Dr. John La Puma

Bio

John La Puma MD is a board-certified practicing internist, a New York Times best-selling author twice, and contributed the recipes to Dr. Oz' and Roizen's first YOU book. His new book REFUEL is the book women have been waiting to give to men, and the 24 day fat loss plan men need to eat their way to better stamina, greater strength and boosting testosterone naturally. Dr. La Puma hosts the nationwide PBS ChefMD Shorts Series

Specialties:

  • Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism

Affiliation:

  • Director, Santa Barbara Institute for Medical Nutrition and Healthy Weight, and Chef Clinic

Location:

Activity

  • Dr. John La Puma - Santa Barbara, CA - Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism
    Dr. John La Puma answered:

    How does diet affect cholesterol levels?

    Diet determines nearly all of your cholesterol level. Diet is information for your liver, where you make cholesterol: diet tells your liver how much cholesterol to make, what it should look like, and what it should do. 

    Amazingly, what you eat changes your cholesterol level. And your risk for fatal...Read More
  • Dr. John La Puma - Santa Barbara, CA - Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism
    Dr. John La Puma answered:

    What are some foods that are important for healthy skin?

    Dr Oz has a good list, which I endorse: I would add several other foods for specific conditions, according to ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine.

    Cocoa powder: Women who drank a high flavanol (meaning anti-inflammatory) cocoa powder every day changed their skin: it became 12 percent thicker and more

    ...Read More
  • Dr. John La Puma - Santa Barbara, CA - Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism
    Dr. John La Puma answered:

    How can I look five years younger?

    The easiest way to look five years younger is from the inside out.  Our Chef Clinic experience has shown a less bloated, less red-eye, cleaner skin personal appearance after approximately 5 days of changing your diet and deliberately getting higher quality sleep.  Topical products can moisturize

    ...Read More
  • Dr. John La Puma - Santa Barbara, CA - Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism
    Dr. John La Puma answered:

    Should I take cholesterol-lowering drugs?

    This question is tricky: a low-cholesterol diet doesn't help you lower your cholesterol. Unless you eat primarily egg yolks and and lobster tail. 

    But if you're like 90% of Americans, your LDL is too high because of too little of the right foods in the middle of the plate. 

    Fortunately, you...Read More
  • Dr. John La Puma - Santa Barbara, CA - Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism
    Dr. John La Puma answered:

    What are the most important things I can do to live longer?

    Dr Mike Roizen wrote the book on this, and the RealAge science team found the biggest biological age difference with 5 behaviors: 

    • Monitor Your Health    /Seek High Quality Care (12 years younger)

    • Laugh a Lot/immune system boost (8 years younger) Enjoy!

    • Quit Smoking and Avoid Smoking (8 years younger)

    ...Read More
  • Dr. John La Puma - Santa Barbara, CA - Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism
    Dr. John La Puma answered:

    Do I take statins or change my diet and lifestyle to reduce cholesterol?

    Nearly all people with high LDL (lousy) cholesterol and low HDL (healthy) cholesterol can change them with what they eat: the foods are well known and do not have to taste like cardboard.  I shop for them with a reporter in the expert interview below.

    Statins do have a role: if you have had a heart attack and...Read More
  • Dr. John La Puma - Santa Barbara, CA - Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism
    Dr. John La Puma answered:

    Which foods are highest in dietary fiber?

    That depends on what you want to measure. The quick answer for most people, especially those who want to lose weight, is whole foods, skin on, minimally processed, according to our Chef Clinic research.

    However, if you're eating a cup of anything, as listed in the USDA tables online, then you'll...Read More
  • Dr. John La Puma - Santa Barbara, CA - Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism
    Dr. John La Puma answered:

    What vegetables help detoxify the liver?

    The cruciferous family of vegetables is your best bet. It is so named because when the plants bloom, they form a four pointed cross. Broccoli and cabbage are well known, but arugula, chard, collards, daikon, kale, kohlrabi and watercress are cruciferous too, and they act in the liver to neutralize tox...Read More
  • Dr. John La Puma - Santa Barbara, CA - Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism
    Dr. John La Puma answered:

    What is a watermelon?

    Watermelons are wonderful, and you can make them even better with how you store them.

    Store them at room temperature, and their beta carotene and lycopene levels go up, by 139% and 40% respectively: the melon continues to make these anti-inflammatory antioxidants even off the vine. 

    Store them...Read More
  • Dr. John La Puma - Santa Barbara, CA - Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism
    Dr. John La Puma answered:

    What are some healthy alternatives to a sugary dessert?

    The best choices are easiest. Dried fruit (raisins, dates, mangos, apples, pears); truly ripe fresh fruit; very high quality dark chocolate (I did a tasting recently) which you let melt, slowly, richly, fully. And avoid artificial sweeteners: they fool your palate, and you end up eating more.

    Give...Read More
  • Dr. John La Puma - Santa Barbara, CA - Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism
    Dr. John La Puma answered:

    How can we satisfy sudden food cravings in a healthy way?

    Food cravings are "I want it", not "I am hungry". Usually you're feeling happy, glad, mad, sad, lonely, bored or depressed. And usually, you're craving high calorie foods, not fruit or vegetables. The smart way to answer food cravings is to give yourself a break. Since you're not hungry, do something else...Read More
  • Dr. John La Puma - Santa Barbara, CA - Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism
    Dr. John La Puma answered:

    What role do nuts play in a healthy diet?

    Nuts make you fat...so the common wisdom goes. And they do, if you eat too many.

    But 1 ounce (23 almonds, 8 - 13 walnuts, 14 hazelnuts, and so on) lower high triglycerides, lower LDL cholesterol, shrink your diabetes risk and your toxic abdominal fat, and lower blood pressure in people. In fact,...Read More
  • Dr. John La Puma - Santa Barbara, CA - Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism
    Dr. John La Puma answered:

    How can I make smart choices in restaurants?

    Having worked in a great restaurant x4 years (Topolobampo in Chicago) once weekly, I know that cooks don't measure salt, fat, sugar or calories...and that everything tastes better when you add them to a dish.  And that if you ask, nearly all restaurants will go light cheese on pizza, no salt on the

    ...Read More
  • Dr. John La Puma - Santa Barbara, CA - Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism
    Dr. John La Puma answered:

    How will I know if I'm overweight or obese?

    In the United States, 74% of men and 68% of women are overweight or obese, and the rest of the world is rapidly catching up. Most of us don’t know where we fall. Here are some simple weight guidelines for both men and women:

    - If you’re 5 feet 10 inches tall: Normal weight is 132 to 167...Read More