The Doctor Cooks

Selecting a Water Purification System

A version of this article originally appeared in my February 2007 column in the Kansas City Wellness Magazine, www.kcwellnessmagazine.com.

Purifying your drinking water can be the most significant step you can make towards improving your health.  Good cooks know it makes a difference in way food tastes.  Municipal water supplies remove pathogenic bacteria and virus from the water and keep other pollutants at levels determined to be acceptable by the U.S. government.   It still contains elements that can be detrimental to your health. 

Chlorine is one of them.  It is used to remove the bacteria and viruses.  Chlorine itself is a poison. It reacts with organic matter in the water, such as dirt and leaves to produce tri-halomethanes, a type of VOC.  These chemicals cause cancer in minute amounts. 

Another is fluoride.  Wait, did I say fluoride?  You bet! 

A Pan that Lets Cooks Forget Teflon

I ditched my teflon skillets years ago when I learned that the "fl" in Teflon meant flourine.  A known neurotoxin, it can leach into food from the tiniest imperfections or scrapes in the coating.  Today Teflon concerns are big news, leaving cooks wondering what to use instead.  Here, New York Times reporter Marian Burros shares her insights.  Read on>>>

Cooking Under Pressure

I’m often asked how I find time to cook.  My answer has two parts.  First, healthy delicious food is essential for my well-being, so cooking usually comes first on my to-do list.  Also, I find nothing more relaxing, creative or satisfying than trying a new dish or savoring an old favorite.  Second, I use a pressure cooker.  The usual response I get is, “The ones that explode?”  Not exactly.