September 26, 2011
Want to be a smarty pants? There’s a secret weapon to motivate your medulla: eating. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the food you eat can have benefits far beyond fueling your body. In addition to providing the energy you need, certain foods can amp up your brain power.
Explore the recesses of your refrigerator and you may find foods that science increasingly is crediting with being especially supportive for brain health. These edibles may improve memory, clarify thinking, delay cognitive decline and perhaps even ward off Alzheimer’s disease.
Recent research shows that you may want to include the following on your shopping list more often for brain-strengthening nourishment:
- Apple juice and pomegranate juice
- Red grapes, cherries, apples, blueberries and strawberries
- Tea and cocoa
- Salmon and light tuna
- Soy foods
- Sunflower seeds, walnuts
- Vegetables, especially leafy greens
- Canola oil, olive oil
- Dark chocolate
When buying processed or packaged foods containing these ingredients, be sure to read the nutrition labels carefully. Some of these “good” foods may be prepared with high amounts of sugar, fat or salt added to them, resulting in too many calories or too much sodium in your diet. For healthful eating, choose fresh versions of these foods most often and prepare them with low-fat ingredients. Eat processed types in moderation.
For example, you can still get the benefits of pomegranate juice (which has sugar added to offset its tart flavor) by mixing one or two ounces into sparkling water as a spritzer. Cocoa made with nonfat milk gives your brain a boost without adding extra fat. And letting a small piece of dark chocolate melt slowly in your mouth prolongs your enjoyment while keeping your daily intake healthful (one ounce or less).
For brain health as well as overall health, be sure to avoid foods containing saturated fats or trans fats (check those nutrition labels!). Diets that are high in such fats are specifically related to declining brain capabilities.
September 21, 2011
There’s no doubt a balanced and healthy diet is beneficial to your overall health, but research suggests it’s also beneficial to your oral health. For a healthier smile, try following these tips courtesy of the American Dental Association.
1. To get a balanced diet, eat a variety of foods. Choose foods from each of the five major food groups:
breads, cereals and other grain products
fruits
vegetables
meat, poultry and fish
milk, cheese and yogurt
2. Limit the number of snacks that you eat. Each time you eat food that contains sugars, the teeth are attacked by acids for 20 minutes or more.
3. If you do snack, choose nutritious foods, such as cheese, raw vegetables, plain yogurt or a piece of fruit.
4. Don’t skip meals. Foods that are eaten as part of a meal cause less harm. More saliva is released during a meal, which helps wash foods from the mouth and helps lessen the effects of acids.
5. Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste that has the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance.
6. Clean between your teeth daily with floss or interdental cleaners.
7. Visit your dentist regularly to help prevent problems from occurring and catch those that do occur while they are easy to treat.
August 22, 2011
Sure, the way you choose to care for your skin plays a role in how quickly you will age, but there’s one aging factor that there’s no controlling: your genes. Similar to how they determine your appearance and your overall health, your genes also dictate at what rate you will age and what areas of the face will age first and be most affected. Even though there is nothing currently available that can be done to genetically alter how you will age, there are many skin-care products that purportedly analyze your DNA and use that information to prescribe a solution to stave off the signs of aging. Keep in mind that most of us tend to age similarly to our parents. It is believed that 75 percent of facial aging is dependent on your genes and the other 25 percent is based on environmental factors.
Is that good news or bad news for you?
April 27, 2011
Sometimes salt gets a bad rap. Although overconsumption of salt is often associated with numerous health problems, it is essential to keep the body functioning properly. We’re not telling you to grab the Doritos—warnings regarding highly refined table salt are not unwarranted. However, unrefined natural salt possesses a number of benefits for our nutrition and well-being.
Salt improves our overall health. Salt is the essential component of the body’s extracellular fluids, helps carry nutrients into the cells and regulates various body functions, including bolstering our immune system and enabling healthy digestion. Additionally, salt contains a large variety of minerals, many of which are missing from our daily diet but essential for optimal health.
Salt reduces stress. Insufficient magnesium levels put the body into a stress response state, but salt is rich in the mineral—and it helps combat stress in other ways. Ever feel at peace near the ocean? Apparently salt increases oxygen to the brain, which is good for stress.
Salt assists in detox. While this benefit isn’t typically linked to salt that’s part of the diet, bathing in pure salt can help detoxify the body. The warm water helps open pores, allowing toxins to be released and permitting minerals to be absorbed by the body.
April 6, 2011
Fasting is usually associated with political protests, religious rituals and fad diets (that doctors are usually not endorsing). New evidence from cardiac researchers shows that routine periodic fasting may actually be good for your health after all.
Previous research has revealed fasting to lower one’s risk of coronary artery disease and diabetes by lowering blood cholesterol levels. The new research, conducted at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute, shows fasting was also able to reduce additional cardiac risk factors, like triglycerides, weight and blood sugar levels.
Because fasting causes hunger, a form of stress, the body releases more cholesterol. This allows the body to utilize fat as fuel instead of glucose. Resultantly, fat cells decrease and the body is less likely to experience insulin resistance.
But don’t start skipping meals yet! Although the results of the research are surprisingly positive, more research is necessary to fully determine the effects of fasting on our overall health. Maybe one day fasting will be prescribed to patients at risk for diabetes and coronary heart disease.
March 13, 2011
Let Rizzieri Aveda Cosmetology School New Jersey Prepare You for a Rewarding Career in the Beauty Industry
 Looking for a cosmetology school in New Jersey and thinking about a career in the field of beauty? Perhaps you’re not sure about all of the opportunities that are available in this fast growing field. Whether you enjoy styling your friends’ hair, playing around with makeup, or doing your own nails, you’re going to need the right education and training that only the Rizzieri Cosmetology School New Jersey can provide to embark on a successful career in cosmetology.
What is cosmetology?
Cosmetology is the study of the care and treatment of the hair, skin, and nails. Therefore, the specific career path you choose will fall into one of these three broad areas. Cosmetologists not only care for and treat the hair, skin and nails, they provide advice and guidance on how to improve their clients’ overall health and well-being, as well as the right products to use.
What cosmetology careers are open to students at the Rizzieri Aveda Cosmetology School New Jersey? Continue reading “Attend Rizzieri Aveda Cosmetology School New Jersey” »
November 2, 2010
As you probably know, coffee can stain your teeth, so if you’re thinking of switching to tea for the sake of your smile, make it green tea. Your teeth will benefit in more ways than just color.
A recent Japanese study shows that those who regularly drink green tea have significantly better periodontal health than those who don’t. Following about 1000 participants, researchers observed a measurable decrease in gum bleeding, clinical attachment loss of gum tissue and periodontal pocket depth for every single cup of green tea consumed.
The authors of the study, published in the Journal of Periodontology, believe this amazing ability could be due to catechin, an antioxidant that may help reduce the inflammatory responses linked to the three disease indicators in this analysis.
In addition to dental health, the condition of one’s gums is linked to overall health; so adding green tea to your diet is a wise idea for more reasons than just your mouth.
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