Health, Microbes, and More
The following is a list of nutrients that some researchers (from the Institute of Food Technology) think of as especially beneficial to the brain. Other researchers may (or probably will) focus on other nutrients. I am posting it even though I generally dislike articles that talk about "superfoods" or an itemized list of foods that ...continue reading "Some Beneficial Nutrients For the Brain"
How much fiber is there in the different foods we eat? And how much should we eat? Recent posts (Where Do I Get That Beneficial Gut Bacteria? and A Special Gut Microbe) stressed the importance of eating dietary fiber for various health benefits and to feed the beneficial bacteria (such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii) in our gut. ...continue reading "How Much Dietary Fiber Should We Eat?"
My last post A Special Gut Microbe was on the very essential and beneficial microbe Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. It is one of the most abundant bacteria in the gut of healthy individuals, but low or depleted levels are associated with inflammation and found in a number of diseases, including intestinal bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease. It is a ...continue reading "Where Do I Get That Beneficial Gut Bacteria?"
A variation of this study - intermittent fasting (one day eat normally, then have a low-calorie day, repeat) has shown to result in health benefits and weight loss. But both versions show that having some low calorie days are beneficial to health. And once again, antioxidants do not have any health benefits. From Science Daily: ...continue reading "Health Benefits of Feast and Famine Diet"
Since people have abandoned using iodized salt and started using kosher salt or sea salts, iodine deficiency has increased (especially during pregnancy when iodine needs are greater). The medical journal The Lancet noted in 2008: "According to World Health Organization, in 2007, nearly 2 billion individuals had insufficient iodine intake, a third being of school age. ... Thus ...continue reading "Use Iodized Table Salt to Avoid Iodine Deficiency"
The possibility of lowering the risk of ischemic stroke (and poor recovery from it) is a good reason to try to increase vitamin D levels - by supplements and/or sunlight. Note that an ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain is blocked by a blood clot. From Medical Xpress: ...continue reading "Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Stroke Severity and Recovery"
[Please go to updated June 2022 version of this post.] (Oct. 2018) Probiotics and sinusitis treatment go hand in hand. In the last few years researchers found that one probiotic (beneficial bacteria) that chronic sinusitis sufferers lack and that treats and cures sinusitis is Lactobacillus sakei. And for many, major improvement may take only days! ...continue reading "The One Probiotic That Treats Sinusitis"
Take note: the focus should be on getting magnesium from foods, not supplements. As the researchers warn: "your body absorbs magnesium from food differently than it does from supplements". From CNN: Magnesium, an invisible deficiency that could be harming your health Feeling exhausted? Or noticing weird muscle cramps that are throwing off your workouts? You might be ...continue reading "Do You Have a Magnesium Deficiency?"
Another popular view bites the dust. From the NY Times: Why Antioxidants Don’t Belong in Your Workout Antioxidant vitamins are enormously popular with people who exercise. The supplements are thought to alleviate muscle damage and amplify the effects of exercise. But recent studies have raised questions about whether antioxidants might be counterproductive for runners and other ...continue reading "Antioxidants and Workouts"
Get your omega-3 fatty acids from either fish or flaxseed (or other seeds).From Science Daily: Nothing fishy about health benefits of plant-based omega-3 fatty acid Increasing the amount of omega-3s in your diet, whether from fish or flax, will likely decrease your risk of getting heart disease, according to Penn State nutritionists. A substantial amount ...continue reading "Both Fish or Plant Based Omega-3 Fatty Acids Are Good"