DrCarney.com Blog

Diverticular disease is one of the most prevalent conditions in Western society which involves outpatient visits and hospitalizations. More than 100,000 Americans are hospitalized every year for this preventable condition. In some cases, a patient may develop life threatening complications such as a rupture of the intestines. As a hospital pharmacist, Dustin Rudolph PharmD sees many patients coming into the Emergency...

Protein is the most valued of all nutrients, making it a popular and controversial topic of conversation. Most everyone following a plant-based diet has been asked the question, "Where do you get your protein from?" This question comes from the misunderstanding that only animal products contain protein, and that it is the gold standard "complete...

We're sure you will agree that colon polyps aren't exactly a popular topic of conversation. However, because they increase our risk of colon cancer (and over 35% of those eating the typical American diet have polyps) it's important for us to discuss them. Notice in the above graph from Dr. T. Colin Campbell's China Study,...

The word "fiber" may bring many thoughts to our minds. Helping us "stay regular" would be the most prominent thought for most of us. This is certainly true; however, fiber plays a much larger role in the prevention and reversal of disease, as Dr. Neal Barnard points out in this ten minute video.

Fiber is the indigestible substance which is resistant to digestive enzymes. Its role in removing toxic waste products is an important one. Carcinogens, for example, found in meat and dairy products, are moved along more quickly when sufficient fiber is available. This shortens the time it has to damage the lining of the intestines, which helps us avoid colon cancer. This would explain one reason why colon cancer rates are much lower in those consuming a plant-based diet.