A few weeks ago my friend Kait sent me a link to an unfavorable write-up about me. She wasn't trying to bum me out or anything, she had the best intentions: A good friend, Kait was looking out for me and wanted me to be aware of it.

I really appreciated her taking the time to tell me, and having my back, but this was my reply to her:

I find it's more important to spend my time …

Welcome back to the HH online book club! This is the last week for Keep it Simple, Keep it Whole: Your Guide to Optimum Health by Alona Pulde and Matthew Lederman.

This Week's Thought Questions:

1. Were you surprised to find out all oils (even olive oil that's marketed as "healthy") are actually bad for you?

2. Carbohydrates have developed a bad rep over the years due to misinformation. Did chapter 12 change your opinion on …

You've got questions, I've got answers!

1. I know with some food, people say cooking them caramelizes the sugars, such as onions and pineapple (bananas?). Does this literally make the sugar content higher? Or just make it more noticeable?

According to Jeff Novick, RD MS, "caramelization is a chemical reaction that makes the sugars sweeter but in general does not make the sugar content higher."

2. I just had my gallbladder removed. This has really opened …

One of my favorite holidays for getting together and enjoying the warmer weather is Memorial Day - actually it's one of the holidays that seem to last the entire weekend which is even better!

With the all the get togethers and outings, you might be wondering what to bring. Here are some of my favorite Memorial Day dishes;

• Aztec Corn Salad
• Cherry Quinoa Salad (pg. 122, EHH)
• Cajun Potato Salad (pg. 237, EHH)
• …

Last week we met Georgie, who has found eating plant-based has helped her with her recovery to an eating disorder. This week we meet Mary Lou, who cleared up her rosacea by going plant-based!

HH: What made you decide to go to a plant-based (vegan) diet?

Five years ago, I suffered from several chronic autoimmune diseases: psoriatic arthritis, for which I was taking Enbrel injections, and I also had asthma, brain fog, depression, joint pain and chronic …