June 6, 2017
Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO

Juniper: Jury Is Still Out on Medicinal Safety

You’ve likely heard of Juniper as a trendy additive in foods, often used as a culinary condiment or a flavor component in gin and bitter cocktail preparations. You will also find it as an extract and oil used as a flavoring agent in a variety of foods and beverages. Aside from these culinary uses, juniper is also used medicinally, especially as a diuretic and anti-diabetic agent and there are some really important considerations to know about when considering juniper used for these conditions. Juniper, officially Juniperus communis, is used therapeutically in oral form in capsules, tinctures or oils for a variety […]
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May 2, 2017
Moringa
Published by Grace O

Moringa: A New Leaf for Aging Better

To stay healthy, I eat moringa leaves almost every day. I put them on salads, in soups, casseroles, stir-fries, and other dishes. I also just eat the leaves sometimes. Many of my friends take moringa supplements because they know that moringa is a powerful immune booster. While few Americans have ever heard of the moringa oleifera plant, in Africa and Asia it’s a life-saver. It needs very little water to grow and its leaves offer a full complement of protein, minerals, and nutrients to both humans and cattle. When Africans cook with moringa, they throw the tiny leaves into soups […]
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April 25, 2017
Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO

Constipated? What To Eat & What To Avoid

Constipation is an unspoken discomfort most people will experience at some point in their lives. It is a symptom, in fact, that appears for many different reasons but is not a disease on its own. Slow transit of stool can be caused by medications, health conditions, a sedentary lifestyle, hydration status, hormonal shifts and certain foods. Constipation strikes women more often than men; they are at 2.5 times more likely to report this symptom. Constipation can be cured or lessened with natural remedies including food and certain types of activity. Constipation can be different for each person but generally means […]
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January 24, 2017
Published by FoodTrients

Why Organic Matters: Let’s Count the Ways

By Marissa Hermanson Standing in the produce section of your local grocery store, you have a choice. It seems like a small one: Which carton of strawberries to purchase, the conventional or the organic? But, in that moment, you’re making a choice that can have a big impact. As research increasingly supports the benefits of choosing organic, surveys reveal people are purchasing organic products more than ever. According to a Gallup Poll, 45 percent of shoppers actively try to include organic foods in their diet. And organics don’t just appeal to one type of shopper. The Organic Trade Association’s (OTA) […]
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December 3, 2016
Published by Grace O

What the Heck Is a FOODTRIENT?

You may ask, What the heck is a FoodTrient? I needed to come up with a term to encompass the anti-aging properties of food, but couldn’t really find a good word, so I created one and called them FoodTrients.  Think of them as nutrients that lead to our overall wellness and help us age well. FoodTrients are wholesome foods and spices that have nutrients our bodies need to maintain optimum function stay healthy from the inside out. I focus on these FoodTrients in each of my recipes.  I start creating a dish only after I find a fruit or grain […]
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November 20, 2016
Published by Life Extension

How To Eat To Avoid Acne

Acne is the bane of adolescence. It can make a self-conscious teenager feel even more insecure. For decades, dermatologists insisted that diet didn’t matter. Sometimes they cautioned against high-fat foods like milkshakes, but more often the dermatology dogma was that there was no relationship between what you ate and how your face looked (Clinical Dermatology, September-October 2004; Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, June 2005). It turns out that they were wrong on both counts. Research now shows that diet does matter and also that low-fat dairy products are worse than full fat when it comes to complexion. Starting around […]
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October 3, 2016
Published by Life Extension

Reduce Heart Attacks By Eating Dinner Earlier

Q: Our family tends to eat dinner later in the evening, but a friend who knows our habits told me she heard this increases the chances for a heart attack. Is she right or did she misunderstand something? Theresa Schulte, of O’Fallon A: Eating a major meal within two hours of bedtime could indeed have far worse consequences than a midnight run for the Rolaids, according to a new study recently released at the world’s largest heart conference. Blood pressure usually drops by at least 10 percent when a person goes to sleep, allowing the body to rest. But this […]
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