Healthy Library

Interesting, informative and easy-to-read. We've combed the latest research to bring you this extensive collection of articles. A great resource whether you're jump-starting an exercise routine or looking to improve your diet.

Diet & Nutrition (96 Articles)

The Five Best Foods

The list of what's good for you has changed a lot over the years. Remember doctors lighting up in cigarette ads?Ten years ago, scientists named garlic, peanuts, salmon, broccoli, and soy as the five best foods you could eat.Today, three of those items are off the list, one stays, and one has been expanded.Here they are:2008's top five "super foods"1. Salmon - Yes, salmon stays...and for good reason. The omega-3 fats in fish like salmon remain the big reason for this wonder food's inclusion on the list, not to mention it's an excellent source of protein. ...

Which Vitamins to Take and Why

Which Vitamins to Take and WhyIf we were to spring a pop quiz about vitamins, would you know these basics, as provided in the current Prevention magazine?Vitamin A is essential to healthy vision. Four or five baby carrots, or a good multiple vitamin, provides the recommended daily dose.Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption. Most multivitamins or a few servings of dairy products provide the daily requirement.Folic acid and calcium help keep blood pressure normal and enhance a healthful diet. Find a multivitamin that offers 100 percent of folic acid and take a calcium supplement that includes vitamin D.Alcohol may...

10 Foods Your Body is Craving

By Rhiannon Ross | rhiannon.ross@examiner.net Blueberries instead of cheesecake, green tea instead of soda pop and broccoli instead of french fries? These are just a few food substitutes cardiologist and medical professor James O'Keefe, M.D., recommends people make to their diets. Is he nuts? "Nuts make a good substitute for candy," he adds. He and his wife, Joan O'Keefe, a registered dietitian, are authors of The Forever Young Diet and Lifestyle (www.foreveryoungdiet.com). The book offers "a commonsense plan that improves satiety; promotes wholesome, fresh, and easily obtained foods; and reinforces a rational, holistic, mind-body approach to diet and lifestyle." Key...

Apples a `nutrition powerhouse'

6th April 2008, 21:09 WST Apples are a `nutrition powerhouse' and really do keep the doctor away, according to a new health report.`The Apple Report', a comprehensive review of scientific research published over the past 10 years, has found that apples are one of the only foods identified to reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers - two of the biggest causes of death in Australia.Apples are also associated with asthma protection, can reduce the risk of type II diabetes and help with weight loss."We often hear about new foods hitting the supermarket shelves that have had this...

Beauty Sleep...It's Good for You

Beauty Sleep...It's Good for YouBy DAVID NORRIE Published May 4, 2007 My past two columns have explored the reasons so many of us feel fatigued, and remedies that come from diet, vitamins, supplements and energy drinks. If you're still looking to put some zip back in your day, look no further than a good night's rest. Sleep is the No. 1 supplement for energy. I'm sure we've all suffered from some lack of sleep at one point or another. A comfortable mattress, the proper room temperature and noise-free surroundings can turn that situation around. To further promote a good night's...

10 Tips from Bikini Bootcamp

10 Tips from Bikini Bootcamp Dateline: Tulum, Mexico I cringed when I first read the title of the new cookbook by Erica Gragg and Melissa Perlman, owners and founders of the Amansala Spa on the Mexican Riviera. Based on their popular fitness program, it's called Bikini Bootcamp: Two Weeks to Your Ultimate Beach Body. It sounded like some type of regimen involving grapefruit and cabbage (possibly in tandem) and rounds of push-ups. Despite initial hesitation, I was intrigued by the story of two best friends relocating from Manhattan to Mexico to open a resort  next thing I knew, I...

How To Get Beach Ready, Brazilian-Style

How To Get Beach Ready, Brazilian-StyleAllison Van Dusen, 04.26.07, 12:01 AM ETRegina Joseph was surging in the corporate rat race, trying to manage a heavy workload as a Sony vice president and a commute between offices in Amsterdam and London on a weekly basis.Then her body began to break down.Regularly changing time zones, eating airport, plane and hotel food and non-stop meetings were causing her hair to fall out, endless colds, gastrointestinal problems and insomnia. After being diagnosed with adrenal fatigue, Joseph knew if she didn't make a change things were going to get worse.It wasn't easy leaving behind her...

Brocolli, Over Boiling Kills Anti-Cancer Properties

Brocolli, Over Boiling Kills Anti-Cancer Properties Steam, don't boil! 30 minutes boiling reduces anti cancer agent glucosinolate by 77%!! The researchers, Prof Paul Thornalley from Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick and Dr Lijiang Song from the University of Warwicks Department of Chemistry bought Brassica vegetables, (broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower and green cabbage) from a local store and transported them to the laboratory within 30 minutes of purchasing. The effect of cooking on the glucosinolate content of vegetables was then studied by investigating the effects of cooking by boiling, steaming, microwave cooking and stir-fry. Boiling appeared to have...

Cashews High in Antioxidants

Cashews High in AntioxidantsAre you like me? Faced with a can of mixed nuts, do you have an irresistible impulse to pick out all the cashews? I just love em. Cashews have a rich, mellow flavor and a crisp, yet tender, texture that simply cant be beat. And if theres a container of nothing but cashews in the house? Talk about an inducement to a snack attack. Cashews are a native of the Americas, originating in Brazil, though they are now grown around the world, anywhere climate allows. Interestingly, cashew trees are grown not only for their nuts but for...

Why is Coconut Oil Good For You?

Why is Coconut Oil Good For You? The smell of coconut oil is heavenly, reminiscent of wonderful vacations on a tropical beach. Did you also know that it is very good for you? Coconut oil has been used throughout the centuries as a cooking oil. In fact, some researchers believe coconut oil should be more prevalent in our North American diets because if you look at people who live in tropical climates with a diet high in coconut oil; they are healthier, with fewer incidences of cancer, colon issues, and heart disease. Coconut oil has a stimulating effect on the...

The Role Of Vitamin K

The Role Of Vitamin K You've heard it before: Consuming foods with a variety of vitamins and minerals is a big step toward good health. Vitamin K is one of the most important vitamins.Vitamin K has many functions in your body, such as making proteins that cause your blood to clot when you bleed. It also helps your body make proteins for your blood, bones and kidneys.Teens ages 14 to 18 are advised to consume 75 micrograms per day of vitamin K. Adult men are advised to consume 120 micrograms daily and women 90 micrograms. Newborns typically receive a shot...

Eat Well to Keep Skin Healthy

Eat Well to Keep Skin HealthyBy Lisa Ryckman, Rocky Mountain NewsApril 10, 2007Question: Are there foods that can make your skin look better? And do some foods make you break out - like dairy and chocolate? Answer: Foods don't make you break out, but the right food can help you maintain healthy skin. That's even more important for Coloradans, who are constantly exposed to sun, wind and very dry air, says Beth Jauquet, a dietitian with Cherry Creek Nutrition. "Our skin is our body's largest organ," she says. "Skin cells are constantly being broken down and replaced. Unfortunately, this process...

Pets and Their Owners Love the Incredible Edible Egg

Pets and Their Owners Love the Incredible Edible Egg Tips for preparing pets' meals using professionally developed recipes with eggs!PARK RIDGE, Ill., April 11 /PRNewswire/ -- For pet owners who choose to prepare home-cooked meals for their dogs and cats, the following recipes that include eggs are a way to ensure that their pets receive the highest-quality protein naturally available. Whether as part of the human diet or pet diet, protein from eggs helps build muscle strength, among other benefits. One large egg, in fact, has 13 essential nutrients in varying amounts, including the highest quality protein; choline; folate; iron...

Coffee - A Few Cups a Day, May Keep the Doctor Away

Coffee - A Few Cups a Day, May Keep the Doctor AwayFrom HealthNewsDigest.comApr 9, 2007 - 12:03:36 AM(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Almost daily we are cautioned about the dangers of too much cholesterol, trans fat, sugar, and even white bread. Its refreshing to find out that sipping our much needed morning coffee may actually be good for us. In the US more than half of us drink coffee daily, averaging slightly over three cups a day and another 25% drink coffee occasionally. Dunkin Donuts sells 30 cups of brewed coffee every second of every day totally nearly 1 billion cups a year....

9 Super Foods, 9 Foods To Avoid

9 Super Foods, 9 Foods To AvoidBy KUSA-TV 9 News DenverMany serious diseases like diabetes, heart disease, even cancer can be prevented if we choose to eat right and exercise. When it comes to good nutrition, the buzz word lately is "Super Foods," which are high in antioxidants, phytonutrients, omega-3 fatty acids and fiber. 9NEWS asked registered dietitian Jennifer Knoll for some advice on what to eat and what not to eat. She gave us her list of 9 Super Foods and 9 foods to avoid... Let's begin with Super Foods: Spinach  High in vitamin A & C (antioxidants),...

8 Ways to Lasting Weight Loss

8 Ways to Lasting Weight LossThu, 04/05/2007 - 9:15am by FitSugar People are always writing me asking ways they can keep the weight off once they've lost it. I tend to think it is all in how you approach it, rather than what you do. eDiets.com has come up with 8 great tips on ways you can make weight loss last:Do not drastically cut calories. They are your bodys energy and necessary for it to function efficiently. What you can do is limit the empty calories. These come from foods with little or no nutrients. If some of the leading...

Acai Berry New Nutritional Wonder

Acai Berry New Nutritional Wonder Written by Jessica Emerson Friday, 06 April 2007 Deep in the Brazilian rainforest, a team of explorers discover a tribe of natives living far from civilization, where heart disease is unheard of, and even the oldest members of the tribe appear to be - at their oldest - in their mid-thirties, despite tales and oral histories that reflect a far different story. After spending weeks studying the remote tribe, the secret finally presents itself - a diet based, nearly exclusively, on the berries of the acai palm, a plant native...

Artichokes Are an Antioxidant Super Food

Artichokes Are an Antioxidant Super Food Study show artichokes have more antioxidants than most commonly eaten foods CASTROVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found artichokes have more antioxidants than all other vegetables and were fourth in antioxidant content out of all food and beverages tested. Researchers from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the University of Minnesota and the University of Oslo, Norway, used the FRAP (ferric reducing ability of plasma) assay method to measure the antioxidant levels of more than 1,000 food and beverages commonly consumed in the United States. Antioxidants are...

Is Fiber the New Protein?

Is Fiber the New Protein? By Joan RaymondNewsweekApril 16, 2007 issue - Debbie Fireman is a self-proclaimed fiber junkie. The 41-year-old marketing exec from Penn Valley, Pa., eats fiber-rich foods "all day long," including whole foods like fruits, veggies, grains and beans. But that's not all. Her pantry is stocked with fiber supplements, cereals and snack bars, loaded with apples, cinnamon, peanut butter and chocolate. "Fiber is great for you, and it doesn't have to taste like cardboard," she says. Once relegated to the bottom of the heap by carb-phobic foodies enamored by all things high in protein, fiber is...

Reduce the Risks of Heart Disease with Low Cholesterol Foods

Reduce the Risks of Heart Disease with Low Cholesterol FoodsYou must have heard more then once how you should watch your cholesterol because it is the main cause of fatal diseases. Cholesterol is mainly produced by our body but can be found in many foods that we intake everyday; cholesterol is mainly found in the blood stream and it helps to produce cell membrane, tissues and several types of hormones. However, cholesterol in high quantities in the blood can clog the arteries, which can stop the flow to important parts of the body such as the heart resulting in heart...

Dark Chocolate Can Be Healthy for Blood Vessels

Dark Chocolate Can Be Healthy for Blood Vessels NEW ORLEANS - Feeding chocolate to a bunch of middle-age, overweight people for weeks on end may not be as unhealthy as it seems.Researchers found that six weeks of daily consumption of a dark chocolate cocoa mix significantly improved the blood vessel health of those who participated in the study.The study is the latest in a growing number that link reduced heart disease risk to flavonoids in dark chocolate and other food and beverages, such as red wine, green tea and dark-colored fruits and vegetables."There are hundreds if not thousands of flavonoids...

When it Comes to Meals, Mom was Right

When it Comes to Meals, Mom was RightBy Carolyn O'NeilCox News ServiceATLANTA Show Mom a little love, because after years of nutrition research, looks like she was right all along! Hey, even her fashions are back. You didn't think you were the first to wear platform shoes and a wrap dress, did you? Much of Mom's common sense advice on what to eat and when has passed the test of time and earned support from nutrition experts. So, in celebration of mothers (and grandmothers) on a mission to get us to eat right, here are some retro rules. Expanding...

A Variety of Vitamins, Medicines, Foods Can Help Prevent Colds

A Variety of Vitamins, Medicines, Foods Can Help Prevent ColdsBy Jeanne Kocher/Tribune CorrespondentBefore spring showers bring May flowers, winter showers bring colds and flu.On average, a person may get three to six colds a year, according to Earl Mindell, author of Earl Mindells Food as Medicine.For people who find themselves interacting with a constant source of germs  other peoples  there are ways to improve the odds against catching a cold.Greg Lauterbach, owner of Harvest Health & Coffee in Fremont, has general recommendations from an alternative health angle.Lauterbach emphasizes the importance of boosting the immune system to prevent a...

The Miracle of Green Tea

The Miracle of Green Tea"Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one." (Ancient Chinese Proverb) Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea? The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. In her book Green Tea: The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life, Nadine Taylor states that green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years. Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is...

Discover How Easily Soy Foods Fit into a Healthy, Active Lifestyle

Discover How Easily Soy Foods Fit into a Healthy, Active LifestyleWASHINGTON, March 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The Soyfoods Association of North America (SANA) announces its eleventh annual "Soyfoods Month" celebration throughout the month of April. Soyfoods Month 2007 activities will educate consumers about how easy soy foods are to find, prepare and incorporate into a healthy lifestyle and haute cuisine."Today, the average American is becoming more aware of the effects of diet on overall health, especially in light of recent studies about the obesity epidemic," says Nancy Chapman, RD, MPH, Executive Director of SANA. "Soy foods are perfect to manage weight...

Build Up Your Immune System Now to Fight Nasal Allergies Naturally Through Spring

Build Up Your Immune System Now to Fight Nasal Allergies Naturally Through Spring Garlic, Long Used to Fight Colds and Flu May Help You Breathe Easier This Year GILROY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--California garlic growers, supplying 90 percent of the nations garlic crop, are predicting a strong yield of flavorful, nutrient-and sulfur-rich bulbs this year. Thats good news for Americans across the country looking for an extra boost of natural protection against allergies this coming spring and colds and flu well into the year. The spring allergy season now upon us brings approximately two to three months, or more, of upper respiratory...

Surprise! Americans not Eating Enough of the Healthy Stuff

Surprise! Americans not Eating Enough of the Healthy Stuff By DANIEL YEE, The Associated Press Published: Friday, Mar. 16, 2007Fewer than a third of American adults eat the amount of fruits and vegetables the government recommends, a trend that’s remained steady for more than a decade, health officials said Thursday.That’s “well below” the government’s goal of getting 75 percent of Americans to eat two servings of fruits and having half of the population consume three servings of vegetables each day by 2010, said Dr. Larry Cohen of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The diet survey, part of a...

Some Energy Supplements Give False Information

Some Energy Supplements Give False Informationby Colin KennedyThe Daily EvergreenWhether it is for a boost at the gym or to help peel our eyes open on Monday mornings, most college students rely on some sort of energy supplement on a daily basis. From green tea to Rockstars and cappuccinos, there are hundreds of products to give you the extra kick to survive your late-night study session. However, many of these energy sources have raised some eyebrows about their safety and whether they could be doing you more harm in the long run than you may realize. Black coffee and green...

Vitamins, Supplements Can Improve Your Health

Vitamins, Supplements Can Improve Your Healthby Lora Lea DilleySunday March 4, 2007 Editor’s note: Last week the Sunday Reporter-Times ran the first article in this series, which featured Mike Elsea and Andy Brenton giving a nutritional lecture at Core Fitness in Mooresville. This article focuses on your body’s need for supplemental nutrients that your diet is not delivering. Stacy Brinkley searched for help to relieve the pain in her connective tissue brought on by fibromyalgia. “I didn’t rest because I was in pain,” she said. It was not until a friend recommended Mike Elsea that Brinkley saw improvement in her...

Learn the Organic Way to Treat your Acne

Learn the Organic Way to Treat your AcneEver dreamed of having acne-free clear skin without harsh chemicals? Now it's made possible. Organic beauty expert Julie Gabriel, R.N.S., created "Clear Skin: Organic Action Plan for Acne", an original book featuring all-natural organic solutions to the most common skin woe, acne. Toronto, Canada (PRWEB) March 3, 2007 -- Ever dreamed of having acne-free clear skin without harsh chemicals? Now you can. Organic beauty expert Julie Gabriel, R.N.S., created "Clear Skin: Organic Action Plan for Acne", an original book featuring all-natural organic solutions to your most common skin woe, acne. Do you know...

Weight-Loss Surgery Caution: Take Your Vitamins

Weight-Loss Surgery Caution: Take Your VitaminsBy Kathleen DohenyHealthDay ReporterMonday, March 12, 2007; 12:00 AMMONDAY, March 12 (HealthDay News) -- Obese patients who undergo weight-loss surgeries such as gastric bypass can develop a rare but serious brain condition linked to vitamin deficiency, a new study warns.Taking the recommended dose of supplements after surgery can prevent the brain illness, called Wernicke encephalopathy, which is caused by a deficiency of thiamine, a B vitamin.The syndrome is "a problem everyone needs to be aware of," said Dr. Neil Hutcher, immediate past president of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery and director of the bariatric...

Take, Take, Take Your Vitamins?

Take, Take, Take Your Vitamins? By JANE GLENN HAAS Yes, some studies suggest supplements mean little, but at least one physician takes several every day. Here's why: A study released last month says the antioxidant vitamins taken by tens of millions of people around the world won't lead to a longer life.In addition, a review of a large number of separate studies found no long-life benefits from vitamins A, E and C and beta carotene and selenium.One part of the patient assessment at Hoag Hospital Women's Wellness Center includes a review and recommendations of vitamins and supplements."Every so often an...

Think Red Cherries

Think Red CherriesBy Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDNFeb 26, 2007 - 12:42:57 AMThink Red – Cherries(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Cherry blossoms signal the coming of spring and we are sure it is summer when fresh cherries appear in the supermarket. Otherwise few of us give cherries a second thought. We should. Research is showing that tart cherries – the type used in cherry pie filling, for cherry juice, and the dried variety – rank as a superfruit. Forget acai and gogi berries, US grown tart cherries are tiny nutrition powerhouses. Tart cherries are seldom sold fresh and they really aren’t tart. They...

Skin and Hair Benefit from Good Diet too

Skin and Hair Benefit from Good Diet tooBy Carolyn O'Neil Cox News ServiceAtlanta - Most people associate eating a healthier diet with weight-loss goals or keeping cholesterol in check, which are two really important medical missions. But there's something more you should think about: Eating right to help your body be the best it can be inside and out. The shine in your hair and glow in your skin are just as important as the numbers on your bathroom scale as a measure of how your meals impact your health. Just as the mineral calcium is critical in bone health,...

College Students Getting Their Daily Dose

College Students Getting Their Daily DoseBy: Holly HitchenCollege students are tired and out of energy. They spend all day in class and then all night studying and get no sleep. But even students who get six to eight hours of sleep are still exhausted. It could be that they aren't getting the proper amount of vitamins. Studies have shown that most college students are not getting the right amount of daily vitamins. Taking a daily vitamin can help your body get the nutrients it needs.Experts believe that the best way to get the daily requirements of vitamins is to simply...

Your Whole Pet: Real Food for Dogs is Easier Than You Think

Your Whole Pet: Real Food for Dogs is Easier Than You ThinkBy Christie Keith, Special to SF GateAlthough you may eat nearly every meal at the greasy spoon near your office or live on microwaved Lean Cuisine and Diet Coke, you at least know what you should be eating: a varied, balanced diet of fresh foods, with a minimum of processed, packaged convenience items. But that's you. You're a mammal with two legs and opposable thumbs -- and therefore must have completely different nutritional requirements from mammals with, say, four legs and an amazingly sensitive nose, right? How else...

Organize your Kitchen for Healthy Eating

Organize your Kitchen for Healthy Eating By Jaye Beeler, Press Food Editor When it comes to healthy eating, figuring out what's going on in your kitchen could hold the answers. These days, with type 2 diabetes and obesity on the rise, developing a healthy lifestyle is a smart move. We asked three local experts to develop strategies for organizing your kitchen with healthy eating in mind. Control your portions Jill Johnson, registered dietitian at Saint Mary's Health Care Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, believes menu-planning and portion control are big chunks of healthy eating. Eating on the run can lead...

Some Like It Hot

Some Like It HotFor anyone looking to escape the cold mid-winter blahs, biting into a searing, eye-watering, catch-your-breath chile pepper might be just the zing you need. People have long used peppers as a spice, as well as medicine. Now, researchers are finding that the pungent substance that gives chile peppers its burning sensation may also be helpful in treating certain cancers. The Pep in PeppersSome chile peppers carry more of a tear-inducing wallop than others. The compound responsible for the fiery sensation in peppers is capsaicin (pronounced cap-SAY-sin). Capsaicin is an odorless, tasteless antioxidant. The only plants containing...

100 Smartest Diet Tips

100 Smartest Diet Tips Courtesy of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), we took our readers' eleven toughest diet problems and ran them by some of the top dietitians in the US: RDs who, in addition to their private careers, serve as media spokespersons or heads of specialty practice groups for the ADA. Here's what they told us, in their own words. These tips are solid gold, learned from successful experience with thousands of clients. Some tips are new. Some you've heard before, but they're repeated because they work. This treasure trove of RD wisdom could change your life-starting today.I Can...

The Health Benefits of Berries

The Health Benefits of Berries Berries are not only sweet and delicious treats, they are loaded with health benefits. Berries are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber. One of the health benefits of including antioxidants in the diet is the reduction of oxidation on a cellular level. This helps give the body protection against the formation of cancer cells and protection from age related health issues. Berries are a health food that is easy to include in the diet. They can be eaten as a fresh snack, mixed with yogurt, added to cereal, baked goods and fruit salad. Fresh...

Superfood are Powerful Allies

Superfood are Powerful Allies Tuesday, February 6, 2007 BY BOB GROVESELIZABETH LARA / HERALD NEWS Tomatoes, blueberries and oats are among the foods with high levels of antioxidants and other healthy phytochemicals. They're called superfoods, the trendy name for everyday fruits, veggies, fish and fowl that are now celebrated as wellsprings of health and long life.Superfood lists vary, but most dietitians include nutrient-rich blueberries, beans, tomatoes, pumpkins, oranges, oats and wild salmon. Some health gurus also consider pomegranates, cinnamon, onions, dates and red peppers to be super good for you.Many of the foods have reached super status because they contain...

Eliminating Trans Fats: Fad or Friend?

Eliminating Trans Fats: Fad or Friend? Author: Karen BarrowMedically Reviewed On: January 10, 2007Last year, the culprit was carbs. Two years ago, fat was in the line of fire. And along the way, sugar, red meat and oils have all been targeted as foods to avoid. But as diet trends came and went, so too did concerns about these foods. Now, it appears that trans fats are the latest victim in the push to help the public trim their waistline and become healthier. And while some restaurants may have added low-carb foods to their menus during the Atkin’s diet craze,...

Sweet Cherry-ot

Health-conscious consumers are abuzz about new exotic berries from the Amazon with names they can’t even pronounce. But nutrition researchers say they may be missing a home-grown “superfruit” that provides surprisingly similar amounts of antioxidants: cherries.A growing body of scientific research shows that tart cherries - which can be enjoyed year-round as dried and frozen cherries or cherry juice - have among the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants compared to other fruits. Most people don’t know that. A recent survey(*) found that more than half (52%) believe that blueberries and cranberries have the most antioxidants. Yet 7 out of 10...

Apples: Neglected Power Food

Apples: Neglected Power FoodBy Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDNIf you look only at lists of fruits highest in vitamin C or read about the super health-promoting powers of the latest popular fruit, you might wonder if Grandma's advice, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," still merits consideration. Yet as research moves further into the study of the thousands of natural compounds we get from fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other plant foods, apples do shine.Antioxidants are well-established as an important part of how healthful eating can lower our risk of heart disease and cancer, and possibly other conditions...

Virtues of Tea Extolled Around the Globe

Virtues of Tea Extolled Around the GlobeBy Jennifer HarperThe Washington TimesWASHINGTON -- Disappointment could be brewing in that teapot. All those big health benefits in tea are destroyed with the addition of a little milk or cream, at least according to German researchers who insist that the traditional comforting cup be spartan -- and dairy-free. In the past decade, researchers around the globe have extolled the virtues of tea. Loaded with antioxidants, tea may reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis and a variety of cancers. It is also said to curb diabetes, dementia and...

Drinking Juice, Good for Your Mind?

Drinking Juice, Good for Your Mind?Posted: 6:10 PM Jan 16, 2007Last Updated: 7:46 PM Jan 16, 2007You know drinking juice is good for your body, but did you know it is also good for your mind?Tosh Okamoto was part of a new study that found the connection.Seattle researchers followed nearly 2000 adults for 10 years.They found drinking fruit or vegetable juice, more than three times a week, cuts the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by 76 percent compared to drinking it once or twice a week."The theory is that the brain accumulates damage due to oxidation as we age, and if...

Vegetables - Color Me Happy

Vegetables - Color Me HappyWhat color are you?According to the United States Department of Agriculture (www.mypyramid.gov), you should eat at least two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables every day. A serving size is one medium-sized fruit, 1/2 cup raw, frozen, cooked or canned fruit or vegetable, 3/4 cup juice, 1 cup leafy vegetable, and 1/4 cup dried fruit.Produce for Better Health Foundation (www.5aday.com) agrees with USDA, because fruits and veggies provide a wide range of vitamins, minerals and fiber as well as antioxidants that protect the body and reduce risks of cancer and disease.The colors, or natural...

Healthy Eating On A Budget

Healthy Eating On A BudgetSome people think eating healthfully costs too much. However, the cost you pay to eat healthfully pales in comparison to the annual cost of obesity in the United States, estimated to be in the billions of dollars. You don't have to spend a lot of money to get the most nutrition for your dollars.Here are a few tips to stretch your food dollars:Stock the staples. Always have beans, brown rice, pasta, oatmeal and barley in the pantry. Barley and brown rice add fiber and are great additions to stretch things like soups, stews and casseroles. Beans...

How to Beat Your Sugar Addiction

How to Beat Your Sugar AddictionBy Rachel Leslie - January 25, 2007Most Americans are addicted to sugar. Some don't even know the amounts of sugar that they are consuming because it is hidden in so many foods with a variety of different names. Sugar causes a multitude of physical ailments from headaches and chronic infections to crankiness and mood swings. Let's examine sugar, how it affects the body and how we can deconstruct our cravings and reduce them so that we can feel better. Sugar comes from two different places, sugar cane and beets. From both plants, the juice is...

Are You Really What You Eat?

Are You Really What You Eat? Aston University in Birmingham, UK has launched a unique new laboratory facility dedicated to solving the mysteries that lie in the relationship between the food we eat and the human brain.The Nutrition and Behaviour Lab is part of a recent expansion of Aston's internationally recognised research in this area by Laboratory Director, Dr Michael Green and colleagues. The lab will provide a resource for investigating the impact that different foods and supplements have on behaviour and well being, as well as enabling researchers to explore the efficacy of weight loss regimes and other dietary...

Hot Chocolate Holds Steady as Winter's Power Drink

Hot Chocolate Holds Steady as Winter's Power Drink Gannett News Service For Mary Anna Adams, a mug of steaming hot chocolate conjures the image of a friend's father preparing hot chocolate from scratch for them during her Louisiana childhood. For Maria Casten, it is thoughts of sipping cups of Butte Nut brand cocoa in her grandfather's Houston store. ("Best hot chocolate in the world," she says.) And May Elizabeth Berry? Well, she remembers handing her "now all grown up" sons cups of marshmallow-topped hot chocolate when they dashed in from playing in the snow with neighborhood pals. Nationally, hot chocolate...

Supplements Can Be Vital to a Healthy Diet

Supplements Can Be Vital to a Healthy DietBy AMY LAWSON Norwich Bulletin Ask most any 20-, 30-, or even 40-something person about taking vitamins as a child, and you will probably hear them mumble two words -- Flintstones chewables.The sweet, stick-in-your teeth vitamins that were given to most Gen X'ers and Y'ers as small children were to be taken daily to promote good health. The small character-shaped crumbly delights weren't the worst way to start off a morning, but the idea of taking a daily multivitamin or supplement is leaving a bad taste in some mouths.Modern vitamins Nowadays,...

Calcium Helps Cut Cholesterol During Weight Loss

Calcium Helps Cut Cholesterol During Weight LossTue Jan 23, 2007 11:28 AM ETBy Anne HardingNEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Getting enough calcium and vitamin D while reducing calorie intake can increase the beneficial effects of weight loss on cholesterol levels, Canadian researchers report.Overweight or obese women who took calcium and vitamin D supplements while on a 15-week diet showed greater drops in LDL or "bad" cholesterol and increases in HDL ("good") cholesterol, Dr. Angelo Tremblay of Laval University in Ste-Foy, Quebec and colleagues found.All of the women had been getting less than 800 milligrams a day of calcium at the...

Quest for Flat Abs Must Begin with These Six Foods

Quest for Flat Abs Must Begin with These Six FoodsLansing State Journal You've made a resolution to get rid of that spare tire around your waist, but it requires more than just exercise. Get a dose of "ab-ulous: nutrients in every bite of these foods.AlmondsThese delicious and versatile nuts contain filling protein and fiber, not to mention vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. They're also a good source of magnesium, a mineral your body must have in order to produce energy, build and maintain muscle tissue, and regulate blood sugar. A stable blood-sugar level...

New Report Shows Women's Folate Level is Down

New Report Shows Women's Folate Level is Down Posted on : Fri, 05 Jan 2007 20:07:00 GMT | Author : March of DimesNews Category : PressRelease WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new government report on folate levels in women should be the trigger for action to double the fortification of this crucial B vitamin in the grain food supply, the March of Dimes said today.Since 1998, the Food and Drug Administration has required the addition of 140 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams of grain to cereals, breads, pastas, and other foods labeled...

Avoid Watering Down Veggie Nutrition

Avoid Watering Down Veggie Nutrition Minimize liquid and cook more quickly to preserve vitamins, antioxidants By Karen Collins, R.D.MSNBCUpdated: 12:39 p.m. CT Jan 5, 2007Boosting vegetable consumption is an important step to lowering cancer risk and promoting overall health, but preparing them in a way that maximizes their nutritional value is important too. Scientific analysis shows that too much heat and water can cause the loss of some vitamins, minerals and other healthful plant compounds called phytochemicals. The key to retaining vegetables’ nutrients is to cook them quickly and with little water. Boiling vegetables in a pan of water was...

Fat Supplement Fights Holiday Weight Gain

Fat Supplement Fights Holiday Weight GainCTV.ca News StaffA new study has found that overweight adults who took daily supplements of a common dietary fat actually lost weight -- and kept it off during the holidays. In the new study published in the International Journal of Obesity, University of Guelph applied nutrition professor Andrea Buchholz and her colleagues at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studied 40 overweight people. "They tended to lose the weight over their abdomens, which was particularly exciting because that abdominal fat is the fat that's really metabolically active," Buchholz told CTV News. "It's associated with an increased risk...

Foods Can Control Cholesterol Naturally

Foods Can Control Cholesterol NaturallySat, December 23, 2006, By W. GIFFORD-JONES What's one of the most important rules in medicine? Never take a drug if a natural and safer remedy provides the same relief. Yet millions of people take cholesterol-lowering drugs to prevent heart attacks. This therapy comes with a price. Patients can develop muscle cramps and liver and kidney problems and some have died. Linus Pauling, a two-time Nobel Prize winner, says a high dose of vitamin C before breakfast is a smart way to start the day. How much you take depends on your tolerance. Too much may...

A Sweet Way to Lower Cholesterol

A Sweet Way to Lower CholesterolBy Maureen Williams, ND More than 100 million Americans have cholesterol levels above the healthy level of 200 mg/dl, and of them, more than one third have levels over 240 mg/dl. High cholesterol increases the risk of atherosclerosis and heart attack, the number one killer in the developed world.Cholesterol levels are strongly affected by lifestyle and diet. Healthy levels can usually be reached through regular exercise and eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, soy foods, nuts and seeds, and...

The Importance of Vitamins When Dieting

The Importance of Vitamins When DietingIn our quest to get that “perfect” body, we actually tend to lose our focus on the real things that should matter to us, such as our health and well-being. Thus, we end up not only neglecting our insides but possibly our relationships with others as well. Cutting down on our daily calorie intake does not necessarily assure us of a slimmer waistline and smaller thighs. However, having our calorie-levels set way down low what dieticians actually prescribe is not only sheer shallowness but a cause a lot of ill effects on your health. From...

Trans Fats Shown the Door

Trans Fats Shown the DoorHealthnotes Newswire (December 21, 2006)—Trans fats are on their way out of many American restaurants—if typically trend-setting New York City is any indication. The city’s Board of Health recently voted to phase out artificial trans fat from New York City’s restaurants. The decision, which will require that all city restaurants completely remove trans fat–containing foods from their menus over the next 18 months, has aroused anger from many sectors including restaurateurs and food industry professionals. New York City is the first city in the nation to require removal of trans fats from restaurants. If the ban...

How to Prevent New Year's Hangover Doom and Gloom

How to Prevent New Year's Hangover Doom and GloomNo one wants to start the New Year with a canon firing inside their head and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth, but so many of us do! After New Year’s Eve, even the most sensible person can wake up in the foetal position, scared to move. Maybe this is because there is so much pressure to Have A Good Time, that we throw caution to the wind. And even if we woke up after the last party saying “I’m never drinking again” we very rarely learn. In fact...

Be Your Best Self in 2007

Be Your Best Self in 2007 By DAWN SAGARIO, REGISTER STAFF WRITERDecember 31, 2006 If you're a habitual resolution-maker whose resolve crumbles at the sight of that first chocolate brownie or before you can lace up those new running shoes, listen up. Sometimes, starting with the smallest changes can be the catalyst for the biggest results. You not only get to revel in the little victories along the way to your ultimate goal, but also gain motivation and inspiration to reach your final objective. So what are you waiting for? From eating more healthfully to enriching your relationships with others,...

How to Prevent New Year's Hangover Doom and Gloom

How to Prevent New Year's Hangover Doom and GloomNo one wants to start the New Year with a canon firing inside their head and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth, but so many of us do! After New Year’s Eve, even the most sensible person can wake up in the foetal position, scared to move. Maybe this is because there is so much pressure to Have A Good Time, that we throw caution to the wind. And even if we woke up after the last party saying “I’m never drinking again” we very rarely learn. In fact...

Green Tea Capsules Loaded With Antioxidants

Green Tea Capsules Loaded With Antioxidants Friday, December 29, 2006 (1320 PST) ISLAMABAD: You may absorb more, powerful antioxidants by taking green tea supplements than by sipping on green or black tea drinks, according to new research.Antioxidants called polyphenols are thought to be responsible for tea`s health benefits.In a new study, antioxidant activity over eight hours was small but significantly greater after taking green tea extract supplements compared with drinking green or black tea, writes researcher Susanne M. Henning, with the Center for Human Nutrition at the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles. Her study...

Moderate Alcohol Consumption Can Be Beneficial

Moderate Alcohol Consumption Can Be BeneficialBy Betsy Klein, Tribune Media Services, Posted December 28, 2006 New Year's Eve is approaching. It's the end of the holidays and a time for reflection. For many of us, it's also a time for alcohol consumption. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Depending ... Americans prepare for the holidays like we're going into the biosphere. We start with a game plan: Diet in October and November so we can splurge in December. We eat before going to a cocktail party to avoid the buffet or appetizers that, yes, are often calorie loaded. We...

Dark, Leafy Greens Help Shield Eyes from Cataracts

Dark, Leafy Greens Help Shield Eyes from CataractsWednesday December 06, 2006 (1052 PST)ISLAMABAD: New research provides further evidence that substances in kale, spinach and other green vegetables help protect aging eyes from cataract. In an experiment, investigators found that human eye cells treated with antioxidants called lutein and zeaxanthin showed less damage after being exposed to ultraviolet rays, the sunlight ingredient considered a major contributor to cataracts. Cataracts occur when proteins in the eye's lens begin to clump together, forming a milky cloud that obscures vision. Currently, around 20 million Americans have cataracts, and research suggests that the more sunlight...

Diets Rich in Fish Cut Risk of Dementia, Study Finds

Diets Rich in Fish Cut Risk of Dementia, Study FindsNovember 19, 2006 BY STEVEN REINBERG, HEALTHDAY NEWSAdding weight to the theory that fish may be brain food, new research found that people with diets rich in fish have a significantly lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.The key appears to be docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid that appears to affect dementia risk and to be important for the proper functioning of the central nervous system."If you have a high level of DHA, a fatty acid found in fish, it reduced your risk of dementia by about...

Perk Up with Peppermint for the Holidays

Perk Up with Peppermint for the HolidaysDecember is resplendent with decorations, parties, commitments and STRESS! Is the hustle and bustle of this holiday season taking its toll on your running routine? Well, have I got a treat for you! Grab a candy cane!!! The simplest, sweetest solution to your winter slump comes in the fun-filled form of a red and white striped hard candy stick. This traditional peppermint flavored treat is everywhere this time of year. Nearly 2 billion candy canes will be sold in the four weeks before Christmas and Hanukkah, so I’m certain you can get your hands...

Wine or Beer?

Wine or Beer?By R.J. Ignelzi, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERPer ounce, beer has fewer calories than wine. A 12-ounce beer is about 150 calories. A light beer has about 100 calories for 12 ounces. Wine, both white and red, has about 90 calories per 4-ounce glass. However, because beer is rarely served in anything smaller than 12-ounce servings, it ends up being the more caloric if you're comparing a serving of beer to a serving of wine. You also get a healthy shot of antioxidants from wine – no matter if it's red or white. “Nutritionally, there's really not a big difference...

Tasty Cranberries Add Antioxidants to Diet

Tasty Cranberries Add Antioxidants to DietBy Susan KrummWednesday, December 20, 2006Q: Aren’t cranberries loaded with antioxidants?A: In a study of over 100 commonly consumed foods tested, provided by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, cranberries ranked very high. Here’s the complete top 20 list — from highest to lowest in antioxidant activity — based on serving size:• Small red beans, (dry, cooked), 1/2 cup• Wild blueberries, 1 cup• Red kidney beans, (dry, cooked), 1/2 cup• Pinto beans, (dry, cooked), 1/2 cup• Blueberries (cultivated), 1 cup• Cranberries, 1 cup whole• Artichokes (cooked), 1 cup hearts• Blackberries, 1 cup• Prunes, 1/2...

High-Calorie Beverages Ruin Diets

High-Calorie Beverages Ruin DietsBy: Holly WallaceDo you have a drinking problem?Liquid calories are everywhere. In the morning coffee, that soda at lunch, the smoothie or energy drink at the gym and that glass of wine with dinner. The good news is that cutting back on liquid calories is an easy way to improve the diet and aid in weight loss and weight maintenance. Think about the contents of high calorie beverages – soda, mocha caramel frappaccino with whipped cream, sugar-sweetened fruit juices, frozen and mixed cocktails, etc. What nutritional value are these adding to your diet? Not much. They all...

Eat Your Reds and Greens to Live Well

Eat Your Reds and Greens to Live WellBy Janet Taylor, Tuesday, December 12, 2006 11:04 AM ESTHow many times have you heard “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” or “Eat your greens, they're good for you?” There is much truth to these sayings. Research continues to confirm the health benefits of including generous portions of fruits and vegetables in your diet. But did you know that what color you eat is just as important?Fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients in the pigments that give them their color. The red pigment lycopene and anthocyanins in such foods as red raspberries,...

Sporty Jelly Beans Give Athletes a Boost Study

Sporty Jelly Beans Give Athletes a Boost StudyBy Catherine Boal12/13/2006 - Sweet manufacturers could find themselves tapping into the sporty potential of confectionery following research into the effects of functional jelly beans on athletes’ performance. The study found that sports-formulated jelly beans were just as effective at increasing energy levels as sports drinks or gels. This week's research will help to convince sceptical consumers that confectionery is a viable vehicle for sports nutrition and may go some way towards convincing manufacturers that the sector has potential for growth within the functional foods niche. The sport jelly beans used in the...

Seven Tips for a Healthier 2007

Seven Tips for a Healthier 2007By Wayne Geilman, Ph.D., Friday December 15, 5:32 pm ET With each new year, countless people make resolutions to improve their health but by February most have already given up. The key to sticking with resolutions is to make them realistic. Here are seven simple steps you can follow for a healthier 2007:1. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Consume seven or more servings of highly-colored fruits and vegetables each day. It can be difficult, however, there are ways to get a little help. Exotic fruit juice supplements are formulated with nutrient-rich fruits and offer a...

Sweetners

SweetnersSucralose is a stable non-caloric sweetener made from sugar. The patented manufacturing process makes sucralose 600 times sweeter than sucrose. Sucralose tastes like sugar. Sucralose is not utilized for energy in the body because it is not broken down like sucrose. It passes rapidly through the body virtually unchanged. Sucralose is beneficial for individuals with diabetes because research demonstrates that sucralose has no effect on carbohydrate metabolism, blood glucose control or insulin secretion. Maltitol is a member of a family of bulk sweeteners known as polyols or sugar alcohols. Maltitol is about 90% as sweet as sugar, noncariogenic and reduced...

Why Eat Organic?

Why Eat Organic?Reprinted with permission from Dr. Heather Fox, Ph.D., N.D., Health Education Specialist, from her July-August NewsletterIT'S HEALTHY – On average, organic food contains higher levels of vitamin C and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium as well as cancer fighting antioxidants.NO FOOD ADDITIVES – Organic food doesn't contain food additives, which can cause health problems such as heart disease, osteoporosis, migraines and more. You will not find additives such as hydrogenated fat (trans fats), aspartame or other artificial sweeteners and monosodium glutamate.AVOIDS PESTICIDES – Over 400 chemical pesticides are routinely used in conventional farming practices...

Juice Reduces Alzheimer's Risk

Juice Reduces Alzheimer's RiskFruit and veg juice may reduce Alzheimer's riskBy Stephen DaniellsAugust 31, 2006 Drinking three glasses of fruit or vegetable juice a week could cut the risk of Alzheimer's disease by a whopping 75 percent, according to a population based study from the U.S. The results suggest that it is not the antioxidant vitamins (vitamins C, E and beta-carotene) but the antioxidant polyphenols that are behind the effects. "These findings are new and suggest that fruit and vegetable juices may play an important role in delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease," wrote lead author Qi Dai in The...

Herbs Used to Treat Anxiety Disorders

Herbs Used to Treat Anxiety DisordersLesser Known Herbs Used to Treat Anxiety DisordersReprinted with permission from HerbClipTM June 30, 2005, Abascal K, Yarnell E. Nervine herbs for treating anxiety. Altern Compliment Ther. 2004 December:309-315 Anxiety disorders are common in many Western countries, and conventional drugs like benzodiazepines are often prescribed to relieve anxiety. However, these drugs have worrisome short-term and long-term side effects. Nervine herbs (herbs that quiet nervous excitement) have a long history of traditional use in relieving anxiety, insomnia, and mild depression. With the exception of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), kava (Piper methysticum), and valerian (Valeriana officinalis),...

Garlic

The healing properties of this plant have made it one of the best-studied plants in the world. It is famous for its use in the prevention and treatment of high cholesterol, heart disease, colds and flu, and as a potent cancer-fighter. Garlic helps prevent blood fats from sticking to artery walls and lowers blood pressure; a study shown in Atherosclerosis showed that patients with high cholesterol who ate garlic regularly had a decrease in both blood pressure and LDL-cholesterol. Adding fresh garlic to your food is the most potent way to eat garlic, but you can also purchase aged garlic...

Cut Lunchtime Calories: Breakfast

Cut Lunchtime Calories: Eat a Better BreakfastSLAMABAD: Children who start the day with a bowl of bran cereal, muesli high in nuts and seeds, or porridge made from rolled oats feel fuller and eat less at lunchtime than kids who down cornflakes or white bread for breakfast. That's the conclusion of a new British study that appears in the November issue of Pediatrics. While further studies are needed, the researchers say the results add to mounting evidence that so-called low-glycemic index (GI) foods can play an important role in controlling weight. GI is a measure of how quickly a carbohydrate...

You Want Coconut Oil

You Want Coconut OilCoconut Oil: You Want a Food Loaded with Real Health Benefits? You Want Coconut OilBy Ray PeatThis is a slightly modified version of Ray Peat's article which can be found at http://www.efn.org/~raypeat I have already discussed the many toxic effects of the unsaturated oils, and I have frequently mentioned that coconut oil doesn't have those toxic effects, though it does contain a small amount of the unsaturated oils. Many people have asked me to write something on coconut oil. I thought I might write a small book on it, but I realize that there are no suitable...

Building Lean Mass with Protein

Building Lean Mass with ProteinBy Amy Kosowski, M.S., LDN, September 13, 2006Building lean muscle is a primary concern of many athletes, making protein supplements a staple of training programs. NOW Foods carries a variety of protein powders, as well as amino acids and products designed to help maintain lean mass. Protein PowdersAdequate dietary protein is essential for building and maintaining lean tissue. It is often difficult to get enough "clean" protein in the diet for muscle hypertrophy (extra growth) and the most efficient way for athletes to increase their protein intake and fulfill their protein requirements is to add protein...

Licorice

Licorice Though licorice is a very popular candy, licorice root is a potent healing herb. Licorice can be used over the long-term, without any risk of toxicity. The main active ingredient in licorice root is glycyrrhizin. Glycyrrhizin has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anti-allergenic properties. I love to use licorice to treat herpes outbreaks "the tincture can be applied topically to the open sore to speed healing time. I also use it for hypoglycemia, which manifests itself in weak adrenal glands. As well, licorice is used to treat ulcers and acute gastritis, arthritis, and may slow the growth of certain cancerous tumors."...

Mandarins Shown to Cut Cancer Risk

Mandarins Shown to Cut Cancer Risk By Jonathan BrownSeptember 11, 2006 The humble mandarin is being hailed as the latest "super food" after two Japanese studies found that it may dramatically reduce the chance of getting liver cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. A team at the National Institute of Fruit Tree Science studying the health effects of carotenoids — the vitamin A compound that gives mandarins their orange colour — surveyed 1,073 people in the town of Mikkabi, in Shizuoka, who ate a large number of the citrus fruits.

Sports Drinks: Users Guide

Sports Drinks: Users GuideSports Drinks: What? When? and How Much?Should you be lugging a bottle of commercial sports drink to your child's soccer game? What drinks provide the best nutrition for optimal performance? The answers to these questions depend upon how long and how strenuous the exercise is. If you or your child exercise moderately for less than an hour, plain water is the best source of fluids. Water is absorbed more rapidly than any other liquid, but once you begin adding stuff to water, the absorption slows. Drink ahead. Drink a few glasses of water before a game. During...

Tribulus: Raw Material Quality

Tribulus: Raw Material QualityTribulus (Puncture vine, Tribulus terrestris) Raw Material QualityBy Ted Waszkuc, Ph.D., NOW Foods Methods Development Scientist There are two main reasons leading to variations in plant herbal extracts from different sources. One is that the choice of plant parts - like roots, leaves and stems or fruits of the particular species - might be different. The second reason reflects differences in the plant origin, as the natural composition of plant from identical species may vary depending on climatic and regional differences. The Tribulus story is a rather striking example of how the plant's geographic origin can effect...

Soy Helps Decrease Blood Clotting

Soy Helps Decrease Blood ClottingSoy Found to Help Decrease Blood ClottingSeptember 26, 2006By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, September 11, 2006, abstracted from "Soy isoflavones affect platelet thromboxane A2 receptor density but not plasma lipids in menopausal women" in the June 20, 2006 issue of Maturitas. Soy has started to gain a reputation as a panacea for health problems in menopausal and postmenopausal women. It has been found to elicit a number of health benefits, including helping boost brain function and mood1 and helping maintain heart,2 bone3 and breast cell health.4 Now a new study5 has discovered yet another health benefit...

Vitamin Shots Protect MS Patients

Vitamin Shots Protect MS PatientsVitamin shots may help protect multiple sclerosis patients from severe long-term disability, a study suggests. Currently, there is no effective treatment for the chronic progressive phase of MS, when serious disability is most likely to appear. Researchers cut the risk of nerve degeneration in mice with MS-type symptoms by giving them a form of vitamin B3 called nicotinamide. The Children's Hospital Boston study appears in the Journal of Neuroscience. MS, which affects about 85,000 people in the UK, is a disease of the central nervous system. It causes the breakdown of the myelin sheath, a fatty...

Nutritionist Sets The Record Straight

Nutritionist Sets The Record Straight Prominent Nutritionist Sets The Record Straight Submitted by Health Gazette on Wed, 2006-04-12 19:30. Nutrition One nutritionist speaks out to set the record straight &mdash "The Case Against Vitamins, an article by the Wall Street Journal which originally ran on March 20, 2006 and is being widely reprinted, should be thrown out of court," says Neil Levin, a Chicago-area Certified Clinical Nutritionist. "The danger here is that a reporter who is neither a nutritionist nor a doctor may dissuade people from utilizing products which can help them maintain their health. And that is harmful." There...

Pecans Help Lower Cholesterol

Pecans Help Lower CholesterolVitamin E: How Pecans Help Keep Your Cholesterol HealthyBy Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, October 3, 2006, abstracted from "A pecan-enriched diet increases ã-tocopherol/cholesterol and decreases thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in plasma of adults" in the August 2006 issue of Nutrition Research.As an staple food of early Native Americans and now considered a popular nut, pecans contain high amounts of oleic (56.4%) and linoleic (18.9%) acids. These acids have been found to "help reduce cardiovascular mortality"(1,2) and help keep cholesterol levels within normal range.(3,4)Now a new study5 has found that the high levels of vitamin E found in...

Polyphenols & Olive Oil

Polyphenols & Olive OilStudy Finds Polyphenols Contribute Significantly to Health Benefits of Olive OilSeptember 26, 2006 By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, September 7, 2006, abstracted from "The Effect of Polyphenols in Olive Oil on Heart Disease Risk Factors: A Randomized Trial" in the September 5, 2006 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. As a major source of antioxidant intake in humans, polyphenols are antioxidants found in plants that "possess not only antioxidant properties but also antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects."1 The role of polyphenols in helping decrease death rates from heart disease2 is thought to be due to...

No More Second Helpings

No More Second HelpingsNo More Second Helpings, Experts UrgeFood Is No Longer Scarce In U.S. , So Why Do Americans Still Act (and Eat) Like It Is? Washington, D.C. &mdash infoZine &mdash The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is calling on Americans to put prevention before politeness, and reexamine ingrained social customs and attitudes about food that encourage overeating. Asking for seconds, cleaning one's plate, laying out extravagant meals for guests, wanting to "fatten up" a visiting loved one: all of these behaviors originally arose in times of food scarcity. The experts at AICR are asking an increasingly obese...

Diet Maintains Mental Health

Diet Maintains Mental HealthMediterranean Diet Found to Maintain Mental Health in the ElderlyBy Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, October 13, 2006, abstracted from "Mediterranean Diet, Alzheimer Disease, and Vascular Mediation" in the October 9, 2006 of the Archives of Neurology. Alzheimer Disease (AD) annually costs $100 billion to treat.1 The incidence of AD has doubled among Americans since 1980, currently affects more than 4.5 million Americans and is expected to reach 16 million by 2050.2 It currently has no cure and, as a result, prevention is paramount. There are a number of ways you can help maintain your mental health, including...

Why Cola is Bad for Your Bones

AMANDA URSELL Cola makes women's skeletons more brittle, research suggests. Our nutritionist explains. Few people perceive cola drinks as "healthy", but while we suspect that they rot our teeth and expand our waistlines, bone weakness is not a consequence that springs to mind. Until now. A new study shows that for women and girls, drinking just four servings (ie, glasses, bottles or cans) a week of full-sugar or diet cola reduces bone density, which in turn can increase the chance of fractures whether you are aged 16 or 60. The findings, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, were...

Brown Seaweed: A Fat-Fighter

Chemists in Japan have found that brown seaweed, a flavor component used in many Asian soups and salads, contains a compound that appears in animal studies to promote weight loss by reducing the accumulation of fat. Called fucoxanthin, the compound achieved a 5 percent to 10 percent weight reduction in test animals and could be developed into a natural extract or drug to help fight obesity, the researchers say. The compound targets abdominal fat, in particular, and may help reduce oversized guts, the scientists say. Their study was presented today at the 232nd national meeting of the American Chemical Society....




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