by Vesanto Melina and Mio Lainchbury and Arooj Hayat, Moving towards a plant-based diet can initially raise questions about whether you’re getting enough protein—especially if you’re not up on the science. If you’ve been on a plant-based journey for some time, you’re already aware of the many rich protein sources available, especially legumes (beans, peas, …
By Vesanto Melina, MS, Registered Dietitian As a dietitian, I learned which foods rated highest in folate or vitamin C, and what made beans, peas and lentils the protein, iron, and B vitamin superstars they are. Earlier, my mother had enjoyed sharing time in the kitchen and food preparation skills. My birthdays featured participatory cookie-making …
Vesanto Melina, MS, RD “The diabetes time bomb has been ticking for 50 years, and it’s been getting louder. Martin Silink, President International Diabetes Federation Nine percent of Americans have diabetes, mainly Type 2 diabetes (the kind that can be reversed). Another 38 percent have prediabetes. So that’s almost half of Americans. Since 2000, the number …
Celebrate with Compassion By Vesanto Melina, MS, RD Across North America and Europe, people are choosing plant-based meals and the trend is accelerating, especially among young people. So you are likely to have at least one vegetarian or vegan at your holiday dinner table. They may be making this choice because they have learned from …
by Vesanto Melina, MS, Registered Dietitian Farm subsidies in the US amount to $53 billion dollars per year. A pound of hamburger would cost $30 without the subsidies that go to the farmers and to the wheat and soy used as fodder. Corn is heavily subsidized, and used for high fructose corn syrup. Its production …
Reversing Chronic Disease: Magic! By Vesanto Melina, MS, RD, with Agathe Mathieu People can be burdened with a chronic illness that they think will be their lifelong companion. Yet science is giving us strong indicators that simple lifestyle changes can rid us of rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and can decrease risk or …
Who says you can’t turn back your biological clock? Vesanto Melina, MS, Registered Dietitian North Americans now live longer – yet our last decade may be spent suffering from serious illness. For example, on average, Canadians live to age 84. In Japan and Hong Kong, average lifespans are a little longer. In France, women live …
Who says you can’t turn back your biological clock? Read More »
Vesanto Melina, MS, Registered Dietitian Why do we age? Getting older, and showing it, and feeling it, involves a buildup of toxic metabolites including reactive oxygen species, a form of free radicals, and AGEs (Advanced Glycation Endproducts). AGEs are harmful substances that form when protein or fat combines with sugar in the bloodstream. AGEs are …
Going Plant-based? By Leaps or by Baby Steps? By Vesanto Melina MS, Registered Dietitian Have you been considering a shift towards a plant-based diet? Does a sudden leap towards an entirely vegan diet seem too overwhelming? Could you commit to eating one plant based dinner each week? How about a whole day of vegan meals? …
By Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis Few foods have been at once maligned and acclaimed as much as coconut oil. Some view it as a notorious health villain, with an even greater concentration of saturated fat than butter or lard. It tops lists of “Foods to Avoid” in many heart-health programs. At the other end …