Live Well Clinic

In preparation for the school year and cold/flu season, what are the best immune building foods? Nutrition is the foundation of health. Make food your medicine, and medicine your food. Generally foods high in vitamin c and antioxidants are great immune boosters. Some of the top immune boosting foods are: kefir, mushrooms, broccoli, fish, chicken, garlic, tumeric, and other kitchen spices.   The key is to eat a beautifully colorful meal with lots of veggies and lean meats to balance out your diet. Remember, avoiding or minimizing sugary foods (such as cereals, soda, and snacks) is key to maintaining a strong immune system.   Ingesting just 1tsp. of sugar suppresses immune system for the next 3 hours. Here is an example of a healthy and easy meal plan for kids and family: Breakfast: Protein smoothie with handful of frozen berries and kefir. Lunch: An orange. Chopped salmon on salad with red bell peppers and mushrooms. Dinner: Chicken curry with broccoli, pumpkin,...

Author: Sonja Fung, ND 1. Does coffee increase breast cysts? There are no research studies that show that coffee intake increases breast cysts. However, there are studies showing that high caffeine intake (4-5 cups or more of coffee daily) increases the level of estrogen in the body, which could aggravate conditions such as endometriosis and breast pain. Caution should be used by women with estrogen sensitive breast disease or breast cancer. Low to moderate intake of coffee (1-2 cups per day) has not been shown to significantly increase estrogen production in the body. 2. Is diet soda better for you than regular soda? The short answer is NO. The artificial sweeteners in diet soda (even though it is lower in calories) desensitizes your body to the taste of sweetness. Consuming a lot of artificial sweeteners can actually make you gain weight, because it increases your desire for sweet foods and leads you to consume more calories overall. In general, ...

Desert Health News April/May 2011 Author: Sonja Fung, ND What is Integrative cancer care? Integrative cancer care uses a comprehensive approach to health, using the best combination of conventional and alternative therapies specific to the patient. That means treating the person who has the cancer, rather than treating just the cancer in the body. Integrative cancer care is NOT about replacing your medical oncologist; it is about creating diversified team of doctors and health practitioners each bringing their knowledge to formulate your unique treatment plan. Using an integrative approach to cancer care means using the best treatments at the most appropriate time to get an optimal result; it is not choosing one type of treatment over the other. This means that before your surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, appropriate use of complementary therapies can fortify your body with healing nutrients to maintain your energy, strengthen your immune function, shrink recove...

Author: Dr. Sonja Fung Stroke is the third leading killer following heart disease and cancer, in the United States. More than 137,000 people a year die from stroke, according to the American Stroke Association. You probably know of someone or cared for someone who has had a stroke. You must also know how debilitating a stroke can be. The good news: adults over 45 years old are suffering fewer strokes. The bad news: stroke and heart disease are now affecting younger and younger people. A heart-stopping statistic from the CDC of stoke hospitalizations from 1994-2007, show a sharp rise in a very surprising age group: children and adults under 35 years old. Among males aged 15 to 34, the rate surged by nearly 51% and 17% in females. Shockingly, strokes soared 31% in boys aged 5 to 14 and 36% in girls of the same age. Who could even start to imagine a teenage child hospitalized from a stroke. What increases stroke risk? It’s not surprising that the stroke and heart disease tre...

What are your adrenal glands and what do they do for you? Your adrenal glands sit on top of your kidneys like a little hat. Adrenal glands work with the brain to mediate stress, produce energy, maintain weight and metabolism, control blood pressure, and secrete testosterone among other things. Why am I always tired and gaining weight especially around the middle? It sounds like you are experiencing “adrenal fatigue”. This happens when you are under constant mental, physical, or emotional stress, eating a poor diet, lacking exercise, and end up burning the candle at both ends. Adrenal fatigue is a term used to describe sub-optimal functioning of your adrenal glands leading to symptoms such as constant fatigue and weight gain. When under stressful situations, your adrenal glands produce “fight or flight” stress hormones which stimulate an increase in blood sugar so that your body can either use the extra energy to run away or to stand and fight. In a modern day setting, if this ext...

Author: Dr. Sonja Fung, ND The new year is coming once again and resolutions are stacking up; promises that sometimes never make it through the first month but manage to make the resolution list every single year. We always expect a better year than the last one, and at each end of each year, people make resolutions that will hopefully make the coming year more satisfying than the last one. The annual number one resolution of all time is to lose weight and get healthy. Indulging in festivities from November to January has probably affected your be-hind. With non-stop eating, most people will gain a several extra pounds and decide to lose those pounds in the New Year. Here are some steps to achieving your weight loss goals: 1) Establish a food plan. Whether you chose the HCG diet, south beach, zone, mediterranean, weight watchers, etc. find a food plan that works for you. The ever popular HCG diet (when used correctly in a medically supervised plan) can help as a stepping ston...

The holidays are here and so are the parties along with family gatherings filled with great food, fun, and maybe more than a few drinks. Here are some great reminders on how you can keep your holidays swinging and safe at the same time. 1) How much is too much alcohol? For men, a moderate amount of alcohol equates to no more than two drinks per day and for women; one drink per day. One drink equals: One 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, One 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80- proof distilled spirits. According to the National Institute of Health, drinking more than a moderate amount can increase the risk of injury, stroke, high blood pressure, depression, and cancer. Remember that in both genders, as you age, you are less likely to adapt as quickly or process alcohol and it may have a longer effect on you than previously remembered. 2) I heard that red wine was good for you. What are the pros and cons of alcohol consumption? Moderate red wine consumption...