If you can reach the age of 45 free of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and tobacco use, you can breathe a huge, heart-felt sigh of relief. Based on a landmark analysis undertaken to determine how various cardiovascular risk factors at various ages impact the risk of heart disease, the expected […]
Eating “ultra-palatable” foods with any regularity. Foods high in fat and/or sugar and salt can directly stimulate the brain’s pleasure centers predisposing to food addiction and chronic loss of appetite control. The worst offenders are traditional fast foods, along with ice cream, cookies, pastries, cake, donuts, and other sweets/desserts. Using fat-free salad dressings. Most are excessive […]
Like other green vegetables, asparagus are chock full of nutrients, providing 20 different vitamins and minerals including a huge dose of folate, vitamin C, and vitamin A. This terrific trio makes them particularly valuable for heart health, healthy pregnancy, and keeping the immune system in good working order. Here is one of my favorite recipes to boost […]
Public Health experts have confirmed a clear link between a commonly used family of pesticides, organophosphates, and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. In a call to action, the researchers urged the government to take immediate steps to ban the use of these dubious agents. According to the lead author, “There is compelling evidence that exposure of […]
According to a provocative report in JAMA Neurology, low vitamin D levels in the elderly may have dire consequences for intellectual function. For this evaluation researchers monitored the cognitive capacity of 382 racially diverse elderly men and women over a five-year study period. Each study subject also had his or her vitamin D blood levels measured at […]
Poor sleep has long been tied to a greater risk of heart attacks and strokes, but how the two are related has been somewhat of a mystery. Thanks to a new study, we now have some clarity on the mechanisms that may be involved. For this study scientists had over 1,600 adults wear sensitive movement […]
Flavored yogurt products: Although these “healthy favorites” provide some of the calcium, B vitamins, and essential amino acids, they are loaded with added sugar – in many cases more than is typically found in a standard dessert. “Yogurt” products, through slick packaging and clever marketing have very successfully garnered what is referred to as the “health halo effect” […]
Avocados Are Awesome I am always amazed by the number of people who consider avocados “unhealthy” or “fattening” when the delicious reality is that they are true wonder foods. Avocados are filled with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats that lower bad (LDL) cholesterol while boosting good (HDL) cholesterol. This delicacy also offers a remarkably long list of […]
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of adult blindness, and eating fish may offer a big catch for prevention. According to the powerful, Harvard-based Women’s Health Study, women who consumed one or more servings of fish weekly were 42 percent less likely to develop AMD versus those eating fish once or less a […]
If you enjoy your yogurt like I do, you will be pleased to know that in addition to getting a nice dose of several critical nutrients like calcium, zinc, potassium, B vitamins and those awesome beneficial bacteria (probiotics) – yogurt may help lower your risk of high blood pressure. In a study that followed the […]
I am totally bullish on regularly drinking freshly brewed tea as a quick, easy, and highly effective means of delivering a hefty dose of healthful antioxidants to your cells. Thanks to a report from Food Research International (Sept 09), there is a simple and tasty way to turbo charge the process – add some vitamin […]
If you want to sharpen your focus, eat more greens! That was the conclusion of a study that sought to investigate the relationship between lutein, a potent antioxidant abundant in dark leafy greens, and brain activation during a period of focused attention. For this study, the researchers measured the lutein levels in the back of […]
