THE GOOD VICES

In THE GOOD VICES, prominent naturopathic physician Dr. Harry Ofgang and health journalist Erik Ofgang tear down decades of myth and prejudice to reveal how some of our guilty pleasures are not only okay, but actually good for our healt

Being healthier is easier, less worrisome, less expensive, and a whole lot more enjoyable than you may think, and Dr. Harry Ofgang and Erik Ofgang explain why.

THE GOOD VICES is a great title for people interested in pop science, alternative health, and natural and preventative medicine.

Much of the health advice we receive today tells us that in order to be healthy, we must consume a Spartan diet, exercise with the intensity of an Olympic athlete, and take a drug for every ailment. We constantly worry about the foods we should or shouldn't be eating and the medical tests we may have neglected to take. And all that worry costs us dearly - financially, emotionally, and physically.

- Like wine, moderate beer and spirit consumption raises our bodies' level of good cholesterol, which protects against heart disease. Hop compounds may decrease cognitive decline.

- The cholesterol in eggs is not associated with high blood cholesterol levels or heart disease. Rather, egg yolks are an excellent source of important fat-soluble vitamins.

- Research suggests that moderate exercisers can be at least as healthy, and sometimes even healthier, than those who exercise excessively.

The secret to many good vices is enjoying them in moderation. And perhaps the very best thing you can do when you're busy and stressed is to set aside time for your favorite good vice.


Dr. Harry Ofgang is the founder of Hahnemann Health Associates in New York City and Hahnemann Natural Health and Education Associates in Connecticut. He began his stud of medicine at the University of Perugia Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, before graduating from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. In more than thirty-five years practicing natural medicine, he has studied and lectured with some of natural medicine's most renowned figures.
Erik Ofgang is a journalist who writes on health, science, food, and travel. He has taught journalism at Quinnipiac University, Mercy College, and Western Connecticut State University's MFA program.