EVER HEAR OF THE NUTRIENT APIGENIN?

I have to say that with all my nutritional/medical research I had never heard of the nutrient apigenin. That is until a read about a lab study done at Ohio State University in 2012 or 13, I believe. The study found that this nutrient which is found in peppermint, parsley, oranges, etc may have cancer-fighting superpowers. The study found that apigenin triggered cancer cells to kill themselves off. Interesting and might make it worth your while to add more oranges, peppermint, or parsley to your diet.

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DR. STEVEN NISSEN, FORMER CHAIR OF THE CARDIOLOGY DEPT. CLEVELAND CLINIC, ON DIET AND HEART HEALTH

According to Dr. Steven Nissen, former chair of the cardiology department of the Cleveland Clinic, today's 75-year-old can live to be 90 or 95. But there are some things to do and not do to stay healthy, especially heart healthy. Here is his #1 thing to stay away from: Fad Diets! He says there are many diet books out there and all are mostly contradictory. "One will say eat no fat. The next one will say eat no carbs. They're all wrong. None of these diets is healthy or appropriate for cardiac health." That is a quote from Dr. Nissen. His #2 thing to stay away from is dietary supplements. He stated, "There's no way to know what's in them (they are largely unregulated).

He says heart health is determined by the quantity and types of foods one eats. He cited a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine that looked at a low-fat diet versus a Mediterranean-style diet. Those who consumed a diet rich in olive oil and nuts (both have fat content, but they are good fats) had a much lower risk for heart disease. That would be a Mediterranean-style diet.

Note: Dr. Nissen is semi-retired now, but he still does some attending at the Cleveland Clinic.

NUTRITIONAL BAR TIP

When grabbing a nutritional bar always check out the sugar content then look to see where the sugar comes from. Does it come from fruit or refined sugar? And remember this, once that nutritional bar is coated in chocolate or yogurt it has added calories! Always read labels to decide what is best for you.

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HOT OUTSIDE? TRY THESE FOODS

According to practitioners of ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, eating the following foods will help cool you down: mint, watermelon, cucumber, summer squash, fennel, coconut, and cilantro. Does it work? I have no idea, but I would assume folks in India would know something about dealing with heat.

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SOME BENEFITS OF EATING SOY

 Following are some facts about the benefits of soy in your diet:

• Aaron Tabor, M.D., nutrition researcher and author of The Revival Slim and Beautiful Diet states that soy is rich in isoflavones, plant compounds that increase the production of skin-firming collagen. Studies have shown around 63% of women see improvement in skin tone and texture when they add soy to their diets.
• According to researchers at John Hopkins University, a daily dose of soy can cut ones breast cancer risk by 15%. Warning, this is only effective when your soy comes from food and not supplements! Soy contains mild estrogen-like compounds that block the effects of a woman's stronger, more damaging estrogens.
• Need to kick start weight loss? Adding soy to your diet can restart weight loss in as little as three days according to researchers at the University of Illinois. Soy is packed with proteins that stimulate body cells to burn fat.

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DON'T THINK OF FOODS/CALORIES AS JUST CARBS, PROTEINS OR FATS

 

Try thinking of foods as packages of various amounts of carbs, protein, and fats. A food and its calories may be made up of any one or any combination of the three. If you are diabetic or watching carbs for other health reasons here is a simple way to think of carbs. The calories in the following foods come mainly from carbs:

• Sweets and desserts such as candy, cakes, pies, cookies
• Starches such as breads, grains, cereals
• Fruits and their juices whether raw, fresh, or canned
• Vegetables including broccoli, corn, beans, peas, peppers, etc
• Fat-free foods often use carbohydrate-based fat replacers ie sour cream, salad dressings
• Sugar-free foods using polyols or sugar alcohols (you will notice sugar-free foods usually note they are not a low-calorie food)

A healthy diet always includes a variety of foods.

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GERBERA DAISIES FOR BETTER SLEEP

Another tip that has nothing to do with kitchen medicine but might be helpful to many of you readers. Could something as simple as a plant help you sleep better? Studies have shown that a plant in your bedroom can cut down on tossing and turning, help you to fall asleep faster, and wake up less during the night. That is because we sleep better in a space with lots of oxygen in the air. Gerbera daisies are the best for this, according to scientists who study such things, because while most plants emit extra oxygen during the day, gerbera diasies absorb toxins and carbon monoxide and give off more pure oxygen at night. Scientists especially recommend this for those suffering with sleep apnea.

7 PLUS SERVINGS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES PER DAY!

We are often told to eat 5 servings per day of fruits and vegetables but a British study a few years ago found that by increasing our daily servings to 7+ we can live longer. By adding the extra servings, the researchers found that one can reduce the risk of early death by 42%. Love life and want to hang around as long as possible? Increase the fruits and veggies in your diet.

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FRUITS AND VEGGIES FOR TEENS

Research has shown that teenagers who stay away from junk food are less likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. Studies have shown that teens who ate at least two fruit and four veggie servings per day and stayed away from fast foods, sweets, and soda were less likely to show symptoms of mental health problems. Do the teens in your life a favor and help them to make healthy food choices.

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BLACK TEA AND TYPE 2 DIABETES

According to a study reported in the British Medical Journal a couple years ago, the more black tea a nation consumes per capita, the fewer cases of Type 2 diabetes they report. Another reason to add black tea to your diet!

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