Holistic Health Tips from Brooklyn Chiropractor Dr. Donna Sergi

What are the pros and cons of dieting to lose weight? The biggest myth about dieting is the belief that if the amount of calories you consume equals the amount of calories that you burn then you will not gain weight. The belief is that if you decrease the amount of calories you consume then you will lose weight. This is partially true.  Yes! You will lose weight.  But you will pay for it later. After about four weeks your weight loss will stop or lessen or you might actually begin to gain the weight that you lost. Why?  Due to the severe decrease in calories your body thinks it is starving and will begin to slow down its metabolism. In other words you will begin to burn less calories. In some cases you will feel fatigued, have difficulty thinking and stop losing weight.  Your weight becomes a yo-yo, up and down.  I always say to my patients that the first three letters of diet is DIE.   When you diet or severely decrease your calories you are disru...

Talk of the health benefits of fermented foods has been making headlines in recent months, as though the concept is something new in the world of food. However, did you know that numerous cultures were consuming fermented foods long before probiotics became the magnificent stars they are today? The concept of food fermentation actually began centuries ago as a way to preserve foods. As people began to experience the assortment of unique flavors that accompanied food fermentation, however, the process became popular as a way to add variety to one's diet. In recent years, fermentation enthusiasts have begun to bring new life to the ancient world of food fermentation with their recent discoveries of the health benefits that accompany fermented foods. Probiotics Studies have shown that eating fermented foods actually introduces probiotics, or beneficial bacteria, into your digestive system. This increases digestibility, improves bowel health and reduces inflammation in your gut. An...