Tuesday, April 28, 2020

The X Factor in Health: Are You Missing Colors in Your Diet?

Take a look in your closet at all the different colors you put on the outside of your body. Chances are you have a lot of different colors there and not just one or two. Did you know that putting a wide variety of colors on your inside can help you take your health to the next level? For many people a variety of colors of food is the X factor that is missing from their diets. Too many people stick with brownish and tannish colors on their plates as in meats, potatoes and simple grains. If your plate isn't as colorful as your wardrobe it's time to make a change by adding a wide variety of colorful vegetables and fruits to your meals.

It may help you to know why creating a rainbow on your plate is beneficial to your health and the most simple answer is phytochemicals, but Creative Nutrition Solutions owner, Molly Morgan, RD, CDN, warns that you don't need to get caught up in all the scientific data about what colors give you what types of nutrition. Instead just go for a wide variety of colors. For example if you are partial to fruits and veggies of a particular color, shake it up a bit. If your shopping cart is full of lettuce, spinach and kale, that's great, but add in some carrots, beets, squash, and as many other colored foods as you can. The X factor and the next level to strive for erasing it is to start trying new foods and go for many different bright colors.

Fruits and Veggies in Your Diet
There are so many advantages to adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet. They are low calorie, have only natural sugars, don't have much fat or salt if any and give you complex carbs, fiber and lots of other healthy nutrients. Fruits and vegetables get their colors from the group of phytochemicals known as flavonoids. Flavonoids have been found to decrease risks of cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer as well as being good for protecting the lungs. There are several different varieties of flavonoids including flavonols such as myricetin that you find in berries, grapes, and spinach, and quercetin found in onions, apples, and broccoli; flavones such as apigenin found in lettuce and parsley and luteolin found in beets and Brussels sprouts; flavanones such as hesperetin and naringenin found in citrus; flavan-3-ols such as catcehin found in tea and dark chocolate and epicatechin found in teas and legumes; and anthocyanidins found in blue, purple and red veggies and fruits. The main thing to remember about this, as many experts including the Produce for Better Health Foundation will tell you, is that these types of phytochemicals have antioxidant properties to protect the body from free radical damage and oxidative stress. If you already eat a lot of fruits and vegetables then you are of course getting phytochemicals in your diet and some antioxidant protection. But experts such as Kathy Hoy, EdD, RD advise using color as a guide to getting a variety of phytochemicals as many of them work together to provide us ultimate protection.

Creating a Rainbow on Your Plate
David Heber, MD, PhD and Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD are among the nutritional experts that divide plant based foods into groups according to color and the phytochemicals they provide. Instead of getting too caught up in the various color and color mixes though, the main thing to remember is to go for a wide variety of colored fruits and veggies on your plate. Just so that you know what different colors of foods are best for, here is a short list of some colors to consider, what they are helpful with and what foods fall in each category.

Blue and Purple – Color comes from the anthocyanin pigments they have. Rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, ellagic acid, and particularly good for heart, blood pressure, memory, reducing inflammation, and according to Gloria Tsang, RD, can help reduce chance of blood clots forming and reduce risk of some cancers. Foods in this group include blueberries, grapes, purple potatoes, prunes, plums, eggplant and pomegranate.

Green – The green color comes from chlorophyll and these foods are full of phytochemicals called isothiocyanates that help promote enzymes produced in the liver. This phytochemical and one called indoles also found especially in green cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage have been reported to help protect against cancer. Clinical dietician Susan Kasik-Miller, MS, RD, CNSC also applauds green veggies for their vitamin K, folic acid, potassium, carotenoids and omega-3 fatty acids. Your eyes also get benefit from green foods that have lutein and zeaxanthin and you get vitamin C and vitamin E. Other particularly good green foods include Brussels sprouts, spinach, avocado, kiwi, pistachio nuts, asparagus, arugala, artichoke, honeydew melon, celery, kale, and bok choy.

Red – Red fruits and vegetables get their color from the pigment lycopene which is a carotenoid antioxidant known to be good for lowering the risk of cancer and for heart health. They also have flavonoids giving you antioxidant protection and that help reduce inflammation as well as anthocyanins, vitamin C and folate. Foods in this group include tomatoes, cranberries, watermelon, guava, pink grapefruit, red cabbage, cherries, strawberries, beets, red peppers, apples, red onion, and kidney beans.

Yellow and Orange – Rich sources of beta-carotene antioxidants, beta-cryptoxanthin, omega-3's, folate, and vitamin C that have been found to be helpful with immunity, eye health, skin, regulating blood sugar, and bone health. Foods in this group include carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, apricot, cantaloupe, mango, oranges, lemons, papaya, and pineapple.

Other Phytochemicals – Not all your good phytochemicals have bright showy colors. There are many flavonoids that are considered colorless or white fruits and vegetables, but that have lots of antioxidant properties to help fight off damage from free radicals. Some may have an outer peeling only with a brighter color and then be white inside like apples, pears, and bananas. Don't discount these though because of their white coloring. They are good for dietary fiber that can reduce the risk of stroke and lower cholesterol levels. In fact one study in 2011 done in conjunction with the American Heart Association and Dutch scientists reported a 52% reduction in risk of stroke for people eating large amounts of these white fruits and vegetables. Also in this group is cauliflower, onion, potatoes, parsnips, garlic and mushrooms.

The Color of Algae
When it comes to color, AFA bluegreen algae can give you a rainbow in itself as algae is known to have some of the most effective antioxidants in the plant world. Microalgae contains a rainbow of antioxidant pigments including cholorophyll that provides the green color and has been found to stimulate liver function and excretion of bile, strengthen immunity, and detoxify chemical pollutants. Studies indicate that chlorophyll has anti-carcinogenic and anti-mutagenic properties as well as antioxidant effects that combat damage from carcinogens. Phycocyanin, the blue pigment in blue green algae, provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and is particularly effective working with chlorophyll. Phenylethylamine, or PEA, comes from the deep blue pigment in algae and has been shown to elevate the mood, decrease appetite, act as a natural mental energy activator and help biomodulate emotions and mood swings. Bluegreen algae is reported to have a wider variety of antioxidant pigments and carotenoids than most other plant based foods and than just green algae.

Next time you go grocery shopping, think colors. Start filling your basket with as much variety to put inside your body as your closet has in clothes for the outside of your body. It's time to up your health game to the next level and get rid of those drab colors. Get creative and try new foods by adding a rainbow to your plate and it will pay off in taking your health to the next level.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our website.


Sources:
http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/110308p34.shtml
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-eating-multiple-colored-fruits-vegetables-4676.html
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/phytonutrients-paint-your-plate-with-the-colors-of-the-rainbow-2019042516501
Bruno, PhD, Jeffrey, Eat Light to Feel Bright

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Weight Loss for Busy People

So much to do and so little time to get it all in, so one of the last things that gets done is exercising or getting to the gym to help lose weight. For busy people, this is truly a dilemma, so what to do? There are some ways to help in weight loss that you can incorporate into your day easily without adding one more thing to your to-do list.

Probiotics
You probably know that probiotics are the friendly bacteria in your intestines, but you may not know there are two main types of these bacteria. These are bacteroidetes and firmicutes and studies have found that the balance of these is related to your weight. Some of these bacteria block fat absorption and allow for more fat to be released from the body in waste. Research has found that overweight or obese people have more of the firmicutes type of probiotics and less of the bacteroidetes type. The bacteria in the Lactobacillus family allow for less calories to be absorbed from food you eat. The Lactobacillus gasseri bacteria was found to be the most effective in providing weight loss results. Probiotics also aid in releasing the hormone that affects appetite which helps in burning calories and fat and aids in boosting protein ANGPTL4 levels that helps reduced fat being stored. One study reported women who took probiotics showed 50% more weight loss than those that didn't. Based on research such as this, adding high quality probiotic supplements such as acidophilusbifidus, or a full-spectrum probiotic supplement to your diet is a quick and easy resource to compliment your weight loss plan.

Enzymes
All living things have the large protein molecules known as enzymes that are essential to the digestive system and immune system. Enzymes are necessary for the breakdown of food so the body can use the proteins, fats, carbs, fibers and sugars we get from foods. Enzymes fall into three categories: digestive enzymes that break food down, plant enzymes that work on digestion in the pre-digestive stage, and metabolic enzymes that clean foreign invaders and substances out of the blood. We don't produce many enzymes naturally and depend on our food sources for our enzyme supply. The problem is that many of our food sources don't have the enzymes we need due to cooking and processing. Supplementing your diet with a high quality digestive enzyme supplement can help give your body the extra enzymes it needs to breakdown foods. If you are especially concerned about weight loss, make sure your enzyme supplement has lipase which is the enzyme that breaks down fats, helps in fat burning, and dissolves fat keeping it from building up in your organs, arteries and capillaries.

Bluegreen Algae
You may be aware that organic bluegreen algae is one of the most nutrient filled foods available as it is high in protein, minerals, enzymes, has over 65 vitamins including antioxidants, 8 essential amino acids, 10 non-essential amino acids and is loaded with chlorophyll. What you may not know is that research on AFA bluegreen algae shows the positive effects it can have for a variety of conditions such as allergies, diabetes, high cholesterol and weight loss. Research on how bluegreen algae aids in weight loss ranges from showing the alkalizing effect it provides on the body which can help with a reduction in gaining weight to how it helps suppress appetite to the nutrients it contains that help reduce stress which can lead to weight gain. It has also been found useful in helping to keep the enzymes found in the body active longer and has the antioxidant properties to fight off the destruction caused by free radicals that damage our cells and stress the body. AFA bluegreen algae is another easy addition to your diet available in capsules, tablets, and powder form, or for really busy people, you can get these algae packets that each contain two forms of algae capsules, probiotics and enzyme ready to take anywhere to tear open and pop in your mouth.

Other Weight Loss Tips for Busy People
Besides supplementing your diet with enzymes, probiotics, and AFA, one of the best weight loss tips for busy people is to drink water to increase metabolism and burn off extra calories. This tip was shown effective in one research study as participants lost 44% more weight by drinking 17 ounces of water 30 minutes before eating. You also know that eating breakfast is important for setting your metabolism for the day, but include eggs and coffee in the meal and you get an extra metabolism boost. If coffee leaves you too jittery, opt for green tea as it has less caffeine, but has the catechins that help burn fat. And replacing oil you use already for cooking with coconut oil that has medium chain triglycerides can help your metabolism burn off around an extra 120 calories daily plus suppress appetite so that you eat around 250 less calories daily

These are just a few really easy tips to add or replace things you do already that can make a difference in your weight loss plan. Use these to get you started while you look for other ways to add more movement and less calories into your day and you'll find that no matter how hectic your schedule is, there's always time for weight loss.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our website.


Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/26-evidence-based-weight-loss-tips
http://www.wellnesswithangela.com/stopsugarcravings/2012/enzymes-impact-your-body%E2%80%99s-ability-to-lose-weight-and-much-more
http://www.mensanswer.com/articles/nutrition/best-blue-green-algae-supplements/
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/benefits-of-blue-green-algae/

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

5 Simple Ways to Shake Up Your Dieting Plan

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, two-thirds of the adults in this country are overweight and the other one-third are constantly dieting and trying to find ways to lose up to five or ten pounds of weight. If you fall into that second category and find you just can't get those last few pounds off, here's some tips for you.

1. Hydrate
Research has found that drinking water during the day can cause your metabolism rate to go up by as much as 30% according to Keri Glassman, RD, CDN, author of Slim Calm Sexy Diet. She advises drinking two liters of cold water throughout the day to burn off 95 calories. Part of those calories burn off with the body using energy to bring the cold water to body temperature. Drinking water during the day also keeps you from snacking as the water makes you feel full and reduces the desire to snack between meals. And best of all water doesn't add any extra calories to your diet.

2. Refuel After Exercise
Just after you finish an exercise workout is the perfect time to eat a snack that has protein and carbohydrates. Up to 45 minutes after exercising your metabolism rate is higher and the protein/carb snack will help repair muscle tissue damaged by exercise. Protein also helps build muscle and muscle uses more energy and burns more calories than fat. Right after exercise is not a time many people want to eat or have the time to eat though. That's when I reach for a smoothie preferably with whey protein or a healthy snack bar.

3. Walk
According to Dr. Mehmet Oz, those people that engage in regular walks increase the likelihood of losing weight compared to those who don't use walking as a form of exercise. He also has tips to include in your walking to burn off more calories:
  • Walk your normal pace for two minutes then speed up your walking or jog for one minute. 
  • Walk somewhere that includes an incline to walk up. You can burn 30% more calories with just a 10% incline. 
  • Walk places that have varying surfaces. This will challenge your muscles and provide a more interesting walk.
Another Dr. Oz tip is to set a goal to incorporate 10,000 steps throughout your day. Use a pedometer to get a baseline of how many steps you currently walk throughout your day now and look for ways to add in more until you get up to 10,000. Not only will this strategy help you become more aware of walking which adds to weight loss, but it can reduce your risk of diabetes significantly. Vonda Wright, MD, advises taking small fast steps as a way to burn off more calories. If you walk the same distance and for the same amount of time that you usually do, taking smaller strides makes you increase the number of steps you take. She also recommends alternating these small steps with skipping to get some additional calorie burn.

4. Changing Lifestyle Habits
Janis Jibrin, Best Life's lead nutritionist, has a simple tip to burn 40% more calories – stand while you eat. She also reports that eating while sitting at your desk or computer has been shown to increase the amount you eat and advises finding a location away from your desk to eat. Keri Glassman, RD, CDN, suggests that cutting back on the amount of breakfast cereal you eat from two cups to one and a half cups can save you 100 calories. Eating smaller meals throughout the day instead of 3 larger meals daily will also give your metabolism a boost and help burn off extra calories.

5. Change Your Thinking
Research reports that 95% of dieters gain back the weight they had lost. With this statistic in mind, researchers have performed studies looking for commonalities between successful dieters who don't gain the weight back over an extended period of time. One of the findings reported by Inga Treitler, PhD, a cultural anthropologist, has to do with how we think. Findings indicated that a dieter that uses the properties attributed to the lower left brain quadrant was found most successful in maintaining weight loss. This type of people exhibit characteristics of being controlled, methodical and disciplined and do well with routine and structure. It was also found that each dieter in this category went through a transformation that changed their lives sometimes in ways other than how they viewed weight loss. They also all were found to have begun some type of meditation component such as yoga or walking that allowed them to take time for themselves and separate from their old behaviors. If you are not this type of person, the good news is that you can learn other thinking modes and learn to engage other quadrants of the brain according to Ann Herrmann-Nehdi, CEO of Herrmann International. 

There are so many health benefits to losing that extra weight from increased energy levels to reducing the risk of diseases that can be life threatening. Just because you haven't been able to drop those last 5 or 10 pounds so far, don't give up. Give some of these tips a try and see if they can help you finally achieve the weight that will make you feel better, look better and be healthier.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our website.




Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Life Hacks to Avoid Diabetes

by guest contributor Barb Swanson

We Know It's a Problem
Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a national epidemic. 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes, and another 3 of every 10 are prediabetic. This means close to 40% of our population is at risk for a largely preventative killing disease, since 95% of diabetics have T2D. There is evidence that T2D may, in some people, have hereditary factors. However, everyone has lifestyle choices they can control, which are proven to help prevent the development of T2D, even in hereditary cases. Here is a short list of easy-to-follow lifestyle hacks to cut your risk of developing T2D.

Lifestyle Hacks

  • Watch your weight. 85% of those with T2D are overweight. Maintaining normal weight can protect against T2D, and losing weight often brings blood sugars back into normal ranges.
  • Exercise daily. Physical activity, even just walking, decreases insulin resistance in the muscles. Your body has better blood sugar control with even minimal daily exercise.
  • Drink less alcohol. It is loaded with sugars and has a negative effect on the liver, which can affect blood sugar levels.
  • Think twice about statins for high cholesterol. Studies show they can cause insulin resistance and ultimately T2D.  


Dietary Hacks


  • Eat enough Omega 3 fatty acids. A deficiency in this EFA group is associated with a higher risk of diabetes. Find omega 3 healthy fats in freshwater algae, cold water fish like salmon and sardines, and/or eating a variety of seeds and nuts. Other benefits include better heart health and brain function.
  • Get enough Vitamin D. Studies show that taking vitamin D3 to normalize levels decreases the likelihood of developing the disease despite any genetic predisposition. Vt. D also reduces many other disease processes.
  • Eat enough dietary fiber. Fiber decreases the risk of T2D. Find soluble fiber in bananas, oatmeal, apples and beans. Insoluble fiber sources include beans, bran and vegetables like celery and cauliflower.
  • Eat antioxidant-rich foods. They decrease oxidation of blood sugar and help support healthy pancreatic function. These foods include microalgae, berries, and actually, all brightly colored edible raw fruits and vegetables.


Bottom Line...
T2D is a killer that you have the power to avoid!


If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our website.


Tuesday, February 25, 2020

How to Skip Allergies This Year


 "If you are sitting on a tack, it takes a lot of aspirin to make it feel good. If you are sitting on two tacks, removing just one does not result in a 50 percent improvement." – Baker S, 1997

"The lung, as the interface between the atmosphere and the rest of the body, is particularly vulnerable to oxidative injury. In addition, the lung shares with other organs the risk of injury due to infections, inflammation, ischemia-reperfusion, and other insults. Lungs therefore require potent defense mechanisms, and in fact have higher levels of antioxidant enzymes than almost any other organ." – Morse D, Choi A, 2005

Allergy Statistics
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology website, allergic rhinitis, which is also known as hay fever, affects around 50 million people in the U.S. that results in over 13.4 million visits to various health professionals. That's a cost of around $7.9 billion. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology estimates around 7.8% of American adults and from 10 to 30% of the population across the globe suffer from symptoms of allergic rhinitis. It is also estimated that one out of every five people in the United States show symptoms of either allergy or asthma and allergy testing shows 55% are positive for at least one allergen. Allergies are listed as number 5 on the list of chronic diseases.

Antioxidants and Allergies
When you come into contact with an allergen, your immune system treats it as a foreign invader and creates antibodies to fight it off. With continued exposure to the allergen, the antibodies then react, triggering the release of histamine which creates inflammation causing tissues around blood vessels to tighten and fluid to escape. The escaping fluid causes the symptoms you experience such as a runny nose, itchy watery eyes, and sneezing. This cycle and the resulting inflammation has lead experts to research the role that free radical damage may have in allergic reactions and the role antioxidants could play in reducing the symptoms of allergic rhinitis by fighting off damaging free radicals. Among the primary antioxidants undergoing research for allergy relief are beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, flavonoids, zinc, quercetin, and selenium. This research stems from the thinking that antioxidants can help control histamine release and is supported by studies such as the ones done with the flavonoid quercetin, found in red wine and red grapes, grapefruit, red and yellow onions, raspberries, cranberries, apples, and black tea, reporting it may work similar to the drug cromolyn for reducing allergy symptoms and cited as having anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine properties. In general, brightly colored vegetables and fruits are a good source for a variety of antioxidants. If you aren't able to get enough antioxidants from your diet alone, whole food supplements are another alternative. AFA bluegreen algae is a great source by itself for many antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione and for even more antioxidant power this antioxidant algae supplement, that is rich in chlorophyll, glutathione, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients from its combination of kale sprouts, red clover sprouts, concentrated wheat sprouts, and Dunaliella salina algae can provide an extra antioxidant boost. Research from Massachusetts General Hospital, affiliated with Harvard Medical School, reports that algal oils administered to rats were able to significantly reduce arachidonic acid known to produce leukotrienes that trigger allergic reactions and that contribute more to constricting bronchial tubes in asthma than histamine. Another study reported beta-carotene from algae extract every day reduced symptoms of exercise-induced asthma in 53% of the participants. Allergy relief can also come from herbs such as rosemary, basil, oregano, lemon balm, sage, marjoram, peppermint, and thyme that contain rosmarinic acid which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Research on rosmarinic acid reports that it can reduce reactions to allergens by stopping immune responder cells from being activated.

Essential Fatty Acids and Allergies
Omega-3 essential fatty acids and omega-6 essential fatty acids are both needed for the body to perform well. The balance of these two EFA's is critical however. The difference between them is how many carbons away the double bond is from the nonpolar tail in the molecule. This is where the number 3 or 6 comes in. Omega-3 is three carbons away and omega-6 is six carbons away. Most experts agree that we need twice as many omega-3 fatty acids as omega-6 and research indicates that a diet with a lot of omega-3 fatty acids can help reduced the risk of allergies as it has anti-inflammatory properties. Omega-6 fatty acids are known to contribute to inflammation however and a diet high in these can increase allergy symptoms. That makes getting the right ratio of these two essential fatty acids important, especially for allergy sufferers. To get less omega-6 in your diet, you can avoid vegetable oils, fast food and junk food and increase your diet in omega-3 fatty acids by adding foods such as fish like salmon, cod, halibut and mackerel, flaxseeds, walnuts, soybeans, and oils such as olive and flaxseed. You'll also find the right ratio in AFA bluegreen algae which is rich in EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and ALA (alpha-lipoic acid) omega-3 fatty acids, none of which our bodies can make on their own and must be obtained from foods or supplements. A study using a survey from the National Center for Health Statistics (1996) reported those surveyed who used algae supplementation showed less allergies, skin conditions, and asthma.

Don't be one of the millions that suffer from hay fever symptoms. Using natural solutions with some simple dietary changes can give you the edge to help deal with your allergy symptoms.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our website.

Sources:
http://acaai.org/news/facts-statistics/allergies
http://www.aaaai.org/about-aaaai/newsroom/allergy-statistics
http://www.webmd.com/allergies/allergy-statistics
http://www.foundhealth.com/allergic-rhinitis/allergic-rhinitis-and-antioxidant
http://www.allergy-details.com/allergy-c/antioxidants-and-allergies/
http://www.healwithfood.org/allergies/diet.php
Bruno, Jeffrey PhD, Eat Light & Feel Bright
Bruno, Jeffrey PhD, Edible Microalgae
Abrams, Karl J, Algae to the Rescue!

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Healthy Tips: 6 Empowering Thoughts

by guest contributor Barbara Swanson

"...Food is not just calories; it's information. It actually contains messages that communicate to every cell in the body."     ~Dr. Mark Hyman


  1. What you eat once a week isn't the problem – it's what you eat every day that counts.
  2. Listen to your "inner voice" – you know more than any "expert" about what is right for you.
  3. If you can't hear your inner voice or don't trust it, use the best common sense you have and learn by your own mistakes. Take guidance from others but make your own decisions and take responsibility for them.
  4. Don't focus on the health problems. Focus on supporting your body's natural healing process.
  5. Know that your body has enormous resources to be healthy given the proper resources of nutrition, hydration, exercise, and rest. The natural tendency is to health, not disease.
  6. Think about disease as a process that needs correcting. This more empowering than thinking of it as an enemy outside ourselves. Removing diseased tissue usually does not remove the disease. The process that created the disease needs to be reversed.




Bottom Line: You'll begin to notice over time that it's a bit easier to think of your health as your friend, as something you enjoy and work with every day.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products  on our website.


Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Ways to Stay Youthful

Staying youthful and healthy aging go together and while our appearance plays a part in this, it's not the whole picture. Other pieces in the process of the remaining young puzzle have to do with how we feel, our energy level, our activity level, general health, our mental status, and our attitudes. Founder of the Biocognitive Science Institute, neuropsychologist, and author of The Mind-Body Code, Mario E. Martinez, PhD, has found in studies of elders around the world that people defining middle age as 15 years later look younger than their age in comparison to those who define middle age as 15 years earlier. He has also found that the younger looking group embraces behaviors and beliefs such as continuing to learn new things, coping with stress through activities they enjoy, and that they find it easier to forgive. Continuing to remain active and involved also seems to play a role in staying youthful as found in a study from the University of Maryland that reported retirees who worked part-time had less chronic diseases and were able to stay more physically active. All this serves as a reminder that there are things you can do to stay youthful as you enter your senior years that have nothing to do with visiting a plastic surgeon or trying out the latest wrinkle cream.

Reducing Free Radicals for Healthy Aging
Free radicals are molecules in our body cells that become weakened to the point that they lose an electron. This weakness is caused by such things as toxins in the body, eating too much sugar and starchy carbs, exposure to UV rays, chlorinated water, pollution, and eating overcooked, fried and processed foods. These free radicals then go around taking electrons from other molecules and creating more free radicals. Free radicals damage the body, including cells, enzymes, and DNA, causing negative effects such as pain, inflammation, immune deficiencies, atherosclerosis, cataracts, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and other chronic diseases. Eating sugar also can create AGE or advanced glycation end-products molecules that hurt collagen and elastin your skin needs to stay youthful looking and according to associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine, Mona Gohara, M.D., leaves your skin wrinkled and saggy. By switching from sugar filled foods and snacks to foods with fatty acids, vitamin E, and vitamin C, you will be feeding your skin and body cells with nutrients that will help them keep a youthful appearance and maintain their health.

Antioxidants for Healthy Aging By Protecting Cells
The best thing you can do to fight off damage from free radicals is to increase your antioxidants. Fruits and vegetables are a large part of this as they are loaded with antioxidant protection and a study from Rush University supports this with reported findings of eating at least 6 servings of leafy greens along with a type of diet following the Mediterranean diet regimen as being able to lower the risk of Alzheimer's by half. Neurologist Fiona Gupta, M.D. from New Jersey's Hackensack University Medical Center explains this by crediting the antioxidants in leafy greens as cleaning toxins and free radicals out of the brain. There is much research supporting the claim that antioxidant protection increases the life of any cell by protecting them from the damage free radicals can cause. Adding antioxidant foods to your daily diet can help preserve the elasticity of skin, muscle and connective tissues, strengthen heart muscles, and strengthen the immune system among other benefits. Eating AFA bluegreen algae is a particularly good way to insure more antioxidants are being provided as it has a wide array of antioxidant enzymes and vitamins. Cell health also depends on Coenzyme Q10, a specialized antioxidant needed for energy in every normal cell of the human body. Ubiquinol is the active and bioavailable form of Coenzyme Q10 and can be found along with AFA in this energy support algae supplement. Cell damage can also be repaired by our own natural adult stem cells that have the ability to travel anywhere in the body and morph into any other type of cell. Research has shown that certain nutrients such as are present in this stem cell support supplement can help promote the renewal of stem cells. It provides nutrition that supports the growth of stem cells and provides antioxidants that protect existing stem cells from free radical damage. One of the ingredients, carnosine, is an antioxidant amino acid naturally present in the human body that may delay the natural aging of cells and extend the lifespan of adult stem cells.

Stress Reduction
According to Robert Greenfield, M.D., at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center's Memorial Care Heart and Vascular Institute in Fountain Valley, California, stress is a huge contributor to cardiovascular disease and stroke. Being overly stressed can cause you to produce more cortisol which can make you irritable, cause you to have trouble sleeping, cause you to gain weight, decrease your libido, increase blood sugar levels and high blood pressure, and make you moody. Cortisol can also affect bone density, and lead to reduction of lean body mass as well as lead to a variety of diseases linked to aging such as osteoporosis and Alzheimer's. Stress also reduces your level of IgA, a protein that is part of the immune system and helps fight off infections by preventing invaders from getting into the body. According to Dr. Jennifer Landa, MD, Chief Medical Officer of BodyLogicMD, eating healthy and avoiding foods with sugar, caffeine, alcohol and processed foods can help reduce your body's response to stress by supporting the adrenal glands that secrete cortisol as well as help with your metabolism. She also recommends getting B and C vitamins and magnesium to support the adrenal glands and the herbs Ashwagandha and Rhodiola for adrenal support and fighting off stress. Meditation, deep breathing and yoga are all other ways of helping you lower your stress levels.

Keep It Moving
Exercise is not only a way to reduce stress, but helps keep your weight down which gives relief to joints, slows down muscle decline, increases balance and coordination, improves circulation, reduces inflammation, increases bone density, keeps energy levels up, and improves flexibility. Exercise that increases your heart rate also helps your mood and in coping with stress by producing endorphins, the hormone that makes us feel good. Cardio and resistance type exercise are the best ones to get going with to stay youthful. Start with however much you can do and look for ways to increase the amount you can do. At the very least get out and walk for 30 minutes three times weekly.

Protect Against Sun Damage
Aging and how we feel about getting older has a lot to do with our perceptions, attitudes, general health and stress levels, but appearance also does play a role. The skin is the largest organ our bodies have and it is what we see when we look in the mirror and what others see when they look at us. For many people, looking old can cause them to feel old. One study in 2013 reported that 80% of the aging on our faces is due to being exposed to the sun and that people spending lots of time outside in the sun looked up to 5 years older than those that avoid sun exposure. Sun damage can cause the skin to wrinkle, have brown spots, and dilated pores according to dermatologist Whitney Bowe, MD from New York, not to mention putting you at risk for skin cancer. Even if you don't spend a lot of time outside, you can be exposed to damaging UV rays through windows in your car, home or office. Besides adding antioxidants to protect skin cells, it is also important to protect skin from the damage the sun can cause. Wearing sunscreen during all seasons can help give you this protection to a large extent. Pick one that is broad-spectrum so that you get protection from a variety of UV rays like UVA and UVB, and that is at least SPF 15. In cooler months, putting sunscreen on your face each morning is probably enough for the day, but if you are going to be outside most of the day then you may need to put it on again every 2 hours especially in the summer. Be sure you also put it on the top of your hands as Dr. Bowe also cites this as a common area for skin cancer to develop.

You don't have to find the Fountain of Youth to keep feeling and looking younger as you age. Just pick up on some of the tips we've included here and help your body maintain its youth.


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Sources:
http://parade.com/408406/mtaylor-2/6-simple-ways-to-stay-young-and-healthy/
http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/beauty-style/forever-young-5-ways-beat-clock-life
https://www.yahoo.com/health/science-backed-ways-to-stay-young-forever-or-as-105392279772.html
Abrams, Karl J., Algae to the Rescue