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 […]
Because life happens for me too – sometimes fast food is my only option. Here is how I handle this precarious situation. If I am really pressed for time, my first choice is Subway. Fortunately, Subways are everywhere and now outnumber any other fast food chain. Here is exactly what I order: Turkey and Provolone […]
Over the past decade, there has been a flood of studies supporting the supreme importance of optimal sleep for weight control. It appears that inadequate sleep can lead to weight gain through a host of separate mechanisms that affect both the energy intake and the energy expenditure side of the body weight equation. In summery of […]
Because of the wholesome words commonly used to describe muffin offerings like “bran”, “carrot walnut”, or “cranberry”, these no icing, jumbo cupcakes have a healthier reputation than they deserve. Some come with upwards of 550 calories and ten teaspoons of sugar (which makes a donut seem benign.) Do not be taken by the low-fat options […]
If you want to burn more fat during your morning workout, do it before your breakfast. Exercise physiologists wanted to see how a morning workout affected food intake and fat burning. To evaluate, they had 12 fit males exercise on a treadmill at 10 AM either before or after eating breakfast. Following the exercise, all […]
Fish may be so valuable for brain health that even a single serving a week may provide profound benefits. In a stunning report presented at a scientific meeting, researchers noted that elderly study subjects who reported eating baked or broiled fish (not fried!) one to four times a week had significantly bigger brains, and were […]
In a landmark new study that comprises the most comprehensive evaluation to date, scientists have uncovered a set of modifiable risk factors for developing depression. Depression is epidemic in America and is the #1 cause of disability worldwide. Thus, the results of this study are especially timely. For this 2-stage evaluation, the scientists first scanned […]
We have known for a long time that regular aerobic exercise lowers the risk of breast cancer and now we have some wonderful science that shed some powerful light on how regular physical activity benefits breast health. For this study, researchers assigned 391 healthy, but sedentary pre-menopausal women to one of two groups. One group engaged in […]
Washed, bagged or boxed lettuce greens Fresh salsa (Jack’s brand or Garden Fresh Gourmet) Canned beans Frozen berries (especially large bags of wild organic blueberries – available from wholesale grocers like Costco) Plain low fat or non-fat Greek yogurt Canned pumpkin Canned red sockeye salmon Prepared hummus Canned tomato products Dried Apricots Here is one […]
Although science has been lacking, my instincts have always told me that sunlight has health benefits well beyond its profoundly important role of providing the body with vitamin D. And now we have some concrete, proof-of-principle data to support my health intuition. For this evaluation, researchers from the University of Edinburgh monitored the blood pressure […]
Be sure these foods make their way into your grocery cart often! A variety of fruit – especially berries, apples, red grapes, cherries, oranges, and plums A variety of vegetables – especially dark leafy greens, red onions, tomatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and red/orange/yellow bell peppers Extra virgin olive oil Herbs and spices – especially ginger, […]
Sitting down for family meals proves to be a powerful avenue to boost kids’ fruit and vegetable intake. In a study involving over 2000 school-age children, even those sitting down for family meals just once or twice a week consumed significantly more produce than those who never ate together. Relative to children who rarely […]
