Dr. Michael Greger visited San Diego recently and spoke to an overflow crowd at the County Health Services building. This affable East Coaster opened by telling the group that he "reads 5,000 clinical studies each year--so you don't have to." Greger is licensed as a general practitioner in clinical nutrition, and was a founding member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

Contrary to the antics of late-night infomercial hawkers--ready to separate you from your money--Greger donates all proceeds from speaking fees and sales from his books, CDs and DVDs to charity. Over the past three years his reports (out on DVDs) have pertained to things like: Which Plastics are Harmful?; Waistline Slimming Food; Sugar vs. Corn Syrup; and, Cancer Reversal through Diet?

Dr. Michael Greger

^{Courtesy photo}

Using a quiz show format, Greger interacted with the audience and covered a wide array of information. Example: Which food has proven to be most effective against a certain kind of cancer? Raise your hand if you think it is Boston lettuce, endives, romaine lettuce, red cabbage, or spinach. Sit down unless you raised your hand for...spinach.

Greger says data shows radishes help beat down stomach cancer cells but not other cancers. The most effective food against cancer? Garlic!

More tidbits from the doctor:

• Kids are seven times more prone to cancer by eating one hot dog per week than by using a cellular phone.

• Sixty percent of vegetarians are deficient in vitamin B-12 (easily remedied by supplements).

• Many cheeses are the number-one source of harmful aluminum, due to the "emulsifying salts" added by companies to make it easier to slice.

• One study shows decreased brain capacity in children born from mothers who ate fish during their pregnancies.

• Tofu (from Indonesia) can be dangerous because companies put formaldehyde it (tempeh, also from soybeans, does not contain formaldehyde).

• One egg per week significantly shortens one's lifespan.

Currently, Greger serves as director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States. His latest book is called Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own Hatching.