DrCarney.com Blog

Childhood obesity is the number one health concern today, and obesity rates continue to climb. Obesity statistics don't surprise Dr. Joel Fuhrman. He says that less than 2% of children's diets come from whole fruits and vegetables. The majority of calories consumed comes from meat, dairy, and heavily processed foods which are fiber and micronutrient...

Over 8 percent of children are affected by asthma which involves inflammation and narrowing of the airways. I used to be one of them. As a child I suffered from recurrent asthma that occasionally had me going to the hospital. I was sure it was just the luck of the draw. I had inherited some...

Childhood obesity rates continue to climb, especially in the United States. Parents who are overweight tend to raise children that are also overweight. Childhood obesity increases a child's risk of developing serious health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea and cancer. Switching your child to a whole-food, nutrient-rich, plant-based diet not only provides...

Before switching to a plant-based diet, fast-food French fries tasted so much better than a plain baked potato, would you agree? There are two reasons that would explain this.

The first reason is due to what Dr. Doug Lisle calls "The Pleasure Trap." He says that our bodies were designed to search for three key flavors in foods that would not only satisfy our appetites, but would also enable us to survive and reproduce. However, we were designed to eat these flavors in very low concentrations that are contained in "highly-fibrous, water-dense, nutrient-rich foods."

The food industry has become very successful at developing irresistible, highly-palatable foods that seduce our taste buds. Because today's food has had its components taken apart, scientifically re-formulated, and put back together (with the addition of salt, sugar and fat into a "food-like" product), the majority of Americans have unknowingly turned into food addicts. As...

Back in the 1970s, the popular Carol Burnett Show did a recurring sketch making fun of daytime soap operas. The name of the parody, "As the Stomach Turns," was itself a playful poke at a popular afternoon soap of the era. Who would have guessed that the title of the classic comedy sketch would very...

Have you tried counting calories and carbs to lose weight...but have failed...only to gain back the weight you lost...plus more? Because calorie-restricted diets still allow high-fat, calorie-dense and highly-palatable meals containing animal products, processed foods, sugar, salt, and oils...the root of the problem (food addictions) is not resolved. Any weight that is lost is only...

Are you traveling to see friends and family for the holiday season?  If so, PCRM's 2014 Airport Travel Guide will come in handy! The guide features restaurants that serve "customizable entrées at diners, cafés, chain restaurants, sports bars, and upscale restaurants at 23 of the nation's busiest airports." Additionally, the majority of airports offer at least...

There are many alternatives to Dairy Milk

Most of us grew up believing that milk plays an important role in the development of strong bones and teeth. Studies reveal however, that the countries that consume the most dairy products have the highest incidence of bone fractures. In contrast, those countries that consumed the least amount of dairy had the lowest incidence of bone...

How we spend the last years of our lives can largely be determined by what lifestyle choices we made during our earlier years. Research indicates that although we may have a genetic family history of heart disease, cancer, etc., these conditions are largely preventable with diet and lifestyle measures. These lifestyle measures play a significant...

Eliminating nutrient-deficient foods from our kitchen is a good way to begin making the transition to a health-supporting diet, but we must not stop there. In order to achieve optimal health, we must also replace those foods with whole, nutrient-dense, plant foods. These foods contain a symphony of micronutrients, antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, essential fats, phytosterols,...

Research has narrowed down a compound in red meat that could be an important link in the promotion of coronary artery disease. This is in addition to the well known fact that saturated animal fats significantly increase the risk factors associated with developing heart disease. The compound that was discovered in red meat is called carnitine. During...