July 21st, 2009 by AmyJo
Not to brag, but I’ve never broken a bone. Never. Not even a toe. And I’d like to say that it’s because I drank gallons of milk as a growing child, but honestly, milk was never my thing. Carrots, however were. And even though most people don’t think of carrots as bone-strengtheners, it’s time to break out of the milk carton and realize that there are other nutrients that keep your bones strong.
A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that fruits and vegetables rich in carotenoids help keep your bones strong. A carotenoid is a pigment found in fruits and vegetables with vibrant yellow, orange and red color. Carotenoids like lycopene and beta carotene act as antioxidants which ward off dangerous Read the rest of this entry »
April 14th, 2009 by AmyJo
When you see a red light, you stop. When you see a red x, you don’t enter. When you see red meat, you eat it. Oops.
A new study done by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) shows that people who eat large quantities of red and processed meat have an increased risk of death from all causes, including cancer and heart disease. The study looked at the relationship between meat intake and risk of death among more than 500,000 individuals. They found that 11 percent of deaths in men and 16 percent of deaths in women could be prevented if Read the rest of this entry »
March 30th, 2009 by AmyJo
Grapefruit seems to be one of those foods that you either love, or hate, or force yourself to eat because it is supposedly so good for you. But maybe if you actually knew why it is so good for you, you’ll stop having to force feed yourself this superstar fruit.
If you think Vitamin C is all that grapefruit has to offer, you are SO wrong. While it does provide a good amount of your DV for vitamin C, you actually get more than double the amount of that vitamin C from kiwi than from grapefruit. Among the more outstanding qualities of grapefruit, are the lycopene and antioxidant content as well as soluble fiber.
The pink and red colors of grapefruit come from Read the rest of this entry »
March 19th, 2009 by AmyJo
Cholesterol: the health issue that only old, fat people have to worry about, right? WRONG. Oh, so very, very wrong! In fact, high cholesterol is one of those things that’s deceptively silent and starts to build even from an early age.
First, let’s correct a few misunderstandings about cholesterol. All cholesterol is not all bad. Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood and all the cells of your body that forms cell membranes and comprise some hormones needed for other bodily functions. So, basically, you need cholesterol. But you don’t need a lot; too much of it in the bloodstream Read the rest of this entry »
March 3rd, 2009 by AmyJo
You know it as the “sunshine vitamin,” and lately you’ve probably noticed a lot of news on additional health benefits of vitamin D. “Vitamin D fights common colds!” “Vitamin D fights cancer!” “Vitamin D fights Multiple Sclerosis!” How can it be that vitamin D boasts all those curative properties? Is it true?
Well, the primary function of Read the rest of this entry »
February 23rd, 2009 by AmyJo
Let’s be honest. I’m a little obsessed with oral hygene. But some faithful flossing and brushing never hurt anyone. In fact, you might get an added health bonus besides just minty fresh breath.
Research shows that periodontal disease (inflammation of the gums caused from plaque build up) and heart disease Read the rest of this entry »
February 18th, 2009 by AmyJo
It may be America’s favorite salty snack, but your bag of Lay’s potato chips might be fraught with cancer causing chemicals.
A chemical called Acrylamide is a white odorless solid that was discovered in foods in 2002. Acrylamide forms in starchy foods that are fried, roasted, or baked, at temperatures above 248 F So watch out you potato chips and French fry lovers! Although the chemical has been shown to cause harmful effects only in high doses, the FDA is strongly Read the rest of this entry »
February 16th, 2009 by AmyJo
I love America. I love capitalism and freedom and modern medicine and higher education and all the wonders of the Western world. Minus one thing. Our pathetic “western” diet. High in artery clogging saturated fat, it isn’t exactly a recipe for long-lived prosperity.What to do? Go Read the rest of this entry »
February 1st, 2009 by AmyJo
Syndrome X… scientists sure are getting creative with disease naming these days. What’s next Disease Y and Illness Z? But regardless of the lackluster name, the term merits understanding, both for preventive reasons and for improving overall health.
Metabolic syndrome X, also called Insulin resistance syndrome , is a series of risk factors that put you at risk for diabetes and heart disease. These risk factors inclue: high blood pressure, high blood sugar/inability to utilize insulin, high levels of triglycerides (a fat found in your blood), too much abdominal fat around your waist, and low levels of the good cholesterol. If you have at least 3 of these risk factors, you have Syndrome X and are at a great risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, a stroke, or a heart attack. Booo! Let’s help you fix this before it’s too late.
Good news, the cure is Read the rest of this entry »
January 26th, 2009 by AmyJo
Everyone knows that drinking lots of cranberry juice wards of urinary tract infections, but why?
Well, the bacteria that causes bladder infections have little hair-like substances that attach to the bladder where they
can multiply and cause infection. The chemicals in cranberries, called proanthocyanidins, bind to the hairs of the bacteria and prevent it from adhering to the bladder wall. The proanthocyanidins basically glob up the bacteria and flush it out of your system instead of allowing it to linger and cause infection. Read the rest of this entry »
