Most Recent Health Tips, Health News, and Easy Healthy Recipes

A close friend of mine mentioned to me the other day that when she and her husband first married, one of the activities she enjoyed most was having him rub her feet in the evenings while they chatted about their day. She really loved feeling the warmth of his hands and the pressure on her skin, as well as spending the time with him. She enjoyed this activity to the point where, when she’d see him in the evenings, she would clear her throat and wiggle her toes at him as a way of asking for another foot massage. Read more

One of the most powerful steps that you can take to prevent disease is to eat plenty of antioxidant-rich foods.

A recent study by the Canadian government found that good ol' apples are an excellent source of antioxidants. Here is a summary of what this study found:

• Of eight different varieties of apples, Red Delicious had the highest concentration of antioxidants

With this super easy recipe, you get the great taste of garlic without the same sharpness that comes with raw garlic.

Ingredients:

One or more whole garlic heads
Extra virgin olive oil

Directions: Read more

Ingredients:

4 (12 oz.) cans of chickpeas, drained, rinsed and boiled for a minute or two
1 heaping tablespoon of tomato paste dissolved in 12 oz of warm water
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Extra virgin olive oil (to cover bottom of pot)
Sea salt and pepper, to taste (optional)
Fresh or dried basil (optional) Read more

A recent study conducted by researchers at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Center in Oxford, England concluded that intensive rehabilitation for chronic lower back pain provides just as much relief as surgery at half the cost.

This study is hardly news to many physical therapists and chiropractors who work at helping people with lower back pain through natural means on a regular basis. Read more

Need some help with choosing a good watermelon? Here are a few of the things that I look for when digging through the watermelon bin at our local market:

1. Press your fingers and thumbs into the skin from all angles. A good watermelon should be hard all around. Read more

I thought I would take a moment to answer the following question, sent in by a reader of our weekly newsletter:

"Asian culture is big on polished white rice with all their meals. Do you eat white rice or brown, and why? And why is (it) that Asians don't switch to a healthier carb like brown rice?"

Thank you,
John B.

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John, Read more

Margaret recently showed me a super cool website that allows you to see how popular different baby names have been over the past several decades. This tool is intended for expectant parents who are racking their melons trying to come up with a name worthy of their future child's destiny. But hey, I think everyone can have fun with it. Read more

My wife and I have tried a lot of different teas over the years. One of our favourites is a traditional Korean tea called bori-cha. Read more

I thought I would share another favourite passage of mine from Anne Frank's diary. In case you aren't familiar with Anne's life, Peter was a 16 year old German-Jewish boy whose family was also in hiding with Anne's family during the Holocaust.

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