Tea – whether green, black or white – is one of the world’s most popular drinks. But did you know that the steaming beverage might pack some potent heart health benefits? Researchers from Saudi Arabia have found that frequent tea drinkers had a 50 percent reduction in the risk for cardiovascular diseases as compared to their peers who avoided the brew. Be sure to minimize or avoid sugar for the most benefits.
Researchers from Japan have found that people who consume a diet high in seafood and soy products may live a longer life. They found that, on average, fish-eaters were the least likely to die of any cause during the seven-year course of their study. Fish such as salmon and mackerel are rich in substances known as omega-3 fatty acids
Chinese researchers have discovered that ginseng may help to boost memory in people who suffer from stroke-related dementia. Tests showed that people who supplemented with ginseng were able to improve scores related to both verbal and visual memory.
Obesity can wreak havoc on your health. Everything from diabetes to heart problems has been linked with carrying around excess pounds. Recent studies have determined that one factor contributing to our ever-expanding waistlines is out-of-control portion sizes, especially at fast food restaurants. If you must eat out, be sure to keep a careful eye on just how much you are eating.
Adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D will ensure that your bones remain healthy and strong, a key to feeling and looking younger. Fractures due to osteoporosis are a leading cause of older people losing mobility. The Changes 24 formula contains both of these bone-strengthening ingredients.
The well-respected magazine, Consumer Reports, has determined that products containing glucosamine and chondroitin can effectively combat arthritis pain without the serious side effects often encountered with other treatments.
Keeping your own teeth may be as easy as getting adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D, the same nutrients you’re already taking to maintain strong bones. Researchers have found that elderly study participants who took the supplement combo were less likely to lose teeth as compared to their peers who did not take the supplements.
Don’t forget your multi-vitamin.
Many of the maladies traditionally associated with aging, such as memory loss or reduced immunity, are now known to be caused by nutrient deficiencies. Doctors believe that the health of senior citizens can be greatly improved by taking a daily multi-vitamin/mineral supplement.
Relax…your heart will thank you.
While the occasional stressful day may be unavoidable, persistent feelings of stress and anxiety can lead to more serious health problems. Researchers have found that when we’re stressed, our bodies hold on to fats known as triglycerides longer than they would if we weren’t anxious. Triglycerides, obtained primarily from fat in foods, have been linked with the development of heart disease.
According to study results, physical fitness is one of the most important independent risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease. Researchers found that inactive men were four times more likely to die of heart disease than men who exercised regularly. So, get off the couch and aim for 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic activity at least three times a week and a twice a week strengthening activity.
Two well-known nutrients, carnitine and alpha-lipoic acid, may help to reverse the effects of aging. Study results have shown that the two substances may help boost memory and revive flagging energy levels.
Vitamin C in the diet appears to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer and slow the progression of osteoarthritis. Specifically, the researchers found that people who ate at least three servings of fruit and vegetables every day derived the most benefits.
Hold the bacon.
Two new studies have shed light on the potentially harmful effects of a diet high in processed meats such as bacon, sausage and hot dogs. The large-scale studies confirmed that too many hot dogs or other processed meats could lead to the development of diabetes or colon cancer. Researchers believe that nitrates – ingredients added to these foods to preserve them – could be the culprits behind the development of both deadly diseases.
If you are on anti-hypertension (high blood pressure) medication, you may be able to decrease your dosage by eating breakfast. Research has found that a daily breakfast of oat cereal helped more than 70 percent of study participants lower the amount of medication they needed to take.
Increasing your daily intake of potassium, found in bananas and peanuts, may help to ward off stroke. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is so sure that potassium is an essential part of any healthy diet that they approved a health claim stating that foods rich in the nutrient may help reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.
As if you needed more motivation to start an exercise regimen, two recently published studies show that physical activity may have even more benefits than previously thought. Research shows that physically fit women were better able to ward off the damaging effects of stress on their bodies. In particular, women who engaged in daily physical activity were able to avoid stress-related rises in blood pressure.
Increasing your intake of antioxidants known as flavonoids may help you to slash your risk of developing chronic, and often deadly, diseases such as diabetes, stroke and cancer. Researchers discovered that study participants who had the highest intakes of flavonoids also had the lowest incidences of diseases such as asthma, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke and diabetes. .
Results of the three-year Roche European American Cataract Trial (REACT) have shown that an antioxidant combination (vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene) may help to stall the progression of age-related cataracts, a leading cause of blindness in people aged 65 and older.
Don’t skip the tomatoes for healthy breasts.
New research is more proof that tomato lycopene in combination with other tomato phytonutrients is more effective in treating breast cancer than lycopene alone. Previous research has focused on lycopene’s prostate-protecting benefits.
A healthy, low-calorie diet may be the key to helping your body age gracefully. A calorie-reduced diet helps to limit the production of free radicals, unstable molecules that combine with and damage healthy cells. This type of diet may also aid in boosting levels of nutrients known as antioxidants, powerful defenders against free radical oxidation.
Vitamin E supplements may protect muscle cell membranes during resistance training such as weight lifting, according to researchers. Scientists have found that the men taking vitamin E supplements were protected against muscle damage for 48 hours following a weight lifting session.
Keep your skin healthy with tea.
Green tea, the nourishing drink associated with lower cancer rates, may soon turn up as an ingredient in creams designed to protect against skin cancer. Compounds called polyphenols, plentiful in green tea, appear to protect cells from damaging sun rays, according to researchers at Case Western University in Cleveland.
If you are one of the 50 million Americans who suffer from osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, you will be interested to learn that a medicinal herb from Africa can help reduce the pain associated with this debilitating disease. In a clinical study conducted in France, patients taking the herb devil’s claw experienced the same pain relief as patients given a pharmaceutical drug.
A compound in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts, may protect women from breast cancer. Indoles, found in cruciferous vegetables, are digested and broken down in the stomach to form a substance called DIM (diindolylmethane). DIM, a little-known phytonutrient, appeared to prevent malignant cells from dividing and multiplying, thereby preventing the spread of cancer, research has shown. If, however, you find it difficult to fit greenery into your daily diet,
Move freely again.
People suffering from chronic lower back pain may be interested in the results of a clinical study which found that the extract of willow bark (Salix alba) has been effective in reducing the discomfort associated with this condition.
Cataracts are cloudy, opaque buildups of damaged proteins in the normally transparent lens of the eye. They don’t allow light entering the eye to focus properly and result in impaired vision. High intakes of vitamin A, niacin, protein, riboflavin and thiamin, along with consumption of polyunsaturated fats, have been found to protect against cataracts in a recent study.
Pioneering Italian researchers have discovered that micronutrients are essential to the proper functioning of important immune cells called natural killer cells, which defend the body against tumors and infections. Micronutrients such as selenium, an essential mineral and antioxidant that protects the heart; zinc, which plays a role in wound healing, proper growth and immune system function; folate, an important B vitamin; and ubiquinone-10, which is associated with proper cell functioning, are key to immunity and our ability to fight disease. Previous studies have found that advanced age interferes with the function of these important cells, and often increases the risk of nutritional deficiency. So check your multi-vitamin bottle and make sure it contains these key youth-preserving ingredients.
Topical applications of capsaicin-based ointments can successfully treat itchy skin, according to researchers. Capsaicin is the common “hot” ingredient in all hot peppers.
Ginkgo biloba, an herb used most often to treat Alzheimer’s disease and other severe forms of memory and mental function decline, is also effective in increasing the pain-free and maximum walking distance of patients with intermittent claudication, according to the results of an analysis of several research studies. Intermittent claudication causes leg pain with cramps in the calves caused by poor circulation.
Keep teeth healthy with tea.
Drinking black tea without sugar, honey or milk between meals may help reduce cavities and plaque. Research has also found that several doses of black tea every day can help control bacteria. Dental plaque contains more than 300 species of bacteria that adhere to tooth surfaces and produce cavity-causing acid. Plaque is also a leading cause of gum disease.
Vitex, also known as chaste berry, has been used since the time of the ancient Greeks to treat women’s health complaints. Originally used to ease the pain associated with childbirth, vitex was thought to lower sex drive. It was taken in syrup form by monks and nuns in the Middle Ages in order to make it easier for them to comply with their vows of chastity. Despite persistent beliefs that vitex resulted in a low libido, there was no conclusive proof that this was the case. In fact, modern research has discovered that vitex may be used to help strengthen a woman’s sexual organs and balance her sex hormones.
Tea, apples and chocolate…an unlikely heart-helping trio.
Substances called catechins, found in the three foods, may help protect against heart disease. Catechins, which are rich in antioxidants, may provide benefits by preventing LDL (bad) cholesterol from damaging cells, by recycling other antioxidants such as vitamin E, or by reducing the risk of inflammation, which is associated with heart disease.
A recent study, conducted by British scientists, has found that the herbs kava and valerian are beneficial in treating stress-related insomnia. Both kava and valerian have been used extensively for centuries to help promote a restful night’s sleep naturally.
Honey has been used as a folk remedy since the beginning recorded time. This fact has attracted the attention of researchers, who are interested in the sweet treat’s beneficial health effects. They discovered that antioxidants found in abundance in honey provide numerous cardiovascular benefits, including lowering heart-damaging LDL cholesterol levels.
Numbers don’t lie and the numbers say olive oil may offer protection against colorectal cancer. Researchers at Oxford University in England, tracked nutritional profiles and colorectal cancer rates in 28 countries, categorizing foods consumed in 1990 and comparing that information with colorectal cancer rates from 1987 through 1992. After crunching and cross-examining the numbers, they found that diets high in a combination of meat and fish have a higher cancer risk than diets that contain olive oil.
Do you need a cup of coffee or two to get started in the morning? If so, your morning beverage may be doing more than offering you a temporary pick-me-up. Coffee may also confer long-term cognitive benefits, especially for women.
Dietary fiber, derived mainly from fruits and vegetables, has numerous positive effects on your health. Its role in constipation prevention is well-known; however, fiber has numerous other lesser-known benefits as well. The nutrient has been shown to help lower cholesterol levels, decrease your risk of certain types of cancers and slash your chances of developing diabetes.
Researchers have found that an increased intake of nuts may help to prevent sudden death from heart-related causes. Study participants who ate more servings of nuts per week, on average two or more one-ounce servings, had a 47% lower risk of sudden death from heart problems than their peers who consumed few or no nuts. Nut-eaters also had a 30% reduction in risk of dying from cardiac diseases overall.
Any doctor will tell you that the key to many patients’ recoveries is a good attitude. Don’t forget to spend time with friends and family, pursue your favorite hobbies and just take time to relax. After all, age is just a number…don’t let it define who you are or hold you back from doing what you want to do!
