I've spent the past week in a recliner, staring at my toes peeking out from a giant bandage on my foot. Surgery was a success, my surgeon assures me. Now the real healing begins.
My recent series on the ABC's of good foods generated some interesting responses. Here are a couple from readers in New Jersey: Read more
An editor who publishes this column in Australia called me out after my recent three part series on the ABC's of good foods. He pointed out that, after P for peas and Q for quinoa, I ended the second of three columns with "R we out of space again? To be continued..." I then began the last in… Read more
Five years ago this month, I moved to the small town where my oldest daughter and family live. And because my grandkids are ranch kids, coming to Grammy's house in town for Halloween has become a special tradition. Even before they were old enough to go door to door, we would dress up and I'… Read more
When I am stumped to remember a person's name, I try to kick it into my brain by going down the alphabet. Ann? Bonnie? Cathy? And so on. Sometimes it works... Read more
Last week we started an alphabetical list of good-for-you foods. Today we continue with some tricky letters, starting with I. Read more
I recently got together with a group of friends (at a socially accepted distance). One of them suggested we go through the alphabet and name all the things for which we are thankful. It did my heart good to hear the array of answers from "apple pie" to "Zoom meetings." Read more
OCONOMOWOC — For Alison Tierney, her love for nutrition started when she was an athlete in college looking for ways to improve her game in a natural way. Read more
“My cholesterol is too high,” a patient explained. “But I can’t help it. It’s hereditary.” She was right. Her type of high cholesterol is called familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). It’s an inherited genetic defect that causes an abnormal amount of dangerous LDL cholesterol to accumulate in t… Read more
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Since I was a kid, I’ve been drinking milk with breakfast and dinner as my primary beverage. But looking in the grocery store coolers these days, there are so many options other than cow’s milk. Are plant-based milks like soy or almond milk healthier options? Read more
My readers keep me on my toes, for sure. Here are some questions that merit more attention. Read more
Juicing is not any healthier than eating whole fruits and vegetables. Read more
It’s beet season in our neighbor’s garden. (Hint, hint…yes, I love homegrown beets!) Read more
My heart was heavy with fear and disbelief at the news of fires advancing on the California community I called home for 27 years. Text messages and hour-to-hour alerts on Facebook painted a grim picture of friends being evacuated from their homes, scrambling to find safety for their families… Read more
Two recent columns prompted these questions from readers: Read more
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am interested in limiting my intake of meat, but admittedly, I love burgers. Are there any really good plant-based options? Read more
Some of our very best friends this time of year are neighbors who have gardens. About once a week, I’ll get a text messages from Ginny and Bob who live across the street. Read more
A reader writes: I live in Monterey, California. I’m 77 and my husband is 82. I’m wondering, with the large number of COVID-positive farm workers in our area, how safe it is for us to be eating local produce such as romaine lettuce which could have been picked by an infected ag worker? Also,… Read more
After watching too much news about everyone who insists their way is right, I needed to write this column. Hopefully I won’t get hate mail about the value of fruits and vegetables. In fact, the recommendation for us to eat a diet rich in plant foods is about the only thing experts and food g… Read more
Must be time to talk about dietary fiber. Last week I received this message: “Hello dear, can you send us some information about a low fiber diet? (My husband) is going in for a colonoscopy and was told to avoid fiber for 3 days before his test.” Read more
I didn’t like being called “freckle face” when I was a kid. So when my mom took me to the pediatrician for a routine check up, I asked him if he could make my freckles go away. He kindly told me he could, “but you will never be able to go out in the sun again or your freckles will come back.… Read more
The findings of two new studies link a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes to a high consumption of fruit, vegetables and hearty whole grains. Read more
I’m seeing more and more plant-based protein ingredients added to food products these days. A product called Harvest Snaps, for example, uses green peas, red lentils and black beans in their chip-like snacks. These pea, lentil and bean-based crisps have more protein and dietary fiber and les… Read more
On this Fourth of July week, I began to write about color. How the varied colors of flowers attract insects to their food sources. How the diverse hues in a garden encourage bees, butterflies and other flying bugs to bring fertilizing pollen to plants. And how this large array of pigments in… Read more
In response to a recent column about diabetes, reader F.D. sends this question: “Question on (A1C) test: Please explain how does this test know to take an average of 3 months and not 2 months or 1 week? I take my blood level check everyday and that gives an answer at that precise moment of t… Read more
We made this pact after returning from our two-night camping trip. Next time, stay at least three days. It takes at least that much time to relax after getting ourselves — plus horses and dogs — ready for the trip. Read more
One of my unfavorite activities is deleting email from my ever-growing daily accumulations. Not the ones I receive from readers, mind you. These are the ones I never asked for that remind me daily of a special product or service that I most certainly may need. Read more
Skipping a beer and red meat may be a good choice as you resume dining in your favorite restaurant. That’s according to updated cancer prevention guidelines released by the American Cancer Society on Tuesday. Read more
A large international study has discovered an association between consuming a higher amount of dairy — especially whole-fat varieties — and lower rates of hypertension and diabetes, the rates of which are rising in the U.S. Read more
Now that warm weather is here, I was intrigued by this recent letter from a reader in Corvallis, Ore.: “A few months ago, you wrote that Victoria’s Secret Body Mist called Bombshell seems to repel mosquitos. If I am outdoors at twilight I usually end up with about 50-75 insect bites. Even du… Read more
What’s new in the field of nutrition for people with diabetes? Lots, according to registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes care and education specialist, Mary Ann Hodorowicz. In a recent webinar for nutrition professionals, she updated us on the latest guidelines to control t… Read more
Last week I addressed questions from a reader in Oregon on the subject of calories. A recent step on my own scale reminded me to pay a little more attention to his follow-up questions: Read more
Sometimes it’s not what you say but what you fail to say that counts. And I sure dropped the ball when I answered Claudette’s letter about low sugar fruits in her husband’s smoothies. Read more
Interesting how the complications we are currently experiencing have driven us back to the basics of living. Same holds true for the science of nutrition. When things get complicated, we need to retreat to the basics. Here is an example from reader Claudette: Read more
Temporarily furloughed from her job, my younger daughter is helping her sister with kid-sitting duties. On a recent morning, she video-called to show my 6- and 7-year-old grandkids jumping up and down to a music video led by a dancing hot dog named Not Dog. Read more
I’m not hinting, but this may interest some of you during these long days at home. According to registered dietitian nutritionist Elizabeth Ward, a good body of research now suggests that a woman’s ability to become pregnant is influenced by what she eats. Read more
Consuming a Mediterranean diet may lead to higher cognitive function, according to a recently published study. Read more
This delightful letter arrived a few weeks ago: Read more
As scientists and biomedical researchers race to develop a vaccine against the coronavirus using genetically engineered proteins and other technologies, this came in from reader Steve Clark in Monterey, Calif.: Read more
When my grandkids say something humorous, I reach for a piece of paper to jot it down for future smiles. I recently found these two chuckles among my treasures: Read more
Look in the mirror. A lot of what you see came from your parents, grandparents and on down the line. And a lot of what goes on inside our bodies — including our risk for disease and how we utilize nutrients — comes from inherited traits as well. Read more
Between social distancing and self-quarantining, grocery store shelves are stocked with limited supplies as many people try to stock up knowing they can’t leave the house for 14 days. Debra Silverman, a Mayo Clinic dietitian, says that shopping for 14 days at home doesn’t have to become stressful. Read more
My daughter called to tell me she was sent home from work when she told her boss she was not feeling well. “I hope I don’t have the ‘virus’,” she said. (She doesn’t.) Still, in motherly fashion, I reminded her to follow her physician’s instructions to stay home until she was well. Read more
A column I wrote last May about whole milk dairy foods generated quite a response from a reader in Illinois: Read more
Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of death in cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The colon is the final part of your digestive tract. Since it's part of the digestive system, the food you eat is an important factor in the health of your colon. Read more
Yay, it’s March! I even heard birds chirping this morning. And it is also National Nutrition Month, an annual campaign created by the largest organization of nutrition professionals in the world — the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This year’s theme: “Eat Right, Bite by Bite.” Let’s con… Read more
Heart-healthy food plans often focus on what you should eat. Dr. Stephen Kopecky, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, created a plan that reminds you of what to avoid. He calls the plan, “The Four A’s of Food for Heart Health.” Read more
My recent column on carrots brought these letters. And they piqued my curiosity to get more information: Read more
Discover how walnuts, almonds and other nuts can help lower your cholesterol when eaten as part of a balanced diet. Read more
February brings us to Valentine’s Day. And it’s also American Heart Month. Quick, it’s time to give something special to someone you love this week. And surprise, some of our favorite Valentine treats can also be good to our hearts. Read more