A recent column on hydrogen water brought a well-deserved slap on the wrist from two experts.

Rodney H. from Texas writes (with a few of my added comments): “Sorry about being picky, but as a retired chemist, I just wanted to set the record straight about the differences between atoms and molecules. I know what you're thinking...oh no, here ...Read more

Karen H. who reads this column in the Albany (Oregon) Democrat-Herald, writes: “Hello Barbara, I recently saw an article about how carbohydrates in rice, pasta and potatoes change when refrigerated. I can’t find the original article but one says, ‘When rice is refrigerated, it undergoes certain changes that can impact its nutritional ...Read more

It’s corn season in our part of the country. Not just any corn. This is the sweet variety that many of the farmers in our area plant to share with family and friends. It’s this time of year when I find this cereal grain of starchy sweet seeds totally irresistible.

Come to think of it, the tomatoes our neighbors so willingly share with us in...Read more

A recent visit to my old stomping grounds in California took us to a wine and cheese tasting at my favorite winery. And what a treat to see the owners, Bill and Mary, who are old friends. Both are doing well and looking much younger than their years.

When we said our goodbyes, Bill asked me to take a look at some promising research he had come ...Read more

We spent an entire day baking cookies for my grandkids’ county fair projects. A total of six different recipes required a lot of staying on task, especially for the 11-year-old. After a couple of hours of intense measuring and mixing, I suggested we take a break for lunch.

No takers. Their idea to taste each cookie had taken its toll.

Kids�...Read more

My zealous quest to clip dead stems in my flower garden resulted in a nasty nip on a finger -- right through my gloves. When I realized I wasn’t going to die, I relaxed enough to appreciate how my body takes care of me.

What nutrient, for instance, helps stop the flow of blood when we cut ourselves? That would be vitamin K, which helps blood ...Read more

Never a dull moment — or lack of confusion — in the nutrition world. Of late, it revolves around our intake of sugar, especially sugars added to our food.

We’re stilll waiting for the newest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, but the current version recommends children younger than 2 years of age not be given any foods or beverages with ...Read more

I just got off the phone with a very special friend. Since we now live in different states, we don’t talk as often. But her voice always encourages me.

“Can you believe I’ll be 92 on my next birthday?” she said in her familiar Kentucky accent. “I still drive and cook and do all the things I’ve always done. God has been good to me.�...Read more

I was in the waiting room of our local mammography clinic when an illustration on the wall caught my eye. It featured an exquisitely designed trunk overflowing with precious jewels. Underneath were the words, “Treasure your chest. Get yours checked.”

Excellent advice. Regular bodily checkups are a practical and valuable way for us to detect...Read more

A young friend of ours, an emergency room nurse, was staying at our home for a few days when we were out of town. I nonchalantly asked her to give my plants a little water if they felt dry.

She almost had an anxiety attack. “I’m much better at keeping people alive than plants,” she confessed.

That encounter reminded me of a commercial I ...Read more

We just returned from a reunion in Idaho with some of my closest cousins and their families. One especially poignant visit was with my cousin who is fighting a rare form of multiple sclerosis called “progressive MS.” In spite of it all, she remains as beautiful and spunky as she was in our younger years.

While there is currently no cure for...Read more

When our recent road trip across three states concluded, a stockpile of random popcorn kernels littered the floor of our vehicle. It happens every time we take a long trip. And it probably won’t change, especially since it’s a food that got its origins in the Americas.

According to information from USDA’s National Agricultural Library, ...Read more