Fresh produce is a key component of a healthy diet, and I’m constantly reminding patients to increase their intake. But recent headlines have opened our eyes to the fact that when we eat fresh fruit and vegetables, we may be literally biting off more than we can chew.

In 2007, the featured dish was spinach with a pinch of E. coli. This year, it’s tomatoes ala salmonella. The culprit in the spinach contamination was manure runoff from a neighboring dairy farm, but the source of the tomato contamination has yet to be determined. Some blame the FDA, which, according to a CBS news report, has been lax in its inspections. And it’s no wonder, since they are down some 2,250 inspectors from 2003, leaving fewer than 2,000 inspectors for over 200,000 facilities. 

As our food sources expand, we must become even more aware of possible sources of contamination and take steps to prevent disease. Hormones, pharmaceuticals, and other components of sewage sludge (which is used as fertilizer), along with stomach acid-resistant E. coli from the manure of grain-fed cattle (also used as fertilizer), as well as pathogens from human handling, are all contaminants that can end up on your dinner table. 

But don’t boycott eating vegetables and fruits. Instead, shop wisely. Always wash your produce – even if it’s organic – with a vegetable wash. Purchase locally grown foods whenever possible. Frequent your neighborhood farmer’s market, join a community supported agriculture (CSA) group or co-op, plant a garden, or, if you’re short on time or resources, plant a patio garden. Finally, having beneficial bacteria in your gut will help fight off any unwanted bugs – so take a high-quality probiotic to establish beneficial intestinal flora. 

[Ed. Note: It truly is possible to improve your health just by making a few simple changes to your diet and lifestyle. James B. LaValle, RPh, ND, CCN - founder of the LaValle Metabolic Institute and a nationally recognized expert on natural therapies - can give you easy-to-understand directions for living the healthy life you've always wanted. Learn how to feel better and live longer right here.]

You may be certain that your plate is full of healthy food… but the truth might surprise you. Your tomatoes, corn, soybeans, Hawaiian papaya, zucchini, crooked neck squash, and even ice cream could have genes from cloned fish, bacteria, or viruses. That’s because you’re not always dealing with the "real thing." Your grocer’s shelves are likely stacked with genetically modified (GM) foods.

GM foods are increasingly prevalent, but the FDA does not require food labels to specify when ingredients are genetically modified. So it’s not surprising that most people aren’t even aware they’re eating them.

According to the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology, 54 percent of people polled hadn’t even heard of genetically modified foods. And though, according to a CBS/NY Times poll, 53 percent said they would not purchase these foods, many common ingredients (including soy lecithin, corn syrup, and cottonseed or canola oil) originate from GM crops. In the United States, three-quarters of the corn used to produce cereals, tortilla chips, and other such products is Roundup Ready corn, which has been genetically altered to resist the weed killer Roundup, according to U.S. News and World Report. 

So why avoid GM foods? For one thing, they may be more allergenic. The United Kingdom tracks food allergies, and the year after GM soy was introduced into their food supply, soy allergies jumped 50 percent.

High pesticide content is yet another reason to avoid GM foods. The Center for Food Safety noted that from 1994 to 2005, pesticide use on GM corn, soybeans, and cotton increased by a multiple of 15 due to the increased pesticide resistance of Roundup Ready crops.

Last, but certainly not least, cultivation of GM crops may disrupt our ecosystem. According to the 2004 scientific consensus report of the Food and Agriculture Organization, increased pesticide use may result in herbicide-resistant weeds and pesticide-resistant insects. This affects non-pest insects like butterflies as well as animals like frogs and birds.

Whenever possible, avoid GM foods. Do so by purchasing USDA certified organically grown foods which, by definition, cannot be bio-engineered or genetically modified. You can also look for "non-GMO" on the label.

[Ed. Note: It truly is possible to improve your health just by making a few simple changes to your diet and lifestyle. James B. LaValle, RPh, ND, CCN - founder of the LaValle Metabolic Institute and a nationally recognized expert on natural therapies - can give you easy-to-understand directions for living the healthy life you've always wanted. Learn how to feel better and live longer right here.]

A healthy low-carb diet can and should include plenty of low-glycemic plant foods (non-starchy vegetables, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds). That being said, following a low-carb diet still means eating large amounts of protein and the fats that come with them. So you need to make sure you get your protein from high-quality sources.

High-quality proteins are:

1. Non-Toxic. Toxins from the environment can accumulate in the fat and tissues of animals and fish. Mercury in fish, for example. Or chemicals from pesticide-treated grain fed to animals. 

To avoid consuming too much mercury, eat smaller fish – tilapia, cod, and sardines vs. shark and swordfish. Since toxins tend to accumulate in the fat, eat the leanest cuts of meat possible. And choose organic meats, which ensure the animals were fed only non-pesticide-treated feed.

2. Raised on a Healthy Diet. The meats you eat should be from animals raised on their natural food source. Free-range chickens, for example, are usually fed some grains. But they are also allowed to roam around and peck in the ground for insects and worms, which is what they do when allowed to feed naturally. And the natural diet for cattle includes plenty of grazing in grass.

The more an animal can feed on its natural foods, the richer the nutrient content will be in the meat. Grass-fed beef is not only much leaner than grain-fed beef, it also contains a significant amount of omega 3 fats.

3. Free of Hormones. Selecting organically raised beef or dairy products ensures the animal was raised without growth hormones. Protein from growth-hormone-treated animals may increase your risk of breast cancer, may be linked to early puberty in children, and may be linked to lowered sperm counts in men.

[You really CAN enjoy wonderful food and hearty meals even while losing weight. James B. LaValle, RPh, ND, CCN. - founder of the LaValle Metabolic Institute and a nationally recognized expert on natural therapies - has uncovered a simple way to stay healthy and take total control of your own body with just a few changes to your diet and lifestyle. See how easy it is to start feeling better almost instantly.]

What would you do if you were a researcher and you realized that a diet that had been accepted for years is all wrong? Would you write letters and more letters, urging your colleagues to be aware that research is showing the need for a change? That is exactly what some of the country’s top researchers have been doing, including Dr. Walter Willett (who chairs Harvard’s Department of Nutrition) and Dr. Frank B. Hu.

Research has clearly shown that the low-fat and low-cholesterol diet that many doctors have been recommending since the late 1980s has done almost nothing to prevent heart disease. Meanwhile, scientists have discovered that a diet with high levels of carbohydrates, specifically those with a high glycemic index and load, is hard on the heart.

Studies as far back as the 1940s show that low-carb diets are effective for fat loss. And epidemiological studies from the 1970s showed a correlation between high carbohydrate intake and the risk of coronary heart disease. But those results were ignored, because everyone thought fat was the lone culprit.

Low-carb diets have now been validated in study after study – not only for weight management, but to control insulin and glucose elevations. This means they are also very effective for controlling Type II diabetes and hypertension. And that is why researchers and some members of the medical community are urgently calling for a change. But will anyone hear them?

A diet that is higher in good fats (not harmful trans-fats) and protein but lower in high glycemic index and high glycemic load foods is the diet that is best for lowering what is now being called cardio-metabolic risk. This new term implies what I and other ETR experts have been teaching for years. The best way to control your weight and reduce your risk of diabetes and coronary disease is to control your glycemic response.

If you haven’t yet gotten serious about a low-carb approach to health, it is time for a change.

[Ed. Note: By modifying your diet, medications, lifestyle, and exercise habits, and with nutritional supplementation, your health is largely in your control. James B. LaValle, RPh, ND, CCN - the founder of the LaValle Metabolic Institute and a nationally recognized expert on natural therapies - has come up with an approach to health that has worked for thousands of patients. And it can help you, too. Learn how right here.]  

These days, when two incomes barely make ends meet, you may be leading the kind of hectic life where coffee is all you make time to "eat" during the day. Unfair as it is, this black coffee stress diet can lead to weight gain. Fortunately, there are things you can do to prevent "stress bloat."

One reason behind stress-related weight gain has been well-documented in major nutritional and endocrinology journals. You see, elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol (associated with long-term chronic stress) have potentially nasty consequences. These run the gamut from increased belly fat to insulin resistance and, in time, even Type II diabetes and heart disease.

Even when you can’t remove the causes of stress in your life, you may be able change the way your body responds to them and avoid those consequences. So subtract high-glycemic carbs from your diet and add more protein and lots of vegetables. Remember to exercise, and try meditation. And then consider taking nutritional supplements shown to help keep cortisol levels in check – Relora and Rhodiola, for example.  

[Ed. Note: Stress may be a fact of life - but it doesn't have to ruin your health. By modifying your diet, medications, lifestyle, and exercise habits, and with nutritional supplementation, your health is largely in your control. James B. LaValle, RPh, ND, CCN. - founder of the LaValle Metabolic Institute and a nationally recognized expert on natural therapies - has come up with a simple program for staying healthy. Learn the details here.

James is also the author of 13 books on healthy lifestyles and integrative care, including Cracking the Metabolic Code. Pick up your copy here.]

An egg has approximately 200 mg of cholesterol, and frying or scrambling it can up the cholesterol to approximately 245 mg. According to Kellogg’s, a Blueberry Pop Tart contains no cholesterol, but it does have 39.8 g of carbohydrates – almost half of them from pure sugar. So which is a healthier breakfast – an egg or a Pop Tart?

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says you should eat less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol each day. That’s because "cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease." Not to mention "the higher your blood cholesterol level, the greater your risk for developing heart disease or having a heart attack." So if the egg breakfast has more cholesterol, you might think it’s the wrong choice. But you’d be wrong. The egg breakfast wins out over the Pop Tart.

You see, it’s not the amount of cholesterol you have in your blood that puts you at risk, but the form in which it’s found. Processed foods that are high in sugar can contribute to inflammation and increase the volume of free radical byproducts from metabolism. This can end up increasing the amount of blood cholesterol found in its "oxidized" form, the form your body can’t use to build cells and create sex hormones. It’s "oxidized" cholesterol that’s deposited on the walls of your blood vessels and increases your risk of a heart attack.

It may be counterintuitive. But eating a food that’s a little higher in dietary cholesterol but doesn’t spike your blood sugar levels and create inflammation is sometimes actually healthier, even if you have "high cholesterol."

[Ed. Note: James B. LaValle, RPh, ND, CCN, is founder of the LaValle Metabolic Institute, a nationally recognized expert on natural therapies, and the author of 13 books on healthy lifestyles and integrative care, including Cracking the Metabolic Code.

By modifying your diet, medications, lifestyle, and exercise habits, and with nutritional supplementation, your health is largely in your control. Learn more here.]

Everyone knows caffeine during the day can affect your sleep. But you may not know that there are caffeine-free foods that may have caffeine-like effects on the brain. These foods can even be toxic to your brain. But once you know what to look for, you can avoid them and protect your health.

These foods are sometimes referred to as excitotoxins because they cause over-stimulation, which can lead to nerve cell damage in the brain. And anything that causes increased brain cell activity could counteract your attempts at rest and relaxation. Be aware that excitotoxins come in all shapes and sizes. But here are three common sources:

1. Aspartame. This is the phylalanine-based artificial sweetener often used in soft drinks, diet gelatins, and sugar-free gums and mints.

2. Monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG. MSG is a sodium salt of glutamic acid. It’s found in more than 6,000 processed and preserved foods, often listed on the label as an ingredient that’s "partially processed" or "partially hydrogenated."

3. Natural glutamates. Natural glutamates are found in abundance in both plant and animal protein – and if you’re allergic to any of those foods, they can also act as excitotoxins. Any time your body has an immune response to a particular food, one of the side effects is increased stress hormone production and increased inflammation. And chronically increased stress hormones can affect your sleep.

So if you have trouble sleeping from time to time, the problem could be related to your diet. Keep a food diary to see if you can pinpoint the culprit(s).

[Ed. Note: James B. LaValle, RPh, N.D, C.C.N., is founder of the LaValle Metabolic Institute, a nationally recognized expert on natural therapies, and the author of 13 books on healthy lifestyles and integrative care, including Cracking the Metabolic Code.

By modifying your diet, medications, lifestyle, and exercise habits, and with nutritional supplementation, your health is largely within your control. Dr. LaValle's approach to health has worked for thousands of patients, and it can help you, too. Learn the details here.]

One of the things that bothers many of my male patients about growing older is losing the strong, muscular body they enjoyed in their youth. There are lots of good reasons to want strong, healthy muscles. While "washboard abs" may not be a realistic goal for you, strengthening your abdominal muscles can play a big role in protecting your back against injury. Plus, a muscular body burns more calories than a fat body – even when you’re not exercising – by simply raising your "basal" (resting) metabolic rate.

Muscle in your body is constantly being built up and broken down. That makes whey protein an excellent food to consider. Whey comes from the liquid that remains after milk has been processed into cheese, and there are very good reasons why it’s so popular with body builders. In one study, published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, whey not only increased muscle more than casein (the protein found in cheese), but also contributed to loss of body fat.

But whey can do a lot more than help you build healthy muscles. It can help you build a healthy immune system and boost your metabolism, thereby helping to keep your mood upbeat and sunny. Simply put, its whey cool!

You can pick up whey at any health food store. Blend it into your favorite shakes or mix it into an eight-ounce glass of milk. You can also find lots of recipes online for other tasty beverages.

[Ed. Note: Jim LaValle is a licensed pharmacist, board certified clinical nutritionist, and doctor of naturopathic medicine, with more than 20 years of clinical experience in the field of natural therapeutics and functional medicine. He is a contributor to ETR's free natural health newsletter and the author of 13 books, including Cracking the Metabolic Code.]