Question: Why are my seasonal allergies better on some days and worse on others, and what is the best kind of treatment?
Answer: While the pollen seasons for particular plants are very consistent within each geographical region, the weather plays a large role in determining how heavy the pollen count (and other potential allergens including mold) will be, both seasonally and daily. The severity of your allergic reaction will generally mirror the rise and fall of the specific allergen count to which you are allergic. Many weather websites list pollen indexes and are a great reference if you plan on traveling.
There are many allergy treatments. The most common are antihistamines, and decongestants. Antihistamines are most often nonprescription and can be purchased over-the-counter. Antihistamines such as Claritin, Benadryl, or Chlor-Trimeton are generally effective for treating mild cases of hay fever. Antihistamines don't prevent the release of histamine, but they do prevent some of the chain reactions triggered by histamine, which in turn reduces symptoms. Caution should be used when taking any medication, and remember that antihistamines can cause drowsiness. Decongestants (either pills, drops or sprays), such as Neo-Synephrine and Sudafed, help unblock nasal passages and improve breathing. But a note of caution: Over-the-counter nasal sprays or drops can, after a few days, start to have the opposite effect and may make congestion worse. They can also become addictive. If you are looking for a more natural remedy you can try using a Neti pot with a saline solution. For more information on Neti pots click here.
Question: What is better to drink regular soda or diet soda?
Answer: In a perfect world we would not drink soda at all, for both are bad for you. Ultimately if you are going to drink soda having a little of both during the day is the best option. Regular Coke has High-fructose corn syrup in it and is full of unnecessary calories. Diet Coke is loaded with artificial no-caloire sweeteners and does nothing to curb appetite, in fact it can often increase hunger.
High-fructose corn syrup is used in many packaged foods or beverages. The body does not have a meter by which it metabolizes HFCS. Over consumption is common and eventually leads to obesity. On the other hand artificial sweeteners are equally detrimental to health. Artificial sweeteners such as Sweet N Low, Equal, and Splenda, better known as pink, blue, and yellow, are neurotoxins or toxins that affect the nerve cells of the body.
Sweet N Low contains Saccharin and is 300 to 500 times sweeter than sugar. Saccarin is the oldest known sugar substitute. Saccharin is produced by anthranilic acid successively reacting with nitrous acid, sulfur dioxide, chlorine, and then ammonia to yield saccharin.
Equal is the commercial name for Aspartame. Aspartame chemically is made up of 50% Phenylalanine (an amino acid found in food), 40% Aspartic acid (also found in food), and 10% Methanol which is a wood alcohol and is toxic in levels as low as 7.8mg/day. Most of the side affects of Aspartame are weight gain. However some others may include headaches, dizziness, nausea, and depression, just to name a few.
Splenda is the commercial name for Sucralose. Sucralose is the final chemical compound created by the addition of chlorine atoms to sucrose molecules through a complex chemical reaction involving a number of highly toxic chemicals. In the end Splenda contains Dextrose, Maltodextrin, and Suclarose. While the FDA has ruled that the chemical compound sucralose is not in itself toxic, there is no question that it is unnatural and is a highly-processed chemical artificial sweetener that depends on chlorine for its intense sweetness.
Q: I can't afford to buy all my food organic, but I know there are certain fruits and vegetables that are worse than others. Which ones do you think I should absolutely buy organic?
A: I realize that buying organic can put different requirements on your shopping budget. Therefore, when people ask me how to prioritize, I tell them this: 1) Make sure ALL your animal-based products are organic, or more importantly, just make sure they are hormone and antibiotic-free. This includes: dairy products, eggs, chicken, turkey, pork, beef, buffalo, etc., and 2) Stay away from the
"Dirty Dozen" - which are the conventionally grown crops that have the highest pesticide loads.
The Dirty Dozen include:
Peaches
Apples
Sweet Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Lettuce
Grapes (imported)
Pears
Spinach
Potatoes
Focus on this "Consistently Clean" List, which are the conventional crops with the lowest pesticide loads:
Onions
Avocados
Sweet Corn (frozen)
Pineapples
Mangoes
Sweet Peas (frozen)
Asparagus
Kiwi
Bananas
Cabbage
Broccoli
Eggplant
By following these general rules, you can reduce pesticide exposure from foods by almost 90%!
Q: I am trying to re-start my exercise program, but I'm having a hard time getting motivated after a 3-month lull. Any tips would be helpful.
A: The key is to modify your workouts, rather than canceling them all together because you feel pressured or overwhelmed by unrealistic goals. Keep in mind that after 3 weeks of inactivity, aerobic capacity declines, so you will have less energy and endurance.
A good starting point is 15-30 minutes of moderately intense exercise every other day. Use your day off as a recovery day, and pay attention to how you feel. If you are fatigued or sore, cut back on intensity or time. Once you've regained a comfortable level, maintain it for a few weeks before gradually ramping up.
Most importantly, FIND THE TIME. To make time for exercise, mark it in your daily planner and treat it like any other appointment. Studies show an 80% success rate for exercise programs that are done first thing in the morning. So wake up a bit earlier and get it done! Then the day can unfold as it may, and you will already have checked off your daily exercise. That leaves time later in the day, if time allows, to go for a nice stroll or bike ride in the park after work - added exercise with the benefits of relaxation and possibly time with a friend or family member.
HAVE FUN! Choose activities that you enjoy. Being active does not mean sweating it out at the gym if this does not excite you. Try hiking, biking, dancing or coaching your kids' soccer teams.
Most barriers to exercise are within your control. So look at your planner right now, and make an appointment to keep your health and fitness on track.
Clients are always asking about natural sweeteners, so I have decided to keep this information posted for continual reference. Each sweetener listed is a replacement for 1 cup of sugar.
| Honey or Agave Nectar | 1/2 cup - reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup |
| Maple Syrup | 1/2 cup - reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup |
| Rice Syrup | 1 cup - reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup |
| Molasses | 1/2 cup - reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup |
| Fruit Juice Concentrate | 1 cup - reduce liquid in recipe by 1/3 cup |
| Cane Juice Crystals | 1 cup |
| Crystalline Fructose | 1/2 cup |
| Stevia | 1 tsp. w/ 1 cup water - reduce liquid by 1 cup |
