Eating salad every day may keep your brain a decade younger

Eating greens or salad every day boosts our memory, according to new research.

The findings suggest that eating about one serving per day of green, leafy vegetables may be linked to a slower rate of brain aging - the equivalent of keeping our brain 11 years younger.

The Rush University study found that people who ate at least one serving of green, leafy vegetables a day had a slower rate of decline on tests of memory and thinking skills than people who never or rarely ate such vegetables.

Salad eaters' brains functioned as though they were more than a decade younger than those of people who did not eat their greens, according to the research team.   

Study author Professor Martha Clare Morris, of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said: 'Adding a daily serving of green, leafy vegetables to your diet may be a simple way to foster your brain health.

'Projections show sharp increases in the percentage of people with dementia as the oldest age groups continue to grow in number, so effective strategies to prevent dementia are critical,' she said. 

The study, published online by the journal Neurology, involved 960 people with an average age of 81 who did not have dementia and were followed for an average of 4.7 years.

The participants completed a questionnaire about how often they ate certain foods and had their thinking and memory skills tested yearly during that time.

The survey asked how often and how many servings they ate of three green, leafy vegetables: spinach, with a serving being a half cup of cooked spinach; kale, collards or greens, half cup cooked; and lettuce salad, with a serving of one cup raw.

The participants were divided into five equal groups based on how often they ate green, leafy vegetables.

The people in the top serving group ate an average of about 1.3 servings of greens per day. Those in the lowest serving group ate on average 0.1 servings per day.

Overall, the participants' scores on the thinking and memory tests declined over time at a rate of 0.08 standardized units per year.

Over 10 years of follow-up, the rate of decline for those who ate the most leafy greens was slower by 0.05 standardized units per year than the rate for those who ate the least leafy greens.

That is the difference of about 11 years worth of change, according to the study authors. 

They said the results remained valid after accounting for other factors that could affect brain health such as smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, education level and amount of physical and cognitive activities.

But Professor Morris noted that the study doesn't prove that eating green, leafy vegetables slows brain aging, it only shows an association.

She also warned that the study cannot rule out other possible reasons for the link.

Professor Morris added that because the study focused on older adults and the majority of participants were white, the results may not apply to younger adults and people of other races. 

[dailymail]


Also read:

• Eating plenty of fruit and veg DOES help us live longer - by keeping our immune system young 

Artichokes, leeks and onions could improve sleep and relieve stress by boosting levels of gut bacteria

Eat onions, leeks and artichokes if you're stressed and struggling to sleep. For scientists have discovered that the popular vegetables could help humans to relax - allowing them a better night's sleep.

They are known to be high in prebiotics, dietary fibers that act as food for good stomach bacteria.

And a groundbreaking new study has found these help to boost gut health by aiding the growth of beneficial bugs.  They also release metabolic byproducts which influence the brain into overcoming worry and fear, research shows. 

Experts believe the findings strengthen the ever-growing link between gut bacteria and overall health.

A lot is already known about probiotics - live bacteria designed to improve gut health - but research on prebiotics is relatively scarce. 

To test their effects, a team of US scientists fed three-week-old male rats a diet of either standard chow or chow that included prebiotics.

The rodents are often used in scientific research due to their close genetic and behavioural resemblance to humans. 

They then monitored the rodents' body temperature, levels of stomach bacteria and sleeping cycles using a brain activity testing. 

Those on the prebiotic diet spent more time in non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREM), the researchers from University of Colorado Boulder found.

This form is more restful and restorative is where the body gets the chance to repair itself.   

After being exposed to a stressor, the rats on the prebiotic diet also spent more time in rapid-eye-movement sleep (REM).

REM sleep is when dreams occur, and is believed to be critical for promoting recovery from stress.

Stress has previously been shown to reduce healthy diversity of gut bacteria and to lead to a temporary flattening of natural fluctuations in body temperature.

But rats on the prebiotic diet were buffered from these impacts, the scientists discovered.

They maintained a healthy and diverse gut microbiota and normal temperature fluctuations even after stress exposure. 

Writing in the journal Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, the researchers said: 'It is possible that a diet rich in prebiotics started in early life could help improve sleep, support the gut microbiota and promote optimal brain/psychological health.'

But the researchers said that it's far too early to recommend prebiotic supplements as a sleeping aid.

Further studies are needed to confirm the effects that prebiotics can have in promoting a good night's rest or buffering stress.

[dailymail]

Also read:

• Clean sleeping - the latest preachy trend
• Lack of sleep WILL make you sick
• A single poor night’s sleep can age you
• Women's brain power is 'boosted by a good night's rest while men can get away with napping'

10 Benefits of cabbage juice for skin, hair and health

Being rich in insoluble fiber, beta-carotene, vitamins (like B1, B6, K, E, C etc.) and a number of minerals (such as calcium, iodine, magnesium, iron, sulphur and so on), cabbage is considered as an extremely beneficial vegetable for your health, skin and hair.

If you want to take utmost care of your health, nothing can be better than cabbage juice. It is considered as a ‘superfood’ for its amazing medicinal properties. Check out some of cabbage juice health benefits here:

1. Raw cabbage is highly anti-carcinogenic. According to medical experts, the juice of raw green cabbage contains isocyanates, a group of chemical compounds which accelerate the process of estrogen metabolism in your body and help to stay away from breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, stomach cancer and colon cancer. It also speeds up the healing process in cancer patients.

2. Cabbage works as a great bowel cleanser and hence, cabbage juice is used for treating colitis. It holds two essential minerals – chlorine and sulphur, which are effective in treating inflammation of large intestine and colon. You would experience an unpleasant, foul gas right after drinking the juice. This is important as it indicates that the remedy has started working for you.

3. Are you trying hard to get rid of those extra kilos? You should opt for raw cabbage juice as it is an excellent natural cure for obesity. Basically, it purifies the upper section of your intestine so that the elimination of waste materials becomes easy and the digestion of food gets facilitated. Moreover, it does not contain many calories, which is also a big plus for overweight people.

4. Acute ulcers can also be treated with cabbage juice. As said previously, it helps you take great care of your intestine and upper bowel by detoxifying them. At the same time, it also contains a large amount of Vitamin U (popularly known as ‘cabbagen’), which is capable of strengthening the inner layer of your stomach and making it resistant to ulcers.

5. The anti-inflammatory property of cabbage juice is also very beneficial. Raw cabbage is known to have certain essential amino acids, which can help you fight against skin inflammation.

6. Folic acid is one of the most vital constituents of cabbage juice. When it comes to treating anemia, folic acid is considered as an important nutrient as it helps build new blood cells. Therefore, cabbage juice is also used for curing anemia.

7. Being a vegetable loaded with antioxidants and phytochemicals, cabbage can do wonder for your skin. Both of these help you combat harmful free radicals which cause a number of skin disorders like acne, pimples and blackheads. Moreover, it is full of Vitamin C, which speeds up the procedure to a great extent.

8. Antioxidant content of this juice is very helpful in reducing dryness of skin as well as preventing premature aging. So, use cabbage juice in your regular face mask and see how fast your wrinkles disappear.

9. Cabbage is also widely used for improving the tone and texture of skin. Apart from potassium, which is extremely beneficial for detoxifying your body and making your complexion fairer, this vegetable is also rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin E. These two vitamins can rejuvenate the tissues and help you look fair, soft and supple significantly.

10. The high sulphur content of cabbage is really helpful in making your hair stronger and averting hair loss. It is one of the most effective ways to stop hair fall and deal with weak hair. You can drink raw cabbage juice everyday in the morning or include it in your hair mask for external use.

Apart from reducing frequent hair fall, cabbage juice can also promote hair growth by nourishing the roots properly. As it contains Vitamin E and silicon, the regular intake of this juice can also make your tresses long and lustrous.

[stylecraze]

Also read:

• 6 Delicious juices for flawless glowing skin
• Cranberries really are superfoods
• Eating plenty of fruit and veg DOES help us live longer - by keeping our immune system young

Superfood: Health benefits of sweet potatoes

Although they're soft and creamy enough to be put in pies and called dessert, sweet potatoes are also a surprisingly nutritious vegetable. 

For a humble root vegetable, the sweet potato sure does have a lot going for it. The orange tuber packs 438% of your daily value of infection-fighting vitamin A and, like carrots, sweet potatoes are a major source of skin-protecting beta-carotene. While bananas are often touted as the go-to source of potassium, a medium sweet potato has 28% more potassium than a banana.

Some sweet potato history

• Sweet potatoes have been grown in Central and South America for at least 10,000 years by the Inca and Aztecs. Sweet potato samples have been found in the Neolithic Period and perhaps to the end of the last Ice Age, or 8000 B.C. in Peru according to the National Potato Center.
• Christopher Columbus took sweet potatoes to Spain after his first voyage in 1492 introducing them to the gardens of Europe.
• History mystery: Polynesians were growing sweet potatoes as early as 1200 A.D.
• Spanish explorers are said to have taken the sweet potato to the Philippines and East Indies. Then they made their way to India, China and Malaya by Portuguese voyagers in the late 16th century and the 17th and 18th centuries.
• They were grown in Virginia in 1648 and perhaps earlier, and then were taken to New England in 1764.

And now that we know where our beloved sweet potato comes from here are the health benefits:

They are high in vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 helps reduce the chemical homocysteine in our bodies. Homocysteine has been linked with degenerative diseases, including heart attacks.

They are a good source of vitamin C

Forget about oranges — one sweet potato contains 35 percent of your daily dose of vitamin C. While most people know that vitamin C is important to help ward off cold and flu viruses, few people are aware that this crucial vitamin plays an important role in bone and tooth formation, digestion, and blood cell formation. It helps accelerate wound healing, produces collagen which helps maintain skin’s youthful elasticity, and is essential to helping us cope with stress. It even appears to help protect our body against toxins that may be linked to cancer.

They are a good source of vitamin D

Vitamin D is critical for immune system and overall health at this time of year.  Both a vitamin and a hormone, vitamin D is primarily made in our bodies as a result of getting adequate sunlight. You may have heard about seasonal affective disorder (or SAD, as it is also called), which is linked to inadequate sunlight and therefore a vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D plays an important role in our energy levels, moods, and helps to build healthy bones, heart, nerves, skin, and teeth, and it supports the thyroid gland.

They are one of the best sources of vitamin A

A large one contains more than 100 percent of the daily recommended intake, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Vitamin A is an antioxidant powerhouse, and is linked to anti-aging benefits, cancer prevention and the maintenance of good eyesight, according to the National Institutes of Health.

They are a source of potassium

Believe it or not, sweet potatoes have more potassium than bananas. Potassium is one of the important electrolytes that help regulate heartbeat and nerve signals. Like the other electrolytes, potassium performs many essential functions, some of which include relaxing muscle contractions, reducing swelling, and protecting and controlling the activity of the kidneys.

They contain iron and support a healthy immune system

Most people are aware that we need the mineral iron to have adequate energy, but iron plays other important roles in our body, including red and white blood cell production, resistance to stress, proper im­mune functioning, and the metabolizing of protein, among other things.

They are a good source of choline 

Sweet potatoes are a good source of choline, a micronutrient in the B-vitamin family. While choline is readily available in meat and eggs, good plant-based sources are harder to come by — but sweet potato can be counted as one of them. Choline helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory, among other things, but it is also important in reducing chronic inflammation.

Sweet potatoes are a good source of magnesium, which is the relaxation and anti-stress mineral

Magnesium is necessary for healthy artery, blood, bone, heart, muscle, and nerve function, yet experts estimate that approximately 80 percent of the popula­tion in North America may be deficient in this important mineral.

They are an excellent source of fiber to keep your digestion running and help beat disease

One medium sweet potato with skin provides roughly between 4 to 6 grams of fiber, which doesn’t make them the highest fiber source from the plant world, but they pack a nice punch and are commonly included with foods recommended as good sources of the stuff. The National Institute of Medicine set the Dietary Reference Intake for fiber at 21 to 25 grams a day for women while men should get 30 to 38 grams per day. Most people don’t reach these levels. Fiber appears to reduce the risk of developing various conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease and constipation.

Sweet potatoes help ward off cancer 

Their rich orange color indicates that they are high in carotenoids like beta carotene and other carotenoids, which is the precursor to vitamin A in your body.  

Studies at Harvard University of more than 124,000 people showed a 32 percent reduction in risk of lung cancer in people who consumed a variety of carotenoid-rich foods as part of their regular diet.

Another study of women who had completed treatment for early stage breast cancer conducted by researchers at Women’s Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) found that women with the highest blood concentrations of carotenoids had the least likelihood of cancer recurrence.

Meanwhile, a Japanese study revealed that beta carotene may decrease the risk of colon cancer. Sweet potatoes have the highest amount of beta carotene of all fruits and vegetables.

They’re a prize for the eyes

All that beta carotene is great for the eyes as well. Ophthalmologist Jill Koury, M.D., says that vitamin A deficiency causes the outer segments of the eye's photoreceptors to deteriorate, damaging normal vision. Sweet potato’s high antioxidant levels from vitamins C and E are also very kind to the eyes and may prevent degenerative damage.

Carotenoids help boost our immunity to disease, they are powerful antioxidants that help ward off cancer and protect against the effects of aging.

They could help conquer PMS blues

While huge amounts of manganese aren’t healthy, experts estimate that up to 37 percent of Americans don’t get the recommended dietary intake (RDI) of manganese in their diet. Along with promoting good bone health, one study found that boosting manganese intake from 1 mg to 5.6 mg of dietary manganese per day helped women with PMS to have fewer mood swings and cramps. 

They are a boon for childbearing

Plant-based iron, like that found in sweet potatoes, can potentially promote fertility, according to the Harvard Medical School. The vitamin A from sweet potato’s beta carotene is also important for hormonal health during pregnancy and lactation.

Reduce the chances of stomach ulcers

Not only are sweet potatoes great for curing digestive issues, but they are also known to be an ideal preventative measure against stomach ulcers due to the presence of B-complex vitamins, beta carotene, vitamin C, calcium and potassium — all substances that have healing power when it comes to curing stomach ulcers.

Functional Foods in Health and Disease did a study in 2012 on how effective sweet potatoes were in healing an ulcer. The sweet potato had a potent ulcer healing effect!

They help control diabetes

Sweet potatoes rank low on the glycemic index scale and current research suggests that they may have a chance at decreasing the frequency of low blood sugar and insulin resistance episodes that occur in people with diabetes. The high levels of fiber also assist with type 1 diabetics to  decrease blood glucose levels and individuals with type 2 diabetics could have more stable blood sugar, insulin and lipid levels.

Sweet potatoes do not cause blood sugar spikes

Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet-tasting but their natural sugars are slowly released into the bloodstream, helping to ensure a balanced and regular source of energy, without the blood sugar spikes linked to fatigue and weight gain.

Beauty Food

Sweet potato, apart from vitamins A & C, also contains vitamin E, which is known to be beneficial for the health of the skin. It improves the complexion, thus providing flawless skin. These vitamins (A, C & E) comprised together are known to be ‘beauty food’ for the skin.

Also read:

New wave of trendy superfoods that will revolutionize your diet

Eating plenty of fruit and veg DOES help us live longer - by keeping our immune system young

Eating fruit and vegetables has a vital role in keeping a key part of the immune system young, scientists have found.

The thymus gland is located in front of the heart and creates T-cells which help the body fight infections.

It is quite large in children and adolescents, but as we grow older it shrinks faster than any other tissue in the body.

Its decay puts older people at much greater risk of infection.

Now research has found that antioxidants such as vitamin C can keep this vital organ healthy by stopping the damage in its tracks.

Experiments showed that antioxidants – found in fruits and vegetables – stopped the thymus from shrivelling.

In mouse studies, animals given vitamin C and another antioxidant used in human medicine experienced significantly less age-related deterioration of the thymus.

Lead scientist Dr Howard Petrie, from the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, California, said: ‘The thymus ages more rapidly than any other tissue in the body.

'It diminishes the ability of older individuals to respond to new immunologic challenges, including evolving pathogens and the vaccines that may otherwise offer protection from them.

‘We provide, for the first time, a link between antioxidants and normal immune function, opening new avenues for potential treatment strategies that could improve immune defences in the ageing population.’

T-cells are continuously lost and replaced throughout life. But from about the time of puberty onwards, the thymus rapidly shrinks and its T-cell generating ability diminishes.

Why this happens has been unclear. A leading theory is that sex hormones such as testosterone play a role, but this fails to explain why the thymus seems to age so much faster than other organs and tissues.

The new research highlights the unique damaging effect hydrogen peroxide - best known as a bleaching agent but also a natural by-product of metabolism - has on the thymus.

Hydrogen peroxide can be compared with dangerous waste from a nuclear reactor. It is produced by all cells as a result of the process that converts food into energy using oxygen, but is highly destructive.

Oxidative damage inflicted by hydrogen peroxide and other 'reactive oxygen species' (ROS) chemicals can tear apart cell membranes and scramble DNA.

Antioxidants, some of which are produced naturally in the body, help to block the devastating effects of chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide.

The Scripps scientists found that one natural antioxidant, an enzyme called catalase, is especially important in the thymus.

As the organ aged, it became deficient in catalase, allowing the damage caused by hydrogen peroxide to go unchecked.

In genetically engineered mice with raised levels of the enzyme, the thymus was preserved as they aged.

And the addition of two other antioxidants - vitamin C and the chemical n-acetylcysteine - to the drinking water of normal mice also protected the thymus.

N-acetylcysteine is used in medicine to treat the effects of paracetamol overdose and certain lung conditions.

After 10 weeks, the thymuses of mice given the antioxidant supplements were ‘significantly larger’ than those of untreated animals, the research published in the journal Cell Reports showed.

The scientists concluded: ‘We propose that irreversible thymic atrophy represents a conventional ageing process that is accelerated by catalase deficiency.’

The findings suggest that oxidation rather than hormones is chiefly to blame for age-related thymus damage.

Dr Petrie said: ‘Our study shows that the fundamental mechanism of aging in the thymus, namely accumulated metabolic damage, is the same as in other body tissues.

‘However, the process is accelerated in the thymus by a deficiency in the essential protective effects of catalase, which is found at higher levels in almost all other body tissues.’

Also read:

• Vegetarians live four years longer, experts reveal
• 9 healthy FATS that can help you live longer
• Fasting for three days can regenerate entire immune system, study finds

An apple a day slashes risk of dying early by 35%

Women who ate more than 100 grams of the fruit each day - one small apple - were likely to have a longer life expectancy than those who didn't.

Researchers at the University of Western Australia, followed a group of pensioners aged 70 to 85 for 15 years. Each of the 1,456 participants completed a food frequency questionnaire, which the researchers used to understand how apples impacted on their mortality. It found a variety of different fruits when consumed on a daily basis gave moderate health benefits.

Dr Jonathan Hodgson, from the UWAs School of Medicine and Pharmacology, said it was down to high concentrations of fibre and flavonoids in the skin. Flavonoids are plant compounds found in fruit and vegetables including apples, berries, pears, strawberries and radishes. They have long been celebrated for their antioxidant effect, which is thought to help prevent cell damage.

'Apples are amongst the top contributors to total flavonoid intake,' he said.

'We have previously shown that flavonoid intake from apple skin improved artery relaxation.

'We have now shown that higher apple intake was associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality and cancer mortality in older women.'

The researchers examined the impact of apples because they are a popular are widely eaten fruit. The study found women who ate them regularly had a lower risk of dying but Dr Hodgson said it would also apply to other fruits.

High levels of fibre found in apples has been linked to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and a reduced cancer risk. They are also a good source of magnesium, potassium, vitamin C.

People who eat apples are also more likely to live healthy lifestyles and consume other fruits and vegetables, which may also contribute to their longer life expectancy.

It follows research which found flavonoids may also help reduce the energy - particularly from sugar - that is absorbed from food.

Earlier this year, a study by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Harvard Medical School linked the compounds to both maintaining a healthy weight, and even helped people lose a little.

Eating the flavonoids contained in an 80g (2.8oz) handful of blueberries every day for four years helped people to lose about 2lb 10oz.

By comparison, the average woman in the same period would usually put on about 2lb 3oz, and the average man 4lb 6oz.

Speaking at the time, Professor Aedin Cassidy, from the UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said eating a 'modest amount' could lead to significant health benefits.

‘We found that an increased consumption of most flavonoids was associated with weight maintenance, and even a modest weight loss. 

'The results were found to be consistent across men and women, and different ages.

‘However losing even small amounts of weight, or preventing weight gain, can improve health and these modest effects were seen with a small, readily achievable increase in intake of many of these fruits.

‘Just a single portion of some of these fruits per day would have an important impact on health at a population level.’

[dailymail]

Is eating lots of fiber key to a long, healthy life?