DonnieYance.com

October 20, 2025October 17, 2025

The Amazing Eggplant: My Calabrian Heritage’s Purple Powerhouse!

by Donnie Yance

As someone with deep Calabrian roots, eggplant isn’t just a vegetable in my kitchen—it’s practically family! Calabria is found in the “toe” of Southern Italy’s famous boot-shaped peninsula. My Italian ancestors knew what modern science is only beginning to understand: this humble purple fruit (yes, botanically it’s a fruit!) is a nutritional goldmine that deserves a starring role on your plate. My personal obsession? Eggplant rollatini, a dish I prepare so often my friends have started calling me the “Rollatini King”!

Although most of us refer to eggplants as vegetables, they’re technically a fruit, as they grow from a flowering plant and contain seeds. They are from the Solanaceae (Nightshade) family and are cousins to tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers.

October 13, 2025October 14, 2025

Natural Compounds for Beating Dormant Breast Cancer Stem Cells

By Donnie Yance

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This review examines one of breast cancer’s most challenging aspects: dormant disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) that fuel cancer recurrence. Despite initial treatment success, 25-45% of breast cancer patients relapse months or years later with fatal secondary or metastatic disease, with dormancy being the key culprit behind both early and late recurrence.

October 4, 2025September 29, 2025

The Virtue of Patience: Lessons from St. Francis for Modern Life and Healthcare

By Donnie Yance

October 4th marks the feast day of St Francis. I love to celebrate by sharing thoughts inspired by this humble man filled with so much spiritual wisdom.

In our hyperconnected world of instant notifications and same-day delivery, patience has become a rare commodity. Yet for healthcare professionals and individuals alike, cultivating patience remains one of the most essential skills for both personal well-being and professional effectiveness. The wisdom of St. Francis of Assisi, who lived over 800 years ago, offers timeless insights that modern science continues to validate.

September 23, 2025September 23, 2025

John Coltrane Wasn’t Just Playing the Saxophone—He Was Preaching a Homily

By Donnie Yance

September 23 marks the birthday of musical legend, John Coltrane.

When Coltrane stepped to the microphone, he wasn’t just performing—he was giving a homily or a sermon. His saxophone became a conduit for what he called “spirit communications,” transforming concert halls into sanctuaries. Each solo was a sermon without words, each phrase a prayer ascending.

The very structure of his improvisation mirrored the rhythm of spiritual practice: the patient building of themes, the sudden eruptions of divine insight, the return to contemplative quietude. In “A Love Supreme,” you can hear him cycling through the stages of devotion—supplication, gratitude, ecstasy, surrender—all within the span of a single breath through his horn.

This wasn’t performance for its own sake. Coltrane understood what mystics have always known: that repetition opens doors to transcendence. His famous “sheets of sound” weren’t technical showmanship but spiritual discipline made audible, like the repeated mantras of monks or the circular breathing of ancient prayer practices.

September 15, 2025September 15, 2025

Modified Citrus Pectin: One Of Nature’s Answers To Cancer Cells’ Spread

By Donnie Yance

Cancer becomes most dangerous when it spreads from its original location to other parts of the body—a process called metastasis. This spreading relies on certain proteins called lectins, which act like molecular “velcro” helping cancer cells stick together and communicate with each other. ¹ Using modified citrus pectin for cancer is one strategy that can block or slow down the metastasis process.

One particular type of lectin—called galectin-3 (Gal-3)—has captured researchers’ attention because it plays a key role in how several types of cancers spread, including breast, prostate, and colon cancer.²^,³ Blood levels of galectin-3 closely track with cancer progression, making it a valuable marker for doctors to monitor how well treatments are working.

September 8, 2025September 5, 2025

Parmigiano Reggiano: The King of Cheeses

by Donnie Yance

Parmigiano Reggiano, a cheese to which I am somewhat addicted, offers a delicious sharp, nutty, and slightly salty flavor that has earned it the nickname “King of Cheeses” among culinary enthusiasts worldwide.

The Health Paradox of Cheese

Cheese is a nutrient-dense fermented dairy product consumed worldwide, though its health effects remain controversial. It provides high-quality protein (mainly casein), essential minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium), vitamins (A, K2, B2, B12, folate), and beneficial bioactive compounds including probiotics. However, cheese also contains significant amounts of saturated fat and sodium, which are generally considered unfavorable for cardiovascular health.

The molecular structure and nutritional profile of cheese varies substantially by type. While many varieties contain potentially problematic levels of fat and sodium with limited nutritional value, others like Parmigiano Reggiano offer exceptional health benefits despite being cheese.

Multiple meta-analysis studies provide comprehensive perspectives on cheese consumption research, identifying uncertainties, biases, and knowledge gaps in existing evidence.¹ Parmigiano Reggiano is characterized by exceptional nutritional qualities, containing substances with specific biological actions. According to the definition established by the European Union, it can be fully classified as a ‘functional’ food.²