HealthYour Gut Is Your Second Brain: How Food Affects Mood, Stress, and Aging
We often think of our brain as the center of how we feel—our mood, our stress, our energy. But there is another system in the body quietly influencing all of these: the gut. Often referred to as the “second brain,” the gut is home to trillions of microorganisms that play a vital role in how we feel each day—not just physically, but emotionally as well. I’ve always believed that the foods we choose each day are deeply connected to how the body functions as a whole. One of the most powerful of these connections is the one between the gut […]READ MORE
January 12, 2025
Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO
You’re coming down with that tickle in your throat and a bit of fatigue – possibly getting a cold. As viruses like the flu rage on this winter, do you reach for the herb echinacea to help boost the immune system at the first sign of trouble? If so, you’re not alone. A perennial flowering plant related to sunflowers, daisies and ragweed, echinacea is native to the Rocky Mountains in the U.S. It was originally discovered and used by Native Americans who passed it along to early settlers and its medicinal uses were then taken back to Europe. It is […]
January 12, 2025
Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO
Alzheimer’s disease is associated with advanced memory loss and cognitive impairment, but an increasing number of individuals are being diagnosed in the early stages and are taking proactive steps to manage the condition. According to JohnsHopkinsMedicine.org: There are over 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s Disease with 3 million new cases diagnosed each year. Alzheimer’s is deadlier than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. The disease is most prevalent in women and Black Americans. 11 million Americans act as unpaid caregivers for a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. We now know that nutrition plays a crucial role in maintaining cognitive […]
January 12, 2025
Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO
Here are the Top 50 Foods to prevent cancer. So many whole foods are considered anti-cancer for reasons ranging from fiber content to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It has been estimated that 30–40 percent of all cancers can be prevented by lifestyle and dietary measures alone so what you eat definitely matters. Here is the ultimate FoodTrients® list of the top 50 foods to prevent cancer. Mix and match these healthy whole foods to include them in your diet daily to reduce your risk today. 1. Apples An apple a day is great advice when it comes to preventing cancer. […]
January 12, 2025
Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO
You are what you eat and the foods you choose can affect all the body’s systems including the brain. Nutrients can boost memory and mental focus, but some foods can reduce it. When the brain is experiencing stress or inflammation, it isn’t as sharp. When it gets access to vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and healthy fat, it functions better. Foods rich in nutrients like antioxidant vitamins C, neuro-supportive B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids can sharpen memory and learning. Here is the ultimate FoodTrients® list of the top 50 foods to boost your memory: 1. Apples Antioxidants are generally good for […]
December 26, 2024
Published by FoodTrients
For many, having a lovely frosty pint is one of life’s great pleasures. That is, until they drink many more than one frosty pint, feel absolutely horrendous the next day, wracked with beer fear and memory loss, and enter that near-fugue state that makes it very hard to properly use any of your limbs. This also feels like a good place to mention that, according to the World Health Organization, booze is responsible for 3 million deaths a year globally. Up to half of all people in beds in orthopedic wards are there because of an alcohol-related injury and, on […]
November 16, 2024
Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO
Colder weather and holiday celebrations accompany cold and flu season and the need to discuss immunizations and staying healthy. This year, three vaccinations are in the spotlight: RSV, the COVID-19 updated vaccine, and the flu shot. While the most important conversation is between you and your healthcare provider so that they can provide personalized recommendations, it can be helpful to be armed with more information about what these immunizations are and how they work. There are a lot of questions surrounding seasonal vaccines so let’s break down the facts on what they are, what they protect against, when to get […]
November 16, 2024
Published by Angela Pettera
Pauline Boss, PhD, is an expert on loss and grief. In the 1970s she coined the term “ambiguous loss” in the course of researching the grief suffered by people whose loved ones are missing but not declared dead. She has published 8 books that have been translated into 17 languages and she has been a visiting professor at Harvard Medical School and the University of Southern California. Her new book, The Myth of Closure: Ambiguous Loss in a Time of Pandemic and Change, was written to help us all deal with the losses we’ve suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic and […]
November 5, 2024
Published by FoodTrients
Turkey: Fifty years ago, Americans did not eat the over engineered bird that we consume today. We dine on heritage turkeys. Firmer, richer, juicier, and more flavorful–for these birds, gravy serves no purpose. Find your turkey at www.orangicprairie.com Use their convenient drop down menu to choose your state and view their selection of turkey farms. Pick your bird after browsing photos and prices. Be sure to start your turkey search well ahead of time. A heritage turkey will cost more, but resources are saved when you’re not cooking the turkey overnight or soaking it in brine. Knowing your bird wasn’t […]
October 23, 2024
Published by Dr. Mark Rosenberg
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 […]
October 8, 2024
Published by Life Extension
An article published in PLoS Genetics describes a study involving the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) which uncovered a link between insufficient dietary intake of vitamin B12 and a greater risk of potentially lethal infections. Caenorhabditis elegans are similar to humans in their need to obtain vitamin B12 by dietary means. “We used C. elegans to study the effect of diet on a host and found that one kind of food was able to dramatically increase resistance to multiple stressors — like heat and free radicals — as well as to pathogens,” reported lead researcher Natasha Kirienko, who is an assistant professor of biosciences at […]
October 8, 2024
Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO
Did you know that many mushrooms — some that you can find in the grocery store and others that come in medicinal/capsule form — can support your health in many ways? Mushrooms are often used for their well-known benefits to the immune system or for their anti-cancer effects but there’s emerging research about the power they hold for reducing risk or being part of the treatment plan for chronic diseases like cardiovascular problems, blood sugar balance, liver protection, brain health, and even as a treatment for allergies. Learn more about the incredible power that mushrooms have and how you might […]
October 8, 2024
Published by Tina Turbin
For most celiac patients, treatment on the gluten-free diet marks the turning point for their health. It can take a few months for the villi of the small intestine to heal, but eventually their symptoms are alleviated and they are able to absorb the nutrients in their food. Unfortunately, there is a percentage of celiacs who don’t respond to the gluten-free diet, which is the only current treatment for the disease, resulting in a condition known as refractory celiac disease, also known as nonresponsive celiac disease (NRCD). Although celiac experts have stated that actual refractory celiac disease, whereby damage to […]
October 7, 2024
Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO
Did you know that food can actually play a role in your mood and happiness levels? So many people live with restricting many foods or feelings of guilt or shame surrounding eating. Others may not get the nutrition they need to fuel the pleasure centers in the brain (think serotonin production), keeping mood stable. The brain uses a full 20% of the calories you take in so fueling it is absolutely critical. Foods that contain compounds like zinc, selenium, B6 and B12, magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants have proven links to brain health and even mood, which is […]