• Health

    Fermented 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 […]
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July 31, 2018
Published by FoodTrients

Visionary! 4 Foods To Support Eye Health

Give your peepers some attention! In addition to wearing protective sunglasses while outside, getting annual eye checkups and supplementing wisely, fill your plate with vision-supporting foods. KALE, SPINACH AND TURNIP GREENS We love these verdant veggies for their eye-fortifying nutrients: lutein and zeaxanthin—antioxidants that reduce risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision impairment. Lutein and zeaxanthin are particularly special because they filter out blue-wavelength light emitted from smartphones and computers. For effortless nutrition, add chopped kale, spinach or turnip greens into stews or pasta sauce. SALMON, TUNA AND MACKEREL Yes, seafood does help you see, […]
July 31, 2018
Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO

Natural Weight Loss Supplements

Are natural weight loss supplements safe? Weight loss supplements are among the most utilized and misunderstood products out on the market. Studies estimate that one in three overweight or obese American adults are using these products and with a tainted history, it is important to approach weight loss supplements with vigilance. News articles abound with information on problematic supplements, most recently additive β-methylphenylethylamine (BMPEA) an amphetamine-similar stimulant, being added in place of other products. In a 5-part series, FoodTrients has  highlighted some weight loss products currently on the market, discussing the science behind them, any health warnings associated with them […]
July 31, 2018
Published by Dr. Mark Rosenberg

Doctors To Screen Patients For Obesity?

I’ve always counseled my patients about the need to keep a healthy weight. It not only makes you look and feel better but it decreases your risk for serious diseases.   Many doctors, though, have shied away from telling their patients that they need to lose weight. Why? For one reason, patients tend to take comments about their weight very personally instead of seeing it as the health risk that it is.  Many doctors don’t want to insult their patients and/or make them feel bad about themselves in any way. For another reason, some doctors feel that nutrition and weight loss counseling is […]
July 24, 2018
Published by Life Extension

Is Poor Diet Behind The Teenage Mental Health Crisis?

Fiona Hunter, one of the UK’s leading nutritionists, takes a look at the possible correlation between the emerging mental health crisis in teenagers and how this could be linked to the lack of vital vitamins and minerals in teenagers. This week, research found that young people aged 16 to 25 are the unhappiest generation in a decade, with one in four feeling ‘hopeless’ on a regular basis, and nearly half having experienced a mental health problem. Eating a healthy balanced diet is not usually high up on the ‘to-do’ list for most teenagers and young adults – one reason is […]
July 24, 2018
Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO

Are Apricot Seeds Safe or Toxic?

Did you know that inside the pit of an apricot there lies a small, almond-shaped kernel? Also referred to as laetrile® or B17, apricot kernels are used as an alternative treatment for cancer. Apricot seeds contain plant substances called Nitrilosides. Amygdalin is a type of nitriloside which can convert to cyanide when consumed, a known toxin that exists in some plant sources. So, do apricot kernels or their extracts improve health or is this a poison? Read on to learn more about B17/laetrile®. Apricot seeds are sometimes eaten whole as an alternative anti-cancer treatment but there are also many supplemental […]
July 24, 2018
Published by Life Extension

Baking Soda Improves Cancer Treatment?

Consuming baking soda may help immunotherapy drugs to fight difficult-to-treat tumors. This cheap and simple intervention may eventually improve current cancer treatments. Baking soda could help to boost immunotherapy. Within tumors, large portions are deprived of oxygen. Scientists know that these hypoxic regions tend to be the most resistant to treatment. If a cell is unable to access adequate oxygen, it slows down and enters what is known as a quiescent state. The molecular switch mTORC1 is responsible for assessing the situation before telling the cell whether or not it should divide. If mTORC1 is not present, the cell’s internal […]
July 17, 2018
Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO

CBD Oil Has Exciting Health Benefits

Mystery and intrigue surround the cannabis sativa plant — also known as marijuana — and its possible medicinal properties though it has been used since ancient times. Utilized for food, fiber, oil, medicine and recreation, there are many things the cannabis plant provides us, but perhaps the most intriguing for health is cannabidiol or CBD oil. This compound is the non-psychoactive part of the cannabis sativa plant. Medicinal preparations made from the flowers and resin of the cannabis plant have been used in ancient Chinese medicine, medieval times, Ayurvedic medicine, and even in modern Western medicine into the 1800’s when […]