• 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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May 16, 2017
Published by Life Extension

Vitamin B Helps Protect The Heart From Pollution

On April 3, 2017, Scientific Reports published the findings of researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health of an association between B vitamin supplementation and protection against the effects of fine particulate matter pollution on the cardiovascular and immune systems. “Ambient PM2.5 pollution is one of the most common air pollutants and has a negative effect on cardiac function and the immune system,” explained lead investigator Jia Zhong, PhD, who is a postdoctoral research officer in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia’s Mailman School. “For the first time, our trial provides evidence that B vitamin supplementation might […]
May 16, 2017
Published by FoodTrients

Study Reveals Promising Benefits of Blue Corn

Blue corn has been popping up as an ingredient everywhere from tortilla chips to breakfast cereal. Intriguing new research suggests that anthocyanins, the nutrients that give the corn its lovely blue color, may also help protect against metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. The study raises interest in using blue maize as a component of functional foods and nutraceuticals, foods that contain a medicinal benefit. The study was published in the Journal of Medicinal Food. Researchers from Universidad Veracruzana, Instituto Tecnologico de Veracruz and Unidad Oaxaca/Calle Hornos in Mexico, fed rats a high-sugar, high-cholesterol diet. The group of rats […]
May 9, 2017
Published by Dr. Mark Rosenberg

Your Diet Can Reduce Your Risk Of Cancer

Many doctors, like myself, take a more holistic approach and are far more aware of the link between their patient’s diets and the type of diseases they are at risk for. As I tell my patients, a healthy diet can greatly reduce their risk for the 3 biggest health concerns that face Americans today, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. With that in mind, I’d like to share with you some specific diet information that I give my patients to reduce their risk for cancer. Change Your Plate, Boost Your Health First, you need to re-think the distribution of the amount […]
May 9, 2017
Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO

Valerian Root Is Natural Sleep Aid and More

If you have heard of the herb valerian, it has likely been in the context of improved sleep or relaxation. Used in traditional and folk medicine in many cultures for insomnia and anxiety-ridden sleep, there is evidence to support that it works. In fact, valerian root remains the most commonly used herbal product for sleep support in both the United States and Europe. Recent research suggests valerian root’s possible effectiveness in fighting inflammation to support cognitive function after surgery. Valerian root, an herbal product made from the root of Valeriana officinalis L., a perennial flowering plant, is widely available over […]
May 9, 2017
Published by Life Extension

Six Foods To Eat For A Mood Boost

Evidence shows that the Mediterranean diet can help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. It is also associated with improved mood and a reduced risk of depression and cognitive decline. The eating plan emphasises vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, wholegrains, olive oil and lean protein. An offshoot is the Mind Diet (Mediterranean-Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay), based on the same foods but adds berries, leafy greens and nuts. Researchers found it improved cognitive ability and lowered their risk of Alzheimer’s. Foods to consider : Salmon People who eat omega-3-rich fish tend to have a lower risk of depression. […]
May 2, 2017
Published by FoodTrients

Guilty as Charged: A Case Against Sugar

In recent years, we have learned that warnings about some dietary fats like butter and coconut oil were misinformed, while the dangers of sugar were underplayed. Among the leading advocates for this reappraisal is Gary Taubes, an investigative journalist who has been reporting on nutrition since the late 1990s. His third book on the topic of diet and health, The Case Against Sugar, is fleshed out with four decades’ worth of research. There is a growing consensus in the medical community that a condition known as “metabolic syndrome” is perhaps the greatest predictor of heart disease and diabetes. Signs of the […]
May 2, 2017
Published by Scrubs

5 Easy Steps Towards Healthier Eating Habits

If you’re pressed on time and are just curious about simple steps you can take to improve your eating habits, read on – even the busiest person can benefit from this list of 5 easy steps towards healthier eating habits. Eat Those Fruits And Veggies! Seriously! Fruits and vegetables are like, insanely good for you. They’re loaded with minerals, vitamins, and nutrients that you need for a healthy body. And here’s the best part – by weight, most fruits and vegetables contain about 4x fewer calories than grains, starches, and meats! That means you get to eat more – and […]
April 25, 2017
Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO

Constipated? What To Eat & What To Avoid

Constipation is an unspoken discomfort most people will experience at some point in their lives. It is a symptom, in fact, that appears for many different reasons but is not a disease on its own. Slow transit of stool can be caused by medications, health conditions, a sedentary lifestyle, hydration status, hormonal shifts and certain foods. Constipation strikes women more often than men; they are at 2.5 times more likely to report this symptom. Constipation can be cured or lessened with natural remedies including food and certain types of activity. Constipation can be different for each person but generally means […]
April 25, 2017
Published by FoodTrients

Want To Improve Insulin Response? Eat This, Not That

By Jill Weisenberger, RDN, CDE Insulin resistance, which often has no outward symptoms, is a hallmark of both prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. When muscle, fat and liver cells ignore insulin’s signals, blood sugar levels rise. Diabetes doesn’t develop overnight: Insulin resistance with normal blood sugar levels is usually the first step. Without lifestyle changes, that often proceeds to prediabetes. That means you have higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. If blood sugar continues to rise, though, you likely will develop diabetes within 10 years.   Eat this: Avocado Not this: Cheese Both […]