Blueberry-Banana Oatmeal Pancakes (Oil-Free)

Lazy off-day mornings are meant for sleeping in and for putting the worries of your week behind you. They’re also meant for whipping up your favorite homemade pancake recipe and enjoying a nice, relaxing breakfast to start off the day.

With that in mind, I’d like to share with you my favorite pancake recipe that’ll surely have you coming back for seconds. The recipe below is a slight variation from the recipe included in my latest book, The Empty Medicine Cabinet. The only difference is the type of flour being used. Here, I use oat flour, and in my book, I use whole-wheat flour. Nevertheless, both versions are the perfect way to start off your morning.

Off The Reservation Book Review and Giveaway Contest

I hate politics, but I loved this book.

Off The Reservation is the fictional account of 16-year Congressman Evan Gorgoni as he reaches a breaking point in his own political career: continue fighting the traditionally backed, corporate-funded, do-nothing American political system, or give up hope and walk away from politics forever?

Gorgoni chooses the latter, but then something miraculous happens. Gorgoni not only doesn’t walk away from politics, his career actually takes an unexpected turn for the better (or worse, depending on how you look at it). No one could’ve predicted what would happen next.

So what took place and how did it all unfold?

Diverticular Disease and Diet

It is an all too often occurrence in my line of work as a hospital pharmacist that I see patients coming into the Emergency Room doubled over with abdominal pain. This isn’t your typical upset-stomach-because-you-ate-something-spicy kind of pain, but rather a severe give-me-morphine-now type pain. The pain is obviously bad enough to land someone in their local ER, otherwise they’d just pop some Tums and call it a night.

What’s happening here? Why are these patients in so much pain?

While many different medical conditions can cause abdominal pain diverticulitis is one of the common culprits in cases like the one described.

Thanksgiving - Food Traditions Revisted

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

Thanksgiving - it’s a feeding frenzy and a day of guilty pleasures. We eat more than we should - and oh my - the calories!

Here’s how to have an epic Thanksgiving dinner with a nutritional boost, and save on the waistline at the same time.

5 Tips to Eating Healthy During the Holidays

by guest blogger Holly Yzquierdo

We are all adults here so I'm going to go ahead and say it. You can't let a couple of holidays completely derail your health or your goals. Now I know that was a little harsh but let's think about it objectively. Depending on your traditions you probably only really celebrate a few days between now and the end of the year. Why does that usually turn into a junk food fest for a month and a half? Are those few days worth the downward spiral that usually follows poor food choices. I'm not saying you can't indulge a bit but let's be smart about it. The following tips will help you celebrate without derailing your health.

Back Pain – Taking a Natural Approach to a Painful Condition

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

Nearly  80% of Americans will have back pain in their lifetime. Americans spend at least $50 billion a year on back pain. Lower back pain is the leading cause of disability according to the Global Burden of Disease 2010. Various back disorders include sprains, strains, herniated disc, sciatica, spinal stenosis, and degeneration of disc.

The spine consists of 30 vertebrae and is the body’s main support structure. The vertebrae protect the spinal cord running through the central opening of the vertebrae called the vertebral canal and the nerve roots that extend from the sides of the vertebrae to various areas of the body. Muscles and ligaments that move and stabilize the vertebrae attach to the spinous process located at the backside of each vertebrae and to the transverse process located on the side of each vertebrae. Discs are flexible cushions located between each vertebra and hold the vertebrae together. They allow the vertebrae to bend and twist and minimize stress on the spinal column.

Breast Cancer Survivors Benefit From Healthy Lifestyles

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

The World Cancer Research Fund International released its Continuous Update Project(CUP) in October of 2014. WCRFI gathers scientific research from around the world. An independent panel of scientists evaluate the data and publishes their conclusions in CUP. The CUP report on breast cancer looks at research on diet, weight, and physical activity. It involves 165,416 participants diagnosed with breast cancer and 85 studies. This is the first report that has linked lifestyles with breast cancer survivorship. Here are their conclusions.

3 Questions to Always Ask Your Doctor (or Pharmacist)

Chances are, at some point in your life, you’ve seen the inside of a doctor’s office (or pharmacy) while seeking medical care for a health issue. We are human after all, living inside a human body, and our bodies eventually break down.

Even the most health-conscious individual will end up needing medical care at some point in their life. If this weren’t the case then we’d all live to infinity, without a worry in the world, living in perfect health. But that’s not how the world works. People get sick, accidents happen, and individuals find themselves in the waiting room of their doctor or hospital.

So now what? What do you do when a problem arises? How do you figure out what’s the best treatment option for you? Where do you turn for answers?

Not Even a Stroke Could Keep Me Down - My Whole Foods, Plant-Based Comeback

by guest blogger Gary Wilkerson

Gary before his whole food,
plant-based lifestyle change

In April 2004, I was working in my shop when my left arm went numb. Someone suggested I go take a nap. Shortly after, I just collapsed. I had been vegetarian since the mid 90s. I heard a friend calling 9-1-1. The fire station was across the street. A young helper soon said, "Here they come! They're here!" I never saw them. I was out. Gone. That is until 2 weeks later when I awoke in a hospital downtown Fort Worth, Texas with tubes everywhere. One doctor had written: "Prognosis: POOR" on my record.

The stroke occurred on April 16, 2004, I awoke on April 30; and on May 10 I was transferred to a horrid nursing home in Arlington, TX. Fortunately for me, the friend who called 9-1-1 visited me almost every evening or else I would have never made it. She worked hard to get me accepted by Veterans Affairs into the Transitional Care Unit, Dallas VAMC. There, the dietician said I needed dairy to replace the protein if I didn't eat meat. I agreed. I was still vegetarian at the time, but soon started giving most of it away to other veterans. I was there nearly two months from Dec 30^th to late February 2005. And what about the nursing home food before that? Well, unfortunately, I wouldn’t call it food. On most days I was brought meat on a plate when I requested not to have meat.

Gary at Canyon Lake, Texas Hill Country

The Empty Medicine Cabinet Official Book Launch!

If you’ve landed on this page looking for answers to your health questions then you’re in the right spot. My new book, The Empty Medicine Cabinet: The Pharmacist’s Guide to the Hidden Danger of Drugs and the Healing Powers of Food, is hot off the press and contains all the secrets never taught to pharmacists (or doctors) in pharmacy school (or med school). It’s time to take back your health America!

I’ve spent years researching and working in the medical field to accumulate the knowledge and information you need to get back on track should you find yourself battling a chronic disease. If you’re already in good health, then The Empty Medicine Cabinet can also be of benefit by providing the latest research in health, nutrition, and medicine and giving you a refresher course as to what truly constitutes a healthy lifestyle. You may be surprised at how much there is to learn about optimal health. I take some long-held beliefs in nutrition and medicine and dissect the science behind it all to tell you if they're really factual or myths so you can make better informed decisions about your health.

Who Should Read This Book?

This book is for anyone interested in health, or anyone who works in the healthcare field seeking a safer, more effective means to treat their patients without the side effects that medications bring to the table.

In particular, you’ll find this book helpful if you are:

• An individual wanting to live a disease-free life without the need for medication(s). There’s no reason to fear your family history. Genes do not necessarily doom your fate. You’ll find out why in The Empty Medicine Cabinet.

• A patient with a chronic disease (obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disease, cancer, kidney disease, etc.) who is frustrated with being put on a revolving door of medications with little or no results to show for it. Get ready to reduce, or possibly even eliminate, your need for medications with The Empty Medicine Cabinet!

• A medical professional who is seeking additional knowledge on how to implement lifestyle medicine and plant-based nutrition into their practice to help patients prevent, treat, and even reverse chronic disease(s). A solid array of evidence-based scientific and medical literature is provided to back up the benefits of proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices. This information is much more in depth (and practical) than what is currently offered in university programs and medical schools throughout the United States. The Empty Medicine Cabinet is ideal for physicians, pharmacists, nurses, chiropractors, naturopaths, dietitians, and many other healthcare professionals.

• An individual already living a plant-based (vegan/vegetarian) lifestyle wanting to improve their overall eating and lifestyle habits to achieve optimal health. Remember, just because it’s vegan doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy (i.e. potato chips, soda pop, French fries). 

How Can I Order the Book?

 You can learn more about The Empty Medicine Cabinet and order the book at www.TheEmptyMedicineCabinet.com/the-book/buy/.

You can also order the book from these fine retailers:

Amazon (paperback)

BarnesandNoble (paperback)

CS eStore (paperback)

Kindle (ebook)

Nook (ebook)

AppleiBooks (ebook)

Kobo (ebook)

In addition to the above, any bookstore or library, large or small, will have the ability to order paperback print editions by supplying them with the following information:

Title – The Empty Medicine Cabinet: The Pharmacist’s Guide to the Hidden Danger of Drugs and the Healing Powers of Food

Author – Dustin Rudolph, PharmD

ISBN – 978-0-9915490-1-6

Don't have an e-reading device to read my book? No problem! You can download one for free. The e-reading apps below work on most devices (desktop, laptop, tablets, etc.):

Kindle

Nook app

Apple iBooks app

Kobo app

Thank You and Help Me Spread the Word

I wish you a lifetime of excellent health and precious time spent with the ones you love. Please help me spread the word about The Empty Medicine Cabinet and let’s get this healthcare crisis turned around together.

Don’t forget, YOU are your own best weapon against sickness and disease. Half the battle is finding the right information to assist you in reaching your destination. The other half is doing it. The Empty Medicine Cabinet helps you accomplish both.

If you like what you see here then you'll LOVE our daily Facebook and Twitter posts!  Also, don't forget to sign up for  Our Free Online Mailing List  to get all the latest updates from the Plant-Based Pharmacist!

by Dustin Rudolph, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist

Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!

We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com. 

Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!

The Human Digestive Process Dissected

Did you ever wonder what happens to your food once you swallow it? We’re all familiar with the fact that we need to eat food and drink water in order for our body to function properly, but what exactly happens after that tasty piece of blackberry-peach cobbler gets swallowed?

You’re about to find out, as I share with you a series of videos detailing the basic processes and biology of the human digestive system.

Some surprising pieces of information are detailed in these videos answering some common, yet, compelling questions we may not always think about when chowing down on that plate full of food. These bits of information include:

Five Conditions Linked With Metabolic Syndrome

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

Look at the checklist below and make note if you have any of the follow conditions:

• High Triglycerides – 150 mg/dL or more.

• Low HDL Cholesterol - below 40 mg/dL for men and below 50 mg/dL for women.

• Abdominal Obesity – a waist circumference of 40” or more for men and 35” or more for women.

• High Blood Pressure – 130/85 or higher (or if you are taking high blood pressure medication).

• Elevated Fasting Blood Sugar – 100 mg/dL or more.

Fresh Mex Black Bean and Brown Rice Un-Burritos

Do you love Mexican food?

I do! I could eat Mexican cuisine everyday and die a happy man. I love my beans and rice. And salsa too. If this sounds good to you, then let me share with you one of my favorite "go-to" meals that I turn to at least once or twice a week.

It’s Easy to Start Eating Vegan! Yummy Plants 101 Book Review

Food plays a profound role in our individual lives, especially in terms of our health. It also plays a role in the future security of our planet, and all the creatures inhabiting it. It has now becoming widely known that adopting a plant-based (vegan) diet can positively impact the health and lives of all the world’s living creatures.

So how do we do it? How do you go from the typical Western diet of burgers, fries, pizza, and backyard barbecue fare to a diet of delicious, colorful, health-promoting plant foods?

Maybe you find yourself in this position. Maybe you’re ready for change. You’ve mentally determined that you are ready to make this change, but now what? Where do you turn for answers?

The Lean Meat “Health Advice” is a Big, Fat Lie and It’s Keeping America Sick

We’ve all heard it before, if you want to get healthy consume less red and processed meats and eat more lean meats (i.e. chicken, turkey, fish). Right?

Your neighbor, family members, friends, and even your doctor tell you to do this. It’s all over the media. You can’t go five minutes without hearing a commercial raving about the importance of getting enough lean protein for optimal health.

Is this true? Are chicken and fish the superfoods of proteins? How lean are these lean meats? What does this mean for you and your health?

You’ve probably pondered these questions in the past, and you’re about to find out the answers. But first, if you have questions about protein, in overall terms of the diet, then please read my article, 35 Ways to Counter the Vegan Protein Interrogation.

Boost Health With Booster Foods

Wakame Seaweed Salad

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

Booster foods are foods containing a high amount of phytonutrients which are needed to protect us from environmental toxins (car fumes, cigarette smoke, water, household cleaners), heavy metal contamination (mercury, lead, aluminum, iron, cadmium) and free radicals which damage our body’s cells. 

Below are some of the lesser known booster foods. Our defenses can be optimized by including the following booster foods in our diet:

How to Adopt a Plant-Based Lifestyle Even in the Middle of Nowhere

Adopting a healthy lifestyle can seem nearly impossible for many, especially when it comes to eating habits: I don’t have time; It’s too hard to find anything healthy; It’s too expensive.

These are just some of the excuses we throw out at some point when trying to convince ourselves that this new lifestyle is just not doable. All of these reasons can have some validity too, but only if you let them.

Vitamin B12 - Why You Should Never Go Plant-Based Without It

There are two vitamins not found naturally in plant foods⎯vitamin D and vitamin B12. Vitamin D is obtained via the sun. Not all people need to supplement with vitamin D. You can learn more about that topic in my article - Vitamin D: To Supplement or Not To Supplement?

Vitamin B12 is also absent from plant foods, at least unprocessed plant foods. It is only found in animal products such as meat, seafood, dairy products, and eggs.¹ There are many plant-based (vegan) food items which are fortified with B12⎯cereals, non-dairy milks, meat substitutes, and so forth. However, these usually come in the form of a package with many other not-so-healthy ingredients in them so they’re not always the best choice.

So who cares about vitamin B12? Why make such a big deal out of it?

9 Cancers That are Increased by Drinking Alcohol (Even in Moderation)

It’s been a long day at work, you’re tired, and nothing beats an ice-cold drink to wash away all of life’s stresses. Sound familiar? Many in today’s world love to unwind by having a drink or two at the end of their evening.

We commonly refer to this as casual or social drinking, being a light drinker, or drinking in moderation. Whatever you label it, there are some serious health risks that go along with this type of drinking. Namely, cancer.

Yes, I just said the ‘C’ word. While we’ve known for decades that heavy, chronic alcohol consumption leads to liver disease, including cirrhosis of the liver, our society is not as familiar with the fact that even light drinking* can lead to severe health consequences too.¹

3 Myths of Consuming "Healthy" Oils

Olive oil is heart healthy. Coconut oil performs miracles. Flaxseed oil is a healthy source of omega-3s. These are the health claims purported in internet articles and scientific articles across the globe with these oils and others.

Are they true? Do these oils actually come through as the end-all, cure-all for all our aches and pains? Can heart disease really be cured by simply consuming large amounts of olive oil in the diet? Does coconut oil reverse Alzheimer's disease?

The health claims associated with oils are tempting, but don't believe the hype. Today you are going to learn the answers to these questions and more as I break down three common myths purported as truths when it comes to "healthy" oils. You will also learn about fat in the human diet and how much is actually needed in order to maintain a finely-tuned human machine.

Overcome Overweight

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

According to Business Week Magazine, dieting in America is a $40 billion a year industry. For a majority of Americans, these diets don’t work and are a waste of money. People are looking for a quick fix, and when it comes to permanent weight loss, a quick fix won’t fix the problem of overweight. 

In fact, the quick fix diet can do more harm than good. When too few calories are eaten, muscle mass is reduced and much of the weight loss is water. Once off the diet, the body can go into a starvation response, leading to a weight gain of only fat. The American Psychological Association reviewed 31 diet studies and after two years, found up to a third of the dieters weighed more than when they began the diet.¹ Repeated failure at weight loss gives us a sense of failure and little hope of successful weight loss.

Dear Drug Company: Thanks, but I'll Pass on the Free Food

During pharmacy school, my classmates and I were promised a future with seemingly endless streams of cash - $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

In fact, I remember on several occasions when one of my pharmacy professors would bring this up in a joking, yet lighthearted manner each time we'd face a grueling assignment or exhaustive exam in his class. "Just remember, you make lots o' money one day as pharmacist," he'd say in his fun-loving, Southeast Asian accent, as he rubbed his index finger and thumb together towards us. He meant well and was a very nice man, one of our class favorites actually. He always seemed to make things more bearable while going through academic torture during those tough years in pharmacy school.

The Calcium Myth - More Is Not Better

Adopting a healthier lifestyle leads to a lot of questions. Adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet as part of a healthy lifestyle leads to even more questions. Aside from the question of, How do you get enough protein?, the question of How do you get enough calcium? is usually next on the minds of others.

Getting enough calcium without consuming dairy products can seem like an impossible feat for those unfamiliar with the science behind calcium and human nutritional needs. It's not as complex or difficult as it may seem though. Unfortunately, the dairy industry has marketed immense fear into the minds of both healthcare professionals and lay people that a severe calcium deficiency will unfold if you don't consume their products. This is not true. Allow me to explain.

The Role of Calcium in the Human Body

Calcium plays several roles in the human body besides its responsibilities in maintaining strong, healthy bones. Calcium helps regulate muscles contractions, blood clotting, cell to cell signaling, and proper functioning of the nervous system (nerve impulse transmissions) [1,2]. While less than one percent of calcium is used for non-skeletal functions, greater than ninety-nine percent of calcium can be found hard at work in the bones. Calcium provides our skeletal system with the strength it needs to support the human frame. Without it, we'd be limp noodles unable to stand up and walk around upright. Calcium is definitely a vital mineral.

Sugar Wars

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

A war going on in the courtroom between competitors you may not be aware of. Both parties are trying to convince you they are right and are fiercely competing for your dollars.

This is not just a sweet disagreement between two competitors. The Western Sugar Cooperative, which represents sugar growers and processors and the Corn Refiners Association, representing high fructose corn syrup manufacturers including Archer-Daniels Midland and Cargill, are in an all-out high stakes battle. In addition, each have spent millions of dollars on lobbying lawmakers in Washington, each attempting to discredit the other.

It’s a battle between the sugar industry and the corn refiners. And the stakes are high. We unknowingly eat a lot of sugar -150 pounds of sugar per year per person according to the USDA. (Picture thirty 5# bags of sugar in your cupboard!) Impossible you say? A form of sugar is present in nearly all packaged foods as well as in foods you may not think have added sugar including ketchup, yogurt, peanut butter, salad dressing, canned vegetables, and frozen foods.

The Plant-Based Pharmacist on Hawk Health Hour Radio Show

Recently, I had the pleasure of being Joel Chudnow's special guest on his weekly radio show, Hawk Health Hour. Joel has done over 800 health radio show segments to date and is very passionate about wholistic health.

Joel and I had a lot of fun during the show and hope it is entertaining and informative. Topics discussed were my upbringing in rural Montana, my pharmacy background, and a look into some of the most common chronic diseases that affect a wide spectrum of the population such as heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and more.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

**Note** - Joel asked me about supplements at the end of the show. We had only a few minutes left. I did not get a chance to mention that I encourage and recommend that those on a plant-based diet take a Vitamin B12 daily. Other than that, supplements have not been shown to make a meaningful or significant difference in improving chronic diseases and overall health. What's more, some supplements increase your risk of cancer. To learn more check out my webpage - Supplement Wisely.

Heart Health - Statins vs Diet

February is American Heart Month and everybody is going red in support of building healthy hearts. There's fundraisers, walks for the cure, and even activities to teach kids about healthy hearts. While these events are a great way to raise money and awareness for cardiovascular disease, many of them fall far short of spreading the message that truly needs to be heard to rid ourselves of this devastating disease.

The video below is a portion of my lecture on using drugs vs diet for the prevention, treatment, and reversal of cardiovascular disease. I discuss the evidence-based data from clinical trials on both treatment approaches allowing you to see how well (or not) each approach works in tackling the number one killer in the world—cardiovascular disease.

Become a Certified CHIP (Complete Health Improvement Program) Facilitator

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

If you read Dustin’s “Pursue a Healthy You” on a regular basis, you are one of the thousands of people seeking good scientifically-proven information to educate yourself on what you can do to regain or preserve your good health. If you would like to share your passion for health and wellness with others, now you can.

CHIP (Complete Health Improvement Program) is a wellness program that teaches people how to make better lifestyle choices to slow down, stop, and reverse many chronic diseases as well as maintain good health.

Published in more than 20 peer-reviewed medical journals, CHIP is a results-based wellness video program facilitated at workplaces and in communities.  With over 50,000 graduates, CHIP has shown people how to have the “best life” through good health.

Type 1 Diabetes - Avoiding Dairy Is Key To Prevention

Diabetes is a very serious and complex disease. It carries with it several other complications during its progression including increased risks of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, blindness, neuropathy (nerve damage), serious skin infections (i.e. gangrene) leading to lower limb amputations, and even premature death [1]. Needless to say, it’s not something to take lightly.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type, but type 1 diabetes accounts for 5%-10% of all cases worldwide [2]. Type 1 diabetes is most commonly diagnosed during childhood. Hence, the term juvenile-onset diabetes. It is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes because it requires lifelong insulin therapy. Its prevalence has been increasing worldwide, and it also affects many in the United States. It is believed to affect 1 in 300 children by the age of eighteen in America.

The diagnosis of type 1 diabetes typically increases in incidence from birth to early teen years, peaking at ages 10-14. However, it can also develop in adults, specifically for those in their late 30’s and early 40’s.

Loving Your Liver

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

I would guess all of us have read something recently about heart disease, obesity, high cholesterol, exercise, type II diabetes, weight loss programs, or the latest superfoods. Anyone read anything about the liver lately? Thought not. Although the liver is a topic not often written about, it is an amazing organ that sadly doesn’t get the publicity it is due.

The Chinese call the liver “the father of all organs” for a very good reason. The responsibilities of the liver are too numerous to mention here - over 500! Just to name a few, at this moment our liver is cleaning our blood, regulating blood clotting, converting fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into energy and nutrients, and helping our body to resist infection. It is regulating many of our body’s functions including that of cholesterol, the supply of essential vitamins and minerals, and the balance of many hormones. It is producing bile that breaks down fats and is eliminating fat-soluble toxins and excess hormones.

The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide - Book Review

As 2014 gets underway so do the goals of many individuals finally promising to make good on adopting healthier lifestyle habits. This is the year that you’re going to get fit and drop the extra pounds you always wanted to. You’re tired of being tired and sick of being sick. You know that diet and exercise are your keys to success, but where do you start?

With so much confusion on what constitutes a healthy diet it can be a huge undertaking to say the least to sort it all out. Thankfully, Holly Yzquierdo has already done this for you in her new ebook The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide: How To Cook, Shop and Eat Well. I had the pleasure of reading Holly’s newly released book recently and wanted to share my thoughts.