The sciences are always evolving. This is obvious in technology, right? Raise your hand if you’re still using a flip phone! (And, if you are, good for you!) But medicine is also rapidly changing. In my opinion, this is especially true in nutrition science. Raise your hand if you think eating fat will make you fat! (Skip to the end of this post for the answer.)

The only thing constant is change

Trying to master nutrition science is fascinating. Not only is there a huge volume of information, but our understanding of that information changes constantly. To paraphrase Heraclitus, the only thing constant is change. And that’s exciting! But it’s also confusing and frustrating when it comes to knowing what to eat.

In this post, I’m taking a little trip down memory lane. Don’t worry - it won’t be a long trip. I’m an 80’s baby; so, I’m starting with the 90’s. My hope is that if your current understanding of nutrition science is like a Motorola Razr … you’ll be ready to upgrade to an iPhone ...

If you’re anything like me, you don’t love the gym. It just feels … uncomfortable. Like, my tribe isn’t there. And that suited me just fine as a child. I was effortlessly active. I started dancing when I was three years old and continued until I was a senior in high school. I was also a sprinter and a high jumper. I kept moving but I never considered myself “working out.” I was just living my life.

My first year in college presented my first real fitness challenge. And I didn’t realize it until I returned home for the summer. In May of 1999, my grandparents and parents (who had seen me throughout the year) proclaimed over and over that I had “put on weight.” I didn’t see it and that was frustrating. So, I jumped on the scale. (Just to be clear - I don’t put much emphasis on weight. If it weren’t for my husband, I wouldn’t even have a scale in my home.) But there it was: the freshman 15. I. Was. Shocked.

My weight didn’t bother me, but my weight gain did. I definitely didn’t want t...

As the month of January comes to an end, I’d like to take a closer look at the number one New Year’s resolution for 2019: “Eat healthier.” Sounds simple, right? But there’s so much noise out there about how! Should you start a diet? If so, which one?! U.S. News & World Report declared the Mediterranean diet as the best in the nation. But your office mates say you should “Go paleo!” And how is that different from “going keto?” And what in the world is gluten and why can’t I have it?! Let’s take a closer look at these four diets: (1) Mediterranean (2) Paleo (3) Keto (4) Gluten-free.

Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean region surrounds the Mediterranean Sea and includes several countries including Greece, and some of Italy and Spain. The Mediterranean diet is quite popular in the U.S. right now and encapsulates much of the region’s eating habits.

Why are fans raving?

In a study of more than 1.5 million people on the Mediterranean diet, there were fewer deaths, especially those ...

Did you make a New Year’s resolution?

New Year’s resolutions are a hot topic in January, and they are so controversial. While some are religious in their resolution-making; declaring, “new year, new me!” Others strongly oppose it: “I don’t need an arbitrary date to make a change.” This is a healthy debate where both the pro-resolution and the anti-resolution camps make strong points. 

Personally, I’m all about New Year’s resolutions. I think it’s fun to chase a new goal and take on a new challenge. January 1st is a memorable point in time, but it’s man-made. Your “new year” can begin whenever you decide you’re ready to change your life. You don’t have to wait for a particular day to make a change. Start today!

My most memorable resolution

In the fall of 2015, I realized I was tired of feeling so tired. A busy private practice surgeon, from Monday to Friday, I was usually away from home for 12 hours at a time. As a mom of two awesome boys, then 4 and 5 years old, after tucking them ...