Botanica West

• High Fiber Foods and Your Heart

  Eating lots of fiber when you’re young – or middle-aged – could cut your lifetime risk for cardiovascular disease. A study from Northwestern University’s medical school shows that consuming 25 grams of fiber daily – whole foods, not supplements, drinks or fiber bars are best – can result in a statistically significant lower lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease. The investigators examined data from a nationally representative sample of about 11,000 adults. Taking into consideration diet, blood pressure, total cholesterol, smoking status and history of diabetes, the researchers predicted lifetime risk for cardiovascular diseases. They found that adults between the ages of 20 and 59 who had the highest fiber intake had a significantly reduced lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those whose fiber intake was lowest. Fiber might exert its influence on cardiovascular health through its known beneficial effects on weight control, cholesterol and blood pressure. A related study from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and the VA Boston Healthcare System showed that eating breakfast cereal – especially whole grain cereal – daily can decrease the risk of high blood pressure by 20 percent.

  Whole grains are a great source of fiber. Learn how to cook them!

• How Much Do You Use Your Cell Phone? (Poll)

  Here’s a recent Q&A on my site about the World Health Organization’s recent findings that cell phones can cause brain cancer. I think it makes sense to implement precautions I’ve recommended in the past, such as using landlines and headsets when available.

  Are you concerned? How often do you use your cellular phone or device?

  How Frequently Do You Use a Cell Phone?online survey

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Originally posted 2011-06-11 17:39:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• Fruits & Vegetables for Better Skin

  Here’s a headline that could add up to new respect for fruits and vegetables: researchers in Scotland have found that the more fresh produce you eat, the healthier – and better – your skin looks and the more you’re perceived as attractive. The investigators from the University of St. Andrews looked at skin changes associated with the fruit and vegetable consumption of 35 students over the course of six weeks. They found that increased consumption of fruits and vegetables gave skin a healthy golden glow, while students who ate fewer fruits and vegetables during the study lost some skin color. The study team attributed the improvements to the carotenoids (red and yellow pigments) found naturally in the fruits and vegetables. Even small increases in produce consumption led to visible improvements in skin color, researchers said. They’re now conducting trials to find out whether the positive skin changes can induce people to change their eating habits and consume more fruits and vegetables. The study was published March 7 in the online journal PLoS ONE.

  Read more: Six Tips for Healthy Hair & Skin.

• How Would You Describe Your Diet Soda Consumption? (Poll)

  A recent Q&A discussed the addictiveness of diet soda: Diet Soda Downside? Check out the article and let us know how often you drink diet soda!

  How would you describe your diet soda consumption?

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• 3 Reasons to Eat Peas

  

  Fresh green peas are a naturally sweet and delicious addition to any spring meal. They are a good source of vitamins K and C, manganese and fiber, and may help promote bone, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health. There are three popular pea types:

  1. Green or garden peas, which have inedible pods
  2. Snow peas, a version with edible pods popular in Asian cooking
  3. Snap peas, an edible-pod cross between the green pea and the snow pea

  Snow and garden peas are available in early spring, and look for snap peas later in the season. No matter which variety you choose, buy them as fresh as possible. Although you can store them in the refrigerator for several days, they are best enjoyed the same day.

  Try snow or snap peas in Shiitake Mushrooms and Pea Pods, or green peas in Stir-Fried Rice with Tofu.

• PFCs and Early Menopause

  The perfluorocarbons (PFCs) found in household products ranging from carpeting to plastic containers and clothing may be to blame for early menopause in some women. A study from the University of West Virginia University School of Medicine found that women over the age of 42 with higher than normal blood levels of a type of PFCs called PFOA were more likely to have already gone through menopause and to have lower estrogen levels. The investigators looked at 26,000 West Virginia women whose drinking water supplies had been contaminated with PFCs in 2005 and 2006. In this population, levels of PFOA were 500 percent higher than the average American’s. This data doesn’t prove that PFCs caused early menopause, but the information suggests a correlation that has to be investigated further. Early menopause puts women at risk of osteoporosis and heart disease sooner than they would be otherwise. PFCs are due to be phased out in the U.S. by 2015. To lower exposure to these chemicals, avoid stain and water resistant fabrics, nonstick cookware and food packaged in grease-resistant containers.

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Originally posted 2011-06-14 17:32:38. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• Better Blueberries

  Blueberries are a healthy addition to any diet. Among other benefits, they contain anthocyanins – the pigments that make them blue – which act as potent antioxidants. And now researchers have identified two species of wild blueberries with two to four times the antioxidant activity of those on the market. These wild blueberries grow in the high-elevation Andes’ forests, which happen to be one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. Researchers from Lehman College in New York and the New York Botanical Garden discovered that these Andes’ species pack a powerful antioxidant punch after examining five species of neo-tropical blueberries. The ones that scored highest were Cavendishia grandifolia and Anthopterus wardii. These berries aren’t commercially available at this time, but the researchers suggested that once their nutritional profile is better elucidated, they may be brought to market. The study was published in the April 13, 2011 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

• Getting Enough Potassium?

  If you’re not getting enough potassium, your sodium intake may put you at risk of premature death. Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) spent nearly 15 years tracking more than 12,000 adults who were taking part in a federal nutrition study. In contrast to the risks associated with sodium in the participants’ diets, the CDC team found that heart-related deaths were lower among those whose potassium intakes were highest. All told, they reported that those with the highest ratio of sodium to potassium were more than twice as likely to die from a heart attack as those whose ratio of sodium to potassium was lowest. You can even out your sodium to potassium ratio by consuming less sodium (most in the American diet comes from processed or restaurant foods) and ramping up your potassium intake – that means more spinach, bananas, prune juice, plain yogurt and fish. The CDC study was published in the July 11, 2011 Archives of Internal Medicine.

  My take? These results don’t surprise me. It is well known that the ratio of sodium to potassium in the diet and in our systems seems to affect blood pressure and kidney function more than salt levels alone. In addition to avoiding processed and restaurant foods, you can bring your sodium levels down by keeping the saltshaker off the table, and avoiding foods with visible salt such as pretzels, chips and salted nuts. Raising your potassium intake is easy if you add fruits and vegetables to your diet, but you should consult with your physician before considering salt substitutes that contain potassium chloride, and never take potassium supplements unless they’re prescribed by a physician.

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Originally posted 2011-09-20 17:30:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• Remedy for Sedentary Desk Jobs

  If you’re overweight and spend your day at a desk job, you’re at increased risk for diabetes – but you may be able to reverse that trend and help control blood sugar simply by taking “activity breaks.” New research from Australia found that regular, short breaks – as little as two minutes, three times an hour – during which you move around can result in a 30 percent improvement in the body’s response to high calorie meals. The researchers recruited 19 men and women, 45 to 65 years of age, who were overweight or obese, to engage in three experiments that took place six days apart. For the first investigation, the participants sat for five hours with no break; for the second one, they sat for five hours, but took a two minute break every 20 minutes and walked on a treadmill at a light-intensity pace; for the third one, they took the same breaks but picked up their pace on the treadmill to moderate intensity. Before each session, the participants received a test drink containing 75 grams of glucose and 50 grams of fat to simulate a high calorie meal. The 30 percent improvements in sugar metabolism differed little between walking at light or moderate intensity. The study was published online on February 28, 2012 by Diabetes Care.

  My take? If the findings from this small study are confirmed by further research, they could be of enormous benefit to a lot of people who don’t get any regular exercise because they’re desk-bound all day. An active two-minute break every 20 minutes would add up to 48 minutes of exercise during an eight-hour working day. That could pay off even more than the 30 percent improvement seen in this study. And it might encourage inactive individuals to fit more exercise into their after-work hours. We all should strive to do something aerobic every day, some activity that gets your heart beating faster and your breathing going, and some sweat appearing on your skin. For maximum benefit to your cardiovascular system, aerobic activity should be continuous and sustained for more than a few minutes. My recommendation is to work toward the goal of doing thirty minutes of some type of aerobic activity at least five days a week.

• Advantage of Body Fat (Video)

  Dr. Weil discusses the idea that as long as one remains healthy and fit, some body fat is good for our health as it helps protect the brain and nervous system.

  Want new videos from Dr. Weil? Subscribe to his YouTube channel for weekly videos!

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