Strong on Health

09/06/2026

🍎 Could an apple teach us something about the hospital tray?

After I shared the meal served to someone I love following heart surgery, the conversation became larger, and more valuable, than I expected.

Several people correctly reminded me that one tray cannot represent an entire hospital nutrition program.

They are right.

But the conversation left me wondering:

What could one better choice look like?

Perhaps it could be as simple as an apple.

A fascinating article from Harvard University's Harvard Magazine describes research into rutin, a naturally occurring compound found in apples, onions, buckwheat, and tea.

Researchers discovered that rutin could influence a protein involved in blood-clot formation. The findings were compelling enough to open a new area of investigation into potential antithrombotic therapies.

Now, let me be very clear:

🍎 An apple is not a blood thinner.
🍎 This research does not prove that eating apples prevents heart attacks or strokes.
🍎 Food should never replace prescribed medication or individualized medical care.

That is not my point.

My point is that an apple offers more than carbohydrates.

It also provides fiber and an entire collection of naturally occurring compounds that communicate with human biology in ways we are still learning to understand.

A packet of refined sugar may provide calories.

An apple provides calories and possibilities.

That does not mean a raw apple is appropriate for every postoperative patient. Appetite, swallowing ability, digestive tolerance, blood-glucose needs, medical restrictions, and the assigned diet order must always come first.

But when clinically appropriate, why wouldn’t simple whole foods be among the easiest choices to make?

Perhaps a healing-centered hospital tray does not require an expensive culinary revolution.

Perhaps it begins with a better question:

Beyond filling space on the tray, what does each food contribute to recovery?

One meal cannot define an entire healthcare system.

But perhaps one apple can help us imagine what the next tray might become.

Read the article:
https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2012/08/curbing-clots

🍎 What simple, affordable whole food would you add to a more healing-centered hospital tray?

Educational only. Never change prescribed antiplatelet or anticoagulant treatment or begin concentrated rutin supplements without consulting your healthcare team.

Rutin, a substance found in apples, could help prevent heart attacks and stroke.

09/06/2026

☕ ATTENTION: Your Keurig is not under arrest.

Please do not unplug it, carry it into the backyard, and destroy it with a French press.

Current evidence does not prove that drinking K-Cup coffee causes disease. However, K-Cups do place very hot water in contact with plastic, and researchers have detected low levels of estrogenic chemicals in some capsule coffees.

The measured amounts were below established safety thresholds, so this is not an emergency.

Your Keurig may remain in the house.

But it does raise a reasonable question:

If a simple, lower-plastic brewing method is available, why not reduce one exposure we repeat every morning?

That is the subject of today’s Strong Brain Sunday:

🧠 Are K-Cups Bad for Your Brain?

Brain health is rarely determined by one dramatic decision. It is shaped by the variables we repeat:

☕ The coffee we choose
💧 The water we brew it with
🫖 The materials involved
🔁 The fact that we do this every single morning before we are emotionally prepared to discuss anything

This is not about fear, guilt, or coffee perfection.

You do not need to organize a Keurig intervention for your mother-in-law. You might simply try a French press, glass pour-over, or traditional coffee maker occasionally...and consider a lower-plastic option when your current machine eventually retires to that mysterious cabinet where old kitchen appliances go to await judgment.

At Strong On Health, we brew Purity Coffee with Crazy Water #4 because the bean, the water, and the brewing method all matter.

Yes, our coffee has a résumé, references, and a mineral background check.

Your brain lives downstream of the habits you repeat. Let’s make those habits increasingly intentional...and preferably well-caffeinated.

☕ How do you make your coffee?

French press? Pour-over? Drip machine? K-Cup? Or that mysterious liquid in the hotel lobby that technically meets the legal definition of coffee?

Take our free 3-minute Brain Health Snapshot:
https://strong-brain-health-snapshot.grand-stoat-0903.chatgpt.site/

Explore the Brain Restoration Journey:
https://www.strongonhealth.com/brainrestorationjourney

Start Strong. Stay Strong for Life.


https://youtu.be/kYGc7nWRsKo

09/03/2026

I realized this week that I never properly shared something I am extraordinarily proud of:

Mineral Wells is officially the Wellness Capital of Texas.

In June 2023, the Texas Legislature formally gave Mineral Wells this designation through House Concurrent Resolution 4.

This recognition belongs to an entire community.

It grew from the dedication of local leaders, businesses, wellness advocates, and residents who believed Mineral Wells could reclaim its historic identity as a place people visit in pursuit of greater health and well-being.

I am deeply honored that the Crazy Wellness Retreats we created played a meaningful role in bringing that vision to life.

These retreats were never intended to be simply another weekend away. They were designed as immersive experiences where people could practice wellness, not merely hear about it.

We brought together nutrition, movement, restorative sleep, time in nature, meaningful connection, mineral-rich Crazy Water, and practical education that people could carry home with them.

The retreats helped demonstrate that Visit Mineral Wells was not simply talking about becoming a wellness destination. The city was already creating real experiences that allowed people to live it.

I certainly did not accomplish this alone. The Crazy Wellness Retreats were born through collaboration among Strong On Health, Crazy Water, the City of Mineral Wells Main Street Program, the Mineral Wells Area Chamber of Commerce, and many generous community partners who brought their gifts, resources, and belief to the table.

That is what makes this recognition so meaningful.

We did not create Mineral Wells’ wellness story. That story has been flowing beneath the ground for generations.

Perhaps we simply helped the city remember who it has always been.

And we are only getting started.

If you have attended, taught at, sponsored, supported, or helped create one of our Crazy Wellness Retreats, I hope you recognize that you became part of something larger than a single weekend. You helped a Texas community reclaim its heritage and build a new vision for its future.

Our next chapters are already taking shape, with new Crazy Wellness Retreat experiences planned for January and May.

The story of the Wellness Capital of Texas is still being written, and I feel extraordinarily fortunate to have a hand in helping write it.

09/01/2026

What if hospital food were treated as part of the healing process?

Yesterday, someone we care deeply about was served their first meal following heart surgery.

The meal receipt is shown here.

What concerned us was not one individual ingredient. It was the overall pattern: multiple sources of added sugar, refined carbohydrates, and highly processed foods at a moment when the body needed nourishment to repair and rebuild.

This is not about attacking the hospital or the wonderful people who work there. We are deeply grateful for the skilled surgeons, nurses, and medical professionals who make lifesaving care possible.

But many of us are reaching an age when hospital visits may become more common, whether for ourselves, our spouses, or our parents. We need to be asking better questions about the food served during those vulnerable moments.

When a respected cardiac unit serves a meal, most people will naturally assume that meal represents what is healthy for the heart. The hospital’s authority is transferred to the food on the tray.

That can create tremendous confusion.

If these foods are served immediately following heart surgery, why wouldn’t someone assume they are appropriate choices once they return home?

Dustin Strong, Holistic Nutritionist & Wellness Specialist often says it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

So this photograph is not an accusation. It is an invitation.

What can we do together to help hospitals place greater emphasis on quality protein, vegetables, fiber, minerals, healthy fats, and minimally processed foods?

Modern medicine can do extraordinary things. Imagine what becomes possible when we expand that excellence to include the food served after the procedure.

Nutrition is not an alternative to medical care.

It is an important layer of it.

Let’s light a candle and begin the conversation.

What is one change you would like to see on the hospital tray?

09/01/2026

Important Updates for Next Week:

We will be CLOSED on Friday, September 11th. 🇺🇸
However, we will be OPEN normal hours on Labor Day Monday, September 7th! 🔨

& Tuesday, September 8th is our Longevity Social Hour! 🎉
Come join us and see how many different plant foods Kelly Hogan can fit into the evening's menu! 🍓🫐🥑🥕🍅🍋🍇

09/01/2026

🦠 YOUR MICROBIOME + MOZART? 🎶

With all the conversation around Salmonella, gut health, and the microbiome, we’ve been thinking about something important here at Strong on Health:

Our goal isn’t to tell you there is one thing you need to do to be healthy.

Our goal is to give you options - and help you discover the variables you can intentionally add to your life that may move you in a healthier direction.

This month, as we feature our TinyHealth test, we’re talking a LOT about the microbiome. And here’s one incredibly simple variable you can experiment with…

🎼 MUSIC.

More specifically… Mozart.

A recent study looked at the effects of Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major, K. 448 on the gut microbiome.

Now, before we get too excited: this is NOT saying that listening to Mozart will magically “fix” your gut.

But it is fascinating to consider that something as simple - and completely FREE - as the music we intentionally choose to listen to could potentially influence our biology in subtle ways.

And that’s exactly the kind of thing we love exploring at Strong on Health:

What if improving your health isn't about finding one magic bullet… but about stacking positive variables?

🥦 What you eat.
😴 How you sleep.
🚶 How you move.
🧘 How you manage stress.
🦠 What’s happening inside your microbiome.
🎶 And maybe… what you listen to.

So here’s our ZERO-COST health offering for September:

🎧 Put on Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major, K. 448.

Listen intentionally.

Enjoy it.

And know that even if the effect is subtle or imperceptible, you’ve just added one more positive variable to your environment.

What have you got to lose?

Except maybe 11 minutes of silence. 😉

🎶 Give it a listen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT9gT5bqi6Y&t=1034s

And if you’re curious about what’s actually happening inside your microbiome, this is a great month to ask us about the Tiny Health test and what it can tell you.

Your health is not one variable. It’s the sum of many choices. Let’s make more of them intentional. 💚

The Sonata for Two Pianos in D major, K. 448 is a piano work compos...

08/31/2026

🐾 TRUTH OR TREND? — Did you know we offer pet nutrition at Strong On Health?

Most people know us for helping people feel better, function better, and live healthier lives.

But here’s something you may not know…

We believe our furry family members deserve that same level of care. 🐶🐱💚

Our pets give us SO much. They get us moving, help reduce loneliness and stress, bring laughter into our homes, and offer a kind of unconditional companionship that is hard to put into words.

They spend their lives making healthy deposits into ours.

So…what are we doing to support their health in return?

This week on Episode 76 of Truth or Trend? The Holistic Breakdown, Dr. Scott Vrzal and Dustin Strong sit down with Jody Griffiths, Certified Veterinary Technician and Veterinary Nutritional Supplement Consultant with Standard Process Inc.Standard Process, for a fascinating conversation about whole-food nutrition, proactive pet wellness, and healthy aging for dogs and cats.

🐾 We talk about questions every pet parent should be asking:

✓ Do healthy pets need nutritional support before problems appear?
✓ Can pets take supplements made for humans?
✓ Why are pet-specific formulations important?
✓ How do nutritional needs change as our pets move from young to senior?
✓ Why does gut health matter for both humans AND animals?
✓ What role do essential fatty acids and omega-3s play?
✓ What changes might signal that it's time to talk with your veterinarian about cognitive health?
✓ And what makes Standard Process Veterinary Formulas different?

And Dustin shares one of our favorite stories…

Gunner. 🐕❤️

Gunner is a service dog who visits the Strong On Health office every Monday morning—and he makes a beeline for Dustin because he knows exactly where the Cataplex B-Core is kept! 😂

His story is a great reminder that while humans and animals share many foundational nutritional needs, our pets aren't simply little humans in fur coats.

Their species, size, life stage, diet, health history, and medications all matter.

That’s why we love being able to offer high-quality, whole-food-based nutritional support specifically formulated for dogs and cats—while encouraging pet owners to work alongside their qualified veterinary professionals.

Because wellness isn't just about the people sitting around your dinner table.

It's about every member of the family. 🐾

🎥 Watch this week's episode of Truth or Trend? The Holistic Breakdown and learn more about proactive nutrition for your furry family members.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgC05cZfukM

👉 And if you didn't know we offered pet nutrition at Strong On Health, now you do!

🐶🐱 Tell us your pet's name in the comments and one way they have made YOUR life healthier.

And please share this episode with a fellow pet parent who believes their four-legged family deserves the very best, too.

This conversation is for educational purposes only. Always consult your pet's veterinarian before introducing a supplement or making significant dietary changes.

Why does whole-food nutrition matter for dogs and cats, and can pet...

08/27/2026

At this point, you might reasonably wonder whether Dustin Strong, Holistic Nutritionist & Wellness Specialist is being sponsored by the color purple. 🫐

He just finished teaching an entire course on bilberry and its remarkable relationship with microcirculation, capillary integrity, vascular aging, and brain health.

Now The Optimist Daily has given us not one, but two reasons to keep the conversation going about its easier-to-find cousin: the blueberry.

And apparently, He is not the only nutritionist a little obsessed. Another nutritionist has written an entire article making the case for eating blueberries every day.

Blueberries and bilberries belong to the same botanical family, and both contain anthocyanins, the pigments responsible for their beautiful blue-purple color. These compounds have been studied for their potential to support:

🫐 Healthy blood-vessel function
🫐 Circulation to the brain
🫐 Memory and cognitive performance
🫐 A balanced inflammatory response
🫐 Gut and metabolic health

Bilberries may offer a more concentrated anthocyanin profile and have a special place in my clinical thinking around microcirculation. But blueberries may win first place in another very important category:

They are easy to find, easy to eat, and easy to turn into a daily habit.

And in nutrition, the food you can consistently place on your plate often does more good than the “perfect” food you rarely encounter.

Remember, the brain is not separate from the vascular system. It depends on an enormous network of tiny blood vessels to deliver oxygen and nutrients while helping remove metabolic waste. Supporting those vessels is one of the ways we help protect the brain.

Fresh or frozen, add blueberries to yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies, salads, or simply eat a handful by themselves.

Bilberries may be the concentrated vascular specialist.

Blueberries may be the everyday habit.

Fortunately, we do not have to choose. 💜

Read the article here:
https://www.optimistdaily.com/2026/08/the-case-for-eating-blueberries-every-day-according-to-a-nutritionist/

What is your favorite way to eat blueberries?

From heart health to exercise recovery, blueberries deliver more than most people realize. Here's what the research says, and how to make them a daily habit.

08/25/2026

BY REQUEST: Is Brain Defenders a Must-Read?

When someone in my community asks me to review a brain-health book, I take that request seriously.

It gives me an opportunity to answer a genuine question, but it also helps me stay current with the books, research, researchers, and emerging ideas shaping the brain-health conversation.

Why does that matter?

Because neurodegeneration is rarely the result of one isolated cause. The more variables we understand, the more thoughtful and individualized our support can become.

In this new video, I offer my honest review of Dr. David Perlmutter’s Brain Defenders, including:

• What the book explains especially well
• Why microglia and immunometabolism matter
• Where the science is well established
• Which interventions remain promising but preliminary
• Why we should resist turning microglia into the newest single explanation for every neurological condition

My verdict: Yes, I consider this book a must-read, especially for practitioners and anyone seriously interested in brain health, cognitive aging, neuroinflammation, and dementia prevention.

Not because it provides every answer, but because it helps us ask better questions.

And better questions allow us to investigate more variables, recognize problems earlier, and offer more complete support.

Thank you to everyone who continues to send me questions, books, studies, and video requests. Your curiosity strengthens this community and helps guide what I investigate next.

Watch my honest review here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQmLDw5_M4E

Have you read Brain Defenders? What idea most changed or challenged the way you think about the brain?

Is Brain Defenders by Dr. David Perlmutter worth reading? My answer...

08/24/2026

💧 SAVE THE DATE: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2026!

We have a wonderfully full and slightly “Crazy” day planned in Mineral Wells!

We’ll begin the morning by lacing up our running shoes for the Run Like Crazy 5K at 8:30 a.m.

Then, Dustin Strong, Holistic Nutritionist & Wellness Specialist will trade his running shoes for a microphone and spend the rest of the day hosting the Crazy Wellness Retreat Room at the Crazy Water Festival!

At 11:00 a.m., he’ll deliver the first presentation of the day:

THE MINERAL IN THE WATER
What Lithium May Teach Us About Brain Health, Mood, and Healthy Aging

Most people know lithium only as a prescription medication. But its story began as a naturally occurring mineral found in the earth, certain foods, and mineral-rich water.

During this talk, we’ll explore the important difference between nutritional and pharmaceutical amounts of lithium, along with the emerging research surrounding mood, cognitive resilience, neuroprotection, and healthy aging.

The Crazy Wellness Retreat Room will remain open throughout the day with:

💆 Massage chairs
💧 Crazy Water mocktails
🥑 Retreat-inspired snacks
🧠 Brain health education
🌿 Information about our January and May Crazy Wellness Retreats

Come for the run. Stay for the festival. Step into the Retreat Room and leave with a bigger vision for what may be possible for your brain and your future.

More details are coming soon. For now, save October 10 and make plans to get a little Crazy with us in Mineral Wells!