The delicious culinary herb thyme is a staple in most kitchens and one of the most popular herbs today, but there may be health benefits to using it medicinally as well. Thyme, or Thymus vulgaris, is a perennial shrub with small grey-green leaves native to the Mediterranean. Culinarily, thyme is used in a variety of seasonings from poultry and other meats to vegetables, dressings, sauce, soups and stews. But thyme is also used medicinally for: Lung issues (cough, bronchitis) Gastrointestinal troubles like gastritis, colic, diarrhea Stimulating appetite Sore throats Skin disorders Thyme oil and extract is used topically and in […]
The earliest humans used plants for medicine as well as for food. By medieval times, people were making huge amounts of money trading spices around the globe. People wanted to make their food taste good, of course. But the perceived medicinal benefits also were extremely important. According to author Jack Turner, “In the medieval mind, spices and medicine were effectively one and the same. Not all drugs were spices, but all spices were drugs.” An 11th-century monk named Constantine wrote that ginger, cinnamon, galangal (a root related to ginger) and pepper could be used to treat impotence. Indeed, the search […]
A study reported on July 18, 2017 in the journal PLOS ONE found positive effects for supplementation with whey protein in combination with calcium, creatine, omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin D in the muscles of older men. The gradual loss of muscle that occurs with aging known as sarcopenia is associated with frailty, falls and disability in late life. “Older people who do little to prevent the progression of sarcopenia drift toward a state where they find activities of daily living, like rising from a chair or ascending stairs very difficult or maybe impossible,” observed lead researcher Stuart Phillips, who is a […]
Happiness is not about wishful thinking, good luck, or avoiding negative thoughts. In fact, the only path to true happiness requires seeing challenges as opportunities and discovering emotional strength during times of struggle. In other words, it’s about resilience. Resilience is a quality most of us want to possess. The big issue is that no one knows how to access it in their day-to-day life. We understand that it’s important, that it’s crucial even, but it seems like an ephemeral thing that you either have or you don’t. How we actually attain the skills to become resilient has been left […]
Although most of us don’t like to do it, exercising, along with proper nutrition, is vital in staying healthy and
By Jenny Ivy Second only to teeth, bones are your body’s strongest material. And even though they’re solid, bones are dynamic, living tissue, made mostly from collagen and calcium phosphate, a mineral that hardens bone exterior. But as you age, existing bone density breaks down faster than new bone is made, increasing risk of osteoporosis, a condition that reduces bone density and raises chance of fractures. Stay strong with naturally minded advice from a physical therapist (Marilyn Moffat, PT, New York University, New York), a nutritionist (Ann Gibson, CHHC, founder, AdventureWellness.com, Boulder, Colorado), and a naturopathic doctor (Justin Pollack, ND, […]
An article appearing August 21, 2017 in Nature Medicine reveals a potential role for senolytic compounds, including quercetin and the drug dasatinib, in the targeting of senescent cells to help maintain bone. “While we know from previous work that the accumulation of senescent cells causes tissue dysfunction, the role of cell senescence in osteoporosis up to this point has been unclear,” noted researcher Sundeep Khosla, MD, of the Mayo Clinic’s Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging. “The novelty of this work for the bone field lies in the fact that, rather than targeting a bone-specific pathway, as is the case for all current […]
If you’ve been following a regular workout regime, you deserve applause. I try to walk and swim as often as I can. Whether you run a few times a week, hike on the weekends or go to the gym, regular exercise is one of the most reliable ways to live a healthier life. Whatever kind of workout you practice, there are foods that can help you make the most of any exercise routine. Even though there are performance-enhancing supplements, eating the right foods is the most reliable way to build muscle and recover efficiently from workouts. Some of my favorite […]
If you don’t live in California or the Southwest, you may not be familiar with jicama (HEE-kah-mah), a large root vegetable that comes from Mexico and South America. Featuring a thin but tough brown skin and sweet, crunchy, white flesh, jicama is also known as Mexican potato or yam bean root. It’s eaten raw, diced up in salads, baked, steamed or even fried. It has a texture and taste similar to a cross between an apple and a turnip. Not only is jicama delicious and versatile, but it also contains plenty of healthful benefits that make it an excellent nutritional […]
There are a couple of ways to look at Mexican ‘superfoods’. First, if you eliminate the tortilla chips, full-fat cheese and beans cooked with lard, much of the basics of Mexican cuisine are quite healthy. Beans (cooked, but not refried) and rice, fresh seafood, chicken, lean beef, tomatoes and avocados are all highly nutritious foods that provide plenty of benefits. And many of these foods qualify as ‘superfoods’—nutrient dense and high in healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals and protein. The other way to look at Mexican superfoods is to seek out indigenous foods that have been staples of the traditional […]