House Calls

House Calls Started This Year

House calls are meant for patients who are temporarily or permanently home bound, or for other good reasons can't make it into the office.

To schedule a house call: Tel (203) 853-1919; email istaw@drstaw.com

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Mediterranean Diet, Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, and Ashwagandha

A few pearls for December:

Are you taking an ashwagandha supplement? Ashwagandha is an Indian herb from the Nepal region. It has been used by many patients for the treatment of mild anxiety and insomnia, and also for enhancement of cognitive and physical performance. Some studies say it may work.
Consumer Lab recently tested several Ashwagandha preparations, and found some of them not delivering the advertised amount of the product. They recommend the Pure Encapsulations preparation as the best one. Click here for an overview.

Are you on the Mediterranean Diet yet? A recent study done at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston inferred that sticking to the Mediterranean Diet increases your lifespan. This is not surprising; we already knew that with this Diet your weight decreases, cholesterol profile improves, and the risk of a heart attack is diminished. The essentials of the diet are: Lots of fruits and vegetables, legumes, fish (it’s the fatty ones), extra virgin olive oil, and unrefined grains. A glass of red wine is good, and dark chocolate is not bad. Meats and fat containing milk products are not part of this diet, and should be kept to a minimum. We have a good Mediterranean Diet summary in our office. You are welcome to it, just request it by email at istaw@drstaw.com, or call the office (make sure we have your email address).

Are you still drinking sugar-sweetened beverages? If you do – stop it.
Considered one of the most important studies published this year, this study, an analysis of studies on more than 170,000 people, shows that the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages increases the risk of heart disease. This is more so among men and American populations. Water is the drink of champions!!!

Have a great holiday season and stay well.


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