June 22, 2021

The Healthy Benefits Of a Variety Of Teas

In the past few years, many of my patients have begun adding a variety of teas to their daily routine and I couldn’t be happier. As I tell my patients, various teas have been used in Eastern medicine for the treatment of many illnesses and conditions as well as to just stay healthy! There are a number of health benefits associated with drinking teas of all types that I would like to share that with you as well. A Tea For All Reasons      As I mentioned above, tea has been used in Eastern medicine for centuries.  For the last several […]
June 6, 2021

Dark Chocolate Fights UV Damage

Okay, I’m betting most of you reading that headline are thinking, Chocolate Fights UV Damage?
June 6, 2021

Cinnamon Could Stop Parkinson’s In Its Tracks

An article appearing recently in the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology indicates that cinnamon could one day be used by Parkinson’s disease patients to prevent the disease from progressing. Saurabh Khasnavis and Kalipada Pahan, PhD, of Rush University Medical Center studied the effects of the spice in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. They found that when cinnamon is metabolized into sodium benzoate in the blood and brain, the loss of beneficial proteins known as Parkin and DJ-1 is halted, while neurons that produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is reduced in Parkinson’s, are protected. Motor function, which can be significantly impaired by the disease, was […]
June 1, 2021

Foods To Help You 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 […]
May 25, 2021

Oprah’s Asking: What Happened to You? New Book Helps Explain

This book is going to change the way you see your life. Have you ever wondered “Why did I do that?” or “Why can’t I just control my behavior?” Others may judge our reactions and think, “What’s wrong with that person?” When questioning our emotions, it’s easy to place the blame on ourselves; holding ourselves and those around us to an impossible standard. It’s time we started asking a different question. Through deeply personal conversations, Oprah Winfrey and renowned brain and trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry offer a groundbreaking and profound shift from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What […]
May 11, 2021

Flavors of Spain Will Spice Up Your Health

Over the past year, FoodTrients has been exploring foods and flavors from around the globe. This week, we take a look at the flavors of Spain as part of our new series on the world of foods, herbs and spices that help create some of the distinctive dishes we have featured, and the age-defying benefits they deliver. Due to its location, Spain has a variety of cultural influences from Greece, Northern Europe, Italy, and Northern Africa, which are responsible for introducing foods such as olives, wine, meat pie, stews, and honey to Spain’s cuisine. Fish and other seafood are considered […]
May 11, 2021

Just Move: New Approach To Fitness After 50

You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old. Exercise is the one anti-aging treatment entirely in your own power. Take charge of your fitness with Just Move! Written specifically for people north of sixty by James P. Owen, a former couch potato who’s decidedly within that demographic, it aims to be inspiring, even empowering, while giving you just enough knowledge to create your own exercise program fitness basics you need to know with no confusing buzzwords or information overload. Former Wall Street rainmaker Owen was 70 when he decided he had to get fit. Years of […]
May 11, 2021

EWG Releases Dirty Dozen 2021 Pesticide Guide

Collard and mustard greens join kale among the most pesticide-contaminated fresh produce on the Environmental Working Group’s 2021 Dirty Dozen™ list. For the first time, bell peppers and hot peppers have made the list. The Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen™ together make up EWG’s annual Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™, which analyzes Department of Agriculture test data to identify which fresh fruits and vegetables are most and least contaminated with pesticide residues. “Whether organic or conventionally grown, fruits and vegetables are critical components of a healthy diet,” said EWG toxicologist Thomas Galligan, Ph.D. “We urge consumers who are […]
May 10, 2021

Good Dental Care Ensures Overall Health!

At the start of a new year my patients invariably ask me what things they can do to keep themselves healthy. One of the first basic things I tell them is to take good care of their teeth! Like many of my patients, you may wonder what the condition of your gums and teeth have to do with your overall health?It’s simple, really, and I’d like to explain to you what the basic relationship is between your dental health and the rest of your body. Your Mouth – The Door to Your Good Health You may not know this, but your […]
May 6, 2021

Meet the Savory Spices of Russia & Eastern Europe

Over the past year, FoodTrients has been exploring foods and flavors from around the globe. This week, we introduce another in our series on the world of herbs, spices and ingredients that help create some of the distinctive dishes we have featured and the age-defying benefits they deliver. You’ll find Russian cuisine influencing parts of Eastern Europe, and vice versa, as savory flavors like cabbage, beets, caraway, dill and sorrel migrate as borders have changed and people have moved and spread throughout the area over time. Russian cuisine influence can be seen in Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, and into the Baltic […]
April 26, 2021

Meet the Age-Defying Spices of Sardinia, Italy

Over the past year, FoodTrients has been exploring foods and flavors from around the globe. This week, we take a look at the flavors of Sardinia, Italy as part of our new series on the world of foods, herbs and spices that help create some of distinctive dishes we have featured, and the age-defying benefits they deliver. An island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, Sardinia is known as a ‘blue zone’; a community which is home to some of the oldest living people in the world. Lifestyle factors like physical activity and social support as well as diet […]
April 26, 2021

4 Tips for Picking Your Perfect Protein

Looking for a workout boost? Trying to manage your weight? While protein powders have many benefits, not all protein sources are the same. When pondering what type of protein source is right for you, there are a number of considerations: Are you looking to protein to boost muscle recovery or to manage weight? If it’s the former and you eat meat, whey protein is probably the right one for you. If you’re eating protein to cut pounds, consider a slower-digesting option, such as pea protein or casein. Next, decide if you like the idea of plant protein sources over those […]
April 13, 2021

9 Secrets to Living a Long Life

By Lisa Truesday A trip to the library changed Luann Alemao’s life—and the small city of Cedar Falls, Iowa—forever. While browsing the new-book shelf a few years ago, Alemao found The Blue Zones (National Geographic, 2012) by Dan Buettner, a New York Times best seller showcasing five locations in the world with the highest percentage of people living well into their 100s. Alemao, a former Family and Consumer Sciences educator, remembers feeling more than a little amazed. “I thought, wow, this is everything I used to teach, like food and nutrition, marriage and family and consumer education, plus all the […]