DrCarney.com Blog

Over the years, many of my patients have been addicts. Of course, they don't think of themselves that way. The word "addict" is pretty loaded and usually suggests something illegal. But coffee addiction is perfectly legal, and in fact, many people think that their morning cup of joe is actually a health food! I can...

When I do a lecture series, the last of my sessions is titled "Why We Do What We Do?" That's the fun one because I see hope on people's faces. Through the series, the audience has been listening intently. They've heard the science of eating plants for health, strength, and energy. They've seen the studies...

"Bet you can't eat just one!" Many of you may remember this popular slogan for a potato chip commercial from the 80's. What may surprise you is what measures the food industry takes to insure that you "can't eat just one." In the video clip below, Michael Moss,  Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter for the New...

Like the tobacco industry, today's food manufacturers have discovered how to separate foods and put them back together again with super-saturated concentrations of sugar, fat and salt so that they produce effects similar to that seen in drug addiction. This addictive combination keeps customers coming back for more. These flavors "seduce our taste buds" by...

Anyone who consumes the typical American diet will tell you how hard it is for them to cut back on refined sugar products. In the video below Dr. Greger states that diets high in refined sugar products have often been "compared to drug addiction." Recently, PET scans (image technology that measures brain activity) "showed decreased...

After making the transition to a whole-food, plant-based diet, our renewed energy and wellness spurs our desire to share our new lifestyle with our family and friends. Unfortunately, our excitement many times is quickly subdued with blunt responses such as "I could never give up my meat, dairy, and eggs!" A closer examination of their...

After making the transition to a whole-food, plant-based diet, you may encounter others who have also tried to go plant-based, yet have failed. The main reason for returning to their animal-based diet was due to lack of energy. They claim that they feel better when they eat animal protein. Dr. Michael Klaper addresses this issue...

Yes, you read the title right! Dr. John McDougall recommends salt, sugar and fat! But before you run to the nearest store to load up on the double chocolate cream pies, please continue reading! This, of course, will be the only time you will see Dr. McDougall recommending salt, sugar, and fat! Salt Sugar Fat...

If someone were to offer you a plain baked potato or a bag of potato chips, which would you choose? If you chose the plain baked potato, hooray for you! Most people however, would gobble down the entire bag of potato chips, lick their fingers, and look for more. The popular 1960's potato chip advertising slogan, "Betcha can't eat just one" was right; we can't eat just one. Many of us have probably tried, but failed. What compels us to gulp down the entire bag of chips, instead of the baked potato? Dr. Joel Fuhrman has the answer:

"The science on food addiction has now established that highly palatable foods (low-nutrient, high-calorie, intensely sweet, salty, and/or fatty foods - those that make up the majority of the Standard American Diet) produces the exact biochemical effects in the brain that are characteristic of substance abuse."
According to Dr. Fuhrman, "Junk food is ubiquitously available, legal, cheap, and socially accepted; therefore, it becomes the drug of choice for many of us."

What do holidays, birthdays, and family celebrations all have in common? If you answered food, you are correct! In today's culture, celebrating a special occasion without the typical American fare of gooey, weight-promoting desserts would almost be considered un-American. 

Let's pretend it's lunch time. You're in a meeting and it won't end until 2:00, two hours past the time you're used to eating. How do you feel? Are you experiencing "stomach grumbling, headaches, light-headedness, irritability, fatigue, and inability to focus?"

At 1:00, are you now hoping no one will notice your nervousness, confusion, shaking, and anxiety? Most of us would assume that these uncomfortable symptoms are associated with hunger, since eating relieves the discomfort. Dr. Joel Fuhrman explains in his article that conventional wisdom would agree these are hunger symptoms, but Dr. Fuhrman disagrees. He says, "People are consistently led by these symptoms to consume more calories than they require and this widespread overeating behavior has led to an epidemic of obesity and a continual rise in preventable chronic diseases. Understanding the motivation behind overeating behaviors could be a key factor in reversing these trends."

Dr. Joel Fuhrman has written an excellent article regarding our culture's obsession using rich, disease-promoting foods for celebrating special occasions, especially for Halloween. Dr. Fuhrman states in his article, "As parents we must protect our children from harm and give them the best opportunity in life to have a happy and healthy future. Science suggests...