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Dr. Fitzgerald’s Breakfast Smoothie Featured in The Huffington Post

Dr. Fitzgerald emphasizes with her patients the importance of a good breakfast. It is important to have some type of healthy protein, healthy fat, and a small amount of carbyhydrate is also permissable. Dr. Fitzgerald reminds her patients to not have a high-carbohydrate breakfast because the result will be unstable blood sugar, low energy, and cravings throughout the day. Recently The Huffington Post published an article asking health editors to share one of their healthy breakfasts. It was a warm spring day in Santa Monica, and Dr. Fitzgerald's breakfast that morning was a breakfast smoothie. You can see the smoothie and other great breakfast ideas featured in the article by clicking here.

Dr. Fitzgerald a Featured Expert on Optimal Parenting 101 Virtual Conference: Listen for Free

Happy Spring! Let Your Health Blossom: Wisdom from Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)  is loaded with wisdom, especially when it comes to the rhythms of nature. TCM looks at each season as a opportunity to create balance by incorporating elements of the season into your lifestyle. You can find Dr. Fitzgerald's 10 tips for improved health and vitality this spring here.

Making sense of Conflicting Nutritional Studies

Happy New Year!

Twenty Health Experts shared their resolutions and hopes for 2013 in The Huffington Post. Our very own Dr. Fitzgerald was featured in the article. Click here to see her insights for abundant health and harmony for 2013, and enjoy what other health insiders have to say.

25 of Dr. Fitzgerald’s Favorite Herbs for Health

Twenty-five of Dr. Fitzgerald's favorite herbs were recently highlighted in The Huffington Post. Click here to view photos of the herbs and descriptions of their healing properties.

Healthy Mind, Healthy Bones: New Research Connects Healthy Mental Outlook with Better Bone Density

Chinese Medicine has correlated a healthy mental outlook to the health of the bones for thousands of years. Qigong, meditation, acupuncture, nutrition, and herbal medicine are important aspects of a Chinese Medicine protocol for healthy bone density. Recent research has correlated various psychological aspects, such as having positive relationships with others, having a purpose in life, and self-acceptance.

When people think of osteoporosis or osteopenia, often calcium is the first thing that comes to mind. But calcium is only one of many components to healthy bone density. A comprehensive program that includes nutrition, exercise, and reduced stress is important for optimal bone density, and of course abundant overall health. Read more about the connection to positive mental outlook and bone density here.

Acupuncture Relieves Chronic Pain: Study

The most rigorous study to date has shown acupuncture effective for chronic pain, including, but not limited to, arthritis, migraines, neck, back, and shoulder pain. Read the whole story here.

Qi Gong Effective for Pain Relief

Qigong, a practice that emphasizes breathing, mindfulness, and movement, has its roots in Chinese Medicine and martial arts. A recent study showed the effectiveness of qigong for reducing the pain of fibromyalgia.

Healthy Food: 50 of the Best in the World

Dr. Fitzgerald was recently part of an expert Panel at Huffington Post Healthy Living who presented some food for thought. There are so many healthy and tasty foods; it was hard to limit our choices to fifty! Check out the article, and let us know if you would add to the list with some of your favorite healthy foods.

Wired and Tired? 7 Herbs to Reduce Stress and Boost Vitality

Feeling a bit stressed and overwhelmed? Read Dr. Patricia's latest article on nature's helpers.

What To Expect At Your First Acupuncture Treatment

Dr. Fitzgerald was featured in The Huffington Post offering insights for a first-timer acupuncture patient. Click here to read the article.

Gluten-Free: Weeding through the Truth and the Hype

It's pretty easy to notice the increase of gluten-free products on the market. There are bakeries in Los Angeles dedicated to providing gluten-free products, such as Babycakes NYC, Fonuts and The Sensitive Baker. More and more restaurants have gluten-free offerings. Sections in grocery stores are dedicated to offering gluten-free items. Why does this trend seem to be increasing in popularity?

It is long recognized that those who have celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder, must absolutely avoid gluten. Yet more and more people who haven't tested positive for celiac are reporting benefits from avoiding gluten. Often they will ask their doctors for a test for gluten sensitivity and are given a test for to rule out celiac. I have witnessed the frustration of many patients who knew that they had sensitivities to gluten products, and when the celiac tests came back negative, they felt as if their doctors were discounting their concerns. They actually did not receive a complete gluten sensitivity panel, simply a test to rule out celiac. There are very few labs that do the complete test, and most doctors are not yet aware of the availability of the full panel, so only the celiac panel is done.

If you feel better after avoiding gluten, it is probably best to stay away from it. Consult with a nutritionist or nutritionally-oriented practitioner to make sure that you have a balanced diet as you are avoiding gluten. If you want to be tested, make sure your doctor is ordering a complete panel to track gluten sensitivity.

Okay, back to why is this trend increasing in popularity? People have eaten wheat products and products containing gluten for many, many years. There are even many references to wheat in the Bible. It seems that the wheat of today is not the wheat of our grandparents nor the wheat of biblical times. My dear colleague, Mark Hyman, MD has written a great piece in The Huffington Post that brings light to this interesting and complex topic. Click here to read the article.

Warm Up, Slim Down, and Get Healthy with Delicious Winter Soups

Winter is officially here. It's the season of long nights and short days, of reflection and looking inward, and of thinking of ways to keep warm: scarves, gloves, fireplaces, cuddling... and soup. Ahh, soup.

When I want to remedy that "cold to the bone" wintertime feeling, a delicious steaming bowl of soup often comes to mind. Here are four great reasons to eat more soup this season, followed by some easy and delicious recipes.

Click here to read the rest of the article and the recipes from The Huffington Post.

e-Patient Dave: How An Empowered Patient Healed from Stage IV Cancer and Found a Higher Calling

Dave deBronkart, "e-Patient Dave," was diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer in 2007. The median survival time for his condition was 24 weeks. Thanks to the help of an online network for patients with his disease, he quickly learned about treatment options and found support for his recovery. The treatment was successful, and now e-Patient Dave is cancer-free and has found a higher calling: empowering patients to have access to the best health care possible -- by connecting with resources online. I was inspired by e-Patient Dave's amazing TEDx video and was fortunate to meet up with him at the recent TEDMED conference.

Click here to read the interview from The Huffington Post.

TEDMED:Can Mushrooms Help the Immune System Fight Cancer? An Interview with Paul Stamets, Mycologist

When many of us think of mushrooms, we may think of culinary delights such as Portobello and Shiitake, or we may think of those "magic mushrooms." But the implication of mushrooms is absolutely profound. They have the potential to dramatically improve our health and the health of the planet, according to mycologist Paul Stamets.

I was fortunate to meet up with Paul last week after he delivered his powerful talk at the TEDMED conference in San Diego, California. Paul was an audience favorite at TEDTalks 2008, and he has quickly become a TEDMED sensation.

Click here to the full article at The Huffington Post

The Science Behind Acupuncture

Acupuncture is becoming increasing popular in the West. Can Western science embrace ideas based on qi, blood, yin, and yang? An interesting article in “The Atlantic” looks at demystifying the science behind acupuncture…

Beat the Heat with a Healthy Summertime Smoothie!

Film Review: 9000 Needles—Two Thumbs Up

I had the opportunity to attend a screening of 9000 Needles, an award-winning documentary about the amazing healing journey of a young man who suffered a life-threatening stroke. He was left paralyzed on his right side, but was determined to experience a full recovery. He did the best he could with medical care in the United States until his insurance ran out and the intensive physical therapy he needed would no longer be covered. His family searched for options, and found a remarkable stroke recovery program in China that utilized the best of Eastern and Western approaches.

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead (Movie)

FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD is the story of two men who struggle to lose weight, overcome the same rare disease and change their lives for good.  The uplifting story follows Joe Cross on a cross country road trip where he vows to do a juice fast for 60 days (consuming only fruits and vegetables in liquid form).  On his life changing journey, he meets and inspires Phil Staples - a 420 lb desperate truck driver from Iowa - to do the same.  The documentary is a story about hope, wellness, friendship and our ability to change.

More information and showtimes: www.fatsickandnearlydead.com

New Insights On How Acupuncture Controls Pain

Synopsis: Acupuncture has been practiced for thousands of years. It has been used to treat various pain conditions as well as a multitude of chronic health conditions. Acupuncture, an important modality used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) developed without the use of modern technology. Acupuncture has enjoyed great success worldwide in alleviating suffering, but the question “It works, but how does it work?” has gone mostly unanswered, from a scientific standpoint, until recently. Traditional Chinese Medicine explains the effects of acupuncture in terms of “qi” or life energy, but the qi theory is not understood well in the Western world. A new study using functional MRI testing is shedding some insight on how acupuncture relieves pain.

Relief For The Exhausted: A NYC Doc’s Solution To The Energy Shortage Inside Of You

Calming The Shen: A Chinese Medicine Approach To A Good Night’s Sleep

An approach that can aid in the quest for a good night’s sleep is that of Chinese Medicine. This ancient healing system has offered relief to the sleep challenged for thousands of years. While new to many, Chinese Medicine is mainstream in China, and it is used today for a wide range of conditions by an estimated one-fourth of the world’s population.

Let Food Be Thy Medicine: The Top Healing Foods of the Decade

The healing properties of food have been reported by cultures worldwide throughout history. However, the past decade has presented an explosion of clinical research to show specifically what health benefits individual foods can offer, identifying the various nutrients and phytochemicals associated with these benefits.

K9 Connection: At-Risk Teens And Shelter Dogs Get A New ‘Leash’ On Life

k9 connection, located in Santa Monica, California, is a remarkable organization whose mission is to teach at-risk teens how to train homeless shelter dogs in basic obedience skills in order to increase their chances of adoption. Through the training they provide to the dogs, the teens benefit by learning how to be more responsible and accountable, the importance of goal setting, and how positive reinforcement offers an alternative to force and violence.

A Psychiatrist and FBI Hostage Negotiation Trainer Provides the Secret to Getting Through to Anyone

7 Healthy Ways to Enjoy Chocolate—Without the Guilt!

Can Meditation Change Your Brain and Affect Your Genes?

What Inspired a Scientist to Open a Meditation Center at UCLA?

Behind the Scenes at the White House: The AMA Weighs in on Healthcare Policy Reform

Donna Karan’s Urban Zen Project Brings a New “Style” to Integrative Health Care

Greed In the Seed: The “Inconvenient Truth” of How Food Gets to Your Table Revealed in Food Inc.

A Review of the Movie Food, Inc.

The Healing Power of Compassion: Actress Finds Remedy for Stress with Her “Big Give”

Drew Barrymore, Nutrition, and 25 Cents a Day

Jenny McCarthy’s Autism Crusade: Healing, Hope…and Controversy

Welcome Bo Obama! The Amazing Benefits of Animal Companionship

Obama Garden Watch II: 8 Herbs to Revitalize Your Health and Palate

Obama Garden Watch: 10 Vegetables Worth a Fist Bump

Detox Demystified: Fact, Fiction, or Fad?

Spring Cleaning: 10 Steps to Bring New Life to Your Liver

Health and Wellness Events

Check out the latest Health and Wellness Events in Southern California by visiting Whole Person Calendar.