The evidence for the health benefits of coffee may be growing, but what if your coffee pot were contributing to chronic disease?

A recent patient of mine fit this picture. She was having troublesome symptoms that looked classically perimenopausal, but also suffered from a worsening skin condition that left bumps on her shins. She asked me if there might be a common cause.

I listened carefully for clues—food sensitivities, a low vitamin D level, uterine fibroids, an autoimmune disease. I ordered tests and asked her to begin an elimination diet (avoiding wheat, dairy, soy, citrus, and eggs) and keep a symptom record. I also gave her my environmental handout, which covers a wide range of recommendations like avoiding artificial fragrances and insecticides.

Twelve days later when I calle...

Congratulations! You are about to get married. This is one of the happiest events of your life and if you are like most couples you have spent many months in wedding planning and preparation. Every detail has been carefully thought through to create your perfect day.

For many couples this is also the moment when you are ready to begin a family. While it may be easy to just stop using contraception and conceive, I recommend that you put as much effort into planning for your pregnancy as you did for your wedding.

On the one hand, the desire to have a child is a completely natural and straightforward part of being alive. Every day, women become pregnant, and in the United States, about 50% of the time it is unintentional...

On Sept. 24, 2013, The American College of Obstetricians (ACOG) and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) issued a landmark Joint Committee Opinion stating that “patient exposure to toxic environmental chemicals and other stressors is ubiquitous, and preconception and prenatal exposure to toxic environmental agents can have a profound and lasting effect on reproductive health across the life course.”

They joined a growing group of international scientists addressing this relatively unknown concern.  Indeed in May 2013, the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists issued Scientific Impact Paper No. 37 which included a powerful set of recommendations:

1. Use fresh food rather than processed foods
2. Reduce use of foods/beverages in cans/plastic containers, including th...