Who doesn’t love dessert? It’s always nice to punctuate the end of a meal with something sweet. There are treats from all over the world that put a refreshing spin on what we usually consider for dessert. Although most desserts have their fair share of sweeteners, such as sugar or honey, there are other ingredients that provide FoodTrients and enhance a healthy diet. From Iran: A Persian Dessert Delight Persians really know their desserts! Also known as Persian Date Cake, ranginak is a traditional no-bake Persian dessert that’s delicious served with black tea. To make it even more decadent, serve […]
Memory declines as we age, but most people will never experience the severe neuronal loss of dementia. “The Aging, Demographics and Memory Study” on the prevalence of dementia concluded that 13.9 percent of the U.S. population over the age of 71 has some form of dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease accounting for just less than 10 percent, says brain researcher Carol Barnes. “That means 86 percent of us age normally.” The likelihood of dementia increase as people age, hitting 1 in 3 by age 85. Barnes, director of the University of Arizona’s Mc-Knight Brain Institute, has studied the aging brain for […]
Turmeric is a root, like ginger, that has anti-inflammatory properties. Growing up in southeast Asia, I became very familiar with turmeric root. I love its bright yellow-orange color and its zingy flavor. In India, turmeric is used to give curry its yellow color. In America, it’s mostly seen as a dried powder and added to chicken-flavored soups or sauces. Turmeric is so good for us, I think it’s time we expanded our diets to include spicing fish and other foods with it. Anti-inflammatories help keep our arteries young and less likely to clog, our skin from turning red or scaly, […]
Like most of us, when you go to sleep at night, you just want to hit the pillow and stay there until the alarm clock
You may have a nutritional and culinary gift growing in your garden right now; dill weed. Dill (anethum graveolens) can be used beyond flavoring pickles, a common preparation. This herb is used in cuisines around the world and also has some fascinating potential health benefits when used medicinally. Native to the Mediterranean and Russia, dill seeds and leaves are used as a spice to flavor foods. Used in traditional medicine, dill is known for calming the digestive tract and has been used since ancient times. It is especially popular in Ayurvedic medicine of India. Medicinally, dill is used to treat: […]
It’s getting colder in many parts of North America now and many people may start to be bothered by “winter itch”, that dry , flaky, reddened skin condition that may occur when heated homes become dry. Even if you live in a warmer climate, you could be like some of my patients who experience oilier, break-out prone skin, especially if you perspire more often. Whichever your skin condition is, you don’t have to put up with the flaky itchiness or embarrassing break outs. I’d like to share with you what I tell my own patients about making the most of […]
“Estrogen is not just about reproductive health. It’s about life itself. And it’s about metabolism,” says Felice Gersh, M.D., who is the Medical Director of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine Consultative Faculty. She was one of the expert speakers at the American Association of Anti-Aging Medicine’s (A4M) 26th World Congress, which was held in Las Vegas last December. The FoodTrients team and I attended the three-day event, which was loaded with speakers, workshops and exhibits presenting clinical education and advances in the most recent research and practices as they relate to wellness and aging. Many of the sessions were […]
If it’s early March, you’ll find the FoodTrients team trolling the endless aisles of the Anaheim Convention Center near Disneyland for the latest in the world of food, beauty products and health and wellness. This is the 39th year for this annual event showcasing over 3600 exhibitors, of which 600 were there for the first time. These consist of manufacturers, marketers, and entrepreneurs of all stripes from companies as large as General Mills to a local couple perfecting organic peanut butter. They are all vying for the attention of 86,000 attendees, making Natural Products Expo West the world’s largest natural, […]
Aging gracefully depends on how you nurture your body. Today, a trove of studies shows the importance of following a nutrient-dense diet, being active and taking dietary supplements to support a healthy aging process. One of the clear standouts to help along the way: collagen, an antiaging nutrient that rose to stardom in Japan decades ago. Collagen is everywhere in our bodies—from our skin, hair and nails to our bones and joints—collagen is an important protein for staving off wrinkles and keeping our joints healthy. Although there are at least 20 types of collagen, most of the focus on collagen […]
Milk thistle, a liver cleansing herb, was so important to early American settlers that colonists brought it over from Europe as part of their traditional medicine supply. Milk thistle grows throughout the world – in Africa, Australia, Asia, the U.S. and South America. The mature plant boasts identifiable bright purple flowers. Milk thistle is also commonly called silymarin because of the health-promoting antioxidants, particularly silybin. It really is a tonic for the liver and is used to treat toxic liver damage caused by alcohol, chemicals and even chemotherapy. It has been used in ancient medicine and among herbalists to treat […]