March 19, 2019

Probiotics May Keep You From Dwelling On the Past

People focus less on bad feelings and experiences from the past (i.e., rumination) after four weeks of
March 6, 2019

Make a Clean Break from Toxic Household Cleaners

We are exposed to thousands of hazardous chemicals from the environment, but how safe are we inside
March 5, 2019

Intermittent Fasting Boosts Health

Various versions of the intermittent fasting diet appear to have weight loss benefits. A new study investigating why they work concludes that circadian rhythms are key. Intermittent fasting has become popular, but how does it work? While the modern world appears awash with fad diets, people seem to be giving a fair bit of attention to intermittent fasting. As its name implies, intermittent fasting involves eating nothing for extended periods of time. Some studies have found that this type of diet is beneficial, but exactly why it benefits health is not yet clear. Recently, a group of scientists at the University […]
March 5, 2019

Hydrogen Water: Quenching Our Thirst for Health

You know that regular water is important for hydration and for the body’s systems to run smoothly. But have you heard of the potential health benefits of hydrogen water? Touted around the world as an incredible cure for many ailments and powerful anti-aging compound, there is some fascinating research to support these claims. However, much of what’s available currently has been done in animal studies and it’s difficult to know if hydrogen water is the answer to your health worries or if it’s just a very expensive way to meet your water needs. Medicinally, hydrogen water is used: As an […]
March 5, 2019

Cholesterol: Eat Natural Foods for Balance

If you’re over 50, your doctor may have told you that you need to watch your cholesterol levels or reduce them.
February 19, 2019

Sip or Sup(plement) – There’s a Tea for All Seasons

You’ll find leaf teas in the beverage aisle, but tea may appear in the supplements section, too. What makes tea qualified to be in the supplement category? Here are the facts. Just like fruits and vegetables, teas from the Camellia sinensis plant are loaded with micronutrients—so much so that some teas are sold in the supplements aisle as well as on the beverage shelf. Tea is an optimal health drink, says Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, nutrition professor and senior scientist in Tufts University’s Antioxidants Research Laboratory, because it has no calories and offers abundant polyphenols, plant compounds such as catechins that […]
February 19, 2019

Why Fasting Might Be the Best Medicine for Longevity

(Los Angeles, Jan. 15, 2019) Why should you fast to optimize your body? Fasting began with the evolution of early man when our bodies had to adapt to food scarcity at times. It has a powerful and positive impact on overall health. “We eat too much, too often, and at the wrong time of day. We don’t move enough and don’t sleep enough,” says Dr. James LaValle, a clinician, nutritionist, educator and consultant in the field on integrative health care. He is also the author of Cracking the Metabolic Code and one of the speakers at the American Academy of […]
February 19, 2019

Pomegranate Metabolite Is Good For Your Gut

A report published on January 9, 2019 in Nature Communications suggests a benefit for urolithin A, a metabolite derived from pomegranate and berries, in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which include Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and are characterized by inflammation due to gut leakage of toxins. “Urolithin A (UroA), a major microbial metabolite derived from polyphenolics of berries and pomegranate fruits displays anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and anti-aging activities,” write Rabir Singh of the University of Louisville and colleagues. “Here, we show that urolithin A and its potent synthetic analogue (UAS03) significantly enhance gut barrier function and inhibit unwarranted inflammation.” “Microbiota […]
February 19, 2019

Vitamin C Shows Promise As Brain Aging Treatment

A study reported on January 9, 2019 in the journal Nutrients revealed a protective role for supplementation with vitamin C, a well known antioxidant, in mice exposed to D-galactose, a sugar that occurs in some foods which has been shown to induce brain aging via the accumulation of oxidative stress. One hundred-eight mice were divided to receive subcutaneous D-galactose or no D-galactose for 10 weeks. Beginning in the seventh week, half of the animals in each group were given a high oral dose of vitamin C for four weeks. While mice that received D-galactose experienced a reduction in cognitive function and decreased neurogenesis in […]
February 5, 2019

Exercise Hormone May Protect Against Alzheimer’s

A hormone released during exercise may protect the brain against Alzheimer’s disease, research suggests. Irisin is a messenger protein generated by muscle tissue that is carried around the body in the bloodstream. The new evidence indicates that it may be behind the known positive effects on mental performance of taking exercise. US and Brazilian scientists found lower levels of the hormone in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients compared with healthy individuals. The same was true for the precursor protein from which irisin is derived, FNDC5. In tests on genetically engineered mice, the scientists induced learning and memory deficits by cutting […]
February 5, 2019

Health Tips from Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen

Fiber up, blood pressure down “You are what you eat” is an old saying originally penned in 1826 by the gastronomic food-wizard Anthelme Brillat-Savarin in his essay on the physiology of gout. He wrote, “Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es” [Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are]. The same could be said for the trillions of bacteria in your guts: You are what they eat. Researchers have known for a while that the gut biome needs to be fed soluble fiber found in grains, veggies and fruits for […]
January 29, 2019

Olive Oil Markedly Extends Human Lifespan

Those who follow a Mediterranean diet have an increased quality of life with a lower mortality rate. The Mediterranean diet consists of a low intake of red meat and sweets with greater emphasis on fish, vegetables, mixed nuts, whole grains, wine (moderate consumption), and olive oil. Unrefined extra virgin olive oil, a chief component of the Mediterranean diet, has been given significant credit for the diet’s health-promoting ability, especially with its rich polyphenol content. Today, substantial new findings further validate extra virgin olive oil’s benefits for cardiovascular, bone, and brain health. Several of these studies were large-scale clinical trials on humans. One study in particular caught mainstream media attention. This study, […]
January 29, 2019

Your Brain Works Better With More Nutrients

The March 2019 issue of NeuroImage published findings from researchers at the University of Illinois of an association between higher plasma levels of specific nutrients and improved brain connectivity and cognitive performance in older individuals. The study included 116 participants aged 65 and 75 years. Plasma samples collected from the subjects were analyzed for 32 nutrients that are present in significant amounts in a Mediterranean diet. Subjects underwent tests of general intelligence, executive function and memory. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain assessed brain network efficiency within seven connectivity networks. “The basic question we were asking was whether diet and nutrition are […]