Blog Posts

What I’m about to say may seem hard to believe but it’s true. A study was recently published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior where they quizzed participants on the meaning of the food labels “BEST If Used By” and “USE By.” Despite the participants feeling confident that they understand the food label meanings, only 46% of participants knew the correct meaning of “BEST If Used By” and just 24% knew the correct meaning of “USE By.” And if that wasn’t enough, the study then educated the participants on the food label meaning and quizzed them again… Only to find that nearly half of participants still didn’t understand the correct meanings. And this got me thinking, if those two labels can be so easily misunderstood then understanding a full nutrition label must seem like rocket science. I mean let’s look at these two food … Read More

We know that those on a whole foods plant-based diet will be deficient in Vitamin B12 without a supplement and therefore need it for optimal health. We also know that most people will be deficient in Vitamin D3 without consistent sun exposure and therefore need a supplement for optimal health. But what about sleep? Are there any deficiencies we commonly see that could hurt our sleep and be improved with supplementation? Could extra doses of melatonin, magnesium, and tryptophan which are important for sleep, improve our sleep quality? And what about some of the new and trendy supplements like CBD, L-Theanine, and Valerian Root? It’s made me wonder… are there any sleep supplements worth taking? Well, I spent hours combing through the findings of sleep and supplement experts Matthew Walker, Andrew Huberman, and Michael Greger and found some… Read More

As work and entertainment increasingly become digital, we’re spending more time sitting than ever before. We’re sitting at work, sitting while in transit, and sitting when we’re home. We’re always sitting! And as our body spends more time in a single position, it’ll adapt to those demands. Just as hockey players’ hips tend to tilt forward and rotate out to meet the demands of skating and handling a puck on the ice, office workers tend to experience the same thing with their hips constantly being flexed while sitting and their shoulders/neck rounded while looking down at a laptop screen or phone. This repeated act often leads to tightening of certain muscles along with weakening of opposing muscles. This then not only makes it hard to maintain good posture in the first place, but can also lead to chronic pain, acute injury, and a lack… Read More

Hello friends. I’m 29½ years old and I’ve never consumed alcohol. I’m assuming my mom didn’t consume alcohol either while I was in the womb for 9 months putting me over 30 years without alcohol. At least I think my mom didn’t drink while she was pregnant with me. Mom? You didn’t drink while you were pregnant with me, right? Mom?! No, I trust her. She wouldn’t do that with her favorite child. Maybe with my sisters but not me. Anyways, I thought it’d be useful to detail why I’ve never consumed alcohol, what is moderate alcohol consumption, how does it affect not only our health but our happiness, and what it’s like living alcohol-free in a world that can revolve around drinking. We have a lot to cover. Let’s get into it! I was raised in an alcohol-free house. I’ve never seen my dad consume alcohol and I’ve only seen my mom consume it about five times… Read More

A few months ago, I outlined The Perfect Breakfast which is a fantastic way to start your day with whole grains, fruits, nuts, seeds, and spices. And not only was the blueberry oatmeal dish I outlined delicious, but in case you didn’t enjoy it, I also put out a recent post on how you can start enjoying these healthy whole foods too. So, this week I’m covering the next meal of the day. Lunch. And there’s a lot I’m going to cover in this post as lunch is a terrific opportunity to load up on veggies, beans, and other food groups to ensure we meet the optimal micro and macro nutrients for the day. And I have some unique tips you won’t want to miss. So, let’s get into it! The main dish at lunch that I recommend is a salad. It’s our best opportunity to load up on raw cruciferous vegetables, greens, alliums, seeds, and sea vegetables. We should think of… Read More

It was May of 2013 when I got my first internship after attending the Rochester Institute of Technology. And it was a significant moment for me. A lot bigger than I ever expected it to be. It was a moment that flipped my perspective entirely. I was no longer spending money to learn and an acquire a degree. I was now working to earn an income and build a life I would enjoy. I was finally taking a step in the life that all my time in college had prepared me for. And what happened was something I had never expected. A mountain of debt welcomed me immediately. For the first time that I can really remember, I looked at my student loans. I know that seems odd, but I just can’t remember ever worrying about finances while I took classes. I knew that everything was being paid for by loans, but I never thought about what they were or when I’d have to… Read More

Whether it’s a morning routine, bedtime routine, or meal prep routine, I think the routines we build play a significant role in our health and happiness. But I’ve recently discovered something that I now believe should be incorporated into everyone’s morning routine. Something that kickstarts our day into peak alertness, clarity, and energy. And something that will downregulate our body at nighttime for optimal sleep. And it’s not only free but accessible to everyone. Let me introduce you to… the morning walk. Now I know you were probably expecting something cool like a superfood energy supplement or a Bikram yoga power flow but let me explain why the morning walk is all that and more. All of us have a circadian rhythm which is like a 24-hour internal clock. And based upon the time of day, our circadian rhythm will regulate our… Read More

If I asked the average person to try my daily oatmeal bowl, salad dish, cup of soup or even my black bean brownie, most of them wouldn’t immediately fall in love with it. They’d much rather stick to their processed cereals, oil dressed salads, heavily salted soups and sugar laced brownies. And when I say, “much rather,” I mean they’d cling to their current favorite foods as if their life would be over without them. Honestly, it’s a little disturbing once you understand the science behind it. But for those who’ve adopted a whole foods plant-based diet, these same healthy meals that processed food lovers dislike, are thoroughly enjoyable. So, why is it that healthy people enjoy healthy foods more than the average American? Why is it that so many people seem to be nearly addicted to these highly processed foods? And how can you not only like healthy… Read More

I always used to think that sauna users were just lazy gym goers who didn’t feel like lifting weights or crushing cardio. Instead, they’d rather sit down in a nice warm and cozy sauna, and pretend like they’re losing weight… which obviously would be gained back with the next bottle of water consumed. But, after spending a week going through much of the scientific literature and attending four sauna sessions, my perspective has done a 180. Can sauna usage be used for lifespan extension? Disease prevention? And improved immunity? And if so, what are the appropriate parameters for optimal sauna usage? Well, I got the answers. Let’s get into it! Many places that offer sauna sessions often promote a multitude of benefits ranging from detoxification, skin rejuvenation, and weight loss, all the way to improved cardiovascular function, improved… Read More

We should all be getting 8 hours of sleep, right? Kind of, sort of, yea that’s mostly right depending on your age. It’s a rule of thumb we all understand. So, if I go to bed at 11pm and wake up at 7am then I’ve hit my 8-hour sleep goal, right? Wrong. Today I’m going to explain sleep efficiency, why you’re likely calculating your sleep duration wrong, and why you may need to spend more time in bed. And I’m going to do that all with some fancy charts, fun facts, and maybe a joke or two. Let’s get into it! Our sleep duration is the amount of time we spend asleep. And below are the sleep duration recommendations provided by both the CDC and the National Sleep Foundation. Although everyone’s sleep requirements are slightly different, there’s a 99% chance you fall within these guidelines. But there are a few genetic mutations of DEC2, ADRB1, or NPSR1… Read More