Eat Your Greens with Dr. Black | From nutrition to everyday habits—health made doable

Text Dr. Black your questions or comments.

After three seasons of Eat Your Greens with Dr. Black, one lesson has become increasingly clear: knowing what supports our health is not the same as being able to do it consistently.

In this season finale, I revisit some of my favorite conversations and key moments from Season 3. We’ll hear insights from preventive cardiologist Dr. Kelly Ratheal, fitness trainer Laura Coleman, and psychiatrist Dr. Shravan Kakani. I also return to episodes about cholesterol, chronic inflammation, the Mediterranean diet, DASH, the MIND diet, and habit change.

Although these topics may seem unrelated, the same foundational behaviors kept resurfacing. The nutrition and lifestyle habits that protect the heart also support the brain, metabolic health, mental well-being, physical function, and quality of life.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

•  Why cardiovascular prevention needs to begin much earlier than most people realize 
•  How strength, balance, and mobility help preserve independence as we age 
•  Why food affects more than physical health 
•  What the Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND dietary patterns have in common 
•  Why systems and repeated behaviors are more dependable than motivation alone 

This season reinforced that we generally do not need a separate lifestyle prescription for every organ or health concern. The broader pattern matters: more whole, fiber-rich plant foods; fewer heavily processed foods; less reliance on high-fat meats and dairy; and adequate movement and sleep.

But information alone is rarely the missing piece. The harder problem is fitting these behaviors into busy, unpredictable lives—and returning to them when life disrupts our plans.

That question will guide Season 4: less emphasis on adding another item to your health to-do list and more attention to making healthy choices doable in real life.

Listen to the Season 3 finale, then email me at [email protected] and tell me which health goal you find hardest to follow consistently.

Be sure to subscribe to the Health Made Doable newsletter for new podcast episodes, practical resources, and doable tips to help you build healthier habits that fit your real life. 

A great way to support the show is to rate it leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Even better - share it with a friend!

For resources related to a plant-based diet or if you struggle to afford healthy food for your family, please go to eatgreenswithdrblack.com/resources.

For questions and comments, please shoot me an email at [email protected].

I am happy to answer general questions related to the information presented on this podcast.  Be advised that I will never offer specific medical advice via this website, even if your child is an established patient in my practice. If you have concerns about your child’s health or growth, please contact their doctor.

Thanks for listening and don't forget to Eat Your Greens!

Text Dr. Black your questions or comments.

Protein water. Fiber brownies. Pickle juice hydration shots. Protein donuts with caffeinated strawberry milk. At some point, food stopped being food and became a wellness optimization project.

In this episode, Dr. Black takes a slightly sarcastic trip through three nutrition trends that have gotten out of hand: electrolyte products, fiber maxxing, and protein-fortified everything. Hydration, fiber, and protein all matter—but that doesn’t mean every person needs expensive powders, supplements, and upgraded versions of ordinary foods.

You’ll hear:

•  When electrolyte products are genuinely useful—and when plain water is enough 
•  Why rapidly increasing fiber can lead to bloating, gas, and an unfair backlash against beans 
•  Who may need to pay closer attention to protein and why most Americans aren’t protein deficient 
•  How to tell whether a fortified convenience food solves a real problem or is simply junk food in a health-food costume 
•  Why a plant-forward eating pattern may cost less than diets built around meat and highly processed convenience foods 

Studies mentioned in this episode:

• Vegan Diet and Food Costs Among Adults With Overweight
• Food Costs of a Low-Fat Vegan Diet vs a Mediterranean Diet
• Food Costs Associated With DASH, Whole-Food Plant-Based, and Baseline Diets

For more background, listen to The Science of Hydration: What Your Body Really Needs, Fiber Without the Fiasco: How to Boost Fiber Without Bloating, and Are We Eating Too Much Protein—or Not Enough?. 

Listen for a practical, evidence-aware approach to eating well without making it more expensive, stressful, or complicated than it needs to be.

Be sure to subscribe to the Health Made Doable newsletter for new podcast episodes, practical resources, and doable tips to help you build healthier habits that fit your real life. 

A great way to support the show is to rate it leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Even better - share it with a friend!

For resources related to a plant-based diet or if you struggle to afford healthy food for your family, please go to eatgreenswithdrblack.com/resources.

For questions and comments, please shoot me an email at [email protected].

I am happy to answer general questions related to the information presented on this podcast.  Be advised that I will never offer specific medical advice via this website, even if your child is an established patient in my practice. If you have concerns about your child’s health or growth, please contact their doctor.

Thanks for listening and don't forget to Eat Your Greens!

Text Dr. Black your questions or comments.

Can you really eat to protect your memory? It's a question many of us start asking as we get older—especially if dementia runs in the family. In this episode, I take a look at what the research actually tells us and separate the science from the hype.

We'll explore the MIND diet, an eating pattern developed by combining the most brain-friendly aspects of the Mediterranean and DASH diets. I'll explain what makes it different, what the evidence shows, and why researchers believe it may help support long-term brain health. But food is only part of the story.

One of the most hopeful concepts in dementia research is something called cognitive reserve—the brain's ability to adapt and stay resilient over time. The good news? Building cognitive reserve doesn't require perfection. It starts with the same small, sustainable habits that benefit nearly every aspect of our health.

In this episode, you'll learn:

•  What dementia is—and what it isn't. 
•  Why the MIND diet has attracted so much research attention. 
•  How cognitive reserve may help your brain stay resilient as you age. 
•  Why protecting your brain involves much more than what's on your plate. 
•  Practical ways to start making "deposits" in your brain bank today. 

Whether you're looking to lower your own risk or simply want to age as well as possible, this episode offers practical, evidence-based strategies you can begin using right away.

Listen now, and remember: health is built one doable habit at a time.

Berry Walnut Overnight Oats

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup soy milk (or other fat-free milk)
• 1/4 cup of your favorite berries
• 1 Tbs chia seeds
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 2 Tbs chopped walnuts

Add oats, milk, berries, chia, and maple syrup to a glass container with a tight fitting lid. Mix well. Refrigerate overnight. Top with walnuts in the morning and enjoy.

Be sure to subscribe to the Health Made Doable newsletter for new podcast episodes, practical resources, and doable tips to help you build healthier habits that fit your real life. 

A great way to support the show is to rate it leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Even better - share it with a friend!

For resources related to a plant-based diet or if you struggle to afford healthy food for your family, please go to eatgreenswithdrblack.com/resources.

For questions and comments, please shoot me an email at [email protected].

I am happy to answer general questions related to the information presented on this podcast.  Be advised that I will never offer specific medical advice via this website, even if your child is an established patient in my practice. If you have concerns about your child’s health or growth, please contact their doctor.

Thanks for listening and don't forget to Eat Your Greens!

Text Dr. Black your questions or comments.

Healthy, lower-sodium meals do not have to be bland, complicated, or time-consuming.

In this episode, I’m sharing one of my favorite low-tech kitchen hacks: freezing homemade green sauce in an ordinary ice-cube tray. These little flavor bombs can turn basic grains, beans, vegetables, potatoes, pasta, or rice into a fast weekday meal that you will actually look forward to eating.

I’ll walk you through my flexible green-sauce framework, explain how I build flavor using herbs, acid, aromatics, spices, and olive oil, and share two combinations to get you started. You do not need an elaborate meal-prep routine or a rigid recipe—just a few interchangeable staples and some flavor waiting in the freezer.

Want the Build-Your-Own Green Sauce Guide?
Get the free mix-and-match framework here: Green Sauce Guide

Be sure to subscribe to the Health Made Doable newsletter for new podcast episodes, practical resources, and doable tips to help you build healthier habits that fit your real life. 

A great way to support the show is to rate it leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Even better - share it with a friend!

For resources related to a plant-based diet or if you struggle to afford healthy food for your family, please go to eatgreenswithdrblack.com/resources.

For questions and comments, please shoot me an email at [email protected].

I am happy to answer general questions related to the information presented on this podcast.  Be advised that I will never offer specific medical advice via this website, even if your child is an established patient in my practice. If you have concerns about your child’s health or growth, please contact their doctor.

Thanks for listening and don't forget to Eat Your Greens!

Text Dr. Black your questions or comments.

High blood pressure affects nearly half of adults, but genetics aren't the whole story. The food you eat every day has a powerful influence on your blood pressure—and it's not just about salt.

In this episode, I explain what blood pressure actually measures, why it tends to rise as we age, and how simple lifestyle changes can make a meaningful difference. We take a practical look at the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), one of the most thoroughly researched dietary approaches for lowering blood pressure, and why its success goes far beyond reducing sodium. I also share realistic ways to lower your salt intake without sacrificing flavor, along with simple kitchen strategies that busy adults can actually maintain.

In this episode, you'll learn:

•  Why blood pressure is influenced by more than just sodium. 
•  What the DASH diet is and why decades of research continue to support it. 
•  Where most dietary sodium actually comes from. 
•  Simple ways to make home-cooked meals flavorful with herbs and spices instead of relying on salt. 
•  Why potassium-rich whole foods help support healthy blood pressure. 

Healthy blood pressure isn't about perfection or bland food. Small, consistent changes—like cooking one more meal at home, choosing lower-sodium products, or adding more beans and vegetables to your plate—can add up to meaningful improvements over time.

Listen now and discover practical strategies to make heart-healthy eating truly doable.

Be sure to subscribe to the Health Made Doable newsletter for new podcast episodes, practical resources, and doable tips to help you build healthier habits that fit your real life. 

A great way to support the show is to rate it leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Even better - share it with a friend!

For resources related to a plant-based diet or if you struggle to afford healthy food for your family, please go to eatgreenswithdrblack.com/resources.

For questions and comments, please shoot me an email at [email protected].

I am happy to answer general questions related to the information presented on this podcast.  Be advised that I will never offer specific medical advice via this website, even if your child is an established patient in my practice. If you have concerns about your child’s health or growth, please contact their doctor.

Thanks for listening and don't forget to Eat Your Greens!

Text Dr. Black your questions or comments.

Eating more fruits and vegetables doesn't have to mean another boring salad or the same old side of broccoli. Some of the most powerful anti-inflammatory foods are also the most colorful—and there are far more creative ways to enjoy them than you might think.

In this episode, I explore why colorful plant foods are so beneficial for your health and share practical, out-of-the-box ideas for bringing more vibrant ingredients into your meals. From savory turmeric oatmeal and sweet potato black bean tacos to blueberry salsa and rainbow hummus boards, you'll discover simple ways to increase the variety of beneficial phytochemicals on your plate while making meals more enjoyable.

In this episode, you'll learn:

•  Why different colors in plant foods provide different health-supporting phytochemicals 
•  Creative breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and dessert ideas that go beyond basic salads 
•  How colorful foods can support an anti-inflammatory eating pattern 
•  Easy ways to increase variety without making meals more complicated 
•  A simple mindset shift that makes healthy eating more enjoyable and sustainable 

If you're looking for practical ways to eat more plants without feeling restricted or bored, this episode will give you plenty of inspiration to start experimenting in your own kitchen.

Listen now and discover how adding more color to your plate can make healthy eating both fun and doable.

Click here for all the recipes from the episode

Be sure to subscribe to the Health Made Doable newsletter for new podcast episodes, practical resources, and doable tips to help you build healthier habits that fit your real life. 

A great way to support the show is to rate it leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Even better - share it with a friend!

For resources related to a plant-based diet or if you struggle to afford healthy food for your family, please go to eatgreenswithdrblack.com/resources.

For questions and comments, please shoot me an email at [email protected].

I am happy to answer general questions related to the information presented on this podcast.  Be advised that I will never offer specific medical advice via this website, even if your child is an established patient in my practice. If you have concerns about your child’s health or growth, please contact their doctor.

Thanks for listening and don't forget to Eat Your Greens!

Text Dr. Black your questions or comments.

Chronic inflammation is one of the biggest hidden drivers of modern disease — and most people don’t even realize it’s happening. Fatigue, brain fog, headaches, joint pain, digestive issues, and low energy are often dismissed as “normal,” but many of these symptoms are closely tied to chronic low-grade inflammation driven by diet and lifestyle.

In this episode, I break down what inflammation actually is, why it matters, and why the Mediterranean diet remains one of the most evidence-based eating patterns for long-term health. More importantly, I explain how to apply Mediterranean diet principles in a practical, flexible way that works with real life and different cultural food traditions — from Tex-Mex to Asian-inspired meals and beyond.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

•  What chronic inflammation is and how it contributes to diseases like heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver disease, and dementia 
•  Why the Mediterranean diet has such strong research behind it 
•  How inflammation affects energy, mood, focus, pain, and metabolism 
•  Simple ways to adapt Mediterranean-style eating to your own culture and favorite foods 
•  Practical strategies to reduce ultra-processed foods and build healthier meals without perfectionism 

The goal isn’t restriction or eating “perfectly.” It’s creating a sustainable eating pattern built around whole foods, healthy fats, fiber-rich carbohydrates, and realistic habits that help support long-term health.

Listen now and learn how to make anti-inflammatory eating practical, flexible, and doable.

Be sure to subscribe to the Health Made Doable newsletter for new podcast episodes, practical resources, and doable tips to help you build healthier habits that fit your real life. 

A great way to support the show is to rate it leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Even better - share it with a friend!

For resources related to a plant-based diet or if you struggle to afford healthy food for your family, please go to eatgreenswithdrblack.com/resources.

For questions and comments, please shoot me an email at [email protected].

I am happy to answer general questions related to the information presented on this podcast.  Be advised that I will never offer specific medical advice via this website, even if your child is an established patient in my practice. If you have concerns about your child’s health or growth, please contact their doctor.

Thanks for listening and don't forget to Eat Your Greens!

Text Dr. Black your questions or comments.

Sleep deprivation doesn’t just make you tired—it changes how your brain, body, and hormones function in real time. Even one or two nights of poor sleep can affect your mood, decision-making, and physical health in ways most people underestimate. 

In this episode, I break down what actually happens when you don’t get enough sleep—from impaired focus and increased irritability to changes in appetite hormones and immune function. I also share practical, “health made doable” strategies to help you recover after a bad night and improve your sleep moving forward, even if your situation isn’t perfect. 

You’ll learn:

• Why even one night of poor sleep affects mood, reaction time, and decision-making
 • How sleep deprivation increases cravings and disrupts hunger hormones
 • The connection between sleep, stress, and long-term health risks
 • Simple ways to protect your energy and function after a bad night
 • Practical habits that support better sleep without overcomplicating your routine

When you understand how quickly sleep impacts your body, it becomes much easier to prioritize it in a realistic way. Small adjustments can make a meaningful difference in how you feel and function day to day.

Listen now and start protecting one of the most powerful tools you have for your health.

Links discussed in this episode:

Andrew Huberman's 20 minute Nonsleep Deep Rest on Spotify 

Today by Mary Oliver

Today I’m flying low and I’m
not saying a word
I’m letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep.

The world goes on as it must,
the bees in the garden rumbling a little,
the fish leaping, the gnats getting eaten.
And so forth.

But I’m taking the day off.
Quiet as a feather.
I hardly move though really I’m traveling
a terrific distance.

Stillness. One of the doors
into the temple.

Be sure to subscribe to the Health Made Doable newsletter for new podcast episodes, practical resources, and doable tips to help you build healthier habits that fit your real life. 

A great way to support the show is to rate it leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Even better - share it with a friend!

For resources related to a plant-based diet or if you struggle to afford healthy food for your family, please go to eatgreenswithdrblack.com/resources.

For questions and comments, please shoot me an email at [email protected].

I am happy to answer general questions related to the information presented on this podcast.  Be advised that I will never offer specific medical advice via this website, even if your child is an established patient in my practice. If you have concerns about your child’s health or growth, please contact their doctor.

Thanks for listening and don't forget to Eat Your Greens!

Text Dr. Black your questions or comments.

Mental health is complex—but one piece we often overlook is food. What we eat every day directly affects how our brain functions, how we feel, and how we show up in our lives.

In this episode, I sit down with psychiatrist Dr. Sravan Kakani to explore how culinary medicine is reshaping the way we think about mental health. We talk through the science behind the gut-brain connection, what the research actually shows about diet and depression, and how simple, realistic changes can support better mood and resilience. This is not about perfection or restrictive eating—it’s about using food as a practical tool to support your mental well-being.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How the Mediterranean-style eating pattern supports mental health
 • Why fiber and gut health play a key role in mood regulation
 • How ultra-processed foods may contribute to inflammation and depression
 • What the gut microbiome has to do with brain function
 • Simple ways to bring culinary medicine into everyday life

The goal isn’t to overhaul your diet overnight—it’s to understand how small, consistent choices can support both your brain and your body.

Listen in to learn how to make food a tool for better mental health—without overcomplicating it.

Links from this episode:

SMILES Trial

This Is Your Brain on Food by Dr. Uma Naidoo

Healthy Baked Apple Recipe 

Raspberry Chia Pudding (download)

Be sure to subscribe to the Health Made Doable newsletter for new podcast episodes, practical resources, and doable tips to help you build healthier habits that fit your real life. 

A great way to support the show is to rate it leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Even better - share it with a friend!

For resources related to a plant-based diet or if you struggle to afford healthy food for your family, please go to eatgreenswithdrblack.com/resources.

For questions and comments, please shoot me an email at [email protected].

I am happy to answer general questions related to the information presented on this podcast.  Be advised that I will never offer specific medical advice via this website, even if your child is an established patient in my practice. If you have concerns about your child’s health or growth, please contact their doctor.

Thanks for listening and don't forget to Eat Your Greens!

Text Dr. Black your questions or comments.

Lowering your cholesterol doesn’t have to mean overhauling your entire life. In this episode, I walk through how small, strategic food choices can make a meaningful difference in your numbers—and your long-term heart health.

I focus on what actually moves the needle when it comes to lowering LDL cholesterol through diet. We break down the most effective evidence-based approaches, including key foods to increase, what to limit, and how to make these changes realistic for busy adults and families. I also introduce the concept of a “portfolio approach” to nutrition—layering small habits that work together to produce measurable results.

Key Takeaways:

• Soluble fiber plays a major role in lowering LDL cholesterol
• Plant sterols and stanols can help block cholesterol absorption
• Swapping saturated fats for unsaturated fats supports heart health
• Nuts, beans, and whole grains provide powerful, practical benefits
• Small, consistent changes are effective and sustainable

Links from episode:

ACC/American Heart Association Issue Updated Guideline for Managing Lipids, Cholesterol 

Effects of a Dietary Portfolio of Cholesterol-Lowering Foods vs Lovastatin on Serum Lipids and C-Reactive Protein

Eating to Lower Cholesterol Recipes - recipes from my live presentation for San Marcos Life Long Learning.

Simple Tips to Lower Cholesterol

Be sure to subscribe to the Health Made Doable newsletter for new podcast episodes, practical resources, and doable tips to help you build healthier habits that fit your real life. 

A great way to support the show is to rate it leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Even better - share it with a friend!

For resources related to a plant-based diet or if you struggle to afford healthy food for your family, please go to eatgreenswithdrblack.com/resources.

For questions and comments, please shoot me an email at [email protected].

I am happy to answer general questions related to the information presented on this podcast.  Be advised that I will never offer specific medical advice via this website, even if your child is an established patient in my practice. If you have concerns about your child’s health or growth, please contact their doctor.

Thanks for listening and don't forget to Eat Your Greens!