During the holidays nothing puts me in a festive mood more than the aroma of something sweet baking in the oven. For many of my friends, cinnamon is what puts them in a holiday state of mind. Made from the ground bark of a genus of trees called Cinnamomum, the top cinnamon producing countries are Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar. There are two main types: Ceylon cinnamon, produced in Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar, Brazil, and the Caribbean, and cassia cinnamon, which comes mainly from Indonesia, China and Vietnam. Cinnamon is one of those delicious spices that also has […]
Would you stay on a calorie/carbohydrate-controlled diet if I told you it would add decades of youthful living to your life? Not only would you live longer, but you’d live in good health without the typical diseases and conditions of aging. Or would you say, to heck with it, I don’t care if I live to 100, I want to have my cake and eat it too? I bet if I took a survey of my patients and my readers, most of them would opt for the latter. They’d want to eat their cake and enjoy it for as long […]
Be it work, finances, relationships, or health issues, most of us experience stressful events at some point in our lives. But today, researchers are witnessing levels of stress that are virtually unprecedented. A startling 80% of Americans now report experiencing intense, chronic stress over personal finances and the economy. And the problem is global: the World Health Organization estimates that stress-related disorders affect nearly 450 million individuals worldwide. The effects of this pandemic on the public health are profound. Researchers have linked the cumulative impact of stress to a host of age-accelerating conditions and degenerative diseases. These range from cardiovascular disease to diabetes to various […]
Every morning, many of us sip our coffee with no real thought given to the beans behind the brew. But coffee beans are extra-ordinarily complex fruits containing over 1,000 compounds – only a handful of which have ever been individually investigated by scientists. Not only is coffee packed with antioxidants, but it is the greatest source of antioxidants in the American diet. The average American coffee drinker consumes about 3.1 cups of coffee a day,5 but extensive research has found that higher volumes – as much as 4 to 12 cups daily – can help prevent most major killers, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, liver disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. […]
Now you might think with that title that I’m being ageist, and/or sexist, to all my older women readers. On the contrary, as a cardiologist, I want to help all of my older women readers to stay youthful and healthy for as long as possible. That’s why I’m giving you ladies the inside scoop on something you may be eating that’s upping your risk for brain damage. Ladies Over 50: Trans Fats Up Your Risk of Stroke and Memory Loss Are you a woman over 50? Are you post menopausal? Do you consume foods that contain trans fats? If […]
Want to start your day right? Add turmeric to your breakfast. Turmeric is a spice that’s commonly used in Indian dishes. Not only can it perk up your meal, but it may also stimulate your brain due to an antioxidant it contains called curcumin. A recent study found that turmeric enhanced memory in adults. The results were published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Turmeric Boosts Memory for Six Hours People aged 60 and older were recruited for the study. They were given a bland breakfast consisting of white bread along with a placebo, 2 grams of cinnamon, 1 gram […]
If you’re over 50, you likely grew up eating beef, a staple of most American diets for the last 50 plus years. I know I did. Steaks on a summer grill and beef hamburgers are as much American tradition as apple pie. It’s the reason we have so many (beef) burger businesses across the United States. But there’s another red meat out there that you probably pass right by at your grocer’s. It not only tastes great but, in many ways, is nutritionally superior to beef. Let me tell you more about this special red meat and why, now that […]
Valentine’s Day brings warmth and joy to the often gloomy month of February. And let’s be honest—what’s Valentine’s Day without chocolate? As a child, I cherished the rare occasions when my parents treated me to American-made chocolates as a special reward, making each bite even more delightful. Later in life, my husband won my heart with roses and decadent chocolates on this romantic holiday. It’s no surprise that chocolate has become synonymous with love! The great news is that chocolate is an honest-to-goodness FoodTrient! Dark chocolate is loaded with vitamins, antioxidants and even some fiber. Sugar, butter, milk and admittedly other […]
If you’re like me, you love your coffee. It gets you going in the morning, picks you up from a late afternoon slump and gives you that all needed early evening boost at the gym later. But, along with the rejuvenating effect of coffee, as a dermatologist, there’s an even more important reason I love coffee… Your Daily Joe Could Help Prevent This Deadly Cancer If you’re a coffee drinker, you probably don’t need another reason to keep drinking it. But, in the last few years, health researchers have reported many good reasons to drink coffee. They include: Antioxidant power. You may […]
The pine tree is celebrated during the darkness of winter for its seemingly death-defying ability to remain green year-round. Its bark and needles have been used by indigenous people for centuries for nutrition and general wellness. As a matter of fact, an extract from the bark of the French maritime pine has been found to contain compounds that have year-round life-enhancing benefits. Let’s explore them. Pine Bark Extract Contains Disease-Fighting Proanthocyanidins Proanthocyanidins derived from pine bark have been associated with a variety of benefits, including DNA protection, reduction of inflammation, decreased oxidative stress and reduced glycation. Aside from these broad benefits, pine bark […]