DrCarney.com Blog

It's Mother's Day weekend and time to show appreciation for all the women in our lives who've mentored and nurtured us.  What better way to express our gratitude than with a gift that will show how much we value having "mom" around for many years to come? We know that eating a low-fat, whole-food plant-based...

Vegans and others following a plant-based diet may face challenges during the seven days of Passover. If they are from the Ashkenazic tradition of Judaism, not only is leavening prohibited, but chametz (wheat, oats, rye, barley, and spelt) and kitniyot (all legumes including green beans, plus rice, corn, millet, and many other seeds) are also avoided. Omnivores...

Our Food Choices Spark the Curiosity of Others. Feasting on foods that are heavily processed and high in animal products, fat, calories, salt, sugar and oils while deficient in nutrients tends to play a central role in social gatherings and celebratory occasions. Therefore, it can be extremely awkward to eat healthfully and keep your health goals...

Changing to a delicious, whole-food, plant-based diet is by far one of the best decisions you can make for you and your family! However, it does present some challenges, especially when taking a plant-based diet on the road. By taking the time to carefully plan your meals, you'll be prepared to eat wholesome disease-fighting meals...

It's often an intellectual decision to follow a whole-food plant-based, no-added-oil diet. We become convinced by logic and the weight of scientific evidence that this is the best path to optimal health. And then our practical side kicks in, and we wonder, "What will I eat? How will I cook?" This is an even more...

Dr. Michael Greger has two videos that suggest some of the research behind plants' power to help stabilize our mood. In Improving Mood Through Diet, Dr. Greger explains that unlike animal products, plants have no arachidonic acid, a substance that produces inflammatory compounds. These compounds have been postulated to inflame our brain, contributing to stress,...

Holiday celebrations center around friends, family, food, and fun. Yet celebratory meals typically include many rich, calorie-dense foods; resulting in a 5-10 pound weight gain for most people. For those that are young, trim and not reversing a serious disease, an occasional treat on special holidays would most likely not have a negative impact on...

Holiday gatherings are about people, not the food. The holiday meal may not be the optimal time to be an evangelist for a plant-based diet. Make food a non-issue by avoiding divisive discussions about animal products. As Uncle Jimmy is slicing into the turkey or Aunt Dolores is ladling on the whipped cream, our silence and...

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...

Heart Disease Kills One Out of Every Three People. The statistics are distressing. Heart disease is our nation's leading cause of death for both men and women. Dr. Joel Fuhrman reports, "More than 1.5 million people will have a heart attack this year, with about 1 million deaths as a direct consequence of heart attacks. That...

Rip Esselstyn, author of The Engine 2 Diet and My Beef With Meat, wrote an excellent article for Forks Over Knives on how to enjoy the holiday season when visiting friends and family who do not eat a Plant-Strong diet. Rip writes, "Visiting friends and family who are not plant-strong can be very tricky and requires a delicate...

Need some tips for preparing a whole-food, traditional Thanksgiving meal, but without the turkey? Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, "The Compassionate Cook" demonstrates many ways we can use plant foods as the centerpiece of our holiday meal. Stuffing squashes, using individual serving containers, layering foods, and meatless loaves are great ways to create a focal point for your...