health

Are Ultra-Processed Foods Making the Weight Loss Struggle More Real? Definitely.

June 2, 2019 By Dr. Ed McDonald Leave a Comment

Why is the weight loss struggle so real?

I grapple with this question every time I see someone in my weight management clinic. Is the difficulty due to the foods we’re eating? Is exercise ineffective? Are some people genetically destined to have a hard time losing weight?

The answers to all of these questions are complex, variable, and poorly understood. However, a recent study in Cell Metabolism suggests that ultra-processed foods may play a pivotal role in the “weight loss struggle.“

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Dr. Ed McDonald

I am a physician and trained chef. I specialize in gastroenterology and nutrition. Currently I work as the Associate Director of Adult Nutrition at the University of Chicago.

7 Reasons to Look at This Sh*t—What Your Poop Says About Your Health

July 8, 2018 By Dr. Ed McDonald 13 Comments

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As a gastroenterologist, I talk sh*t for a living. There’s no exaggeration or hyperbole here. I go to work every day and talk to people about poop. Sounds crass? It shouldn’t—please forgive me. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to help people deal with serious issues. Talking about stools is often the first step in identifying a problem with your intestines. From my perspective, it’s odd the that old English word for defecation is a curse word. It’s like we’ve been conditioned to avoid talking about a normal bodily function. Ironically, our society is becoming more open about what goes down in the bedroom—what goes down or doesn’t go down in the bathroom remains off limits.

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Dr. Ed McDonald

I am a physician and trained chef. I specialize in gastroenterology and nutrition. Currently I work as the Associate Director of Adult Nutrition at the University of Chicago.

You need to stop ‘chippin’: 5 reasons you should consider eating less potato chips

September 17, 2017 By Dr. Ed McDonald 28 Comments

Why are potato chips ridiculously delicious and addictive?

Yes, I’m a doctor, but I’m not a liar. People LOVE potato chips. I used to love chips like Common used to love H.E.R. (“I met this chip when I was 8 years old…”). For years, I was a chip connoisseur—that’s a more refined way of saying, ‘I was a chip addict.’ At one point in my life, if salt and vinegar chips were illegal, you would have found me in the basement of a ‘chip house’ with a Pringles pipe in my hand and chip crumbs frolicking in my beard. That may sound absurd, but I know other people can relate.

Look at the billions of dollars we spend on chips every year.

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Dr. Ed McDonald

I am a physician and trained chef. I specialize in gastroenterology and nutrition. Currently I work as the Associate Director of Adult Nutrition at the University of Chicago.