June 16, 2014
Published by Life Extension

Cocoa May Help Aging Brain Function

People who ate high or moderate levels of cocoa flavanols for two months improved significantly in some thinking assessment tests, a U.S. food expert says. “A study in the journal Hypertension found elderly people with mild cognitive impairment given dietary flavanols from chocolate did better on cognition tests,” Phil Lempert, a food industry analyst, trend watcher and creator of supermarketguru.com, said in a statement. “They also experienced a decrease in insulin resistance, which helps regulate blood sugar, as well as improvements in blood pressure, compared with those who consumed only small amounts.” Flavanols are a type of flavonoid — the […]
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June 10, 2014
Published by Life Extension

Walnuts Boost Ability To Handle Stress

The current issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition published the finding of Sheila G. West and her associates at Penn State University of an improved response to stress among those who consumed walnuts and walnut oil. “People who show an exaggerated biological response to stress are at higher risk of heart disease,” explained Dr West, who is an associate professor of biobehavioral health. “We wanted to find out if omega 3-fatty acids from plant sources would blunt cardiovascular responses to stress.” In a crossover study, Dr West’s team gave 22 healthy men and women with elevated cholesterol an […]
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June 10, 2014
Published by Life Extension

Quercetin: Good As Resveratrol In Fighting Inflammation

Research described online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that the ability of quercetin to reduce inflammation and insulin resistance in human fat cells is equal to or greater than that of resveratrol, a well-known plant compound that has an anti-inflammatory benefit. Quercetin is a flavonol found in plants including apples, onions, capers, lovage and grapes which have known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Michael K. McIntosh and his colleagues at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro pretreated cultured human adipocytes (fat cells) with quercetin or trans-resveratrol, followed by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), a proinflammatory cytokine that contributes to chronic, low grade […]
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June 3, 2014
Published by Life Extension

Green Tea Could Reduce Pancreatic Cancer Risk

A new study explains how green tea changed the metabolism of pancreatic cancer cells, opening a new area in cancer-fighting research. Green tea and its extracts have been widely touted as potential treatments for cancer, as well as several other diseases. But scientists have struggled to explain how the green tea and its extracts may work to reduce the risk of cancer or to slow the growth of cancer cells. A study recently published online by the journal, Metabolomics, offers an explanation that researchers say could open a new area of cancer-fighting research. The study reports that EGCG, the active […]
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June 3, 2014
Published by Life Extension

All About Biotin

Biotin is part of the B vitamin family. Like the rest of its members, it plays a key role in the body’s metabolic processes. Mainly known for the benefits it confers to nails, biotin is needed for so much more. Deficiencies may lead to many health problems and can even be deadly. Biotin has also been called vitamin H, which stands for haar and haut – German words for hair and skin – where biotin deficiency often shows itself. Biochemist Dean Burk is credited as being one of the co-discoverers of biotin in the early 1930s. Biotin Deficiencies Happen Although biotin is made in the intestinal […]
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May 20, 2014
Published by Life Extension

Eating Red Pepper Helps Curb Appetite

A study has found that eating a moderate quantity of red pepper can help curb appetite. According to research from Purdue University, the peppers especially work for those who don’t normally eat the popular spice. “We found that consuming red pepper can help manage appetite and burn more calories after a meal, especially for individuals who do not consume the spice regularly,” Richard Mattes, distinguished professor of foods and nutrition who collaborated with doctoral student Mary-Jon Ludy, said. “This finding should be considered a piece of the puzzle because the idea that one small change will reverse the obesity epidemic is simply not […]
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May 13, 2014
Published by Life Extension

Diet Could Hold Back Aging

Scientists in the North East may be a step closer to finding a way to slow down the aging process. Newcastle University has identified that damaged protein could be one of the key aspects to premature ageing. A team of experts found that the condition of key proteins in the mitochondria – the “batteries” of cells – could be used to predict, and eventually treat, premature aging. It was established that one way of slowing down the aging process was by restricting diet to reduce the number of calories consumed. A study with mice identified that by using calorie restriction, a […]
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May 13, 2014
Published by Life Extension

SuperFoods: Basil

Derived from the Greek word meaning royal, basil is a versatile herb that has lived up to its pedigree. With its wealth of nutrients, from hefty amounts of vitamin K and calcium, to its high antioxidant oils, basil offers an array of health-enhancing benefits ranging from protection against DNA damage to combating stress. In addition, the peppermint-like leaves of basil are loaded with beta-caryophyllene, an anti-inflammatory compound that may treat conditions such as arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. An abundance of evidence is emerging to support basil’s reputation as an herbal remedy for thousands of years, making this undervalued herb a formidable opponent against some […]
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