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 […]
If you’re over 50, your doctor may have told you that you need to watch your cholesterol levels or reduce them.
A hormone released during exercise may protect the brain against Alzheimer’s disease, research suggests. Irisin is a messenger protein generated by muscle tissue that is carried around the body in the bloodstream. The new evidence indicates that it may be behind the known positive effects on mental performance of taking exercise. US and Brazilian scientists found lower levels of the hormone in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients compared with healthy individuals. The same was true for the precursor protein from which irisin is derived, FNDC5. In tests on genetically engineered mice, the scientists induced learning and memory deficits by cutting […]
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 […]
As a young man, I remember my grandmother trying to give me sauerkraut for dinner once and making the worst face possible in response to which my grandmother laughed and said, “Sauerkraut is not only good, it’s good for you!” When I tell my patients about sauerkraut as a health food, they make almost that same funny face! Recently, however, it turns out that grandma’s words were correct – sauerkraut has a surprising health benefit to it as do other fermented foods. In fact, a group of Polish women were recently studied for their rates of breast cancer. The group […]
Have you noticed some “senior moments” occurring here and there? You forgot what you came into a room for or you draw blanks on someone’s name. These are all pretty common memory glitches that don’t mean much. But, I’d like to tell you about a simple way to boost your “working memory” for at least several hours. And it doesn’t take any more time than taking a pill… Ward off Senior Moments with This Common Spice As you get older, your body’s metabolic processes don’t work as efficiently as they did when you were younger. One of these processes is […]
Add a modest amount of zinc in your diet to reduce ‘wear and tear’ on DNA, suggests a study. The study has been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers from the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Research Institute (CHORI) show that a modest 4 milligrams of extra zinc a day in the diet can have a profound, positive impact on cellular health that helps fight infections and diseases. This amount of zinc is equivalent to what biofortified crops like zinc rice and zinc wheat can add to the diet of vulnerable, nutrient deficient populations. CHORI Senior Scientist Janet […]
There are only 2 months to go before spring is officially here and I know you’re struggling to meet that deadline for your weight loss goals. You may not realize, though, that a few of the common foods you eat everyday could keep you from achieving your goals. Let me tell you what they are and how leaving them out of your diet can help you lose weight faster. 6 Surprising Foods That Can Keep You Fat Let’s be honest. Dieting is tough work. You try to eat the right foods and maintain good nutrition at the same time you have to […]
New Year’s Eve happens to be my birthday, so I was born to celebrate holidays and special occasions with friends. Every year, when I’m in town, I like to have a big party on New Year’s Eve. My friends know that when I entertain, the food matters because I put a lot of thought into the menu and the evening’s entertainment. Whether you plan to host a small gathering of friends or a large party during the holidays, you can start the evening off right with some enticing appetizers. When people are drinking alcohol, it’s a good idea to serve […]
Sugary drinks cause worse health outcomes than other foods that naturally contain sugar, a new study says. The findings, published this month in the British Medical Journal, found that sugars added to foods such as breakfast cereals, baked goods, sweets and desserts can create a negative affect on a person’s blood glucose and insulin, causing them to react as if they’ve ended a fast. “These findings might help guide recommendations on important food sources of fructose in the prevention and management of diabetes,” John Sievenpiper, the study’s lead author and a researcher in the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Center of St. […]