Nutrition

If by borderline high, you mean your blood pressure is 130-140/80-90, then lifestyle modification should be your initial attempt to lower it. National Institute of Health guidelines recommend:Weight reduction i... continue reading  about  I'm a 41-year-old woman who exercises regularly and eats healthy food. High cholesterol and high blood pressure run in my family. My blood pressure is borderline high. Are there natural ways to lower blood pressure without medications?

Your question is an excellent one, and a hot topic in the world of cardiology and preventive medicine.Vitamin D is not a true vitamin since we can manufacture it in our bodies, through the action of UVB rays th... continue reading  about  I read recently that a vitamin D deficiency may be linked to increased heart disease. Should I be tested for this deficiency, and if I'm low, would a supplement take care of this increased risk?

Congratulations on the hard work of addiction recovery. Sugar cravings are a problem for many people and can become all the more difficult when recovering from alcoholism. Research on food, mood, substance abus... continue reading  about  I am a 49-year-old recovering alcoholic and have three years of sobriety. Since I got sober I have not been able to control my sugar cravings. Is there any thing I can do?

There is truly an epidemic of soft drink consumption in our country, and your husband needs to cut down or cut out his substitution of soft drinks for healthy beverages. The fact that your husband is drinking s... continue reading  about  What are the health risks from not drinking water? My husband is terribly addicted to soda and any other drink that is not plain water. He drinks about a 1/2 cup of plain water a day.

The body regulates the blood calcium levels through complex mechanisms. Low calcium can be supplemented with vitamins and eating calcium-rich foods and dairy. High calcium, however is never from any specific fo... continue reading  about  My calcium level is high. What foods do I need to cut down on? What about dairy products, orange juice, fortified cereal and eggs, which I thought were good for me? I'm on Tamoxifen and have been through chemo. Does that contribute to high calcium?

I do not think that your diet contributed to your condition of hyperthyroidism. There is no relation between the two conditions that I am aware of. Graves disease is an immune system disorder that results in th... continue reading  about  I recently was diagnosed with Graves's disease. I also have gluten intolerance and have been eating some gluten foods. Do you think that my diet contributed to hyperthyroidism?

It is perfectly all right to have avocado as part of your diabetic meal plan. Avocado is a monounsaturated fat, and an eighth of an avocado is a serving size. Fat is an essential nutrient that provides energy, ... continue reading  about  I had my gall bladder removed last year. I'm also diabetic. I know I'm supposed to eat low-fat foods. I know avocados contain healthy fat. Should I stay away from them or is it alright to eat them?

In the past, many doctors recommended that people with diverticulitis avoid nuts and seeds. It was thought that these small particles could lodge in the diverticula and cause inflammation (which is diverticulit... continue reading  about  I've been diagnosed with diverticulitis (no longer acute) and have been told to avoid nuts and seeds. Do things like peas, beans, corn count as seeds? What is a good diet to avoid another bout of diverticulitis? (I'm also lactose intolerant.)

Many diabetics will eat snacks during the day to keep blood sugar levels balanced, and keep meal portions under control. However, know that having diabetes does not mean that you have to snack, especially if yo... continue reading  about  What are your favorite snack ideas for people with diabetes?