tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69329510119776259372024-03-13T10:11:47.691-07:00Luv Your VeganPerspectives from a Vegan Doc on food, nutrition, and healthy lifestyles.Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-77566958138898614462015-01-14T22:48:00.000-08:002015-09-21T20:52:28.769-07:00Vegan Blog Going On Holiday & 3 Most Popular Posts
While my posts have been sporadic at best over the past 7 years, my blogging efforts for the months to come will be found elsewhere.
For those of you who just stumbled upon this blog, here are the 3 most popular posts over time:
The #1 Favorite: How Can Vegans Be Overweight?
Eliminating animal foods is one step in a healthy direction, but for many it's not the only step that is needed. This Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-34194776156884069522014-04-07T10:32:00.001-07:002015-01-14T22:49:14.090-08:00The Impeccable Doctor Murthy & Why He Deserves Your Help
Why the hoopla over your Surgeon General To Be?
Recently, the NYT wrote about my dear friend and colleague Vivek Murthy, MD MBA - the US Surgeon General nominee whose Senate confirmation vote is being delayed in part because of intense efforts from the National Rifle Association. The NRA claims that Dr. Murthy is a rabid gun activist who is out of touch with the people and Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-53592875469469855752013-08-12T22:04:00.001-07:002013-08-20T21:03:22.575-07:00More Veggies for More Happiness :-)
Let this be another reminder of why eating more veggies is good for you: Happiness! Guest blogger Virginia Cunningham explains below.
Some Take Homes:
There seems to be a correlation with eating more veggies and greater mental health.
A British study that looked at data from 80,000 people suggests that 7 or more servings of vegetables and fruits per day is needed for optimal mental well-beingVegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-20520434103255747062013-05-09T21:43:00.001-07:002015-01-14T22:49:48.999-08:00
EarthDay 2013 Interview
I did a two part interview with One Medical a few weeks back on the impact of our food choices on global warming -- this year's EarthDay them.
Part 1 is here. Why eating plants over animals is so important...
Part 2 is here. Organic vs. local and a few other topics...
Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-35164905861638252102013-03-19T17:10:00.000-07:002013-04-25T23:05:21.514-07:00Iron Status - Vegan Style
Here's a helpful guest post by Evelyn Pearce on achieving optimal iron status.
Some take homes:
Vegans can have optimal iron status
Iron from meat (heme-iron) might be a causative factor in the link between meat and many chronic diseases
Being conscious about eating healthy whole plant foods usually means including an iron rich food at each meal
There are a few little food Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-79465474432312822902013-03-03T10:45:00.001-08:002013-04-25T23:10:01.086-07:00Sleep Better - 4 Tips To Fall Asleep
Many people struggle to fall asleep. Having the odd sleepless night is not a big deal, but day after day of poor sleep can have a major impact on your health and sense of well-being. A patient of mine asked if I would post a few tips for those who struggle with sleep.
First, a caveat: there are many causes of insomnia. If this is a major struggle of yours, it's worth having a detailed Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-19835468181706884522013-01-29T18:38:00.001-08:002013-01-29T18:41:11.668-08:00Contacting Me
Dear Dylan & Other Readers,
Thank you so much for taking time to read my blog.
If you have specific questions that you would like answered, feel free to email me: mbermanmd@gmail.com.
I will do my best to respond, but please understand that my free time is extremely limited. That said, if I can help from a distance, I certainly will. I do wish I had more time to post Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-19647905211479114682012-09-15T21:55:00.001-07:002013-10-24T13:45:08.848-07:00Why SOME people struggle with a vegan diet
Is a vegan diet for everyone?
If consciously crafted, a vegan diet has profound health advantages and allows us to best care for our environment and live in alignment with our innate compassion. So yes, a type of vegan dietary pattern could be ideal for the vast vast majority of humans. And yet, we can't deny that some people (read: the minority) struggle to make a vegan dietary pattern work Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-64752560902919940662012-07-03T21:34:00.001-07:002012-07-03T21:38:16.767-07:00I'm at One Medical Group
I've joined One Medical Group in San Francisco, where I'm practicing lifestyle medicine and helping to design lifestyle medicine programs for common lifestyle-related conditions, like overweight and metabolic syndromes, stress and anxiety, smoking and alcohol addictions, etc.
We actually have a few vegan and vegan-friendly primary care physicians on staff, such as Margit Dijkstra MD. So if Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-79429325053824423792012-01-29T21:29:00.000-08:002012-01-29T21:30:37.036-08:00Obesity: A Tale of Success Gone Awry
Source: flickr/tjmartins
There are now 1 billion overweight or obese humans on earth. Why is that?
Well, it's not because 1 billion people are lazy, incompetent fools.
Here's a blog I wrote for onegreenplanet.org with my historical perspective and one big piece of the obesity puzzle.
More posts on the topic to come...Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-81906272762575614762011-12-19T12:33:00.000-08:002011-12-19T12:45:10.220-08:00Obesity and The First Law of the Jungle
Check out my first blog on onegreenplanet.org
Obesity has to be viewed through many lenses.
The first is "the population lens". We have to understand that weight gain is happening to almost everyone around the world. It's happening because we are biologically programmed to consume food when it is available to us and the food that is now available is more plentiful and energy-dense then ever Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-20836221908194012842011-10-24T20:39:00.000-07:002011-10-26T16:40:17.558-07:00Vegetron in the works: Software Engineer Wanted!Wanted: a capable and passionate, software-engineer co-founder
There is an urgent need to change the way people eat Global meat consumption is skyrocketing and so too are the epidemics of obesity and other chronic diseases caused by a meat-centric diet.
To what extent can the internet and the emerging tools of social-gaming help? That's the question I'm exploring in my latest Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-81331812454207502692011-07-18T14:09:00.000-07:002011-07-18T14:09:11.097-07:00My NAVS 2011 TalkI promised I'd share slides from my talks at this year's NAVS Summerfest. Here's the first talk - a background primer on the internet, the importance of social networks, how ideas spread, and why online social games are the next hottest trend... And why the vegan movements needs to jump all over online social gaming.
Vegan Social Gaming Talk
Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-25538074207602729002011-04-06T14:36:00.000-07:002011-08-13T13:04:09.534-07:00Soy Concerns?I get asked about Soy a lot. Is it safe?
The short answer is yes.
Assuming you don't have a soy allergy, moderate consumption of soy is likely to improve your health rather than diminish it.
As with most foods, highly processed varieties of soy are probably less healthful than less processed varieties.
And just as common sense would dictate, basing your diet Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-12783480308429618272010-12-16T22:42:00.000-08:002010-12-16T22:56:44.234-08:00The Much Awaited IOM Vitamin D Verdict
The IOM's Report on Vitamin D and Calcium
Fellow Vitamin D enthusiasts have been holding their breaths for months, waiting to hear the Institute of Medicine's verdict on how much vitamin D we need.
How much D do we need?
After reviewing all available scientific research, the IOM recommends 600 IUs of Vitamin D per day for the vast majority of people. 800 IUs is recommended if you're over 70Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-53405406081489801222009-10-14T21:55:00.000-07:002011-08-13T13:03:20.015-07:00What happened when I nuked my spinach?Tonight out of shear boredom I nuked a large bowl of spinach leaves.
Initially I was going to make a hearty salad to accompany my dinner. But I had the same meal last night and felt like a change. Plus the spinach was a touch too woody for my liking.
What happened when I nuked my spinach?
60 seconds later I reduced a large bowl of spinach into a very small pile. I added some lemon juiceVegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-58459997696298210642009-06-04T23:06:00.000-07:002011-08-13T13:05:05.491-07:00Inspiration from TEDI find myself a little short on time and inspiration for blogging these days, and so will try to experiment with some shorter posts.I'm also going to cheat a little and borrow some inspiration, often from TED.STEP 1 - Watch this awesome 15 min TED talk by Dan Ariely:The first half is entertaining but somewhat less relevant...still, stick it out. STEP 2. Pause for thought:The cognitive problems Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-83954107163259097992008-10-03T09:14:00.000-07:002011-08-13T13:06:00.099-07:00Avoiding isolation... Influencing social normsIn this post we talk about the need to avoid social isolation and help change social norms.
Let's start with some basic questions:
In North America, why are so few people vegan?
And why are there many people who claim to be vegetarian, but actually eat meat?
The answer to both questions has a lot to do with social norms.The dietary social norm in America is to eat and enjoy meat, milk andVegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-13297042802676786612008-09-10T12:46:00.000-07:002015-01-14T23:06:23.216-08:00How can vegans be overweight?
Recently I visited Portland OR, a wonderful city that is especially vegan friendly. I found myself returning again and again to same vegan restaurant/yoga studio a few blocks from my hotel. And every time I went, I was reminded of a question I ponder often:
Why are many progressive, health-conscious, yoga-doing vegans overweight?
Before I offer my answer, let me point out two basic facts. Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-60712277292245359072008-06-15T14:39:00.000-07:002011-08-13T13:06:50.573-07:00Vitamin D Must Knows
As you are reading these sections please keep in mind that the science of measurement and definitions of normal vs. optimal levels for these substances is still evolving. Plus there is incomplete standardization of these tests in the US - meaning the reference normal range may be different from one lab to the other. But these few paragraphs will give you a good background with which to Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-4190322161101627592008-05-26T10:41:00.000-07:002011-08-13T13:08:26.414-07:00Moving Beyond Carb ConfusionIn this post we talk about the need to refresh our approach to carbohydrate rich foods; and more specifically to reduce intake of "simple" and "refined" carbs.
First, a little perspective.
Carbohydrates are not evil. They have been the backbone of humankind since the dawn of civilization. The large scale cultivation of carbohydrates (e.g. cereal grains) provided the vast amounts of energyVegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-82260067422817719832008-02-17T08:32:00.000-08:002010-05-14T23:03:21.117-07:00Vegan Omega 3's and moreA Brief Overview of Fats (If you know your fats well, skip to the end for the bit on Omega-3s) Fat, also called lipid (and sometimes referred to by its liquid name "oil"), really describes a large and diverse group of substances that share a similar chemical structure of carbons linked together. Because of this similar structure, fats all are packed with energy, making them excellent Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-27412149432584737892007-12-18T18:24:00.000-08:002010-05-14T23:01:45.331-07:00Vegan must-knows on Vitamin B12
As you are reading these sections please keep in mind that the science of measurement and definitions of normal vs. optimal levels for these substances is still evolving. Plus there is incomplete standardization of these tests in the US - meaning the reference normal range may be different from one lab to the other. But these few paragraphs will give you a good background with which to interpretVegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6932951011977625937.post-10521285787113686372007-11-24T18:33:00.000-08:002011-08-13T13:07:29.784-07:00The fears of a suspecting vegan. Answered.Maybe you're a touch freaked out about becoming vegan...about abandoning the dietary staples that billions of dollars in marketing have told you are essential to a happy successful productive and fertile life?
You're asking yourself: "But, where will I get my protein?!!!"
Now, I do believe that you're genuinely concerned about your amino acid pool, though I think what you're really asking Vegan`MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540497722753845524noreply@blogger.com7