Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
It’s about that time! After a full week of sticking to your resolution, you might realize that you’re not sticking to your healthy eating plan all that well. January is the month where people put in a good effort towards their resolution – but slow …
Photo by Malvestida Magazine on Unsplash Are you having trouble falling or staying asleep at night? Your diet could be to blame. We all know caffeine before bed is bad news for your sleep quality, but there are some other major culprits in your diet …
Chocolate is one of nature’s most powerful super foods. In its natural form, it contains a wide variety of minerals, vitamins and antioxidant flavonoids that offer great health benefits. But the benefits of chocolate are generally reversed when milk, cholesterol from milk solids, and/or an enormous amount of refined sugar are added. Cocoa is naturally bitter in flavor so chocolate bars require a lot of sweetening. When cocoa is cooked, it becomes even more bitter.
According to a new study published by Columbia University Medical, a concentrated cocoa drink that contains plant compounds called flavanols (a subclass of flavonoids) seems to have a positive impact on reversing the impact of aging on the memory.
In their research, the team tested 37 healthy volunteers aged 50 to 69 who either drank a high-flavanol diet (900 mg of flavanols a day) or a low-flavanol diet (10 mg of flavanols a day) for three months. Everyone received functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans along with a memory test at the beginning, and again after the three months.
The results of the study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, was led by Dr. Scott Small. “If a participant had the memory of a typical 60-year-old at the beginning of the study, after three months that person on average had the memory of a typical 30- or 40-year-old,” stated Dr. Small. In addition, the flavanols that appear to aid in memory health can also support a healthy heart. “This very small trial highlights some possible effects of flavanols found in cocoa beans over a short time period, but we’d need to see much longer, large-scale studies to fully understand whether a diet high in these flavanols could boost cognition in old age,” said Dr. Simon Ridley, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Chocolate in its natural form (without the additives) includes essential minerals such as magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc, as well as the Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, E and pantothenic acid. In addition, it has polyphenols similar to those found in wine that offer excellent antioxidant protection. These beneficial antioxidants increase circulation to the brain and heart, improving healthy blood flow. They also help to reduce the blood’s clotting function, potentially decreasing your risk of blood and cardiovascular related health issues. Together, these agents help improve various areas of health such as circulation, energy and mood. Flavonols appear to be the substances in cocoa that are responsible for boosting heart health and keeping blood pressure in the normal range. These substances appear to improve the bioavailability of nitric oxide from the cells that line the inner wall of blood vessels:
Cocoa may increase blood flow to the brain, according to new research published in the Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment journal. The researchers suggest that long-term improvements in brain blood flow could impact cognitive behavior, offering future potential research into a healthy aging brain, increased memory and lowering risk for debilitating events. In a scientific study of healthy, older adults ages 59 to 83, Harvard medical scientists found that study participants who regularly drank a cocoa flavonol-rich beverage had an eight percent increase in brain blood flow after one week, and 10 percent increase after two weeks. In this first-of-its-kind study, the researchers found both short and long-term benefits of cocoa flavonols for brain blood flow, offering future potential for the one in seven older Americans. Scientists speculate that maintaining an increased blood flow to the brain could slow this cognitive decline.
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash Many of us have done it at some point – the crash diet. Maybe you have a dress you need to fit into. Maybe you’re going on vacation and want to look perfect in your bikini. Maybe you work …
Photo by Charisse Kenion on Unsplash It’s sweet, savory, and full of fat – and apparently, it’s now is being coined as a superfood that may help you lose weight! Wait a second. Chocolate to help with weight loss? There is new scientific evidence that …
By Dr. Millie Lytle ND, CNS
The Paleo Diet is on the minds of many. Paleo man, Fred Flintstone, his fitter pals Barney and Mr. Slate and their statuesque wives Wilma and Betty might have this in common with you. In your search for youth, longevity and beauty, the Paleo Diet, promising a svelte figure and fast metabolism might be on the tip of your tongue. But the problem is, the Paleo Diet is misunderstood, and mistaken for an all-meat-all-the-time diet, which it was never meant to be. Fred is a key example of how NOT to do the Paleo Diet.
The modern day Paleo Diet, named after the purported diet of the Stone-Age man, was invented by Dr. Loren Cordain PhD as an antidote for the current agriculture-based diet, which has proven to be rich in cereal grains, starch, sugar processed foods, and recently thought nutritionally responsible for diabetes and several common diet-related inflammatory conditions.
Due to some other benefits such as being high in protein and low in sugar it may also increase lean muscle mass, fuel the body’s resting metabolism and improve energy. Even through Fred Flinstone lived in the Stone Age himself, he didn’t do the modern Paleo Diet properly because, while he ate a lot of protein, he didn’t follow all 7 principles.
1. Higher protein intake-19-35% of daily intake from wild and grass-fed animal products.
2. Lower glycemic index – Non-starchy fresh fruits and vegetables approximating 35-45 %
3. Higher fiber intake – as represented by low starch vegetables and legumes
4. Moderate to higher fat intake dominated Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats- approximately 20-46%
5. Higher potassium and lower sodium intake – Unprocessed and fresh green foods contain 5 to 10 times more potassium than sodium. The average American eats double the sodium to potassium.
6. A net alkaline to acid ratio in the kidneys, ensures no more than 35% of diet is meat.
7. Higher intake of whole, unprocessed and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Key Paleo foods include: Grass-produced meats, Fish/seafood, Fresh fruits and veggies, Eggs, Nuts and seeds, Healthful oils (Olive, walnut, flaxseed, macadamia, avocado, coconut). Proportions matter.
In order to maximize your Paleo efforts you’ll need to remove: Cereal grains, Peanuts, Dairy, Refined sugar, Potatoes, Processed foods, Salt, Refined vegetable oils.
Why was Fred out of shape? Because he didn’t eat vegetables, balance his sodium/potassium or acid/alkaline. Additionally, Fred was a couch potato and had the lifestyle of modern man, despite his high meat diet. He was one stressed-out couch potato. In Paleolithic times, where man normally would have been running from dinosaurs and saber tooth tigers, Fred was driving his car all over the place, and watching TV. The only exercise he got was bowling and yelling. But because he was stressed out, his insulin was high, so he was storing fat around his belly. Let this be a lesson to you. If you’re going to go Paleo, abide by all the steps. Don’t cherry pick your favorites just so you can eat more meat.