What’s the difference between glucose and fructose?
A lot, according to your brain!
Glucose is a simple sugar derived from the breakdown of carbohydrates, and it is what fuels the brain. Fructose on the other hand is a relatively new dietary staple for the brain. And it’s not a good one.
Endometriosis is one of the more common, and less commonly diagnosed reproductive issues for women. Although many women have it, few are given an upfront diagnosis. Although all the symptoms may be present, there is no way to determine with any certainty that someone has endometriosis unless a laparoscopy is done. Because a laparoscopy is a surgery, and therefore a risk, they are not generally conducted unless the woman is trying, and having difficulty conceiving.
Read MoreBone broth in Chinese medicine is a very important component of the diet. More than just a stock, bone broth is slowly simmered for 24-72 hours. Made with (organic) beef, pork, or chicken bones (pescatarians can also use fish bones), the process of slow cooking the broth leeches all of the important minerals and fats from the bones, marrow, and gelatin. Consuming bone broth helps reduce inflammation and helps heal the gut microvilli for improved digestion; the gut in Chinese medicine is the source of all blood formation, which makes it imperative in reproductive medicine. Healthy gut equals healthy body!
Read MoreSeveral weeks ago, my friend handed me a large tupperware container filled halfway with a strongly vinager-scented liquid and a floating jellyfish-like culture. It was my first kombucha mother or SCOBY, an acronym for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast. Sounds tasty, right?
This particular SCOBY was one that I had tasted the product of before. During a holiday party, my friend handed a glass of the freshly harvested kombucha to me. I took a whiff of it, and, trying to keep a neutral face, said that I would happily share it with my boyfriend. He took a whiff of it, and poured it into the large mug of hot tea he was holding, hoping to make it palatable. Unfortunately, it mostly just increased the quantity that we had to drink and compliment.
Coenzyme Q10, AKA CoQ10, ubiquinone, or active compound ubiquinol) is a naturally-occurring antioxidant found in the body. More commonly known as a dietary supplement, it is naturally present in the body’s cells and plays a vital role in the process by which cells generate energy. It is particularly helpful in protecting skeletal muscles and organs that require greater amount of energy to perform effectively, i.e. the heart, liver and kidneys. CoQ10 protects cells from oxidative stress, (which can occur as a result of unhealthy diet, stress, environmental factors, lack of exercise, social isolation, etc), thus helping to maintain cell integrity.
Read MoreI get a lot of interesting looks when I'm drinking my green smoothie. Some people seem weirded out, but most people seem curious as to what it is and why I'm drinking it. So here's my two cents on why green smoothies rock:
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For the past 5 or so years, I’ve seen the garnish I avoided like the plague on the plates of chicken tenders I ordered at restaurants as a child gaining immense popularity. It seems like nowadays you can’t browse a menu or get out of Whole Foods without encountering at least some form of kale. In the health food industry, kale is everywhere! You’ll find it in green smoothies, juices, salads, and any number of recipes in a modern cookbook. It’s arguably currently the nation’s most popular vegetable and has definitely won me over since the days I was ignoring it on my plate at Red Lobster. But recently, I’ve seen a darker trend growing in kale—and I’m not talking about leaf color.
Congee is traditionally a rice porridge popular in Asian countries and goes back thousands of years to the first recorded congee (made of millet) eaten by Emperor Huang Di. It is more about the process of cooking rather than the grain that is used. Long cooking times break down the grain until it is literally mush. This renders it almost completely pre-digested so your body doesn’t have to work in order to absorb the nutrients from it. This is ideal for those with digestive problems who lack the ability to break down foods enough to get the nutrients they need from it.
Read MoreIn Traditional Chinese Medicine it’s not uncommon to use food that has medicinal qualities to help treat various conditions. In the summer months we are more prone to conditions of toxic heat. In the Chinese herbal pharmacopoeia there is a whole subsection of herbs that treat “Summer Heat.”
Read MoreIf you love coffee like I do, then you may want to pay attention...
I love the stuff! The smell, the taste, everything. I used to watch my parents and grandparents wake sleepily, pad toward the kitchen to grind the beans and fill the pot with water, and flip the switch; the house would fill with a earthy, familiar aroma. It was a morning ritual that, as I grew up, I continued.