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.
Watch This
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoMany readers have asked me to review movies over the years such as Forks Over Knives, In Defense of Food, and Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. This time, I’m asking you to watch a series by Andrew Zimmern titled What’s Eating America, a five-part series which examines some of the country’s problems through the lens […]
Research Update on Vitamin D
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoVitamin D supplementation always seems to be in the health news; one day it’s beneficial, the next not so much. One of the problems is that many studies are observational studies. They take a large group of subjects, such as the Nurses Health Study, use food frequency questionnaires to assess vitamin D intake, and report […]
No Time for Exercise!
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoOne complaint that I get all the time is this: people tell me they don’t have time to exercise. I can understand that. There are some days exercise just isn’t an option, especially when you’re sick. But that’s supposed to be the exception, not the usual situation, and it just isn’t true for most people. […]
Listen to Dr. Dog
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoWhen I’m traveling, I often scan the airline magazine. This past weekend, I found an intriguing article about dogs and disease. A woman had an unexplained weight gain after she moved across country several years ago. She also had repeated UTIs, bladder infections, and abdominal pain unexplained by digestive issues. She was treated and seemed […]
No Memos???
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoThe devastating chest cold that’s been wiping out West Michigan came to our house early last week and stayed—that’s why there have been no Memos this week. We all got the congestion and cough, but other symptoms seem random: Riley had fever, Paula had chills, and I had muscle fatigue. Worse yet, it fogs the […]
HIIT Will Get You Fit
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoAn Insider emailed me a link to a press release about high-intensity interval training, or HIIT for short. I’ve always used interval training, when I was a serious runner, and now as a way to increase my fitness level faster. That’s why I was a little surprised that a study suggested that you have to […]
Resistant Starch and Your Gut
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoAfter last week’s Memos on resistant starches, I received a couple of emails asking me to talk about related topics. I think they’re both important, so here we go. The first was something I mentioned but didn’t focus on. You may remember that I said that resistant starches can act as prebiotic to produce short-chain […]
Thyroid Function and Cruciferous Vegetables
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoA long-time friend and Memo reader asked this question: “Some Internet health experts and websites say to avoid raw broccoli if you have an underactive thyroid; I did that and my scores improved. Why?” The answer is complicated, but here’s what I found. Raw cruciferous vegetables contain phytonutrients that are important to our health. However, […]
Unusual Question: Resistant Starch and Food Prep
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoResistant starch (RS) has qualities that are somewhat unique. As it’s being touted today, RS will help reduce the glycemic response to some carbohydrate-based foods. The issue is that when and how an RS containing food is prepared and consumed seems to be important. Let’s take a look. Food Preparation Methods The most natural forms […]
Unusual Questions: Resistant Starch
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoRecently an Insider asked what I knew about resistant starch and whether it can help control blood sugar in someone whose blood sugar was higher than normal. Here’s what I found. Resistant starch (RS) is found in many vegetables and some fruits. It resists digestion and absorption, especially in the small intestine. One of the […]