Have you wondered why some 60-year-olds look and feel like 40-year-olds and why some 40-year-olds look and feel like 60-year-olds? While many factors contribute to aging and illness, Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn discovered a biological indicator called telomerase, the enzyme that replenishes telomeres, which protect our genetic heritage. Authors Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn’s and Dr. Elissa Epel’s research shows that the length and health of one’s telomeres are a biological underpinning of the long-hypothesized mind-body connection. They and other scientists have found that changes we can make to our daily habits can protect our telomeres and increase our health spans (the number […]
Valentine’s Day lets us turn our thoughts to adding a little more love and romance to our lives. Can certain foods boost romantic relationships and enhance sexual desire? According to St. Thomas Aquinas, aphrodisiac foods had to produce good nutrition and a “vital spirit.” In other words, the nutrients that contribute to overall well-being will also help to ensure a healthy love life. Chocolate is typically at the top of my list for Valentine’s Day, particularly dark chocolate. It truly is one of the best superfoods for lovers. Dark chocolate can help relieve stress, sharpen our minds, improve blood flow […]
Purple passion flower is an indigenous herb used both in food as well as medicinally also called Passionflower or Passiflora incarnata. You may also recognize it as Wild Passionflower, apricot Vine, Holy-Trinity flower, or Maypop. Dried aerial parts of this flower have been used as both a sedative and hypnotic for sleep and relaxation. This herb has also been used to help with gastrointestinal distress caused by nerves. There is evidence that Native American tribes including the Houma and Cherokee used it both in their diets as well as medicinally. Purple Passionflower is a perennial vine that blooms in the […]
Occasionally forgetting where you left your keys or what you were supposed to buy at the market might be annoying, but it’s not usually a sign of Alzheimer’s disease. Nor does it point to Alzheimer’s prelude: mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI is characterized by significantly poorer memory than what is common for one’s age, and Alzheimer’s signs include severe deterioration of memory, difficulty completing familiar tasks and trouble with planning or solving problems. By middle age, it’s normal to have occasional memory lapses, especially when we’re juggling so much in our always-on, 24/7 world. “The brain, like every other organ […]
The herb Gingko biloba, or gingko for short, has been used medicinally both in Europe and the U.S. since the 1700s though it is native to China, Japan and Korea. Though it is one of the most frequently prescribed herbal remedies in Germany currently, there is evidence of ancient Chinese healers describing this herbs medicinal properties. Used to treat many health conditions, gingko is especially used for cognitive function including for memory improvement and even for longevity, possibly because of its link to cardiovascular health support. Read on to learn more about the potential benefits as well as the risks […]
The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards announced that Grace O’s The Age Beautifully Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from Around the World has won the National Award in the INNOVATIVE category for this year’s competition. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (PRWEB) JANUARY 06, 2017 — The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, which have been called the “Oscars” of the food world, announced this week that Grace O’s The Age Beautifully Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from Around the World has won the National Award in the INNOVATIVE category for this year’s competition. The Age Beautifully Cookbook, the latest cookbook from FoodTrients®, will now […]
Winter mornings can be tough. Waking up when it’s still dark out, the cold of the floor when climbing out of bed and the thought of the inevitable frosted car windshield never fail to make a person want to crawl back under the covers. Cold cereal in the winter just didn’t cut it, because the versatility of deciding what to add to hot cereal was much more appealing. Fresh berries, slivered almonds, flax, raisins, brown sugar, the possibilities really are endless! Oats were problematic and cream of wheat was completely off limits. What other options are out there? It is relatively simple to […]
You may have seen maca popping up in trendy restaurants and wondering if this South American vegetable root may benefit your health. Maca grows wild at high elevations in Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina and has recently gained popularity in U.S. cuisine. A relative of the radish, maca and often appears a brilliant yellow color with an odor similar to butterscotch though it does come in a range of colors from white to black. A member of the Brassica family, maca contains similar health benefits to other cruciferous veggies but is best known for its potential for boosting libido and […]
By Lisa Truesday A trip to the library changed Luann Alemao’s life—and the small city of Cedar Falls, Iowa—forever. While browsing the new-book shelf a few years ago, Alemao found The Blue Zones (National Geographic, 2012) by Dan Buettner, a New York Times best seller showcasing five locations in the world with the highest percentage of people living well into their 100s. Alemao, a former Family and Consumer Sciences educator, remembers feeling more than a little amazed. “I thought, wow, this is everything I used to teach, like food and nutrition, marriage and family and consumer education, plus all the […]
Making Life Easy: A Simple Guide To a Divinely Inspired Life is a joyfully encouraging new book—as useful for men as it is for women—from Dr. Christiane Northrup, which explores the essential truth that has guided her ever since medical school: our bodies, minds, and souls are profoundly intertwined. Making life flow with ease, and truly feeling your best, is about far more than physical health; it’s also about having a healthy emotional life and a robust spiritual life. When you view your physical well-being in isolation, life can become a constant battle to make your body “behave.” When you acknowledge […]