Food Journal — Stefanie Sacks

The Balding Boy

At the young age of 2 ½ my son Hunter was diagnosed with Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes a person’s hair to fall out. He had a stomach virus one day and the next my husband and I noticed patches of hair loss on his small blonde head. With balding child in tow, our first stop was the family doctor who referred us to a pediatric dermatologist where we received the upsetting diagnosis. Our directive: Apply cortisone cream (a steroid) to the balding areas over the course of the next month and let’s see if the hair starts to grow back.

Ted DelanoApril 29, 2013Alopecia Areata, Celiac and hair loss, Dr- Stephen Cowan, hair loss Comments

No Quick Fix for Weight Loss

When working one on one with folks, an extensive initial evaluation is in order. I meet peeps in the comfort of their own home and we chat for roughly two hours. One of the first questions I ask, “What are your goals in working with me?” And nine out of ten times weight loss is numero uno on the list (whether someone needs to lose weight or not).

Ted DelanoApril 8, 2013Fad Diets, Mayo Clinic on Weight Loss, Weight Loss Comments

Food Wasteland

Have you ever seen Wall-E? In short, it’s a movie about a trash-collecting robot (Wall-E) that has spent his “life” collecting garbage from humans. When the movie begins, earth is ravaged with waste and no longer inhabitable. The movie’s message screams, “Hey earthlings, cut the overconsumption OR ELSE…”

Ted DelanoFebruary 14, 2013 Comments

The Good Doctor

Have you ever taken your child (or grandchild) to the doctor for a “wellness” check-up (or even a sickness one) and upon leaving you hear the doctor, mid-sentence saying, “And what flavor would you like?” Yes, that would be the doctor offering your kid a lollipop and most likely the ones laced with sugar, artificial flavors and food dye. Seriously?

Supplements are No Slam Dunk

Do you take supplements? If so, what are they and why are you taking them?

Ted DelanoJanuary 18, 2013Minerals, Supplements, Supplements versus food, Vitamins Comments

Hospital Hypocrisy

My mother recently had surgery at New York Cornell Hospital. Now, my mom is not one for medical procedures let alone major surgery so she took it upon herself to ensure that her hospital stay was as comfortable (and as posh) as possible. You’d never think my mom “posh” in any way however, deep down she likes her princess comforts. Welcome to the Greenberg Pavilion!

Ted DelanoJanuary 9, 2013Dunkin donuts in hospitals, Food in hospitals, Hospital food Comment

The Illness Superstore

It was the Q and A at one of my Food Solutions events in 2011—Navigating Cancer. A woman, probably in her 30’s with stage 4 cancer, asked, “If I didn’t come to this event, where could I get this kind of information and all of these resources?” For a moment I was speechless (a rarity). I then replied, “I wish I had an answer for you. But I honestly don’t know a place to send you where you can get A-Z information on an illness you are living with.”

Ted DelanoJanuary 9, 2013Illness, Illness diagnosis, wellnessComment

The GRAS is Never Greener

No, I don’t mean “grass." I mean GRAS as in “Generally Recognized As Safe." Now, before I get into it, a little on food politics...

Ted DelanoJanuary 9, 2013FDA Approved, Generally Recognized as Safe, GRASComment

What the Fork Are We Eating?

Do you ever stop and really think about the food you eat? Where it comes from, what's in it, how it was made? I have spent the better part of my life analyzing, or perhaps I should say over-analyzing, everything food! And while there are many things about our food supply that disgust me, there is nothing more that infuriates me than genetic modification.

Ted DelanoJanuary 9, 2013Genetic Modification, GMO, Monsanto, Non GMO Project, Prop 37, Right to KNowComment

O.M.G. Organic

It’s a new year! So I figured it’s best that we start off on the right foot regarding organics. At this point, most of you know what that oh so convoluted term means but just to clarify, let me give it to you straight up!

Ted DelanoJanuary 4, 2013 Comment

Misguided Media

As is typical in our house, my husband and I try to catch one of the morning shows. A difficult task, but something we seem to manage to do in bits and pieces at least 3 mornings a week as we give our kids breakfast, get them dressed and thankfully occupy them with some form of play. Chaos at its best! Quite sometime ago, I caught a segment on “healthy breakfasts”.

Ted DelanoDecember 7, 2012healthy breakfast, Peanut butter, Skippy Comments

The "Power" of Processed Protein

Our nation is protein-obsessed—we are literally brainwashed into thinking that high protein promotes weight loss (as in the Atkins Diet, the Zone or even the South Beach Diet). Or that protein pre-workout and post workout is critical for muscle gain. We cower at carbs and fear fat.

Ted DelanoNovember 30, 2012healthy protein, protein bars, protein isolates, Protein powders Comments

The Risky Rainbow

A few summers ago, my friend’s son David was selling lemonade for charity. I took my oldest boy Jack, then four, into town to contribute to the cause. Now I must preface this by saying that Jack has been in the kitchen with me since he was old enough to sit in a high chair and I have been talking to him about it as well—the good, the bad and the ugly (the rated PG version though).

The Juice on Juicing

About a year ago I received a call from my dear friend Allison, “You won’t believe what I did and please don’t scold me.” I could sense a measure of stress in her voice.

Ted DelanoOctober 27, 2012Danger of Cleanses, Food Based Cleanses, Juice Cleanses, Safe Cleanses Comments

Superficially Sweet

I was recently in Starbucks with my boys and Jack, my 7-year old, grabbed a small yellow “sugar” packet and said, “Mom, this is the bad stuff right?” My heart just swelled with pride! OK I admit it—I am grooming my child to be the next nutrition know-it-all!

On Arsenic

Since the FDA released their first analytical results of arsenic in rice mid-September, I have received a multitude of questions, even from my mother! And when my mom asks, I answer.

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