Why the name “Mannamania”?  The word “manna” emphasizes the spiritual, even miraculous nature of food in our lives.  Diane and I hope to pass along useful, healthful ideas and share with you our passion for promoting wellness through better nutrition. We offer recommendations regarding vitamin use, and you might explore information about the use of acidophilus/bifidobacterium to combat common digestive disorders.  Also, check out the recipe suggestions and reading list.  Feel free to contact us – we eventually get back to everyone.  Our enthusiasm for healthful eating is based on the fact that good nutrition is absolutely crucial to wellness!

We both have enjoyed seeing patients in our medical practices (internal medicine and obstetrics/gynecology) for almost two decades.  Our desire to provide more nutritional information countered by the lack of time in the office setting has been a continual frustration for us.  Diane and I are asked questions regarding nutrition, vitamins, and dietary supplements on a daily basis.  There simply is never enough time to explore nutrition and supplements in the office setting and do justice to all the newer information.  Interested patients frequently ask for “a diet” – at best we have been able to give brief advice and recommend a book or two.  A huge percentage of illness we see in daily practice could be minimized or even totally avoided by something as simple and unglamorous as a change in diet and lifestyle.

Some of what Diane and I suggest may seem outside of the realm of “traditional” mainstream medicine.  Historically though, the role of nutrition itself has in fact evolved to be thought of as almost “alternative” or “complementary” to clinical medical practice.  The concept of a physician prescribing “one hour of meditation daily” to reduce a patient’s stress might seem foreign today, yet the medical literature shows that this practice would be hugely valuable.  Heart disease and cancer research demonstrates that anything which enhances a patient’s bonding to friends and community (opens her/his heart to others and therefore decreases a sense of isolation) lowers mortality from that disease.  Therefore, don’t be surprised if support groups play a major role in tomorrow’s health care system.

Although this may sound trite, most of us do spend so little time trying to optimize wellness – helping our bodies maintain good health.  We typically are forced to become sick (become a patient) before we even think about health.  Good health does not occur by chance!  Diane and I hope you visit the various links on this site and have an opportunity to give us feedback.