HealthFermented Foods: From Tradition to Trend
Where delicious meets nutritious. Long before fermented foods became a wellness trend, they were simply part of life in my family’s kitchen. When I was a teenager in the Philippines, my mother and I made atchara together—a sweet-and-sour relish traditionally made with green, unripe papaya and colorful vegetables. We would grate the papaya into long, thin strips, add carrots and other vegetables for color and crunch, and prepare a tangy mixture with vinegar, ginger, garlic, and a little sweetness. I can still remember working beside her in the kitchen. We made sweet and salty pickled cucumbers, too. And because German […]READ MORE
November 17, 2023
Published by Grace O
In the midst of cold and flu season, it’s good to know what we should eat to bolster our immune system. Believe it or not, your digestive tract is a huge part of your immune system. Keeping it balanced with just the right bacteria mix is essential to staying healthy. The FoodTrient probiotics in yogurt encourage good gut flora to grow, so eating yogurt every day is a good way to keep your immune defenses strong. Be careful about eating yogurt with sugar, however. Refined sugars, yeast, and alcohol encourage bad bacteria to flourish in your digestive tract. Your best […]
November 17, 2023
Published by FoodTrients
This year, give thanks with less–fewer pesticides, greenhouse gases and maybe less money. Small turkeys can be tastier. And when you cook just what you need, you don’t waste. Try an organic, local or heritage turkey or one raised without antibiotics. Or embrace a seasonal, climate-smart, stuffed winter squash centerpiece instead. Cranberry sauce is super easy, delicious and even more nutritious to make from scratch. Opt for organic cranberries if you can, because conventional berries are heavily treated. Pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving tradition, with good reason. Pumpkin is packed with nutrition, widely available locally and generally low in pesticides. Baked pears are simple and delightful. White potatoes […]
November 7, 2023
Published by Life Extension
Put down the fork. Step away from the buffet table. UC Davis nutrition expert Liz Applegate wants us to think about exactly what we’re shoveling down our throats. Not just to lose weight but to protect our brains. “Brain food is real and it really does matter,” said Applegate, an author, professor and director of sports nutrition at UC Davis. She’s an advocate of the MIND diet, a combination of two long-studied diets that have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. We talked with her recently about so-called “brain foods,” their impact on […]
November 6, 2023
Published by Dr. Mark Rosenberg
I like to frequently use an ancient Socrates quote to my patients when I try to drive home the importance of eating the right foods to both preserve and heal their health. The saying, roughly, goes, “Let your food be your medicine” and with these 2 nutritional powerhouses, that I’m going to tell you about here, old Socrates couldn’t be closer to the truth. These 2 simple foods are quinoa – an ancient super-grain – and the beautiful kale plant. They not only taste great but I’m going to tell you how they can actually save your life. The Amazing Health Benefits […]
October 23, 2023
Published by Life Extension
The fall and winter seasons, combined with the upcoming holidays, mean the re-emergence of those comforting classic dishes: Mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and a plethora of pastries. Many of the typical comfort foods are filled with calories and fat, plus the potential to overeat these dishes during the colder seasons is always tempting; but if you’re smart about it, you don’t have to deprive yourself, said Karen Bright, adult and youth nutrition outreach instructor for the WVU Extension Service. “The biggest thing people have problems with that I’ve noticed is portion size,” she said. “During the holidays and colder […]
October 23, 2023
Published by FoodTrients
CLEANLINESS IS BAD. Most of the cells in your body are not yours. Given half a chance your body will try to kill you. A terminal cancer patient rises from the grave. A medical marvel defies HIV. Two women with autoimmunity discover their own bodies have turned against them. In An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System: A Tale in Four Lives, New York Times writer Matt Richtel uniquely entwines these intimate stories with science’s centuries-long quest to unlock the mysteries of sickness and health, and illuminates the immune system as never before. The immune […]
October 10, 2023
Published by Grace O
The change in season is such a wonderful time, even in temperate Southern California. Yes, the days can be hot, but the sun sets earlier and though it may still reach 80-plus degrees at 2:00 pm, evenings are cool, and thoughts turn to comforting, fallish foods, including vegetables. Most fall vegetables are available in winter, too, and most vegetables, for that matter, are available year-round thanks to farmers in Mexico and Central America. The key is that typically fall vegetables are at their peak this time of year, so take advantage of them at their best. Here are some vegetables […]
October 10, 2023
Published by FoodTrients
Did you know there’s a powerful herbal medicine chest in your kitchen? Imagine being prepared for that next cold, scrape, headache, digestive issue, stressful day, or sleepless night with simple ingredients from your cupboard. Instead of pills, reach for: Cinnamon Tea to soothe your throat . . . Garlic Hummus to support your immune system . . . Ginger Lemon Tea for cold and flu symptoms . . . Cayenne Salve to relieve sore muscles . . . Cardamom Chocolate Mousse Cake for heart health . . . A glass of Spiced Cold Brew Coffee as a powerful antioxidant . […]
September 26, 2023
Published by CeliAct
A new study is beginning to shed light on this. Researchers recently discovered that infection with reoviruses may play a role — a finding that could be bringing us closer to a vaccine for celiac disease. Researchers of this groundbreaking study, including Dr. Terence Dermody, chair of the Department of pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania, say their findings indicate that vaccination against certain viruses could potentially help prevent celiac disease. The researchers published their results in the Journal Science. What Do Reoviruses Have To Do with Celiac Disease? Dr. Dermody and his colleagues have […]
September 11, 2023
Published by CeliAct
Preparing school lunches for our gluten-free kiddos is no simple task. While kids can often times be picky eaters making mealtime complicated no matter the location, school lunches introduce even more factors: Will the food keep until lunch time? What if his lunch is different from everyone elses and he is embarrassed? What if the other kids make fun of him? What if he doesn’t understand the severity of his intolerance and is buying school lunch without telling me? Read on for tips on how to navigate this process, and suggestions for gluten-free lunch ideas that your munchkins will love! […]
August 30, 2023
Published by Life Extension
Quercetin (pronounced kwer-suh-tin) has been in the news recently, and for good reason. This yellow pigment is a flavonoid that occurs in apples, grape skin, red onions, and green tea. While quercetin’s presence in foods has long been recognized, it has only been lately that some of its remarkable effects have come to light. Quercetin’s recently discovered properties include protective effects against cancer, cardiovascular disease, allergies and immune dysfunction — all of which, if prevented, could help improve or extend life. For life extensionists, however, the most exciting research involves the use of quercetin as a potential treatment for aging. […]
August 30, 2023
Published by FoodTrients
We are sick. Around the world, we struggle with diseases that were once considered rare. Cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes affect millions each year; many people are also struggling with hypertension, weight gain, fatty liver, dementia, low testosterone, menstrual irregularities and infertility, and more. We treat the symptoms, not realizing that all of these diseases and disorders have something in common. Each of them is caused or made worse by a condition known as insulin resistance. And you might have it. Odds are you do—over half of all adults in the United States are insulin resistant, with […]
August 16, 2023
Published by FoodTrients
The Grace O Foundation and Cedars-Sinai recently announced the first two of four awardees of funds for research on nutrition and the diseases of aging. The awards are part of a $300,000 research gift that the Grace O Foundation committed to support the Center for Integrated Research in Cancer and Lifestyle (CIRCL) at Cedars-Sinai last fall. Cedars-Sinai issued a request for application for studies on inflammation and the diseases of aging, and the role nutrition and lifestyle can play to prevent and/or minimize inflammatory diseases. One of the studies receiving funds will examine how diet and lifestyle might mitigate the […]