Living with dyslexia, numbers don’t mean much to me because I read them backwards or jumbled up. Therefore, I can’t be a calorie counter. I figured it out early in life, though. If I ate nothing but fruits and vegetables until dinner time, I could enjoy my grandmother’s homemade linguine with clam sauce, three slices of bread, and not gain an ounce. So as a teenager I honed in on my natural instincts and tried to steer friends away from horrible weight loss fads during the 1980s and 1990s. At the time the fad was slimming shakes, low in calories yet filled with artificial ingredients. These …

Most often eating disorders are associated with women. But men struggle with the same body issues. Research shows that between 5 and 12 percent of the male population has bulimia nervosa, an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by vomiting, abusing laxatives, enemas, starving, over-exercising or diuretics. Because it’s considered a female issue there isn’t much acknowledgement of male bulimia, but Dave McKenzie of Rogersville, Tennessee and Bo Blaze of Hackensack decided to speak candidly about their struggles in order to let others know they are not alone. McKenzie was a …

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) affects about 50,000 children in the United States. It’s the most common type of arthritis and lasts for months or years at a time. JRA is an autoimmune disease, which means the white blood cells lose the ability to distinguish the body’s own healthy cells from harmful bacteria and viruses. Instead of protecting the body as it’s supposed to, the immune system releases chemicals that damage healthy tissues, causing inflammation and pain. Alexandra Bryans, 17, of Byram, had symptoms of JRA since the summer of 2005 when she was 12-years-old. It started with …

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, most health publications celebrate heart health. I figured it was a perfect time to speak with actor Scott Schiaffo, a New Jersey resident, who was more than willing to share his story of his struggles with heart disease and his battle with drugs and alcohol addiction. Schiaffo, most known for his role as the Chewlies Gum representative in Kevin Smith’s “Clerks,” found out he had a heart arrhythmia when he was in his 20s during one of his many hospital visits. Before his acting career took off, Schiaffo was trying to break into the music business …

Drinking water is not only beneficial to your health, but vital! Some of the many things water does for you includes helping organs absorb nutrients better, detoxifying, protecting and moisturizing the joints, and boosting the metabolism. If you do not drink enough water, your brain can’t function well. If you get a headache or migraine, or feel fatigued, it could be a sign of dehydration. Some of the harmful effects of dehydration include kidney problems, constipation and dry skin. I can honestly say 90 percent of my fluids are from water, with the other 10 percent being from kombucha or tea…

On Sunday, Jan. 23, Francois Henri “Jack” LaLanne, died at his home in Morro Bay, Calif., from respiratory failure due to pneumonia. LaLanne was a legend. The fitness guru and nutrition expert inspired millions. But it didn’t start out that way. During his youth, LaLanne was reckless and so was his diet. He was known to do crazy things like attacking his brother with an axe and setting his family’s house on fire. He later blamed his bad behavior on being fed too many high sugar foods. LaLanne changed his ways after hearing a speech by nutritionist Paul Bragg. At the age of 15, he cleaned up …

Winter is a time when the immune system gets a bit sensitive for many people. Less sunlight and colder weather means less activity for many. Colds and sore throats are typical for the winter season. And we still have several weeks to go before we hit spring. While it’s tempting to just stay inside and rest, we do have lives and have to be able to function in tip-top condition. I recently spoke to nutrition coach Marian Buck-Murray of Maplewood and asked her what some of the best healing foods are for this time of year. She recommended her top five choices. Perhaps by using some of them or all…

Roller skating is an exciting aerobic sport that can burn up to 560 calories per hour that's fun for all ages – and I do mean all ages! I recently had the pleasure of meeting Carrie Calendriello, a 92-year-old who skates three times a week – and drives herself to the rinks! “It gets me out of the house,” said Calendriello, who started roller skating in Central Park when she was a teenager in the 1930s, and met her husband Al there, who passed away in 2001. Calendriello said her health is good and she doesn’t take many pills. Even though she can’t tango and waltz on skates like she used to, …

I'll never forget the first time I ate a "durian."  This heavenly Southeast Asian fruit has a creamy custard texture and tastes like a combination of vanilla, hazelnut, banana and a tinge of garlic.  It was the most delicious thing I'd ever had in my life.  In Thailand, the durian is known as "King of All Fruit." When I first fell in love with the odd spiky fruit, I made a weekly pilgrimage to New York's Chinatown, where durians can be purchased fresh or frozen.   I returned to New Jersey carrying as many durians as I could on the bus.  My durian addiction amounted to eating three or four per…

I've always preferred supporting mom and pop stores instead of national chains, especially during a recession when these small shops need all the help they can get. This is true for food markets too. As America becomes more health conscious, major chain markets like ShopRite are starting to carry all-natural and gluten-free products -- marked down drastically -- making it harder for the "little guy" to stay in business. Not too long ago, Whole Foods started carrying their own brand of products called "365." The variety of products sold under that banner is enormous, and includes lotions, …

There's an old saying: "It's not what you do between Christmas and New Year's, but rather what you do between New Year's and Christmas." Still, people blame the holiday season for weight gain, feeling frazzled, lack of energy and sleeping late. You may always feel rushed and run late for important things when the sprint-to-the-finish end of year mentality kicks in. Perhaps next year can be different. Start the New Year by investing in your health on a daily basis. By next holiday season you will definitely look and feel a lot better – almost effortlessly. Here are some tips that keep me …

I love vinegar! I put vinegar on everything: vegetables, fish, brown rice, bread and even on French fries if I'm in a cheating mood. There are so many types of vinegar that can be used for culinary flavoring: balsamic, rice, malt, sherry, red wine, and white wine, to name a few. But the one vinegar that offers more than flavoring is apple cider vinegar – real apple cider vinegar that's raw, organic, unfiltered and containing "the mother", a stringy substance floating around in the bottle. When you see "the mother" in a bottle of vinegar that is when you know you have the real deal; a product …

Growing up, I remember seeing pictures in magazines of a glamorous fashion model who resembled actress Sharon Tate. As years (and years and years) went on, I saw pictures of the same model and she never seemed to age. Her name is Oleda Baker, and at age 76, still turns heads today. Baker hasn't gained an ounce since her modeling heyday. She hasn't had a facelift either, but her face remains fresh and wrinkle-free. Her skin glows, her eyes sparkle and her cheekbones can cut diamonds. All her photos are 100 percent natural – no Photoshop or retouching. Not only is Baker gorgeous and youthful on…

For the past seven years I dabbled, on and off, with the raw food lifestyle. I'm not sure I'll ever take it 100 percent seriously, but whenever I go on a raw food kick (or cleanse) I know firsthand there are guaranteed positives such as glowing skin, bright eyes, more energy, and weight loss. Lately I've been eating 100 percent raw prior to special events because then I know for sure I'll look – and feel -- my best. This Thanksgiving I wanted to eat at a raw vegan restaurant for a couple reasons. I wanted to enter the holiday season feeling recharged, not stuffed and regretful. I've also been…

Weight loss is one of the biggest reasons people start running. It's invigorating and enables you to burn calories fast and drop pounds like crazy. But running offers a lot more than just weight loss. Running strengthens the immune system, prevents bone loss, conditions the heart and lungs, increases oxygen throughout the body, and even relieves stress. I recently spoke to three Cedar Grove residents who ran in the NYC marathon this year. Each one agreed that running the 26.2-mile course was a remarkable experience. Aileen O'Rourke, 46, was automatically qualified for the NYC marathon after …

Thanksgiving is upon us and there is so much to be grateful for. But one of the things we often take for granted is our health. During the holidays people assume they get a "get out of jail free" card when it comes to their well-being, gorging on fattening foods and lying around during the four-day weekend watching football. Would you like this holiday season to be different? I'm sure everyone would love to have more energy and eat freely without dieting. I've compiled some tips that have helped me stay slim and energetic over the years, especially during the winter months when our bodies are…

There are no symptoms in the early stages of osteoporosis, the most common type of bone disease. Bone loss occurs gradually over the years. Most often a fracture will appear before a diagnosis is made. This is why it's very important to get a bone density screening and take preventative measures to preserve your bone health. From 10 a.m.-noon on Monday, Dec. 6, The Verona Health Department, 880 Bloomfield Ave., is working in cooperation with Mountainside Family Practices in Verona to offer a bone density screening for residents. The leading causes of osteoporosis are: a drop of estrogen in …

I'll never forget the first time I heard of autism. Many years ago I was in a diner having breakfast with a girlfriend. After eating, I went to the bathroom to wash my hands. Suddenly, a little boy, about 7-years-old, banged into me – so hard, he nearly knocked me over. I couldn't believe his strength. He was small and thin. He just wanted to wash his hands and I was in his way. Just as I turned around and opened my mouth to reprimand him, I saw his mother standing behind him, and guiding his little body away from the sink. "I'm so sorry. My son is autistic," she said. The word "autism" has …

When I was growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, Halloween was the time to pig out. Kids would go around their neighborhoods and have their pillow cases filled with candy: Milky Way Bars, Hershey's Bars, Baby Ruths, SweeTarts and so much more! As soon as I got home, the Halloween mask was off my face, freeing my mouth to start tasting the creamy, rich milk chocolate. Back then times were different. Halloween treats were just that – a treat! The rest of our meals were home-cooked and natural. So gorging on chocolate two or three days after Halloween didn't make a difference to the children from …

Two weeks ago I was in a car accident. Nothing serious, just some bruises and aches and pains -- mostly in the neck and shoulder area. My doctor said it was okay for me to take a holistic approach to healing, rather than using painkillers or medication. I decided to use acupuncture, a procedure of inserting extremely thin needles into various points on the body to relieve pain for therapeutic purposes. The acupuncture points stimulate the nerves, muscles and connective tissue, boosting the activity of your body's natural pain killers and increasing blood flow. Acupuncture has been around …