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Who can resist the juicy, vibrant flavor of a sweet and tangy pineapple? Apparently, not many of us—this prickly plant often ranks as one of America’s most in-demand tropical fruits. But beneath its rough exterior, the pineapple is hiding more than just flavor. There are many health benefits to eating

Potassium is a mineral that, once inside the body, operates as an electrolyte and becomes essential to the maintenance of proper neural and muscle function. In partnership with sodium, it helps maintain fluid volume and pH balance, and creates what’s known as a concentration gradient that assists in heartbeat regulation

Several years ago, a woman named Barbara came to me for help with weight loss. At the time, she was 52 and she had gained nearly her age in weight (42 pounds) over the previous year. She was a biology professor and she’d been passed by for tenure for a

 We all have a connection with nature and living things… Explore 10 ways nature can help you heal with Dr John La Puma.

I find soups especially satisfying this time of year. They’re warming, as nutrient packed as you want them to be, and since they’re the original one-pot meal, typically pretty simple to put together. Below, you’ll find three of my favorite soup recipes, which you can follow to a tee or

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, otherwise known as NSAIDs (pronounced phonetically, as in “N”said), are non-opioid painkillers that can help produce relief from a number of maladies. My patients use them to treat muscle aches, back pain, arthritis/joint pain, menstrual cramps and more. Many options such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin are

From Mom’s best health advice – to top doctors everywhere – soup broth tops the list of healing foods to eat when you’re feeling sick or simply need a soothing, light and nutritious meal. Varieties of soup broth include vegetable, fish, chicken, beef and bone broth without meat. A broth

Electrolytes are electrically charged minerals, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, that are found in your bodily fluids. They perform many important functions including helping to balance pH; transporting nutrients into cells and waste out of them; and ensuring nerve and muscle cells are working properly. In the absence

It’s fairly common knowledge that antibiotics kill some of the health-promoting bacteria that live within your gut’s complex ecosystem. Taking a probiotic supplement can support the way gut flora work together to keep that ecosystem – and you – at the healthiest. Antibiotics are used to kill both the pathogenic

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can affect anyone subject to a huge stress, but veterans have it the toughest. More than a quarter of U.S. veterans of recent wars (Iraq and Afghanistan) have been treated by the Veterans Administration (VA) for PTSD. And that doesn’t count the veterans who never

You may think of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) only as an ingredient that adds a mild citrus and floral flavor to many Southeast Asian dishes. But this tropical grass has a lot of biochemical properties that make it not just good-tasting, but good for you, too. Its health-promoting power comes from

Dozens of peer-reviewed studies show that being outside quietly in nature lowers blood pressure, cortisol levels, heart rate and stress for days, not just momentarily. Even viewing plants has been shown to alter EEG recordings and has reduced blood pressure, pulse rate and muscle tension. This works, by the way,

Air pollution is estimated to cause 150,000 U.S. cases of diabetes annually. But plant leaves remove toxins, dust and microorganisms from the air. Be careful about food and plastics: many plastics contain hormone disruptors, which can lower testosterone levels in men, and are linked to prostate and breast cancer.  Cost:

Very rarely is a substance so important – and prevalent – in the human body as is Co-enzyme Q10. As critical as it is, however, our body’s ability to make CoQ10 peaks at about age 21 and steadily declines as we age. By the time most of us are in

You aren’t the only one who is anxious. Anxiety disorders affect nearly 1 of 5 Americans. Younger people especially just don’t feel secure, from climate change, to loan debt, to future jobs and technology replacement, to current politics, to random violence. It’s not just social and personal issues: air pollution

With a nutrient profile similar to kale, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli, arugula is an excellent leafy alternative to these other cruciferous vegetables. When you want a distinctive, almost peppery flavor, arugula is the green to grab. Arugula is high in the following vitamins and minerals: Vitamin C, A, and K:

Have you ever wondered how the macronutrients in food – fats, carbohydrates and proteins – get where they need to be in your body? This is where digestive enzymes come into play: they move macronutrients, vitamins and minerals out of the digestive tract and into the bloodstream where they participate

Around the holidays, or anytime you’ve over-indulged, consider sweet and zesty ginger for nourishing the digestive organs. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a knobby, horn-shaped rhizome with a long history of supporting metabolism, aiding digestion and reducing inflammation. It helps heal upset stomach, diarrhea, nausea, motion sickness, and morning sickness. I

For many of us, gift giving is the biggest stress of the holiday season – from finding time to shop, to selecting the right gift, to getting the best price. We struggle emotionally knowing gifts often hold symbolic meaning for the recipient; yet, not having other ideas, we go to

Over the years, the media has paid lots of attention to apple cider vinegar (ACV) and for good reason. An ancient health remedy, it’s known as a panacea for what ails us, aiding in weight loss, managing blood sugar, reducing cholesterol, lowering cancer risk, supporting digestion, and facilitating natural detoxification.