Our first mission is nutrition education. Read recent articles about Optimal Health subjects. http://www.NaturalGrocers.com en-us http://www.naturalgrocers.com/rssfeed.php?topic=Optimal Health 2009-11-19 Despite the worldwide economic recession, one type of business seems to be profiting: candy shops. Most of us have our comfort foods. It may be chicken soup, a slice of pizza, or a chunk of chocolate. A recent article in the New York Times repo ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=341 2009-11-19 Vitamin D plays diverse and profound roles in health -- it lowers the risk of weak muscles and bones, cancer, heart disease, and depression. But the latest -- and very troubling -- news is that the average blood levels of vitamin D among Americans ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=340 2009-10-12 The gluten-intolerant diet should be based on healthy, simple foods like meat and poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. But when you have a craving for pasta, pizza, or baked goods that typically use gluten-based flours, there ar ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=321 2009-10-12 Could gluten be wreaking havoc in your gut? Lately you may have noticed a surge of gluten-free products showing up on store shelves -- gluten-free breads, cookies and crackers, gluten-free vitamins, and even gluten-free body care products. Ther ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=320 2009-10-13 Before I start this discussion I must confess I have omitted discussing vitamin D and osteoporosis. Most practitioners consider Vitamin D as an essential ingredient in any treatment plan for osteoporosis to the degree I take it for granted and would li ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=318 2009-09-30 One of the least appreciated aspects of nutrition involves the body\'s acid-alkaline balance, or pH. Some foods, such as grains and meats, lead to an acidic pH. Other foods, including all fresh fruits and vegetables, lead to either a neutral or s ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=312 2009-09-30 Many people remain skeptical of a clear body-mind connection -- that our life experiences and emotions can have a profound effect on our hard-wired biology. While animal studies have clearly shown that a mother\'s style of nurturing can affect he ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=310 2009-07-23 Why eat food? Food is the best source of nutrients necessary for proper growth, disease prevention, and to achieve our maximum potential. Without adequate amounts of these nutrients, our brains and bodies cannot functional properly, immunity is comprom ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=145 2009-07-27 Do you ever feel frazzled or stressed out? Have you been dealing with allergies or asthma? How about mood swings? Do you feel fatigued, experience headaches, suffer from insomnia, or find it hard to lose weight? What about cravings for salty or sugary ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=110 2009-06-22 Nutrition education has always been one of the cornerstones of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage\'s business philosophy. We believe that in order for people to achieve optimal health, the resources must be available for them to educate themselves to ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=94 2009-06-22 Several years ago I wrote about a disturbing example of what George Orwell called \"double-think\" -- holding simultaneous contradictory views. At the time I focused on mammography, which has often been promoted for \"preventing\" ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=81 2009-06-15 Recent medical headlines have eagerly touted the so-called health benefits of statins -- Crestor and other cholesterol-lowering drugs -- even for people with normal cholesterol levels. These headlines were based on results from the JUPITER trial ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=78 2009-06-14 Recently there have been a handful of studies criticizing the use of vitamin supplements to prevent or cure disease. These studies, though they are few compared to the studies touting the benefits of vitamins, have made national headline news -- Mu ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=77 2009-05-15 Until recently it\'s been a scientific mystery why the French, who are known for indulging in fat-laden meals, have such clean bills of heart health. Scientists now suspect that the red wine on French tables -- specifically the resveratrol found i ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=64 2009-05-03 According to organizations devoted to protecting the environment, including the Sierra Club and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), we are exposed to literally tens of thousands of chemicals and contaminants every day. In fact, the EPA esti ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=59 2009-04-13 Vitamin D is on the fast-track toward nutritional sainthood -- that is, of being declared a miracle vitamin. Indeed, the research shows that vitamin D is required for healthy bones and to maintain the skeletal muscles that hold our bones in place. It he ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=49 2009-04-03 Vitamin D can protect the heart, lower the risk of some cancers, treat seasonal affective disorder, and much more, but most people aren't getting optimal levels of this essential vitamin. A supplement that could significantly cut the risk of develo ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=45 2009-03-30 If you\'d like to live to a ripe old age, you might make sure you're getting at least 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily. Three new studies have found that people with high blood levels of vitamin D are less likely to die from any cause, including heart di ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=44 2009-03-23 Diets high in omega-6 fats increase the risk of breast cancer in women, but heterocyclic amines -- byproducts created by cooking meat and fish at high temperatures -- do not, according to a study by Swedish researchers. Emily Sonestedt, PhD, of Lund ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=33 2009-03-23 Leading up to the recent election, the major American political parties often talked about \"staying on message\" - that is, remaining focused on repeating their particular issues, whether about the economy or the war in Iraq. The same concept ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=30 2009-03-09 This meal incorporates several great bonebuilding foods and makes enough to serve a family of four. Better yet, the total cost is just under $20. To boost the bone-building potential of this meal serve it with mineral water garnished with fresh lemo ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=27 2009-03-10 You know it\'s important to have strong bones, but do you know how to build and maintain them? Sorry, your morning glass of milk doesn\'t count. Furthermore, do you know the lifestyle, medical, and dietary factors that may weaken your bones? Unfort ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=24 2009-02-23 All the choices in the supplement aisles -- generally a good thing -- can occasionally make for some difficult decisions. For example, I can think of at least 10 different supplements that support joint health...and another 10 that support cardiovascula ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=15 2009-02-09 Giving antioxidants to severely injured trauma patients significantly increases their chances of survival, according to a study at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee. Bryan A. Cotton, MD, and his colleagues treated 2,272 ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=9 2009-02-09 Ads touting the benefits of particular hospitals are common in big city newspapers, but on a recent day, I was struck by the sheer number of full-page ads for hospitals. In particular, one ad read: "For a healthy heart...eat properly, exercise daily and ... http://www.naturalgrocers.com/health_article.php?article=5