FILL UP ON THESE:
BLUEBERRIES. These colorful berries aren't just good for your brain. They contain high concentrations of anthocyanins, compounds that can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by 33%, according to a study of more than 6,000 people published in Cancer Epidemiolgy, Biomarkers & Prevention. Grotto recommends eating a daily cup of blueberries-or cherries, strawberries, or Concord grapes, which also contain anthocyanins.
POPCORN. This popular snack is rich in insoluble fiber, which helps keep your digestive system moving. Snacking on 3 cups of air-popped (not microwave) popcorn twice a week can reduce your risk of diverticular disease, a painful inflammation of the intestine, by 28%, according to a 2008 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
BANANAS. Add a banana to your daily morning cereal to get a healthy dose of protease inhibitors, compounds that fight off H. pylori, the bacteria that researchers believe is the cause of most stomach ulcers.
AVOID THESE:
DRIED PLUMS. Although filled with healthy fiber, dried plums are also high in sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that in large quantities can cause gas, bloating, and sometimes diarrhea. Grotto suggests limiting your intake to four or five plums a day or substituting a sorbitol-free dried fruit, such as apricots.
Friday, February 12, 2010
STRENGTHEN YOUR BONES
FILL UP ON THESE:
LEAN TOP SIRLOIN. A 4-ounce of this cut (grass- or grain-fed) provides more than half the DV (8 mg) of zinc, a bone-protecting mineral. Research shows that low levels of zinc are associated with brittle bones in middle-aged women. If you prefer seafood, an Alaskan king crab leg packs 10 mg.
BROCCOLI. Broccoli is bursting with vitamin K, which helps your body transport calcium and metabolizes the mineral into your skeleton. Several studies found that vitamin K not only boosts bone mineral density in osteoporosis sufferers but also reduces fracture rates. As a result, the Institute of Medicine upped its daily recommendation to 90 mcg for women and 120 mcg for men (3.5 ounces of broccoli contains 141 mcg). Other good sources include broccoli rabe and spinach.
AVOID THIS:
SALT. Excess sodium increases the amount of calcium excreted in the urine. Over time, this could lead to significant bone loss, say British researchers. Grotto recommends limiting sodium intake to 2,300 mg daily.
LEAN TOP SIRLOIN. A 4-ounce of this cut (grass- or grain-fed) provides more than half the DV (8 mg) of zinc, a bone-protecting mineral. Research shows that low levels of zinc are associated with brittle bones in middle-aged women. If you prefer seafood, an Alaskan king crab leg packs 10 mg.
BROCCOLI. Broccoli is bursting with vitamin K, which helps your body transport calcium and metabolizes the mineral into your skeleton. Several studies found that vitamin K not only boosts bone mineral density in osteoporosis sufferers but also reduces fracture rates. As a result, the Institute of Medicine upped its daily recommendation to 90 mcg for women and 120 mcg for men (3.5 ounces of broccoli contains 141 mcg). Other good sources include broccoli rabe and spinach.
AVOID THIS:
SALT. Excess sodium increases the amount of calcium excreted in the urine. Over time, this could lead to significant bone loss, say British researchers. Grotto recommends limiting sodium intake to 2,300 mg daily.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
PROTECT YOUR HEART
FILL UP ON THESE.
BARLEY: This grain can blast LDL ("bad" cholesterol) and triglycerides, lowering your total cholesterol an average of 13 points - without affecting your HDL ("good" cholesterol) levels, according to a 2009 research review. Barley contains beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber that binds with cholesterol to whisk it from the body, explains David Grotto, RD, the author of 101 Optimal Life Foods. A cup and a half of cooked pearled barley contains 3 g of soluble fiber, the daily amount recommended by the FDA.
PINTO BEANS: Like barley, pinto beans contain cholesterol-fighting beta-glucan. In one study, participants with mild insulin resistance (a precursor to high cholesterol) who ate 1/2 cup of pinto beans daily dropped 19 points from their total count in 8 weeks, including a 13-point decrease in LDL.
GRAPES: Consuming just 1 1/4 cups of grapes can prevent the damaging effects of a high-fat meal that can slow circulation and increase risk of coronary heart disease, say researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, OH. A daily dose of grapes improves bolled vessel health in general, scientists believe, because the fruit contains high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols.
MACADAMIA NUTS: An Australian study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that when men with high cholesterol ate between 1 and 3 ounces of macadamia nuts per day for 1 month, their LDL dropped by 5.3%, while their HDL rose by 7.9%. The nuts, researchers concluded, increased the amount of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in the blood. One ounce is adequate for most people.
MINERAL WATER: The magnesium and calcium plentiful in most mineral waters (like San Pellegrino, which has 56 mg magnesium and 208 mg calcium) are both potential blood pressure reducers. In a Swedish study, 70 men and women ages 45 to 64 with borderline hypertension experienced a significant decrease in blood pressure after 4 weeks of drinking 1 liter of mineral (not seltzer) water daily.
AVOID THESE.
ENERGY DRINKS: The caffeine and guarana that are often added to energy drinks can make your blood pressure skyrocket, says John La Puma, MD, the author of Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine.
BARLEY: This grain can blast LDL ("bad" cholesterol) and triglycerides, lowering your total cholesterol an average of 13 points - without affecting your HDL ("good" cholesterol) levels, according to a 2009 research review. Barley contains beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber that binds with cholesterol to whisk it from the body, explains David Grotto, RD, the author of 101 Optimal Life Foods. A cup and a half of cooked pearled barley contains 3 g of soluble fiber, the daily amount recommended by the FDA.
PINTO BEANS: Like barley, pinto beans contain cholesterol-fighting beta-glucan. In one study, participants with mild insulin resistance (a precursor to high cholesterol) who ate 1/2 cup of pinto beans daily dropped 19 points from their total count in 8 weeks, including a 13-point decrease in LDL.
GRAPES: Consuming just 1 1/4 cups of grapes can prevent the damaging effects of a high-fat meal that can slow circulation and increase risk of coronary heart disease, say researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, OH. A daily dose of grapes improves bolled vessel health in general, scientists believe, because the fruit contains high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols.
MACADAMIA NUTS: An Australian study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that when men with high cholesterol ate between 1 and 3 ounces of macadamia nuts per day for 1 month, their LDL dropped by 5.3%, while their HDL rose by 7.9%. The nuts, researchers concluded, increased the amount of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in the blood. One ounce is adequate for most people.
MINERAL WATER: The magnesium and calcium plentiful in most mineral waters (like San Pellegrino, which has 56 mg magnesium and 208 mg calcium) are both potential blood pressure reducers. In a Swedish study, 70 men and women ages 45 to 64 with borderline hypertension experienced a significant decrease in blood pressure after 4 weeks of drinking 1 liter of mineral (not seltzer) water daily.
AVOID THESE.
ENERGY DRINKS: The caffeine and guarana that are often added to energy drinks can make your blood pressure skyrocket, says John La Puma, MD, the author of Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Clear Your Lungs
FILL UP ON THESE.
Pears: These fruits contain quercetin, a powerful flavonoid that may protect the lungs. A Dutch study of more than 13,000 people found that those who ate the most pears (as well as apples, which also contain quercetin) had the best lung function, while an Australian study discovered a strong association between high pear and apple consumption and lower risk of asthma.
Edamame: Lung cancer victims tend to ahve low levels of phytoestrogens, important plant compunds, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Women who ate the highest quantities of foods conainting phytoestrogens, such as edamame, tofu, and lentils, slashed their lung cancer risk by 34%.
Brown Rice: This grain is high in selenium, which may help keep lung-damaging free radicals from forming. A New Zealand study found that people who got the most selenium were nearly 2 times less likely to develop asthma as those who got the least. You'll meet the DV of 55 mcg with a few servings of selenium-rich foods, such as whole wheat bread, chicken, and eggs.
AVOID THESE.
Soft Drinks: If you have asthma, skip soft drinks, advises La Puma. Many contain food additives such as sodium benzoate, MSG, and sulfites, which can exacerbate symptoms.
Pears: These fruits contain quercetin, a powerful flavonoid that may protect the lungs. A Dutch study of more than 13,000 people found that those who ate the most pears (as well as apples, which also contain quercetin) had the best lung function, while an Australian study discovered a strong association between high pear and apple consumption and lower risk of asthma.
Edamame: Lung cancer victims tend to ahve low levels of phytoestrogens, important plant compunds, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Women who ate the highest quantities of foods conainting phytoestrogens, such as edamame, tofu, and lentils, slashed their lung cancer risk by 34%.
Brown Rice: This grain is high in selenium, which may help keep lung-damaging free radicals from forming. A New Zealand study found that people who got the most selenium were nearly 2 times less likely to develop asthma as those who got the least. You'll meet the DV of 55 mcg with a few servings of selenium-rich foods, such as whole wheat bread, chicken, and eggs.
AVOID THESE.
Soft Drinks: If you have asthma, skip soft drinks, advises La Puma. Many contain food additives such as sodium benzoate, MSG, and sulfites, which can exacerbate symptoms.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Easier, More effective CPR
Giving only chest compressions - without mouth-to-mouth produces a better outcome for people in cardiac arrest. Enough oxygen remains in the blood, so a rescuer should focus only on compressions. This is huge: Each minute that passes before resuscitation starts decreases survival by 10% said ER physician Travis Stork, MD
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Lemon Balm and reduced dimentia & agitation
Lemon Balm cut agitation in patients with severe dementia and Alzheimer's patients, reports a 2002 study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. Lemon balm appears to calm an overactive thyroid, according to Eric Yarnell, ND, an assistant professor of botanical medicine at Bastyr University.
For Lemon balm's calming effects, try a daily tea made with one-half to one full dropper of tincture or 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried herb steeped in 1 cup of hot water for 5 to 10 minutes, says herbalist Linda Different Cloud, a PhD
For Lemon balm's calming effects, try a daily tea made with one-half to one full dropper of tincture or 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried herb steeped in 1 cup of hot water for 5 to 10 minutes, says herbalist Linda Different Cloud, a PhD
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Painproof your joints
Olive Oil.
Just 2 teaspoons of olive oil a day may signifcantly improve morning stiffness, joint pain, and fatigue, according to a Brazilian study. High intakes of olive oil may reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis by up to 61%.
Just 2 teaspoons of olive oil a day may signifcantly improve morning stiffness, joint pain, and fatigue, according to a Brazilian study. High intakes of olive oil may reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis by up to 61%.
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