July 9, 2019

How To Get Your Body in MINT Condition

Pumpkin spice may be the seasonal flavor du jour (or du decade!), but there are several science-backed reasons why peppermint should top your flavor list this holiday. Not only does the fresh taste of peppermint offset and brighten many of the season’s more indulgent choices, but it also comes with compelling health benefits. An aromatic herb in the mint family, peppermint is a cross between water mint and spearmint, and it’s most often used as a flavoring in breath mints, candies and other foods, and brewed as a caffeine-free tea. The leaves of peppermint contain several essential oils, including menthol, […]
June 25, 2019

Curcumin Could Help Combat Stomach Cancer

Research reported in Epigenomics reveals a potential role for curcumin and other natural compounds in the prevention or treatment of stomach cancer. “Here, we review the recent findings on histone acetylation in gastric cancer and discuss the effects of nutrients and bioactive compounds on histone acetylation and their potential role in the prevention and treatment of this type of cancer,” write Danielle Queiroz Calcagno of the Federal University of Pará and colleagues Histones are proteins that exist in the cells’ nuclei which organize DNA into structural units known as nucleosomes. A nucleosome is made of DNA coiled around the histones, which compact the […]
June 25, 2019

Silent Fire: How to Extinguish Chronic Inflammation

Inflammation in the body is a good thing … until it’s not. When you suffer an injury or an infection, your body’s immune system quickly dispatches healing cells straight to the source. If you sprain your ankle, for instance, you will almost instantly see and feel the symptoms of acute inflammation, which can be remembered with the acronym PRISH: pain, redness, immobility, swelling and heat. This type of inflammation is an essential part of a healthy immune system; it signals that the body is attempting to heal itself, and any pain and immobility you experience are a warning to you […]
April 30, 2019

Hormones and Aging: Doctors Weigh In

The FoodTrients team and I attended the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress (A4M), which was held in Las Vegas in December. It’s 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 distill information to share with you in ‘civilian’ terms. There was a series of presentations on what hormones—male and female—do for the body in terms of anti-aging. Some of the presentations were a little […]