Monthly Archives: June 2014

June 27, 2014

FOODS THAT BOOST YOUR BRAIN POWER.

Mind

Turmeric: A study has shown that older adults in India are 4.4 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s than the same demographic in the UK. Turmeric also has anti-inflammatory abilities to protect cell erosion and carries antioxidant effects that fight against breakdown in cell membranes.

Berries: These sweet fruits are rich in polyphenols, especially anthocyanins, shown in studies to increase sharpness and speed of processing in areas of our brain function that are the first to go as we get older.

Avocado: Foods rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids will help your head and your heart. Stick to healthy fats only, of which avocadoes have many, and skip trans and saturated fats. Swapping avocado for butter in a lot of your traditional baked good recipes, such as cakes and breads, can provide the same emulsifying effect (and taste), but with an added cardiovascular and neuro-protective effect.

Orange fruits and veggies: Such as sweet potatoes, carrots, melon, butternut squash, and oranges serve as great defenders of cell breakdown, causing better brain function into older age.

Chickpeas: Chickpeas have high vitamin-B content (like B6 and folate), meaning lots of brain benefits. In our bodies, folate is responsible for the conversion of homocysteine, a byproduct of cellular metabolism, into methionine, which is another amino acid. High levels of homocysteine are responsible for blood vessel damage.

June 20, 2014

3 FACTS ABOUT VITAMINS AND YOUR HEALTH.

Vitamins

Fact 1: Vitamins don’t cancel out bad health habits.
There are many different disease-causing culprits in our lives, one vitamin cannot protect against them all. Vitamins can’t significantly undo the toll that risk factors like smoking, excess alcohol, air pollution, obesity, and lack of physical activity take on our health. In fact, research suggests that some people may be more likely to put their health on the line when taking vitamins, because they believe the pills will shield them from harm.

Fact 2: Megadoses are useless and possibly even harmful.
Our bodies have individual requirements for each nutrient, and once they’ve been met, we don’t get an additional benefit from taking more, either from food or supplements. Taking too much calcium, for example, can cause kidney stones and may increase your risk for heart attacks. What’s more, some vitamins and minerals rely on the same mechanisms for absorption. So if you flood your body with one compound, you may interfere with the absorption of other nutrients.

Fact 3: What you put on your plate matters most.
Supplements are not a substitute for the nutrients found in whole foods. Spinach, for instance, is a great source of iron, but it also contains literally thousands of other nutrients; an iron supplement contains only one. As long as you’re eating a varied diet, it’s extremely difficult to overdose on the vitamins and minerals you get from foods, but exceeding your RDA is easy when you’re popping supplements.

June 13, 2014

BEST FOODS FOR WEIGHT LOSS.

Chocolate

Chocolate: Savor one to three ounces of at least 70 percent cacao chocolate a day. Chocolate contains flavonoids called catechins, which seem to reduce insulin sensitivity and the production of the stress hormone cortisol. Erratic insulin levels and cortisol are powerful in their ability to pack on belly fat. Dark chocolate is also high in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which fight inflammation. Fat cells, particularly those in visceral fat (the dangerous kind in the belly that can lead to diabetes and heart disease), churn out molecules that set inflammation in motion. It’s a vicious cycle, because inflammation leads to belly fat, and belly fat leads to more inflammation.

Dairy: Dairy contains the two highest-quality sources of protein – casein and whey. This, in combination with nutrients like calcium and vitamin D, aids in muscle preservation, appetite regulation and fat loss. What’s more, dairy fat contains conjugated linoleic acid, which has been shown to help reduce visceral fat.

Green Tea: Like chocolate, green tea is rich in catechins that appear to whittle your waist by prompting your body to burn more fat and calories, particularly in the period just after each meal. The average cup of brewed green tea contains 111 milligrams of catechins, so just two to three cups a day could be beneficial.

Blueberries: You’ve heard that these little guys are packed with a host of health-boosting properties. Now preliminary studies suggest they’re effective at combating belly at too. Blueberries are filled with manganese, which helps convert proteins, carbs, and fats to energy, and is the key to shedding abdominal fat. The high antioxidant content also works to reduce stress hormones and inflammation in the body.

June 6, 2014

WHAT SHOULD I BE EATING AFTER A WORKOUT?

Post-workout

Breaking down your muscles burns calories for sure, but what really torches them is building those muscles back up – and that’s where post-workout nutrition comes into play.

Eating a mix of carbohydrates and protein within an hour of your cool-down helps increase your body’s levels of muscle-repair-signaling hormones. That way, you’ll not only build more calorie-torching muscle, but your muscles will actually spend extra energy during the repair process.

Carbs help replenish your muscles’ glycogen stores. Post-workout, aim to consume a snack with a 3:1 ratio of healthy carbohydrates to protein, such as a smoothie made with plain yogurt and water-rich fruits. Around 150 to 200 calories should do the trick.

Keep in mind though that your need to refuel isn’t an excuse to binge. So make sure you don’t fall into the trap of feeling like you ‘deserve’ a post workout snack and eat way too much, replacing all the calories they’ve just burned while training.