July 14, 2024

Meloniscious! How To Pick (and Eat) Perfect Melons

Today’s melons are way beyond your standard cantaloupes, honeydews and watermelons (though they are delicious this time of year). Exploring the produce section, I came across some newer variety melons I hadn’t seen before. Luckily, they were sampling.  Here are some varieties that you might want to sample for yourself: Sugar Kiss – Round with netted skin and light salmon-colored flesh. The texture is soft, juicy and sweet like candy. Golden Kiss– This is a very flavorful Charentais variety. You can spot it by the netted skin and distinctive green ribs. The flesh is firm and a deep orange color with […]
July 14, 2024

Summer Produce Brings a Bounty of Recipes

Let’s just start by saying that in summer, just about ALL fruits and vegetables are at their peak. With all the rain we had in California last winter, the quality of the local produce is more spectacular than usual. The summer months are the best time of year for enjoying produce prepared in the simplest methods. These fruits and vegetables are not only refreshing and delicious during hot summer days but also often have high water content, which can help keep you hydrated. Remember to choose fresh, locally sourced produce whenever possible for the best flavor and nutritional value. Tomato […]
July 14, 2024

Do You Need to Take Supplements?

This month FoodTrients writer and nutritionist Ginger Hultin begins her four-part series on vitamins. Part 1 explores the pros and cons of taking supplements. If you have questions about supplements, we’ve got answers to this complex and sometimes confusing topic. The world of supplements is regulated in unique ways that can very much affect your health and pocketbook, too. Some companies offer health promises about supplement products that sound enticing but understanding what’s evidence-based and what isn’t can be a huge challenge. FoodTrients® is here to explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of the supplement world, if any […]
July 14, 2024

Enjoy the Dandy, Delicious Benefits of Dandelion Greens

Long the scourge of suburban lawns, dandelions are actually one of the most nutrient dense foods you can eat. Here’s the low-down on the not so lowly dandelion: They can control blood sugar. Dandelion greens can lower blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. Diuretic effects. The high potassium content of dandelion greens means they work as a diuretic, helping to reduce water retention. Lower blood pressure. The diuretic effect of dandelions can help treat high blood pressure. While not as powerful as a prescription medication, it can still contribute to lowering blood pressure. Lower inflammation. Dandelion greens […]
July 14, 2024

Top 10 Medicinal Herbs Growing in your Garden

Summer is a great time for gardening and boosting anti-inflammatory foods that you grow on your own. Get strategic about which plants you want in your garden this year by including some beautiful aromatic culinary herbs. The top 10 medicinal herbs below can help you add more flavor to your cooking and also offer many health benefits. Some of the top health benefits you can gain by using more herbs include: reduce salt in your cooking while still including lots of flavor blood pressure control benefits (herbs are often high in potassium) boost potent antioxidants that can help calm inflammation […]
July 11, 2024

A Guide to Choosing Produce: The Dirty Dozen & the Clean 15

Do you shop by the ‘Dirty Dozen’ and ‘Clean Fifteen’? These lists that emerge each year raise pressing questions about what’s really in our carts and on our plates and how it may be affecting our health. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is the organization that releases a report each year, offering guidance about which types of produce are most likely to be contaminated with pesticides and which have the lowest rates during testing. This group is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment. These lists categorize fruits and vegetables based on the level of […]
July 3, 2024

Senolytics Hold Promise for Delaying Old-Age Decline

New studies confirm how senescent cells accelerate old-age decline. Prestigious journals reveal marked regenerative improvements when senolytics are used to reduce the senescent cell burden. Published research conducted at the Mayo Clinic and other prestigious institutions is revolutionizing medicine. The impact of these findings is the potential to delay and reverse the adverse effects of aging. A major factor in old-age decline is the accumulation of senescent cells that: Impede Organ Function Create Chronic Inflammation Emit Protein-Destroying Enzymes Shorten Healthy Lifespan Compounds that circumvent this aging mechanism are called senolytics. “Seno” refers to old cells that secrete toxic chemicals. “Lytic” refers to their destruction. Senolytic compounds selectively destroy these old (senescent) cells. Several landmark studies on senolytic therapy have recently been published. They demonstrate that senolytics not only contribute to healthy […]
July 2, 2024

Foods That Can Help You Feel Full and Lose Weight

It may seem counterintuitive that eating certain foods can support weight loss but studies have shown a link between some types of foods and better weight management. For example, high fiber foods including whole grains, fruit, vegetables and nuts have been associated with lower body mass index (BMI) in large human studies. A feeling of fullness and concentrated nutrients in these foods may be part of the connection to a reduced BMI, smaller waist circumference and reduced risk of being overweight. It should be noted that simply increasing the amount of any of these foods listed below will not in […]
July 2, 2024

These Are the 10 Top Herbs To Support Your Liver

Liver disease is more common than you may realize and has many negative health effects to be aware of. In the United States, about 4.5 million adults live with chronic liver disease including hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), alcoholic liver disease, liver cancer, cirrhosis, and liver failure. Having high blood pressure, uncontrolled blood sugar, a high body mass index (BMI), and excessive alcohol intake can all increase your risk but the good news is — there’s a lot you can do to support your liver, too. Herbs and foods that support or protect the liver do so mainly by […]
July 2, 2024

The New Menopause Offers Tools You Need for Wellness

A book may not be able to take the place of an in-person doctor’s appointment, but The New Menopause: Navigating Your Path Through Hormonal Change with Purpose, Power, and Facts by Mary Claire Haver, MD presents an opportunity for a fresh start in how you are or will experience perimenopause (the precursor to menopause), menopause, and post-menopause, and how you approach your well-being during these stages of life. Many argue that menopause is a natural process, and we should just let it take its course. Dr. Haver believes that yes, the process is natural, but that doesn’t mean it is […]
June 17, 2024

Top 4 Lab Tests Men Age 50+ Need to Monitor

Maintaining optimal health through nutrition becomes increasingly important as men get older, especially after age 50. This age marks a period when the body starts to experience significant changes and risk of chronic diseases goes up, necessitating closer attention to nutritional status and overall health. Regularly monitoring specific lab tests can offer insights into your nutritional health, aiding in early detection and management of potential deficiencies or imbalances. Whether you’re a male aged 50+ or you have someone in your life that you care about who is, this period of time is critical for looking ahead to a healthy, happy […]
June 17, 2024

8 Steps To Self-Check for Skin Cancer

Here’s the good news: melanoma and other skin cancers may show visible signs. Learn how to spot the risk signals by using this self-check guide. The rate of melanoma cases is on the rise. At least 90,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year alone. Keep in mind that melanoma and other skin conditions may show some visible signs. If you’re tuned in, those visual clues can be helpful for a diagnosis. The Skin Cancer Foundation says you should do a head-to-toe exam of your skin every month. You’ll want to look for new or changing lesions that may be cancerous or pre-cancerous. […]
June 17, 2024

Breaking the Cycles of Worry and Fear

Want to unwind your anxiety? Now, there’s a step-by-step plan clinically proven to break the cycle of worry and fear that drives anxiety and addictive habits. We are living through one of the most anxious periods many of us can remember. Whether facing issues as public as a pandemic or as personal as having kids at home and fighting the urge to reach for the wine bottle every night, we are feeling overwhelmed and out of control. But in his timely book, Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind, […]