is: Dr. Frederic J. Vagnini is one of the most unique physicians and health educators in the world. After graduation from St. Louis University School of Medicine in 1963, Dr. Vagnini underwent 8 years of post doctorate internship and residency. These years studying surgery, vascular, heart and lung surgery were spent at the Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York and Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York. Following completion of training Dr. Vagnini served in the United States Army as a Lieutenant Colonel and subsequently entered into private practice on Long Island, New York. For the next 25 years Dr. Vagnini practiced as a heart, lung and blood vessel surgeon. He has operated on thousands of patients with heart and blood vessel disease. As his career continued Dr. Vagnini became interested in Health Education, Preventive Medicine and Clinical Nutrition. Because of his vast experience in the area of heart disease and nutrition he became a frequent guest speaker and has appeared numerous times on local and national radio and television. coming out with a new book this month In the mean time take a look at Dr. Vagnini Healthy Heart Plan:A Surgeon's Approach to Natural and Allopathic Treatment for Cardiovascular Wellness.Speaking of the heart something we think you want to now more about if you don't already...
breastcancer.org has just launched a new area you really must check out :They're new Lower Your Risk section.
"While there are some risk factors we can’t change, there are many changes and healthy choices we can make every day to help keep our risk as low as possible. "Some steps yield instant payoff — like stopping hormone replacement therapy or catching up on lost sleep," says Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder of Breastcancer.org. "Other steps require a lot of work over time before payday — like maintaining a healthy weight. Our aim is to give you steps that are very practical and reasonable. Set your goals and strive to do the best you can on an everyday basis!"
- established risk factors, including genetics and weight
- possible risk factors, including low vitamin D levels and exposure to chemicals in the environment
- and So much more this is a large site full of information (thank goodness)SO GIVE YOURSELF 15 MINUTES + and check them out!
LOVING YOURSELF ALSO IMPORTANT THIS MONTH SO KEEP IT IN MIND AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF ...LET A BIT OF THE SUN SHINE IN
& Drtranquility
Anyway, if the truth be told, my interest in going from the start was to do a little more investigating on the natural foods market. In my own practice, I have become a huge champion of food and our rights as citizens to be able to eat, enjoy, and purchase good nutrient dense food that will sustain us in a healthy way. In NYC where the Union Square Farmer’s Market sits not more than 14 blocks from my private office and where there is a dizzying array of pure organic foods, we are still a city and a nation on the run and finding healthy processed foods leaves us with little alternatives in avoiding some bad food choices.
My deeper study has found some disturbing things. Expensive foods that we think are better for us than others are just as chemically laden as the salty junk food snacks that we know are bad for us. So for the foreseeable future, my column will be all about food. Food that is healthy for you, food that is unhealthy for you, and foods that are deceptively unhealthy for you.
Clearly, we all have a pretty good idea of what foods are good and bad for us. A daily dose of fried foods, trans fats, heavily processed foods and foods high in fats – we know these to be bad for us. Many of us do make the extra effort to get more fruits and vegetables. So you ask, “What is the problem?” The problem is that most of the food that we purchase in the supermarkets, the local food marts, and even the largest national donut chain down the road is genetically modified. I will hope to explain to you what this means and how it can negatively affect your health and the health of your family and loved ones.
Genetically modified foods in a simple definition are foods that have been gene-spliced in some way to make them stronger or more resistant to drought and to pests. You say, “Ok, what is so bad about that?” The problem simply is that our digestive systems have not been hardwired to recognize some of these new fangled foods and we are not digesting the food in the way that nature intended.
I personally feel that genetically modified foods or GMO foods are the new scourge of our country. It is an insidious one which is deceptively difficult to recognize. So I will repeat what you have all heard before… READ YOUR LABELS. The less the number of ingredients in your food, the better it is for you. This sounds like good advice, but… unfortunately, there are many items on the store shelves that fit this description and can still be very unhealthy for you. Am I the only one who has noticed that no matter how hard we try to improve our diets and exercise more, we as a nation are just getting fatter?
To make this easier for you I am going to give you a list of ingredients that I want you to avoid like the plague for your ultimate WELLNESS!
INGREDIENTS IN YOUR PROCESSED FOODS TO AVOID!
HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
Hmm! How could this be bad for me? It’s fructose, not glucose. Everyone knows that it’s glucose that is bad for you right? Too much will give you diabetes, etc. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a chemical which was designed to extend the shelf life of foods. It helps to give the Twinkie a one thousand year long shelf life. Stay away from it. It causes inflammation and probably worse. It is also made from GMO corn.
SOY
I regret to announce that the soy crop in our country is almost entirely GMO. Genetically modified foods do not digest well with symptoms like bloating and diarrhea.
SOY LECITHIN
Just another form of soy which is a stabilizer. In other words, it helps to bind things together which you may say is ok, but in culinary schools they never use this product. Nature has provided us with a natural binder – egg whites. It bears repeating, soy lecithin is produced through a lengthy and in my mind questionable process which makes any food it is in highly processed. It is also made from GMO soy crops.
ANY THING THAT IS GMO or GENETICALLY MODIFIED!Readers, if you do nothing else nutritionally for yourself this month, please try to avoid any foods with the ingredient list above. I know that you have heard it all before, but the only foods which are consistently anti-GMO are organic. For example, next time you are in the food store, pick up a container of ice cream – the expensive ones! You will be shocked to find the above listed ingredients. The only national organic ice cream company that is readily available (even in Wal-Mart) is Stonyfield. If you don’t see this brand in your store, ask the store manager to start carrying it. I have said this before, and it bears repeating, WE THE PEOPLE do have power.
One last thing, for all of the mothers in the house, Cows that eat GMO corn produce milk that is GMO which you are giving to your growing children. The only way to avoid this is to buy organic milk. You may shout out that it is too expensive! Organic milk does not go rancid. How many times have you had to pour a half a gallon of milk down the drain before it was used up? You will NEVER need to have that worry if you buy organic milk… so believe it or not, you will actually SAVE money if you buy ORGANIC MILK
One food that I did truly enjoy French Meadow Farms Gluten Free Tortilla. Yummy...you can create pizza's,nacho's cinnamon crisps..and they have much more DrTranquility just loves their brownies! Next month I will chat with you about a facinating interview I had with the head of French Meadow bakery's R&D. If you are looking for these products....try Whole Foods nation wide.Dr.SusanEisenDC Dr.Susan@drtranquility.com
So your planning a romantic evening with your sweetie? Make it Mediterranean!
Mediterranean meals such as Italian or greek are so healthy because they utilize olive oils, legumes, nuts, whole grains, and let's not forget that basil. Basil is wonderful because..it's bacteria inhibiting make that "bad" bacteria, it has flavinoids which we are going to talk more about in a sec., it's an anti-inflammatory, vitamin A,improves blood flow, it's a relative of of peppermint(no great shocker another her with anti-bacterial,great for alertness,and stomach among soo many other uses), and well yes it tastes amazing and really enhances the flavor of... well just about anything. Garlic, don't even get me started here this article will go on for days anti-fungal,antibiotic,lowers cholesterol and if I start telling you about the benefits to your Cardiovascular system well if I go here we really be here all day let's just say lowers blood and sugar levels, cleanses blood, reduces blood pressure,great remedy for colds from a nasal & respiratory, is rumored to aid against snoring, and get this one has been touted as an aphrodisiac,(as long as you are both partaking). Aphrodisiac just in time for Valentine's Day! Sea salt as it has been shown to stabilize irregular heart beats...hmmm.Fresh sauces made with fresh ingredients including tomatoes. Tomatoes are a staple and for good reason; great for their nutrient rich benefits proven to help prevent cancer and heart disease vitamin A, potassium,vitamin B (both of which lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels)lycopene,chlorogenic acids,betacaroines(yes like carrots), chromium(which keeps our blood sugar low), helps and tons of vitamin c!
How about adding in some yummy pasta if you are not in the Aurthur Ave vicinity and there in no Little Italy near by why not try Bertolli (in your grocery fridge )they have some good pastas and many variations, but try to make the sauce yourself I will give you a quick and easy recipe in just a moment. That is one of the true benefits of the Mediterranean diet everything is fresh..this is key!
For bread I recommend French Meadow Bakery gluten free tortilla follow direction
Okay try one of my quick and easy favorites (I get complements all the time and it's soooo easy).
1 blender or food processor(I prefer blender and don't turn on until everything is in)
Fresh tomatoes on the vine( peel a bit of the skin a great face mask DO NOT Try FOR THE FIRST TIME ON VALENTINE'S DAY. It can take a moment for the redness from the skin to fade on your face but it will usually with in minutes but do not risk...refrigerate. If You can't find frsh on the vine which you should be able to grab a can of peeled San Marczanos in juice with basil, WHOLE, into blender & make yourself a virgin bloody mary with the juice. Keep 1 tomato to the side.
finely sliced garlic 1-2 cloves small garlic bulbs& 1 white or vidallia onion(caramelize toss in pan allow to brow add a tiny bit of olive oil to get it moving) put 2 tblsps to the side put the rest in
basil I use a lot washed toss them in
1 sprig of rosemary(also awesome for the blood,digestion,
& amazing for headaches)
1 sprig of rosemary(also awsome for the blood,digestion
,& amazing for headaches)
ARE YOU AND YOUR LOVIE MEATATARIANS (ME TOO) ok so:
Hot and sweet sausage cook together again splash of olive oil in caramelized oinion/garlic pan adds more flavor add in basil
ARE YOU AND YOUR LOVIE MEATATARIANS (ME TOO) ok so:
Hot and sweet sausage cook together again splash of olive oil in caramelized oinion/garlic pan adds more flavor add in basil
Freshly grated peccorin romano(parmesaen) or if not do it your way but it's on you trust me this kicks it over the top.
put all ingredients into blender NOW you may turn it on blend thoroughly
dump into sauce pan on medium low heat while pasta cooks and your all set.
Grab your cooked French Meadow Bakery tortilla top with sliced or simply spread around can tomato, onion, a little fresh basil,grate cheese right on top that's your app/or simply on the side!
put all ingredients into blender NOW you may turn it on blend thoroughly
dump into sauce pan on medium low heat while pasta cooks and your all set.
Grab your cooked French Meadow Bakery tortilla top with sliced or simply spread around can tomato, onion, a little fresh basil,grate cheese right on top that's your app/or simply on the side!
Drinking this Valentine's Day make it Red Wine Why.......
DON'T FORGET THE RED WINE AND THOSE FLAVINIOD BENEFITS!
DON'T FORGET THE RED WINE AND THOSE FLAVINIOD BENEFITS!PS If single keep it to a half bottle and spend a little time pampering yoursel
f
If you are single check out DrTranquility.com
fIf you are single check out DrTranquility.com
Date Therapy...you needn't be
Don't forget Dr.Tranquility says (click here)Lower Your Risk
