Blog

There is something humbling about becoming the patient when you have spent your life caring for others as a physician. You can have all the degrees on the wall, years of experience, and medical knowledge in the world, but the moment you are lying in a hospital bed after surgery, everything changes. Recovery becomes personal. Pain becomes real in a different way. And suddenly, all the advice you have given patients for years takes on a whole new meaning. After...Read More

For more than two decades, I treated patients with hypertension while quietly managing my own diagnosis of high blood pressure. As a family physician, I understood the guidelines, the medications, and the risks. But despite doing many of the “right” things, including staying active, maintaining a healthy weight, and later transitioning to a plant-based diet, my blood pressure remained difficult to control. Eventually, after years of searching for answers, I was diagnosed with a condition called Primary Hyperaldosteronism, also known...Read More

For more than two decades, I treated patients with hypertension while quietly managing my own diagnosis of high blood pressure. As a family physician, I understood the guidelines, the medications, and the risks. But despite doing many of the “right” things, including staying active, maintaining a healthy weight, and later transitioning to a plant-based diet, my blood pressure remained difficult to control. Eventually, after years of searching for answers, I was diagnosed with a condition called Primary Hyperaldosteronism, also known...Read More

What if one of the most powerful tools we have to improve our health… could also help protect the planet? It may sound like a bold claim, but it’s one I’ve come to believe deeply—not just as a physician, but as someone who has spent years helping people transform their health through what’s on their plate. The truth is, the same dietary patterns that help prevent and manage chronic disease are also among the most sustainable for our environment. The...Read More

When most people pick up a product at the grocery store, they assume the ingredients inside have been carefully reviewed for safety. It’s a reasonable assumption. But a recent investigation revealed something many consumers would find surprising: more than 100 chemical substances have been added to foods, drinks, and supplements in the United States without review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As a physician who has spent more than two decades caring for patients and now focuses...Read More

A growing body of research suggests that some of the food preservatives used in everyday foods, specially ultra-processed items such as deli meats, bacon, ready-to-eat meals, packaged snacks, and even some cereals, may be linked to a higher risk of developing certain cancers when consumed in larger amounts over time. This doesn’t mean preservatives cause cancer outright, but it does raise important questions that are relevant for how we plan meals and think about everyday food choices. Table of ContentsWhat...Read More

The recent controversy at Campbell’s, sparked by recordings of a senior executive calling their products highly processed made for “poor people” and how he himself wouldn’t eat them because they are not healthy, hit a nerve for many people. And honestly? It should. As a board-certified family physician turned culinary educator, I’ve spent my entire career helping people understand how food affects their health. And one thing I know for sure is this: When leaders in the food industry talk...Read More

Shorter days, darker afternoons, holiday plans, and packed calendars… all of it can make your energy feel like it’s on loan. If you’ve noticed more afternoon fatigue, fogginess, or a slump in motivation as daylight shrinks, you’re not imagining things: our bodies respond to light, routine, food, and stress. The good news? Small changes, the kind you can do from your kitchen, bedtime, or living room can add up fast to boost energy natually. Below are practical, science-forward, and easy-to-use...Read More

Menopause and the years leading into it (perimenopause) bring powerful changes: to sleep, mood, weight, skin, bones, and of course, hormones. As a physician who now teaches people how to use food as medicine, I’m frequently asked: “What should I actually eat to feel better during this transition?” Below are the five plant-based foods for Hormone Health we discussed on the Instagram Live with Dr. LaKeischa, why they matter for hormone health, and simple ways to include them in your...Read More

Menopause is more than hot flashes and sleep shifts. It’s a time of hormonal change that affects your whole body, including your gut.  Emerging research shows the gut microbiome plays a surprising role in how we feel emotionally during midlife. If you’re noticing low-grade anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, or fatigue as your hormones change, your gut may be part of the story and the kitchen is where you can start to help it. Below I explain the science in...Read More