HERBS TO ENERGIZE

 Need to be invigorated and refreshed? Try the following suggestions from your kitchen.

• Try lemon, mint, rosemary or peppermint products.
• Revive tired, achy feet with peppermint soaks, sprays or rubs.
• Start your day with lemon or peppermint scented soaps.
• Tie a bunch of fresh rosemary in a square of muslin and hang it from the showerhead. As hot water runs through it it will disperse the naturally invigorating scent.
• After a hectic day, reenergize with a quick bath with citrus products containing lemon, lime or grapefruit oils.

COLORS MOSQUITOES DON'T LIKE

According to research in the journal Nature Communications, the colors you wear may determine whether or not mosquitoes will bite you. Sounds too good to be true, but definitely worth a try if mosquitoes always choose you. According to the research you should wear green, lavender or ivory to avoid being bitten. The article went on to say, "While mosquitoes are attracted to folks dressed in red, orange or black, they seem to have a blind spot when it comes to purple, green and white."

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EASY WAY TO REPEL TICKS

If you plan to go hiking, etc. into tall grass or going into a wooded area, here's a quick and easy trick to try. Before going into such areas, mist your clothing with diluted cedar oil. Studies show the scent of cedar oil repels ticks. This works like DEET. However, you need to reapply every couple hours to be effective.

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SKIN FACTS

 Have you ever thought about how much your skin weighs? Would you be surprised to know the skin of an average adult weighs between six and nine pounds? Actually, skin makes up about 16% of a person's total body weight. If one's skin could be laid out it would cover about 22 square feet. Take care of your skin, it is an important part of your body.

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THE COLOR OF BROCCOLI

Broccoli is probably one of the best foods we can eat. Eating it fresh or just steamed allows you to the most of its vital nutrients. When shopping for fresh broccoli, you will notice the color can range from almost purple to yellowish. When buying broccoli, the darker the better. The broccoli that is almost purple in color is packing a whopping lode of beta carotene, the nutrient proven to cut the risk of cancer and heart disease. Remember to go for the darkest green and to forget the ones turning yellow. Those turning yellow have lost most of their nutritional value.

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TIP FOR ADULT ACNE

 If you are bothered by adult acne, a Taiwanese study may have the answer to your problem. The study suggests dabbing blemishes with a drop of clove oil. They suggest the oils eugenol tamps down the inflammation and speeds healing.

ARE YOU PRONE TO MOTION SICKNESS?

Approximately half of us are prone to some motion sickness when traveling. A study in the Annals of Medicine and Surgery found that bringing along a vial of rose essential oil and inhaling its aroma as soon as symptoms start can quickly soothe a queasy stomach. They credit the aromatic compounds geraniol and citronellol which calm the nausea center of the brain.

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MORE ON BRAIN ANTIAGING

Yesterday I talked about the brain and how puzzles of various types can slow down the aging of the brain. There are a few more suggestions I want you to be aware of.  Below are a few more suggestions I have found.

• Peace and Quiet - Harvard scientists found that people in their 50s who meditated for 40 minutes daily had the same amount of gray matter in one part of the prefrontal cortex as did those in their 20s. This even though the cortex shrinks with age. They said that meditation curbs production of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that can shrink brain tissue.
• Games - I consider games to be about the same as puzzles. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, say playing games with others can make several parts of the brain bigger while improving thinking skills and memory. Even a game of solitaire pumps up parts of your brain power by protecting brain structures and functions vulnerable to decline.
• Want a snack? Try nachos. According to Japanese scientists say the beans and avocados in nachos contain minerals that can slash memory problems by 80% when eaten regularly. They are said to help the nerves in the brain signal properly so they can communicate clearly with each other.
• Sniff Rosemary. I have an earlier post on this blog about rosemary being helpful to the brain and here it is again. Give your brain an immediate boost with a sniff of this herb. British scientists found that the aroma can enhance prospective memory, which involves remembering time-sensitive tasks ie taking medication, by 75%.

BRAIN AGING

It doesn't come as a surprise that our brains age just like the rest of the body. Scientists say around 40% of us will have some form of memory loss after age 65. There are some things we can do to give us the brain of someone 15 years younger, according to the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.  On a personal note, several years ago when my mother suffered a stroke, my family heard about this. At the hospital after the testing on her brain, the doctors said they couldn't believe her age because her brain looked like the brain of a much younger person. They ask if she worked puzzles. The answer was, yes. She had worked puzzles all her life. Jigsaw puzzles, word find puzzles, crossword puzzles, etc. Puzzles were her favorite pastime. I spent time working puzzles with her throughout my life and puzzles continue to be a favorite activity for me. Do you have some type of brain activity you do on a regular basis? If not, consider puzzles.

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT FRUITS AND VEGGIES FOR HYDRATION?

As I posted a tomato salad recipe on my diabetic blog this morning, I thought about how helpful tomatoes can be to helping one stay hydrated, especially in the heat of summer. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that two extra servings of fresh produce daily cuts the risk of dehydration. If you have trouble staying hydrated but you don't like or get tired of water, grab a fruit or veggie that has a high-water volume. Fruit and veggies contain gel water, a form of fluid that releases water into the body slowly and steadily to hydrate cells more efficiently than does plain water.

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WANT TO BOOST YOUR LONGEVITY?

If your answer is yes to the title question, and you normally have a glass of orange juice with your breakfast, try switching to pomegranate juice. This switch can slow, maybe even reverse, the aging of your brain, heart, muscles, and bones. Italian scientists say the phytonutrients in pomegranate juice energize anti-aging genes in every cell of the body.

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IS STRESS EATING A PROBLEM FOR YOU?

I think almost all of us have dealt with stress eating from time to time. But for some, stress eating is a big problem that can lead to being overweight and to poor health. If you fall into the latter category, don't blame yourself or let others tell you, "You just need more self-control". That statement to you will probably just increase your stress. Psychologist Laurel Mellin, Ph.D. says there is a physical reason for stress eating. This is her statement, "There are eight brain chemicals that get activated when we're stressed, and they drive us to eat."

Dr. Mellin suggest retraining your brain. She advises that when you stress eat, your emotional brain is in control--it's very difficult to deny that need, so don't try. Instead, she advises doing an "emotional debriefing" the next day. "Take a moment to vent or complain that you overate." She goes on to explain this opens up the neural pathway to what causes you to stress eat. "Then try to express four key emotions: anger, sadness, fear and guilt," she says. the mini catharsis can gradually rewire your brain so you're less likely to turn to food in moments of emotional stress.

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ENJOY SOME SUNSHINE

 Did you realize that people who spend their days in a sunny environment are more likely to live longer than those who spend their days in a dimly lit environment? Reasearch has shown that getting plenty of sun enhances circadian rhythms, which play a role in sleep, blood pressure, etc. It is suggested one should aim for 30 minutes a day.

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LILACS TO LESSEN ACHES AND PAINS

When Spring weather, especially those rainy days, cause you to have those aggravating aches and pains, try putting a lovely lilac bouquet in one of the rooms you are in most often. A Brazilian study found that switching from a rose bouquet to a lilac one, could cut achiness by 73%.  They say the aromatic compounds in lilacs can calm overactive pain nerves and even curb production of ache-causing inflammation, if you inhale them often. I say, lilacs over pain-pills any day.

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MAGNESIUM FOR FIBROMYALGIA PAIN

If you are one of the unlucky ones who suffer from fibromyalgia pan, try taking a magnesium supplement. Dr. Amy Myers, an MD, has stated, "Magnesium is one of the most common deficiencies I see in those with fibromyalgia." She goes on to say, "But I've had several patients completely reverse their symptoms just by taking magnesium" Her advice is to take in a total of 320mg of magnesium a day through diet and/or supplements. Magnesium is found in bananas, beans, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens.

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MARINADE MEATS TO LESSEN AGEs

Following up on the last post about AGEs: Research from Mount Sinai School of Medicine suggests marinating meats such as beef, pork and chicken in a lemon juice or vinegar-based marinade for an hour lowers their AGEs by up to 63%. This is important because AGEs form when high protein foods are cooked at high temperatures. According to the researchers the acidic ingredients blunt the chemical reaction that creates AGEs. Another good idea is to add oregano and garlic to marinades as both herbs have the ability to inhibit the formation of AGEs. 

PS - I recently posted a recipe on my diabetic blog that has a recipe for a marinade that helps cut down on AGEs. It is titled Grilled Oregano-Dijon Chicken, if you are interested in checking it out.

ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH AGEs?

We are not talking about your, or my, age. We are talking about AGEs as a sneaky health sapper! AGEs are Advanced Glycation End-products or harmful compounds formed when proteins or fats combine with sugars in the bloodstream. This process, called glycation, can contribute to various health problems associated with aging and disease. AGEs are often implicated in such health problems as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, kidney disease and atherosclerosis. By lowering your levels of AGEs, you may reduce your chances of depression, heart disease, diabetes, and more. Recent research has also suggested that it may lower risk of breast cancer by 43%. Tomorrow we will post some ways we can work to lower the AGEs in our bodies.

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SHOULD YOU EAT PEPPERS RAW OR COOKED?

 You will get the most benefit from peppers if you eat them raw or lightly steamed. If you want, they may be cooked over low heat for a brief period. In a study, grilling green bell peppers for only 7 minutes cut the amount of the cancer-fighting luteolin by 40 percent.

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LET THOSE PEPPERS RIPEN

 Let peppers ripen to get the most from them. The vitamin C levels, antioxidant levels, as well as the carotenoids levels rise as peppers mature. Carotenoids are the beneficial red, yellow and orange pigments that include beta-carotene, lycopene, etc. How to know when a pepper is fully ripe? A pepper that is fully ripe will have deep color, feel heavy for its size, and feel nearly firm to the touch.

HOT PEPPERS AND ANTIOXIDANTS

 Do you like eating hot peppers? If you enjoy peppers in your diet, good for you. Did you know the hotter the pepper, the higher the antioxidant content? Be sensible when eating really hot peppers and it would probably be a good idea to keep a glass of milk or ice water nearby.

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EASY SAFE HOMEMADE BUG SPRAY

I got this off the internet several years ago. It had great reviews and comments then and continues to be a favorite post.:

Soak orange peels in vinegar for two weeks in a sealed mason jar. Then pour the vinegar into a spray bottle. Use for cleaning or bug spray. This is great for ants!

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FOLIC ACID AND THE LUNGS

Smokers should eat their green leafy vegetables.  As was mentioned earlier on this blog, these vegetables contain the compound folic acid known as folate.  Studies have shown that smokers who took fairly high doses of folic acid had much less lung cell damage than those who didn't.  Don't wait for the damage to be done.  Make green leafy vegetables a part of your everyday diet!

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WOMEN AND CARBS

Studies show that women who eat diets high in the 'wrong' carbohydrates (white bread, crackers, soda pop and white rice for examples) have double the risk of heart disease than the women who only eat them occasionally.  That is not a good thing!  If you are guilty, promise yourself to change your dietary habits immediately.  Start out with small changes such as no longer buying white bread or white rice.  Only purchase whole-grain breads and start using brown rice.  It is easy to switch to white whole-wheat bread as the change isn't as drastic. This bread is just made with white wheat rather than the red wheat which is bleached to produce "regular" white bread. Add more lean protein to your diet and start out by replacing one soda pop a day with a glass of water.  It really isn't hard to make these potentially life-saving changes to what you eat on a regular basis.  Remember, these changes could save your life later.

Note:  While the studies I looked at were only done with women, it is much better for men and children to make these changes, too. So why not make these changes for the whole family?

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CAN EATING PEPPERS MAKE YOU HAPPY?

Actually, the answer may be yes. As the body starts to feel the burn of hot peppers, it releases endorphins attempting to cool the body. Endorphins are naturally occurring hormones that make us feel good.

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WHAT IS FIBER AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Fiber is sometimes called nature's broom according to Toby Smithson, RDN, LDN, CDE, the author of Diabetes Meal Planning and Nutrition for Dummies.

Fiber, which is found in plant-based foods, is a carb that the body cannot digest. That makes fiber a necessity for diabetics in controlling the rise in blood sugar following a meal. Fiber helps to slow down the body's absorption of sugar.

There are two types of fiber and both are very beneficial:

1. Soluble fiber foods become sticky as they pass through our digestive systems and that helps to reduce the absorption of cholesterol.
2. Insoluble fiber doesn't dissolve and that helps to keep the bowels regular.

Both of these things are important for diabetics as well as the general population. Here are some of the important benefits of fiber (other than the ones mentioned above):

• Managing weight - fiber helps to make us feel fuller and more satisfied therefore we will do less overeating at meals and less snacking.
• Blood sugar regulation - The previous bullet, eating and snacking less, helps in the regulation of blood sugar levels.
• Improve heart health - everyone needs to be aware of heart health and taking care of their heart. Diabetics face double the risk for cardiovascular complications than does the non-diabetic. Fiber's ability to help lower cholesterol as well as blood pressure makes it especially important to diabetics and those with heart problems.

We should strive for 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day. 

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