Dr. Chet’s Health Memos

If it’s in the health news today, I’ll be writing about it as soon as I read the research, both old and new. With my email Health Memos, you’ll know more about making lifestyle choices that will help you get and keep good health. These free, concise updates on health are emailed to subscribers twice a week. Subscribe today and get a free MP3, in English or Spanish, of Dr. Chet’s Top Ten Tips—Small Changes for a Healthier Life.

Immune Booster 1: Echinacea

Just like nine years ago when I first wrote this, the cold and flu season is still around. The seasonal allergy season is right around the corner and may have started, depending on where you live. When you feel that first tickle in the back of your throat, that first nasally sensation, that’s when you […]

The Bottom Line on Full-Fat Dairy

If you’re a long-time reader, you know that science by headlines really annoys me because they often distort the findings of the research papers to make them seem more important than they are—gotta get that next click! It doesn’t help that research institutions send out press releases that contribute to the hype of their research […]

Does Whole Milk Reduce Obesity?

The second research paper that was included in many news articles that talked about the potential benefits of full-fat dairy products was a study from the Women’s Health Study (1); researchers collected dietary data and self-reported weight and height from over 39,000 women. The analysis included only about 18,000 middle-aged and older women who had […]

Does Whole Milk Reduce Diabetes?

Full-fat foods are back in the headlines in light of the recent proclamations by the USDA. I don’t know about you, but it’s been decades since I drank whole milk or ate whole fat yogurt or cheese. It’s not just about the calories; it just doesn’t seem to taste as good. Have I been missing […]

Your Questions Answered

Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes; Paula has been doing great in her recovery from shoulder-replacement surgery. She’s abiding by all the restrictions on trying to use the arm and looks forward to beginning rehab. If you were looking for the Super Bowl Webinar this past Sunday, it wasn’t held—yet. I forgot […]

Your Heart: Tone

If you live to 80, your heart will beat an average of three billion times. That’s right—billion with a b. Faster when you exercise, slower when you’re at rest, it does its job 24 hours a day, seven days a week. What’s even more amazing about your heart rate is how it’s controlled by the […]

Your Heart: Autorhythmicity

Your heart can beat over 200 times per minute during maximal exercise, depending on your age, yet every beat is a succinct event made up of many steps with every one of those beats controlled by the electrical system of the heart. While that’s incredible in and of itself, the real story is one of […]

Your Heart: Syncytium

The next few Memos were from 2016 and are still relevant today! This is why your heart is special. Let’s begin American Heart Month with some facts you probably didn’t know about your heart. Your heart is unique in many ways, and you’re going to learn about a few of them. The heart muscle is […]

Physics and Movement

Did you know that in the ancient games held when the Olympics began, long jumpers were allowed to carry one-kilogram rocks in each hand? That gave them extra momentum as they leapt into the air while thrusting their arms forward. Then they thrust their arms backward before landing to gain extra distance as they pushed […]

Get a Grip!

Did you know that people in the lowest 20% of grip strength have an increased risk of mortality—a 350% increase in all-cause mortality? That’s true for both men and women. On a more practical level, ever have trouble opening the tops of bottles or other simple things that require grip strength? I know I have, […]