. Many of the Mum’s I talked to spoke about how hard it is to organize breakfast during the morning rush. So we pooled our knowledge and here from The YinOva Center waiting room are some suggestions from busy working Moms for healthy breakfast foods that kids will actually eat. Continue reading…

Many of you have asked about the little girl whose pictures and letters decorate our waiting room. Her name is Kunthea and we are proud to sponsor her through the Cambodian Children’s Fund.  She is nine years old and before being accepted at CCF she lived with her mom and grandparents in a small shack on the Steung Meanchy garbage dump in Phnom Penh. She helped her mom pick through the garbage to earn enough to eat. Thanks to the wonderful people of CCF she now has a place to sleep, good food and is getting an education. She also goes home to see her Mom every evening.

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Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)

“We practice meditation in order to see ourselves as we truly are and life as it truly is.” ( Genpo Roshi)

“Meditation brings wisdom: lack of meditation leaves ignorance. (Buddha)

There is a reason that all religious traditions involve some kind of meditation, prayer or silent contemplation. No matter what your belief system most people benefit from allowing their mind to become still and I often find myself recommending meditation to patients who are anxious or overstretched. If you have never meditated it is hard to believe how helpful it is to set aside a few minutes a day in order to quieten your mind.

Now, I don’t want to pretend that I have a perfect mediation practice. Like a lot of people I am a bit of a spasmodic meditator. In fact, sadly, when I need to meditate most I am least likely to be able to find the time. However when I am meditating regularly I feel calmer, have more perspective and am more able to cope with the ups and downs of my life.

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When we were writing our book Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility,we found ourselves repeatedly stressing the importance of eating whole grains and a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables.

Here in America and in the UK, where I come from, we mostly eat refined grains because they are more convenient. Refined grains have had their bran and germ stripped away which means they cook more quickly than whole grains and can be stored for much longer without going rancid. Sadly, however, they have been robbed of important minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients. I encourage my patients to get into the habit of choosing whole grains where they can. There is a whole world of interesting grains to explore from teff to quinoa to amaranth but for a start try buying wholegrain flour and using it to replace the white flour in your favorite recipes.

Below is my favorite wholegrain pancake recipe. My recent post about healthy ways to start your day inspired me to cook it for my husband this morning. It’s not a recipe I would use during the week partly because its high in calories and partly because I don’t have time. However for a nutrition-packed Sunday treat its hard to beat and always gets a big thumbs up from my family.

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