Java lovers, rejoice! A 2018 study has shown that caffeine promotes the movement of a regulatory protein into mitochondria in our cells, enhancing their function and protecting cardiovascular cells from damage. Caffeine consumption had already been associated with lower risks for multiple diseases, including type II diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, but the mechanism underlying… Continue reading Caffeine from Four Cups of Coffee Protects the Heart with the Help of Mitochondria
Category: Food
Mangoes Help Relieve Constipation
The next time you suffer from constipation, you may want to consider grabbing a mango instead of reaching for a fiber supplement. That is advice from a Texas A & M University pilot study published in June 2018 in the peer-reviewed journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research. The researchers found that mangoes, which contain a… Continue reading Mangoes Help Relieve Constipation
Sensory-Based Food Education Encourages Children to Eat Fruits & Vegetables
Sensory-based food education given to children in kindergarten increases their willingness to choose vegetables and fruit, according to a 2018 study from the University of Eastern Finland. Sensory-based food education offers new tools for promoting healthy dietary habits in early childhood education and care. The findings were published in May in Public Health Nutrition. A… Continue reading Sensory-Based Food Education Encourages Children to Eat Fruits & Vegetables
Many Popular Vitamins Don’t Have Health Benefits
The most popular vitamin and mineral supplements provide no health benefit or harm, according to a new study. The finding, from researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital, in Toronto, and the University of Toronto, was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. According to a news release from St. Michael’s, the systematic review… Continue reading Many Popular Vitamins Don’t Have Health Benefits
How Music Volume Affects Whether You Order a Cheeseburger or a Salad
Have you ever felt like music effected your choices while shopping or at a restaurant? A recent study found that the volume of ambient music has a systemic effect on consumers’ preferences for healthy vs. non-healthy foods. A release from the university explains that music volume is proven to directly impact heart rate and arousal.… Continue reading How Music Volume Affects Whether You Order a Cheeseburger or a Salad
Turn Up the Volume on the Volumetrics Diet
I don’t like the concept of “going on a diet”. This suggests something temporary! In fact, my concept of dieting is dying by avoiding food. We need to eat to live, and we live healthily by eating healthily. And healthy eating is a lifelong commitment. Unfortunately, some diets don’t necessarily stress eating healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables,… Continue reading Turn Up the Volume on the Volumetrics Diet
For Older Adults, a Better Diet May Prevent Brain Shrinkage
People who eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, nuts and fish may have bigger brains, according to a study published in the May 16, 2018, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. A release from Neurology® quotes study author Meike W. Vernooij, MD, PhD, of the Erasmus University… Continue reading For Older Adults, a Better Diet May Prevent Brain Shrinkage
Five Ways A Healthy Gut Makes A Healthy Brain
The idiom “trust your gut” means relying on intuition, rather than thoughtful, deep analysis, to make a decision. But research shows there is actually a tangible connection between gut health and brain health, and that linkage can affect emotions and cognitive processing. Research conducted at the California Institute of Technology by Elaine Hsiao showed how… Continue reading Five Ways A Healthy Gut Makes A Healthy Brain
How to Grill Safely All Summer Long
The official start of the grilling and picnic season kicked off Memorial Day weekend. There’s no better time of year to gather and bask in the sun-kissed weather while you enjoy the delights of the flame and fridge. While the warmest months are ideal for dining al fresco, they also create the perfect breeding ground… Continue reading How to Grill Safely All Summer Long
Beyond Chicken Soup: “Immune Broth” and Meals That Heal
Just about everybody knows that a nourishing bowl of chicken soup helps with the symptoms of the common cold by upping nutrient intake and.clearing out nasal passages. Yet the concept of food as medicine, not only as a means of warding off disease but as a crucial part of any recovery plan for those who… Continue reading Beyond Chicken Soup: “Immune Broth” and Meals That Heal
Mediterranean Diet Boosts Beneficial Bacteria
Here’s another reason to eat a heart-healthy Mediterranean-type diet: It’s good for your gut. Scientists at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center found that eating a plant-based diet enhanced the good bacteria living in the gut by up to 7 percent as compared to only 0.5 percent from eating a more meat-centric, Western diet. Using an… Continue reading Mediterranean Diet Boosts Beneficial Bacteria
Drinking up to 3 Cups of Coffee Per Day May Be Safe and Protective
Many clinicians advise patients with atrial or ventricular arrhythmias to avoid caffeinated beverages, but recent research has shown that coffee and tea are safe and can reduce the frequency of arrhythmias. . This, according to a review published April 16th 2018 in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. A release from the Amercan College of Cardiology explains thatArarhythmias,… Continue reading Drinking up to 3 Cups of Coffee Per Day May Be Safe and Protective
The Complicated Biology of Garlic
The health benefits of garlic seem simple: it can reduce the risk of developing certain kinds of cancers, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. But the biology behind garlic is extremely complex, because of the vast array of compounds it produces. Researchers in the UK analyzed the biology of garlic in a review published April… Continue reading The Complicated Biology of Garlic
Get Out from Under Weighty Emotions to Eat Healthier, Be Fitter
The key to losing weight and keeping it off is to understand the role unresolved emotions from past events play in your health. If you use food a a way to deal with stress and anxiety, here are some steps you can take to overcome emotional eating: Find Your Triggers: Spend some time thinking about… Continue reading Get Out from Under Weighty Emotions to Eat Healthier, Be Fitter
Regular Nut Intake Is Linked to Lower Risk of Atrial Fibrillation
Eating several servings of nuts every week may help lower the risk of developing the heart rhythm irregularity, atrial fibrillation or AFib according to research published online in April 2018 in the journal Heart. A release from the publisher notes that this level of consumption may also lessen the risk of developing heart failure, although… Continue reading Regular Nut Intake Is Linked to Lower Risk of Atrial Fibrillation
Breakfast with Benefits: How to Make Your First Meal Healthier
You’ve heard the old adage that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but with busy schedules, it can be hard to grab anything – let alone a healthy meal – in the morning. The truth is that starting your day with the right nutrients doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming. The… Continue reading Breakfast with Benefits: How to Make Your First Meal Healthier
We’ll Pay More for Unhealthy Foods We Crave
We’ll pay more for unhealthy foods when we crave them, neuroscience research done at New York University has found. The study, which appear in April 2018 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) ,also shows that we’re willing to pay disproportionately more for higher portion sizes of craved food items. The… Continue reading We’ll Pay More for Unhealthy Foods We Crave
Vegetables May Help Protect Elderly Women from Hardening of Neck Arteries
Elderly Australian women who ate more vegetables showed less carotid artery wall thickness, according to research published in April 2018 in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. A release from the association explains that cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts proved… Continue reading Vegetables May Help Protect Elderly Women from Hardening of Neck Arteries