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It is time to take control of our physical and mental health. Diseases in our children continue to rise. Did you know that there are more than 7 million over weight/obese children in the USA.

This means our children are not eating properly and not exercising enough, which absolutely leads to childhood and adulthood diseases and low self esteem.

How many more antibiotics and vaccines are we going to create to fight off childhood diseases. 93 % of our healthcare dollars are spent on treatment and only 7 % is spent on the prevention. My 27 years of being a Pediatrician has made it very clear to me how important it is to fuel our body with the correct nutrients (proper diet, vitamins and supplements) along with proper exercise in order to live a life that is full and one of quality.

What is a vitamin/mineral?

They are key nutrients in specific concentration based on age that are essential for our bodies, organs and immune system to function properly, especially our brains. Children, adolescents and adults do not get enough of these in their diets. There are so many vitamins that one can choose, but after years of research I recommend the ones produced by Nutrametrix (a 17 yr old company). Because of its unique isotonic delivering system, these liquid vitamins/minerals rapidly bypass the stomach, which results in 95%-98% absorption by the small intestine. There are no other products that I know of that have this ability. There are ones made for children, adolescents and adults.

What is an antioxidant (IE: OPC)?

Throughout the day our body regretfully produces substances called free radicals. If not eliminated by the body these free radicals over time (starting in childhood) cause severe damage to our blood vessels, skin and body organs resulting in diabetes, heart disease, cancer, childhood/adult asthma/allergies, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, visual disturbance, premature aging and arthritis this is just to name a few. Antioxidants are critical in controlling and preventing these diseases. Our bodies do not produce enough antioxidants to control these free radicals. I strongly believe everyone should be on an antioxidant starting from the age of 2. This will give our body the best chance of preventing many of the above diseases and promotes optimal health.

What is Omega 3?

These are essential fatty acids. (good fats: poly and monounsaturated fats) that promote overall cardiovascular  health, healthy blood pressure levels, healthy cholesterol levels, bone and joint flexibility, enhance ones  mood, control allergy and asthma symptoms and most importantly enhances weight loss efforts.

Foods high in Omega 3 are wild salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, herring, flaxseed, walnuts, olive and canola oils.

Most Americans cannot eat enough of the necessary foods to maintain adequate levels of Omega 3. The most effective way to achieve optimal levels of Omega 3 is through supplementation with high quality fish oil/Omega 3.

When choosing an Omega 3 supplement it is important to contain the proper levels of EPA/DHA. We should be getting between 1.5 – 3 grams EPA/DHA a day from our high quality oil.

For more information on the above or other important natural supplements like a natural sleep medication, green vegetables in a powder form, vitamin C, digestive enzyme supplement for children with bowel issues and special vitamins for children with ADHD and Autism, please either speak to one of our Doctor’s or ask our staff for written material . These products are available for purchase through our offices or you can order them from the web site and they will be shipped directly to your home.

What is a Calorie?

What is a calorie? This question is far to overlooked. If you do not know what a calorie is it is going to be extremely difficult to lose weight so let’s first define it. A calorie is simply a unit of energy. Yes, when you are eating a fruit containing 100 calories you are consuming 100 units of energy. If you eat two slices of pizza containing 1200 calories you are consuming 1200 units of energy. So, lets say on a given day you consumed 3200 calories or units of energy and through your daily activities and exercise ( and you better be exercising) you burned 2700 calories or units of energy. That will leave you with a difference of 500 calories, agreed? Good! Note: Energy cannot be created nor destroyed it can only be transformed from one form to another. Knowing this, what do you think happens to the excess 500 calories that you consumed for that day. It is plain and simple people-It gets stored as fat. Note: One pound of fat is made up of 3500 calories. Knowing this –if you are in excess of 500 calories everyday for an entire week what did you just do? You just gained a pound of fat. (500 excess calories per day multiplied by 7 days in a week equals 3500 calories equals a pound of fat). Are you getting the idea yet? Let me break it down in more of a long term scenario. Let’s say, you on average are in excess of 100 calories per day. Which is extremely easy thing to do. Over the course of a year that amounts to an excess of 36,500 calories (100 calories per day multiplied by 365 days in a year).  Divide that number 36,500 by 3500 calories contained in each pound of fat and you just gained 10 and ½ pounds of fat simply by going over your recommended calorie allotment 100 calories per day. That is how sensitive the human body is! 100 calories a day-that’s 10 ounces of soda, an apple, or a low fat yogurt. That is how simple it is to gain fat. And it does not matter where that excess 100 calories come from. It can come from any of the macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) once you go over calorie allotment for the day those excess calories will be stored as fat!!!  In addition, trying to eat healthy and watch what you eat isn’t always easy. Labels are misleading and confusing. Some foods labels with health claims like reduced fat, and reduce sodium, or good source of fiber may actually be unhealthy for you. Next time you are in the canned food isle look at a can of reduce sodium chicken noodle soup, the amount of sodium may shock you.  And now about those 100 calorie packs snacks? If it is only a 100 calories of crackers, or cookies how could it be bad for me? Many times these 100 calorie packs are empty calories and contain high amounts of sugar and processed white flower. Not all calories and carbohydrates are created equally.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are caloric nutrients containing four calories per gram. They are the body’s # 1 source of energy, especially during exercise. They also help regulate digestion and utilization of proteins and fats. Good Carbohydrates versus bad Carbohydrates. Stay away from white flour (donuts, wonder bread, pastas, and white rice), processed foods (Kraft Mac and Cheese, kid’s t TV dinners, Twinkies, and foods without an expiration date), white sugar, high fructose corn syrup (which used to be only found in soft drinks and now is everywhere). Since processed grain (i.e.: wonder bread) and sugars are refined they are absorbed by the body very quickly and tend to spike blood sugar levels, resulting in weight gain and likely energy crashes. Instead, look for natural unprocessed foods with high amounts of fiber. For example, dark green leafy veggies, kidney beans, apples, pecans, blueberry, barley, whole oats, whole grains are high in fiber. If you enjoy oatmeal in the mornings make sure it’s steel cut whole oats (from a can) and not the instant stuff you find in a bag. If you are eating grains, remember whole grains are usually better than white, but be careful that your whole grains don’t have added sugars or high fructose corn syrup (you will be surprised how many do). Whole grains, vegetables, lean meats and many kinds of fruits have low to moderate impact on blood sugar levels. These types of food are low on the Glycemic index.

Glycemic Index and Its Importance

The Glycemic Index is a number rating between 1 and 100 that measures the impact of food on blood sugar levels. The Glycemic index measures how long it takes for the body to convert carbohydrates into glucose. The quicker the food is converted into glucose the higher the ranking on the Glycemic index. The impact on blood sugar levels is defined by the time and duration of the foods increase on blood sugar. The foods you choose will directly impact your health and weight. Choosing foods that are low on the Glycemic index will provide your body with a steady of energy, increase mental focus, and a healthy weight. Some examples of foods that are low Glycemic are dark green leafy vegetables, yams, sweet potatoes, oranges, berries, grapefruit, whole grains, whole oats, lentils, beans and natural almonds just to name a few.

On the other hand, when you consume a food that is considered high Glycemic, glucose enters the blood stream very quickly triggering the production of insulin. Define Insulin. Insulin escorts glucose and protein to the cell where it can be used to produce energy. Over time, when insulin has to continually be produced quickly in large amounts, the quality of the insulin produced decreases. The lower quality insulin and the glucose it is carrying is rejected by the muscle and is not used as energy. Instead the glucose is stored as fat. The high blood glucose levels are directly correlated to what is considered “fat storage mode” where the body stores the energy as fat.

What are proteins?

Protein is a calorie nutrient containing= 4 calories per gram.

Protein contains the major building blocks of the body, amino acids. There are two types of amino acids, essential and non essential amino acids. Essential elements, in this case amino acids, cannot be produced by the body and must be consumed through the diet. Being the building blocks of the body protein is necessary for building and maintaining cell membranes, muscles and other tissues. Proteins provide energy and help maintain a quality immune system. There are many different sources of food that contain protein, the most common source in the typical American diets are meats. Other sources to consider are nuts, lentils and beans. Animal proteins should be eaten in moderation because of their tendency to cause inflammation and the presence of saturated fats. When choosing your animal proteins avoid boxed luncheon meats, processed meats, such as salami, pepperoni, and bacon. One should also eat red meats in moderation (less than 1-2 times a week). For healthier sources of proteins consider some nuts, lentils, beans, tuna, salmon, lean meats (turkey and skinless chicken breast). Make sure you get your protein from lean sources, (remove visible fat).

What is fat?

Fat is a caloric nutrient containing nine calories per gram as opposed to carbohydrates and proteins which yield only four.  Fats get a lot of bad press and most people are unsure as to why. They are blamed for being the main contributor to excess weight gain and much of the negative publicity should be directed at certain types of fats. The truth of the matter is that fats, also called lipids, play a vital role for maintaining healthy skin, hair, insulating organs, maintaining body temperature and promoting healthy functioning of cells. Fats also act as a transport vehicle for important vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and k.

Fats contain essential fatty acids that perform a variety of the functions mentioned earlier. When considering the dietary sources of fat it is important to note the four different types of fats. The four different types of fates are saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and trans fats. Both saturated and trans fats are the ones that should be avoided. Your diet should contain 0 grams of trans fats also known as hydrogenated oil. Trans fats or hydrogenated oil as its found in the ingredient label, are chemically manufactured by food producers to keep foods moist and fresh as they sit on the shelves and do not occur in nature. Much of the research conducted on trans fatty acids concluded they contribute to cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and hypertension by lowering HDL (good cholesterol levels) and block a very important anti-inflammatory pathway. The amount of saturated fats in ones diets should also be limited. Less that 33% of fat in your diet should be from saturated fats. Saturated fats are found in meats, dairy and processed foods. Saturated fats are fats that are solid at room temperature. These types of fats raise blood cholesterol and have been linked to increase your risk for both heart disease and stroke.

That leaves us with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that are both liquid at room temperature and are found in vegetable oils, avocado and nuts. These sources should be where the majority of your fats come from. Some fish such as salmon, sardines, and anchovies also contain good essential fatty acids called Omega 3’s. Omega 3’s will be discussed further in the next section. Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can lower LDL (bad cholesterol). However, while monounsaturated fats maintain good HDL cholesterol too many polyunsaturated fats can actually lower the protective HDL cholesterol. Sources of unsaturated fats include olive oil, soybean, canola, sunflower, sesame, cottonseed and soybean oils.

Overeating any of these macronutrients will result in weight gain. They all play a huge role in human body functions that is why they are called MACRO nutrients. Macro meaning large, of large importance to the body. You need them all and a good place to start is 60% of food coming from carbohydrates, 25% coming from protein and 15% coming from fat.

Fundamental of healthy eating/weight reduction:

  • Low Glycemic index (GI) foods which maintain optimal blood glucose levels.
  • Balance of healthy carbs (65%), proteins (25%) and fats (15%)
  • Choosing the right fats. (i.e.: fish, nuts, oils)
  • Eating more frequently; 4-6 smaller healthy meals
  • Plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, berries and other natural foods.
  • Decrease consumption of junk foods, candy, processed foods, white breads, rice, potatoes.
  • 20-30 grams of fiber per day
  • A reasonable amount of weight to lose is 1 pound per week.
  • No more than 16 ounces of skim milk per day.
  • No more than 8 ounces of fruit juices a day.(Berry Juices with no added sugars)
  • Baked, broiled or steam your foods.
  • Salad dressings: olive oil mixed with herbs and spices.
  • Snacks: raw vegetables, fruits, butter free popcorn


Its summer time the temperature is rising and you just got done mowing the lawn. As you walk into the house to get a drink, you open up the refrigerator door, and there you have, Diet Soda, Soda, and Gatorade.

Which one should you drink?

Diet Soda and Soda are loaded with sodium, which will make you even thirstier.  So you will have to drink more to quench your thirst. Soda and Diet Soda also contains Phosphoric Acid.  Phosphoric Acid has a sour taste. To combat the sour taste, a lot of sugar is added, or sugar substitute. The Phosphoric Acid strips the body calcium and eats away the enamel on your teeth. So when your parent use to tell you that candy (liquid candy) rots your teeth they were right. In some U.S State, the police carry around 2 gallons of Soda with them.  They use Soda to clean blood off the road after deadly car accidents. Why? The Phosphoric Acid in the Soda is safe to the touch, but will eat a way the blood over 2-3 day period. Another good use of Soda is it can clean the corrosion from a car battery. Thirsty yet!!!!

So you tell me you Drink Diet Soda because it is better, or calorie free. Diet Soda does have fewer calories, but still contains sodium and sodium helps your body hold on to water. Any easy way to drop a few pounds is to stop drinking diet Soda. The reduction of sodium will help get rid of a few unwanted water weight pounds. Now, drinking Diet Soda may just be worst then the real thing.

More Diet Drinks, More Weight Gain

For regular soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese is:

26% for up to 1/2 can each day

30.4% for ½ to one can each day

32.8% for 1 to 2 cans each day

47.2% for more than 2 cans each day


36.5% for up to ½ can each day

37.5% for ½ to one can each day

54.5% for 1 to 2 cans each day

57.1% for more than 2 cans each day

The reasons behind, the higher percentages, is with Soda you are getting calories that are satisfying a craving. With Diet Soda you are having something that is sweet but without the calories. Your body is still looking for those calories, so you will still feel the need to fulfill the craving (eating food).

The Diet in Diet Soda

The word “diet” means what constitutes the usual food and drink of a person. The most important part of that sentence is “usual” – not “diet.” To sustain a healthy weight and a healthy body, you need to support your body’s natural balance. Chemicals and caffeine don’t do this, no matter what the soda manufacturers tell you.

“Gatorade- is it in you”

Says the ads on TV. On doing research for this article I found nothing that will tell you that Gatorade is bad for you. I will tell you that Gatorade is not great for you. If I ran 10 miles a day or bike 30 miles a day Gatorade is good for you. You need to replace all that was lost during the time of extreme exercising. Gatorade is an easy way to do that. On the other hand if I’m a couch potato Gatorade is the devil, all those extra calories you’re putting into your body that you don’t need. If you’re watching what you eat and trying to follow a healthy meal plan Gatorade will not be in there simply because of the extra calories. Giving your children Gatorade while watching TV will only help to increase there waist line. Am I saying not to drink Gatorade, no Gatorade is a sports drink and should only be taken when a person has been active.

Water just rocks and nothing can beat water. Water is a giver and will take nothing away from you. So if you want to live a healthier better life try to increase your water intake, make sure you’re getting 6-8 glasses a day, especially before meals.


  • Appreciate the food
  • Engage all six senses
  • Serve in Modest Portions
  • Savor small bites and chew thoroughly (goal: 20 chews/swallow)
  • Eat slowly
  • Don’t skip meals
  • Eat foods that are healthy for your body and the planet
  • Eat till 80% full


Hospital Affiliations

  • Bayfront Health Brooksville Hospital
  • Bayfront Health Spring Hill Hospital
  • All Children's Hospital (St. Petersburg)

New Patient Packet

  • Detoxing Adolescents and Adults off Opiates
  • Expertise in Psychiatry for Adults and Children
  • Allergy Testing: With ability to do home allergy shots

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