In response to a recent column where I mentioned how genetic research is beginning to show us how our DNA may influence our dietary needs, reader Ann F sent me a slew of questions:

"Could race, hair color, eye color, ancestry help you choose the best diet? What about your gender? If you do have DNA information, how much would you be able to ...Read more

I was not aware until I heard it from my buddy Bob at Dole. May is National Salad Month. Lettuce celebrate!

I’m reminded of a story a friend told me several years ago. Her family was visiting her small hometown and visited a local restaurant for lunch. The limited menu featured two salads: regular and deluxe.

“What’s the difference ...Read more

This is how old I am: A few decades ago, I sat in on a nutrition debate between Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Robert Atkins, well-known cardiologists with polar opposite views on the best diet to lose weight and prevent heart disease. Each of the heart doctors was passionate about his diet plan, though the diets were/are in hard contrast to each ...Read more

Valerie T writes: "I am emailing you on the request of my dad who is 88 and has several health issues. He read what you had to say about beef and fish. He wanted to know about pork and the pros and cons of it.

He has diabetes, heart problems, circulatory problems due to the diabetes, kidney problems due to the diabetes, and arthritis. So just ...Read more

Why is it that, real or not, we tend to reject things that associate us with being old? Case in point: A little over two decades ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a petition to allow prune producers to market their product as “dried plums.” They hoped the new designation might help remove any stigma for those who think ...Read more

“I need to reschedule my appointment today,” a pained voice informed my answering machine. “I’m not feeling so good…maybe I shouldn’t have eaten that whole bag of grapes.”

When I called this patient—who is working hard to replace fresh fruit for her usual candy bar snacks—she explained further.

“I was playing on the ...Read more

Did you ever think that strawberries, spinach and kale would be called “filthy”? Or leafy green vegetables “repeat offenders”? That’s exactly how these especially nutritious fruits and vegetables are described in a recent article in USA Today.

What’s the reason for this scandalous charge? A nonprofit organization called the ...Read more

It’s calving season, my favorite time of year on the ranch.

I never get tired of watching a cow know instinctively just what to do when her time approaches. First, she finds a private place in the pasture away from the herd. Then she delivers her baby, usually with no help from us, thank you very much.

Right after birth, she licks her ...Read more

After a recent column on food relief organizations that serve victims of Ukraine, some readers urged me to add World Central Kitchen (https://wck.org) to the list. Here’s why:

“They go anywhere in the world when people are desperate for food to survive disasters (like Ukraine is facing now)!” writes JT from Salinas, California.

That is ...Read more

My husband beeps his tractor when he drives by the house these mornings on his way to feed cattle. It’s his way to say he’s thinking about me.

One of my patients, who is working very hard to plan more meals at home and visit Mickey D's less often, reports she feels lighter and less bloated these days — a sign that her body is happy with ...Read more

I started this column with the intent to celebrate National Nutrition Month, a yearly event sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. I really like the theme, Celebrate a World of Flavors, which encourages us to nourish ourselves with a variety of tastes from cultures around our globe.

My heart, however, has taken a turn toward ...Read more

Experts at the Linus Pauling Institute sponsored an extremely interesting presentation of vitamin C this week. You may remember Dr. Pauling, a brilliant and sometimes controversial chemist who published numerous books and articles on the role of vitamin C and other nutrients in human health. The institute at Oregon State University that bears ...Read more

L.K. from Illinois writes: "I read your articles weekly in The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus. I eat well and I cook at home. I’m 5-foot-5 and 167 years old. I exercise three times a week with Silver Sneakers and golf nine holes riding a cart. I have just lost nine pounds due to health issues that are resolving themselves. How do I return ...Read more