Gut bacteria can help defend against heart and vascular damage caused by high blood pressure, a study in mice
For several years, the FoodTrients team attended the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) Annual World Congress in Las Vegas. And every year we found ourselves even more excited about the scientific and medical evidence presented there around food, fasting, and nutrients, and how we can live longer, healthier lives. On the opening day of that conference, an entire track of lectures on fasting followed the keynote address from Dr. Valter Longo, director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California (USC) and author of The Longevity Diet, based on his ground-breaking research on a “fasting mimicking” diet. Dr. […]
Fiber up, blood pressure down “You are what you eat” is an old saying originally penned in 1826 by the gastronomic food-wizard Anthelme Brillat-Savarin in his essay on the physiology of gout. He wrote, “Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es” [Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are]. The same could be said for the trillions of bacteria in your guts: You are what they eat. Researchers have known for a while that the gut biome needs to be fed soluble fiber found in grains, veggies and fruits for […]
LAS VEGAS ( January 23, 2019)–In December, the FoodTrients team and I were in Las Vegas to attend the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress (A4M). This is an intense three days of speakers, workshops and exhibits presenting clinical education and advances in the most recent research, studies and healthcare practices as they relate to wellness and aging successfully. Many of the sessions were geared toward medical professionals, but we were able to glean valuable information to share with you in lay-person terms. Dr. Peter Attia is a physician who began his medical career as a surgeon. His practice […]
As we age, our brains age too. Our ability to think slows down, and we may experience occasional difficulty in, for example, recalling where we left our keys or retrieving a word or name. By all accounts, this is considered a normal degree of cognitive decline. Several factors play into whether you will suffer from cognitive decline or develop Alzheimer’s disease as you age — lifestyle, health conditions, environment, and genetics, for example. But there is scientific evidence indicating that diet plays a bigger role in brain health than we ever thought. And thanks in part to Dr. Martha Clare […]
An article appearing on January 16, 2019 in the American Journal of Physiology–Renal Physiology reported that deficient zinc levels may contribute to high blood pressure by promoting sodium re-absorption by the kidneys. Zinc deficiency is common in many chronic diseases and can worsen hypertension. However, it had not been known whether zinc deficiency alone could impact blood pressure. In the current study, the researchers fed 20 mice diets that contained adequate amounts of zinc for two weeks, after which 15 animals were given zinc deficient diets for five to six weeks. Five of these deficient animals were subsequently returned to diets that provided […]
Those who follow a Mediterranean diet have an increased quality of life with a lower mortality rate. The Mediterranean diet consists of a low intake of red meat and sweets with greater emphasis on fish, vegetables, mixed nuts, whole grains, wine (moderate consumption), and olive oil. Unrefined extra virgin olive oil, a chief component of the Mediterranean diet, has been given significant credit for the diet’s health-promoting ability, especially with its rich polyphenol content. Today, substantial new findings further validate extra virgin olive oil’s benefits for cardiovascular, bone, and brain health. Several of these studies were large-scale clinical trials on humans. One study in particular caught mainstream media attention. This study, […]
The subject of ginseng is a broad one. There are three main types: Panax (sometimes called Asian or Chinese
Everyone has their favorite sauces to prepare. A sauce can make basic foods like chicken, omelets or pasta sing! And often in different languages. But with each category of sauce, there can be a variation that will create a twist on your old standby. Let’s start with tomato sauce. It’s usually associated with Italian or Mexican foods, but you can easily change the flavor profile to make something slightly exotic. Tomatoes are FoodTrients because they are an excellent source of lycopene, which is an effective antioxidant. Lycopene is in the carotenoid family, which includes beta-carotene, lutein and zeanthin, important compounds […]
Sleeping well is one of the most critical things we can do for our health. Working out and eating right can only take you so far if your body is stressed from lack of sleep. It is needed to calm stress hormones like cortisol, to support the natural immune system, for repair and for cleaning out the brain – yes, that happens each night when you sleep! Foods that contain critical nutrients for sleep (including magnesium, calcium, B3, B6, B12, certain amino acids, antioxidants and melatonin regulators) top the list of 50 foods that support great sleep and should be […]