October 23, 2023

The New Science of the Body’s Immune System

  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

Harvest Fall Vegetables for Delish Dishes

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

Mining the Herbal Medicine in Your Kitchen

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

Is Celiac Disease Caused by A Common Virus?

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 24, 2023

How To Support Your Immune System Naturally

How To Support Your Immune System Naturally (Boosting your immune system is always important, but as summer vacations come to an end and kids head back to school, fall marks the beginning of flu season. Learning which foods can help keep you well is the focus for the seventh part in our series on the nine benefits at the core of FoodTrients® and all of our recipes. What you eat matters, which is why we’ll explore one of these incredible anti-aging benefits each month and show you how they help fight the diseases of aging.) Did you know that there […]
September 24, 2023

Top 50 Foods That Can Help You Sleep

Sleeping well is one of the most critical things we can do for our health. Working out and eating right can only take you so far if your body is stressed from lack of sleep. It is needed to calm stress hormones like cortisol, to support the natural immune system, for repair and for cleaning out the brain – yes, that happens each night when you sleep! Foods that contain critical nutrients for sleep (including magnesium, calcium, B3, B6, B12, certain amino acids, antioxidants and melatonin regulators) top the list of 50 foods that support great sleep and should be […]
September 24, 2023

How DO You Mend a Broken Heart? Read On

The pandemic touched all of our lives. For some of us, it meant a loss of a former way of life. We missed our friends and our families. We missed going to work or school. We missed graduations, parties, and milestones celebrated. And we lost people we loved. It’s safe to say that most of us have felt some heartbreak in the past two years. Florence Williams knows a thing or two about that. She has literally written the book on it. Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey (W.W. Norton & Company), is her scientific exploration of the subject we […]
September 11, 2023

Back to School? Gluten-Free Lunch Ideas

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! […]
September 11, 2023

Cholesterol: The Good, The Bad And The “Ugly”

I know it’s also the title of a 60’s “spaghetti Western” movie, but when it comes to your cholesterol, heart researchers have actually classified cholesterol as these 3 types.  Unlike the movie though, where the “Ugly” Tuco Ramirez (Eli Wallach) was only a fictitious character, ugly cholesterol is a real-life killer.  It not only causes heart disease but ups your risk for a sudden heart attack.  Let me explain what you can do about this dangerous type of cholesterol. What Is Ugly Cholesterol? You likely already know that having high cholesterol is not good for your heart or your arteries.  Your doctor may have […]
August 30, 2023

Do You Know What Your Ideal Diet Is?

Most nutritionists agree there is no one dietary pattern that’s ideal for everyone. In addition to your unique combination of genes, medical history, cultural and family background, taste preferences and daily living patterns, you apply your own set of values to your eating approach. Some people may focus on preventing or managing disease, others on protecting the environment, some on managing weight, others on enjoying what they eat and so on. Prioritizing what matters to you can help determine your eating style. The six dietary patterns discussed here have dominated headlines over the past few years. We’ve tapped nutrition experts […]
August 30, 2023

Good Gut Health Helps Prevent Diseases

(Digestive health is a critical player when it comes to your overall health. Learning which foods can help keep you well and positively improve everything from your mood to how your body absorbs nutrients. Staying well is the focus for the sixth part in our series on the nine benefits at the core of FoodTrients® and all of our recipes. What you eat matters, which is why we’ll explore one of these incredible anti-aging benefits each month and show you how they help fight the diseases of aging.) You may be familiar with the phrase “gut health,” but in order […]
August 30, 2023

Top 50 Foods for Energy and Performance

You can’t be active or workout without the right fuel for your body. The food you eat makes a huge difference in athletic performance and also for a quick stop at the gym. Foods that contain energy in the form of carbohydrates and protein in addition to certain vitamins, antioxidants and stimulants known to boost performance top the list of 50 foods for physical activity. Here they are: 1. Almonds The key to using almonds to fuel activity lies not only in their caloric density – a useful combination of healthy unsaturated fat, protein and carbohydrates – but also in […]
August 30, 2023

Age-Fighting Quercetin Is Anti-Inflammatory

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. […]