APPLE SKINS

 

Research posted a few years ago in the journal PLoS ONE found that the skins of apples contain ursolic acid.  Ursolic acid is believed to boost metabolism by increasing muscle mass and a type of body fat that helps to burn calories.  So when eating an apple, you might want to consider not peeling it.  This is a case where you might want to go organic so you can be sure your apples haven't been chemically sprayed.

DON'T PEEL YOUR APPLES

Here is another, fairly new, reason to eat your apples with the skin on.  The skins contain ursolic acid which may boost metabolism by increasing muscle mass and a type of body fat that helps to burn calories!  This is according to recent research published in the journal PLoS ONE. Be sure to thoroughly wash the apple!

I know the research says "may" but if you are going to eat an apple, why not leave the skin on?

SUPPLEMENTS

As you can see below, this is an old article I am reposting. The importance of this article has recently had a bright light shined on it in my world. My 72-year-old husband kept falling because his legs would just fold up under him. About a week and a half ago he fell three times in one day. My son and grandson had to carry him to his bed because his legs were too weak to hold him up even with their help. He ended up getting an ambulance ride to the hospital where he stayed for 5 days and was then released to rehab for therapy. Tests showed him to be very low in sodium, potassium, and his adrenal gland function was low. He is a COPD patient and didn't like to eat because it was hard to eat and breathe at the same time. He had been relying on Ensure Plus, a good supplement but not a complete diet for the average person. His leg muscles had almost atrophied from lack of use. He was walking very little because of the falls. Long story short, with three good meals a day and extensive therapy he is now walking with a walker and/or a cane. We are made to take care of our bodies with food. It is important to eat a balanced diet (avoid fad diets, they always leave out something your body needs) and get some exercise if you want your body to function as God intended.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Some supplements, vitamins, etc may be needed to keep your body operating efficiently.  However, I do not recommend taking such products without discussing it with your doctor.  While the proper supplements, vitamins, minerals, etc can be very helpful, sometimes they can be harmful or simply a waste of money.  It is best to get what your body needs from food whenever possible.

I qualify that statement by saying I was on supplements for years and my doctors were aware of it and told me to take them.  Thus back to my point; I am not saying don't take them, I am saying discuss it with your doctor first.  If your doctor is one who won't even discuss such matters, perhaps you need a new doctor!

An example of harmful effects is zinc.  While zinc may be very helpful in some situations, it may actually hasten the onset of Alzheimer's symptoms.  I am not talking about taking a zinc tablet occasionally but researchers think that a buildup of zinc may cause those prone to Alzheimer's or in the early stages of the disease, to have their symptoms brought on more quickly.  Laboratory experiments have shown that zinc can transform the protein in brain cells into abnormal tangles indistinguishable from those of Alzheimer's.  Other studies have also shown that large-dose zinc supplements may bring on the progression of memory loss and other signs of the disease.

Again, based on my own experience, I no longer take supplements.  Because of having so much of my colon removed, I don't absorb them.  When I am low on a vitamin, mineral, etc, I have to have a shot.  So no matter how many high-powered supplement tablets I would take, I wouldn't absorb them enough to benefit.  So it would be a waste of money.

The supplement business in America today is big business.  Don't be fooled, discuss the situation with your doctor and go by what he/she recommends. And remember this, those who are trying to sell you supplements are usually making money off what you purchase.

file photo

PROTEIN FOR MUSCLES

Once we humans reach around 50 years of age we start to have weakened muscles.  This is a normal part of the aging process but it is important we do what we can to maintain our muscles. Weakened muscles can cause falls which can be very damaging to older people. Maintaining our muscles helps us to function better overall. Protein is an important muscle builder so we must be sure we get enough in our diets. The average 150 pound adult needs approximately 55 grams of protein per day. Older folks should probably have more. Learn to read nutritional labels on your foods and monitor your protein intake for a week. See if you are getting at least the recommended amounts, especially if you are an older person like me. Discuss with your doctor if you find yourself falling short of the recommended amount.

This file photo shows some samples of protein foods to consider. (I am preaching to myself here as I do not like any of the foods pictured below. Shame on me!)