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THE STAY WELL BLOG
A place for Zorba's recipes and articles (and other stuff)
Even a little daily movement can boost your mood
Want to be happier? Who can say no to that? What about being healthier at the same time? That’s a yes, too, right? Well, there is a fascinating study out of NPR — yes, National Public Radio — that just might have the key. But first off, all of you know we were hunters and gatherers back in the old days. And in the 1800s, we were still doing the same thing, moving our bodies outside to put food on the table, take care of the homestead, etc. Then in the 1950s, back when Eisenho
Dr. Zorba Paster
3 days ago2 min read
Zorba's Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients: 1 (2 lb.) Rotisserie chicken 1/2 Shallot, minced and mixed with 2 Tbs rice vinegar 1/2 Cup Mayo 3 Tbs Dijon mustard 1/3 Cup chopped cilantro 1/2 to 1 Cup dried apricots, minced 1 Tbs Dried English mustard powder Salt Directions: In a small bowl, toss shallots with a pinch of salt, and cover with rice vinegar. Set aside until shallots lightly pickle (about 5 minutes). Meanwhile, tear checking from bones and into bit-sized peices. Transfer meat to a medium bowl and
Dr. Zorba Paster
Jul 21 min read
How to reduce the risks of heatstroke
Soccer, bike rides, baseball, volleyball, evening walks, gardening all day in the backyard — all can put you at risk for heatstroke. And, of course, any work where you’re outside and don’t have a chance to get into the shade. Summer in Wisconsin is one of life's great pleasures. But when the temperatures climb and the humidity settles in, the heat and humidity can be a toxic combination. We worry about frostbite in winter, but heatstroke is a more common cause of death. There
Dr. Zorba Paster
Jun 303 min read
Healthy teeth is one more step to ward off cancer
"You'll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent." I can still hear that jingle from the 1950s. My mom taught me, like your mom did, to brush my teeth every day, morning and night. Since we started daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste, we've dramatically cut down tooth decay. Add to this water fluoridation and good dental care and you have a dental miracle. (Interesting fact: Tooth decay was the number one reason for turning down Army voluntee
Dr. Zorba Paster
Jun 222 min read
The HPV vaccine can be a lifesaver
If I said I had a vaccine, one or two shots, that would prevent certain cancers, what would you say? You’d certainly be interested. You’d ask, “What are the side effects?” I’d tell you they could include pain at the injection site and a fever, possibly some swelling where the shot was given. Then you might ask, “How long has the vaccine been around?” In this case, it’s about 20 years, which is long enough for significant other side effects to show up, if there were any. Then
Dr. Zorba Paster
Jun 53 min read
RECIPE: Crab Cakes
Ingredients: 1 lb. crab meat 1 beaten egg 2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning 2 Tb mayo (no Miracle Whip!) 1/2 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 Tb Dijon mustard 1 tsp dry mustard A shake of hot pepper flakes 3/4 cup Panko crumbs Olive or canola oil Instructions: 1. Mix all ingredients together Mix in crab Fold in Panko and let it sit for 30 minutes Saute in olive or canola oil for 3-5 minutes on each side
Dr. Zorba Paster
May 291 min read
Exercise when it feels optimal to you
Pay attention to the internal rhythms of our body.
Dr. Zorba Paster
May 153 min read
Don't sit and suffer through allergy season
Guess what? The birds are chirping, the trees are flourishing, the flowers are blooming. And if you’re susceptible to allergies, the pollen is, well, ugh. I write this every year at this time, so it’s another update. It’s around this time that tree pollen — from oak, maple and birch, for example — becomes the big driver for allergies. When I was a kid, I never had allergies. Then one day, as a college student, I went to visit a good friend in Richland Center and, bang, my all
Dr. Zorba Paster
May 53 min read
Cooking at home can reduce risk of dementia
Ok...I know it’s hard to believe, but a new study in the British Medical Journal shows cooking at home reduces your risk of dementia by 30%. And for novice cooks, it was even higher than that. Really? How could that be? So, let’s unpack the study and see what it says. First off, it’s in a good journal. Fair enough, but there's lots of good journal research that turns out to be false. Next off, it takes place in Japan as part of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, looki
Dr. Zorba Paster
Apr 243 min read
Help for anxiety or depression could come naturally
Probiotics might help your depression. Surprised? I sure was when I reviewed this article — so let’s dig into the data. Microbiome refers to the full array of microorganisms (the microbiota) that live on and in us. We’re just discovering how useful our “natural and living” bacteria can be to our health, and when disrupted can cause disease. Many people with irritable bowel syndrome suffer from an imbalance in their gut which contributes to their discomfort. We’ve just started
Dr. Zorba Paster
Apr 73 min read
Do whatever it takes to quit tobacco
I spend a lot of time thinking about smoking. That’s because nearly 500,000 people die each year from issues related to tobacco use — lung cancer, COPD, heart attacks. Tobacco attacks nearly every organ of your body. On average, people who smoke die 10 years sooner than nonsmokers. Too many people think about their Uncle Jack who smoked two packs a day and drank half a bottle of whiskey every night. Well, that’s the extreme, but there are so many more smokers out there who su
Dr. Zorba Paster
Mar 193 min read
GUEST CHEF RECIPE: Crispy Fried Tofu with Caviar & Creme Fraiche
RECIPE: Crispy Fried Tofu with Caviar & Creme Fraiche. From Chef Danny Calleros of Ardovino’s Desert Crossing in Sunland Park, New Mexico
Dr. Zorba Paster
Mar 31 min read
3 ways to improve your health beyond food and exercise
Last week, I offered the first two of five things you can do this year to improve your wellness and help with your longevity. First, I chimed in on the importance of good eating, including a more vegetarian diet filled with plentiful fruits and vegetables and how supplements do not have any scientific validity to back them up. That doesn’t mean they don’t do something for you, but the science behind them is lacking, so buyer beware. I also touched on exercise and how you shou
Dr. Zorba Paster
Mar 33 min read
Tai chi shown to ease pain from arthritis
Arthritis. Painful joints. At a certain age, your joints begin to ache and ache. It’s a product of getting older. Animals get arthritis, too. Even the dinosaurs had it, according to the evidence. Can you picture a T. rex having joint pain? What happened to everyone around him when he got angry because of the pain? If that T. rex could have taken ibuprofen, everyone in the neighborhood would have been a lot happier. NSAIDs are great to use from time to time, and I used to pres
Dr. Zorba Paster
Feb 183 min read
My Thoughts on the New Food Pyramid
If you pay attention to the news, you’ve probably seen stories about the federal government’s new eating recommendations, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030. Visually, they’ve taken the traditional food pyramid, smaller at the top, and turned it upside-down. When I first saw the new pyramid model, I thought it looked wacky. That’s because so many wacky things are coming down from the feds these days when it comes to things like immunizations, Tylenol supposedly causi
Dr. Zorba Paster
Jan 304 min read
French study shows COVID vaccines work wonders
Do you think COVID vaccines are safe? Probably, yes, because you’re reading this article. And you happen to be right. We now have concrete research from France, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association , that proves not only that COVID vaccines are safe but that they reduce your risk from dying from all other things, too. Of course, there are folks who do not believe this. I know you’re shocked by that (not), but they might want to chime in on this, too. S
Dr. Zorba Paster
Jan 213 min read
Nasal spray can help against COVID
Before I tell you about a very interesting study involving an over-the-counter spray and how it might prevent you from getting COVID, I’d first like to chime on the anti-science sentiment around Washington, D.C. I am a physician and a researcher. For about 30 years, I tested medications as part of my practice, including Azithromycin (a commonly used antibiotic), Lipitor for cholesterol, Fosamax for osteoporosis and a number of other medications. So I am a seasoned observer a
Dr. Zorba Paster
Dec 19, 20253 min read
Zorba's Famous Challah recipe
This recipe is designed for those folks who make bread. Rather than go through the regular bread recipes, let me refer you to the Joy of Cooking or some other good cookbook for a basic recipe. You will need a 30 quart stock pot for this recipe (which you can purchase for about $50. Buy an inexpensive one – you don’t need a fancy one. By the way, they last forever (I’ve had mine for 40 years!). I shall now give the recipe for my Famous Challah Bread which uses about 12 to 15
Dr. Zorba Paster
Dec 15, 20252 min read
Zorba's 2025 Holiday Gift Guide
Every year I do the same thing. I sift and winnow, looking around for my latest and greatest holiday gifts. We all have our personal choices, so I’ll give you a few of mine. Consider a new stapler. Don’t get me wrong, you might think that old stapler you’ve had since high school is the be-all and end-all of staplers. But if you’re into office gadgets like I am, you would be amazed at the Bostitch InPower Premium Spring-Powered Premium Desktop Stapler. One finger, that’s all i
Dr. Zorba Paster
Dec 12, 20254 min read
How to improve your 'health literacy'
Where and how we get our health information has changed throughout my lifetime. A bit of history here. In the mid-1970s, doctors were beginning to answer medical questions on radio and TV. The public criticized doctors for giving advice people thought was misleading or lacking scientific backing. But who was the arbiter of what was “misleading or lacking scientific backing”? I bring this up now because of the current pushback against science. There’s a lot of bluster out ther
Dr. Zorba Paster
Nov 25, 20253 min read
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