Diet and Nutrition

Use Leftovers to Recreate Healthy Meals

By Dr. Kushner / June 4, 2022 /

“Doc, I just don’t eat leftover foods” is a comment I sometimes get from patients during my weight management counseling. I always encourage them to reconsider. With grocery prices soaring and food waste being so common, we know that using leftover food is a good strategy that helps your pocketbook and the planet. But you…

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Nutritional Nudges to Improve Your Health

By Dr. Kushner / April 13, 2022 /

I am a firm believer that making small changes to what you eat and how you prepare foods can help improve your health. That’s because small diet changes are easier to incorporate into your life and can be easier for your family to adapt. In my weight management counseling, I always start with where the…

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Moving Toward More Plant-Based Eating

By Dr. Kushner / December 18, 2021 /

We know that to improve health and manage weight better, adding more plant-based foods to your daily diet is a winning strategy. That’s because these good-for-you foods are generally lower in calorie density and higher in vitamins, minerals, disease-fighting phytochemicals and fiber than the foods they end up displacing such as meats and fried foods…

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Gifts Ideas for Healthy Living 

By Dr. Kushner / November 15, 2021 /

It’s that time of year again when holiday gift giving is on all of our minds. For this year’s list of healthy living gift ideas, I decided to share some favorites that have helped my wife and I live more healthfully – and can help you too. To make our list, the item had to either have improved our eating habits or physical and mental health –…

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From Deprivation Dieting to Enjoying a Healthier Lifestyle

By Dr. Kushner / October 19, 2021 /

Strict diet rules are hard to follow for long periods of time. Examples may include banning all carbs from your diet or never allowing yourself to enjoy treat-type foods ever again. Because losing weight and getting healthier are really important to you, you may challenge yourself to follow these rules in hopes that this time…

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Make Your Home a Safe Haven for More Healthful Eating

By Dr. Kushner / October 4, 2021 /

Whether it’s the foods on your kitchen counters, eye-level in the fridge or in bowls on a cocktail table, we know that tempting food cues in your environment can lead to overeating. Too often, patients tell me they have no willpower and don’t understand why they can’t say no to all the tempting foods around…

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Can Meal Timing Help You Eat Healthier?

By Dr. Kushner / May 2, 2021 /

When taking a dietary history, I ask the same thing to all my patients: “I am interested in learning about what you eat and drink in the course of the day. Could you please take me through a typical day, starting first thing in the morning and going into the night?” One of the biggest…

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The Universal Strategy to Help You Eat Healthier & Boost Weight Loss Success

By Dr. Kushner / March 21, 2021 /

The unhealthiest eating takes place when you are hungry, stressed and unprepared. Think of this as the ‘triple threat’. Hunger + stress + being unprepared = poor decision making and overeating Planning ahead will put you back in control of your everyday eating and your health. When taking a patient history, I always ask patients…

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Use Core Strategies to Stay Healthy during Life’s Ups & Downs

By Dr. Kushner / February 15, 2021 /

You are probably all too familiar with the drill – you lose weight and feel good but when life throws you a curveball, you stop doing the healthy lifestyle behaviors that kept your weight under control. Though the specific life challenge can vary from person to person (examples may include a new illness or injury,…

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Pick Low Hanging Fruit for a Healthier Life

By Dr. Kushner / January 21, 2021 /

If you’re trying to boost your health but don’t have the motivation, time or interest to completely overhaul your lifestyle, a helpful strategy is to pick simpler lifestyle tweaks that require less effort. I refer to this as ‘picking the low hanging fruit’ or simpler strategies that are easier to implement. Here are some examples:…

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