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 […]
How’s your gastrointestinal system feeling these days? From the incredible science of the microbiome to general tummy troubles like gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea and pain – the role and health of the ‘GI’ system is on everyone’s mind, especially during the eating-holidays of fall and winter. There are some common denominators to keeping the gut happy. Fiber, anti-inflammatory foods, and soothing substances top the list of 50 foods that support the GI system. Whether you’re feeding the gut with prebiotics, inoculating it with probiotics or simply feeding it to make it work smoothly, you should include these foods in your […]
In an article published on November 21, 2018 in the Journal of Applied Physiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center researchers reported the outcome of a study which suggests that curcumin, a compound occurring in the spice turmeric, could help heart failure patients with exercise intolerance. “We hypothesized that reduced expression of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in skeletal muscle contributes to impaired exercise performance,” explain Ahmed M. Wafi and colleagues. “We further hypothesized that curcumin, a Nrf2 activator, would preserve or increase exercise capacity in heart failure.” “Although curcumin has been evaluated in several clinical trials for multiple diseases, its therapeutic potential […]
Eastern European foods are not necessarily known for their healthy attributes. In general, the foods of countries including Russia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Lithuania and the Czech Republic are heavy on meat, sour cream and lard or chicken fat. However, they are delicious comfort foods, no matter where in the world you or your ancestors hail from. In the spirit of FoodTrients, I’ve adapted some recipes to make them lighter, more healthful versions of the originals. Here are a few of the guidelines I used to make these recipes more modern and health-friendly: Add vegetables – By increasing the […]
A traditional Chinese medicinal root, you may recognize galangal as alpinia or Chinese Ginger.
You may not have heard of Alpha-Lipoic Acid – often shortened to ALA – but you’ve actually consumed it! Foods like spinach, broccoli, potatoes, carrots, beets, yeast and red meat all contain small amounts of this powerful antioxidant. The body also produces it internally because it is such an important scavenger of free radicals which can damage normal cells. It’s so powerful in fact that many people take it as a supplement to get access to more concentrated sources of this compound. With anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and antioxidant effects in addition to lowering oxidative stress in the cardiovascular system and supporting […]
From aging skin to dry skin, there’s an oil for that. You’ve heard of the time-tested beauty oils that never go out-of-style, but there are some up-and-comers that should also be on your radar. They may not be as common as coconut or jojoba (yet), but keep an eye out for these nutrient-dense new kids on the block. TSUBAKI OIL BEST FOR: aging skin, dry hair A treasured beauty ingredient among samurai and geishas, Japanese tsubaki (Camellia japonica) oil could be one of your most powerful weapons to fend off aging. Thought to diminish redness and improve skin texture, research has proven […]
You’ll find leaf teas in the beverage aisle, but tea may appear in the supplements section, too. What makes tea qualified to be in the supplement category? Here are the facts. Just like fruits and vegetables, teas from the Camellia sinensis plant are loaded with micronutrients—so much so that some teas are sold in the supplements aisle as well as on the beverage shelf. Tea is an optimal health drink, says Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, nutrition professor and senior scientist in Tufts University’s Antioxidants Research Laboratory, because it has no calories and offers abundant polyphenols, plant compounds such as catechins that […]
You know that regular water is important for hydration and for the body’s systems to run smoothly. But have you heard of the potential health benefits of hydrogen water? Touted around the world as an incredible cure for many ailments and powerful anti-aging compound, there is some fascinating research to support these claims. However, much of what’s available currently has been done in animal studies and it’s difficult to know if hydrogen water is the answer to your health worries or if it’s just a very expensive way to meet your water needs. Medicinally, hydrogen water is used: As an […]
A study reported on January 9, 2019 in the journal Nutrients revealed a protective role for supplementation with vitamin C, a well known antioxidant, in mice exposed to D-galactose, a sugar that occurs in some foods which has been shown to induce brain aging via the accumulation of oxidative stress. One hundred-eight mice were divided to receive subcutaneous D-galactose or no D-galactose for 10 weeks. Beginning in the seventh week, half of the animals in each group were given a high oral dose of vitamin C for four weeks. While mice that received D-galactose experienced a reduction in cognitive function and decreased neurogenesis in […]