I remember when my son was three years old and we used to play a game by describing to him what types of food he was eating for which particular function.  Such as fish was brain food, meat was a muscle food etc.  As a matter of fact I am sure most people have heard throughout their lives that fish was a brain food.  What does this really mean.  It seems that there is an association between certain foods that we consume and its power for our brain.  Like other organs in the body, our brain reacts very negatively to a poor diet that is filled with high-fat and junk foods, and conversely responds well to a nutritious well balanced diet.

Recent studies have been conducted on the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids which are found in fatty fish which lessens the negative effects brought on my dementia.  There is even conclusive proof that eating fish at least once per week can significantly reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.  Besides fish there are other foods that have been proven to boost brain power.  The other group of brain foods consists of bright colored fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, blueberries, prunes, raspberries, and blackberries.  Due to the high concentration of antioxidants in these foods they are associated with improving memory.  These foods also are crucial for ensuring normal brain and nerve function due to them containing B vitamins and magnesium.  These nutrients are also found in whole grains and whole grain products such as bread, rice, pasta and fortified cereals.

In conclusion, it is important to remember that your brain needs energy like the rest of your body.  The most optimal energy source is glucose.   This is the reason why so many people on the reduced carbohydrate diet complain about always feeling tired and sluggish.  In all things it is extremely important to keep balance and moderation.

The battle of the bulge is a long road filled with some victories and disappointments.  There are times in our lives when even though we are exercising and eating right we still have a very difficult time getting off that excess body-fat.  In the initial stages of exercise the weight is coming off so your very inspired to continue, but after a certain length of time you begin to plateau and thats when discouragement starts.  Since perception is our reality its important to have the proper expectations about dropping body-fat.

All dieters reach a roadblock at some point because after losing a certain amount of weight your body thinks your starving yourself so it purposely slows down your metabolism.  Plus there are different hormonal changes that occur with weight change so from that aspect you will be in a different hormonal state.  Remember that age plays an important part in your fat loss battle so the older you get the more care you must take in your exercising and nutrition plans.

Once you reach your 30’s your metabolism slows down by about 5% with each decade.  What that equates too is that at age 35 your burning 75 calories less per day than you did at age 25.  Annual that accounts for an extra 8 lbs that you will need to work off.  According to the American Institute for Cancer Research you should not gain more tan 11 pounds in your lifetime more than what your weight was at 18 years of age.

There are many things that you can do with your diet and exercise programs.  The first is to try and get more protein, because we lose an average of 5 pounds of muscle per year after the age of 30.  The protein will help you achieve muscle sparing so that when you exercise fat tissue will be attacked and the muscle will be spared.  Protein will also make you feel more full, give you brain energy from all of the amino acids that affect your neurotransmitters.  Another simple habit to acquire is to cut your daily portions by 25%.  So lets say you go out to eat a nice restaurant, just make sure you leave a quarter of what you started with on the plate when your finished.
While cardiovascular workouts are important for getting the heart rate up, weight training is much more important for long term fat-loss strategies.  Lifting weights builds muscle, the more muscle that you have on your body the more calories you will burn and the better your metabolism will become and stay.  Weight lifting will also keep your joints and bones healthy and strong.  Don’t always get discouraged by the scale, sometimes we gain a little but that could be muscle and muscle weights more than fat.  Take walks several times per week, and try to break yourself from a sedentary lifestyle.  The walks will not only help you with your battle against fat, but also help in dealing with stress and calm you down.
Another important thing which is so obvious, is to make sure that you eat your meals slowly.  Chew your foods well before swallowing.  We live in a fast paced world, and gastrointestinal disorders are on the rise, due to not only poor eating habits but in the manner that we eat.  By chewing our meals slow we allow all of the proper enzymes to come in and do the work necessary to break the food down and assimilate all of the nutrients properly.  Instead if we scarf down the food, we will feel bloated and gassy.  When your ready to apply these simple ideas to your fat burning strategy you will have an advantage in the battle of the bulge.

Now the summer season is approaching and that means bikini wear.  You know your thinking about slimming down but aren’t quite there.  There are many reasons to achieve and maintain a healthy weight including significantly reducing your chance of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, back and joint problems. Here are some healthy and smart reasons to take off a few pounds and keep your weight at bay. 

You want to live to see your grandchildren, great grandchildren, and your kids make their mark on the world and see where they are heading in life.  You will want to be active, and be able to participate in all of the activities that the family wants to partake in.

Eating a diet that is rich in Omega 3-6-9’s, will keep your mind sharp and will make your memory sharp.  There is nothing worse than losing your memory about important things that have happened in your life that you cannot recall.  This practice will help keep you away from the memory degenerative diseases that plague people.

Losing weight will increase your energy levels and help protect your immunity/  By dropping the pounds your heart will work less and allow you more energy in doing your daily routines.  Your immunity will also improve so you will get sick much lees frequently.

Weight loss will also assist in reducing you risk of breast cancer, heart disease and stroke, all of which are major killers of life expectancy.  In women weight loss will result in being able to manage menopause more easily and therefore making the symptoms less severe.

Getting your eight in check will also help you with reducing your stress, make your breathing better, and make you feel better all around.  Tired of throwing away the jeans from last season.  Well if you keep your weight in check you may be able to end that practice.  You may also be able to get into a pair that have been sitting in your closet for years.  There is nothing more satisfying than walking on the beach wearing a suit that you have not worn in years.  The accomplishment in losing the weight is noticed by friends and family and the compliments are great for your self esteem.

Summer is almost here and that means sunshine, beaches, and summer fruit.  In early spring grapefruits usually have their best harvest.  This fruit is tart and tangy with a hint of sweetness and even rivals the ever popular orange for juiciness.  Years ago there was a book titled, “The Grapefruit Diet”, and many articles have been written about the health benefits of this amazing fruit.  So here are the facts about grapefruit.
Grapefruit is rich in vitamin c, which has been shown to support the immune system.  Vitamin C may help by reducing the symptoms of the common cold as well as preventing free radical damage that catalyses the inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.  There is even research that supports consuming fruits high in vitamin c, such as grapefruit is associated with a reduced risk of dying from heart disease, stroke , and cancer.
Lycopene a carotenoid phytonutrient shown to have anti-tumor activity is what gives grapefruit its rich red and pink colors.  According to a study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition eating lycopene rich foods can greatly reduce a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer.  According to the KAME study conducted by Dr. Alan Crozier showed that grapefruit juice was ranked as one of the highest juices in antioxidant activity.  Grapefruits also contain tumor inhibiting enzymes called limonoids.  These enzymes allow the liver to make toxic chemicals more water soluble so that they may be more easily excreted from the body.  Limonoids in animal studies and human cell lab tests have shown to help fight cancers of the mouth, lung, skin, breast, colon, and stomach.
Pectin can also be found in grapefruit which is a soluble fiber and has been shown in animal studies to slow down atherosclerosis.  Both white and red grapefruit can lower the blood levels of LDL cholesterol, and red lowers triglycerides also.  There is a risk with prescription drugs including statins where muscle toxicity may increase.  See your physician before consuming grapefruit if your using any of the statin or like drugs.

One of the most important factors in shedding excess body fat is heavily relied on by the liver.  Everything is passed through the liver including all of the chemicals and toxins that it must clear out.  SInce grapefruit  boosts liver enzymes, this process becomes more efficient and the liver is able to get rid of these toxins quicker.  Grapefruit also shares the same fat burning properties as green tea.

There you have it the skinny on grapefruits, so enjoy some raw or in juice form and toast yourself to good health.

Memory problems will affect all of us at some point in our lives. Today however, there is ample research in how many of these memory problems can be minimized. The research covers medications as well as nutritional supplements. There are three main supplements that can help with memory as we age. These nutritional supplements include ginkgo biloba, acetyl-l-carnitine, phosphatidyl serine.

In order to protect the mind you must keep it active. There are many memory exercises you can do to keep it healthy and active. You can read books and newspapers, doing crossword puzzles, playing a musical instrument, participate in a continuing education course, even learn a new language. Keeping the mind active throughout your life will keep your memory sharp, as well as incorporating these researched nutritional supplements.
Ginkgo biloba, is a well studied botanical formula that has been shown to increase blood flow to the head, as well as a memory enhancer. This supplement may cause dementia to progress slower in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. This herb takes 6-8 weeks to saturate proper levels in the body so do not discouraged too soon. When looking for this supplement at the store, look for a standardized formula that is at least 24 percent of ginkgo flavone glycosides. A healthy dose is 60 to 120 milligrams two times per day, since ginkgo has low toxicity there is no worry about over consumption.

Acetyl-L-carnitine, is derived from an amino acid and is quite expensive due to the complex way of extracting it. The compound has been so successful in animal studies that human studies are being planned. This cognitive booster is also non-toxic, and is taken twice per day on an empty stomach of 500-1000 milligrams.

Phosphatidyl serine is a naturally occurring lipid in the body which is a component of all cell membranes. PS is known as a brain cell nutrient and studies have shown that it is very effective on memory and concentration. Cognitive function in adults has also been studied as well as reversing age related memory decline. The supplement is derived from soybeans and the recommended dose is 100 milligrams two to three times per day.

Getting older is a part of life that everyone will experience at some point.  With this greater achievement in years comes many hardships.  Some will be minor and others will be a real hurdle, such as diseases that run in the family.  The good news is that there are things that you can do to age gracefully and fairly trouble free.  Learning how to eat well, take the proper nutritional supplements and vitamins, controlling stress, and exercising can prevent many problems associated with aging.

Habits are hard to break, remember the phrase “people do not change”.  However with real determination this can be done.  Typically it takes 21 days for a behavior to become a habit.  Want to start exercising and make it a lifestyle?  Start working out everyday, by day 21 you will not really be able to stop, the mental pressure of going will be so great that all of the excuses that you made in the past will be non existent.
There are many factors that will determine what your golden years will be like.  One of these is your family medical history.  What types of conditions existed in the past with your family members from previous generations.  Even though your genetically at risk, this can be undone by finding out early and being proactive.  See your family doctor and discuss healthy lifestyle changes that will keep you away from the diseases that plagued previous family members.

Another and probably most important factor to healthy aging is exercise.  Most of your vital organs after the age of 50 start working at less capacity and this keeps decreasing as you continue aging.  Therefore if your already healthier at that age than your peers, you will fell it less.  Exercise will help your joints stay lubricated, keep your bones strong, and will help maintain muscle mass.  On the average people lose 3-5 lbs of muscle mass per year after age 35-40.  By weight training and consuming the right amount of protein in your diet you can reverse this and actually gain muscle.  This will sculpt your whole body, and make you a fat burning machine.  The more muscle mass you have on your body the greater your metabolism even while you sleep.  Exercise will also help you relieve stress and keep your sexual function healthy.
Lastly it is really important to keep your brain active.  You have the phrase “use it or lose it”, couldn’t be more true here.  Try to keep your brain as active as possible by doing things such as reading, crossword puzzles, playing cards, or playing strategy games.  A supplement called Gingko Biloba, is also very beneficial for brain health and concentration as well as Omega 3-6-9 supplements.

By incorporating these lifestyle changes you will be able to age healthy and may even increase your life span.

It is estimated that in the United States that more than a million cases of skin cancer are reported each year.  Most of these cancer cases are reported due to the damage caused by the sun’s ultraviolet radiation otherwise known as UVR.
It is estimated that there is a window during a sunny day that a person risks the most exposure to these ultraviolet rays.  The sun usually begins to intensify around 10-11 am, and reaches its peak around 4 pm.  These are the hours to use extra caution.  Maybe seek the shade of an umbrella or just hit the beach at the later part of the day, after all it does get darker much later in the summer months.

Many experts feel that no tanning method is safe.  They say that tanned skin is already an indication that the epidermal DNA has been damaged by the ultraviolet rays.  Just one sunburn increases your risk of developing skin cancer.  If you incur more than five sunburns your risk of developing melanoma doubles through out your life.  Tanning beds are no better than tanning outdoors.  Care must be taken by applying the proper sun-block lotions before venturing outside.  Sun-block lotions range from 10 SPF to 60 SPF.

SPF, otherwise known as Sun Protection Factor, measures the duration of how long the skin being unprotected can be exposed to the sun UVB rays before burning.  A sunscreen formula with an SPF of 30 would prevent a sunburn that is 30 times longer than if no sunscreen was used and the skin was exposed naturally.  Besides having a high SPF number, UVA protecting ingredients must be present for maximum protection.  These include zinc dioxide, avobenzone, and titanium oxide.  Sunscreen should be applied about 30-40 minutes before going outside, and the waterproof formulas that are available work wonders as they do not come off in the pool or the ocean.  Pay close attention to children as they need the highest SPF possible, their skin is extremely sensitive.  They should only be used on children that are at least 6 months of age.

If you do get sunburned, and it may happen since we do go in and out everyday.  You may even try taking Flax seed oil gel caps, and Omega 3 supplements, as these ad vital moisturizer to the skin and will help heal your skin.  Look for spots on the skin from time to time as these can be warning signs to go and see a dermatologist.  Some of the things to watch for are, skin growth’s or beauty marks that have either changed color, changed diameter, increased in thickness, hurt, itch, or bleed.

By taking the steps necessary for proper sun safety, you and your family will enjoy great times out in the sun, with minimal risk to skin cancers.

The world has become quite a complicated place.  There are many uncertainties, and the financial markets are wrecked.  Does anyone have a crystal ball to tell us what will happen tomorrow?  There are many folks that claim to have such foresight, however it is unlikely that they do.

All of this negative thinking can wreck havoc on your body.  So at this time take a deep breath, and tell yourself that everything will be ok.  There are many books out in the market place that promise result based on positive thinking.  While there is no one simple cure for negativity thats written in a book, the issue starts with yourself.  To stay positive through the negative times in a personal choice, and no one can do this but you.  The current books are great motivational pieces, such as “The Secret”, and the Chicken Soup for the Soul “ series.  This type of reading will put you in the right frame of mind to stay positive. 

Exercise is probably the best thing that you can do for yourself in the battle of the woes.  Exercise creates endorphins which make you feel an all around sense of well being.  Jogging has been shown many health benefits such as improved digestion,  better sleep, healthier joints, and fat loss.  Weight training can also unlock some great facets of health such as improved recover, improved sexual vigor, increased muscle, and better sleep. 
One note to remember when everyone in the country is feeling the financial woes it is very difficult to stay motivated.  All of your friends are down and losing money in the markets, your financial stability is in question so what do you do?  Try staying positive, the negative thoughts take a lot of energy and you simply do not need to waste time on that.  If you had to suspend your gym membership due to a financial hardship take a nice walk.  Walking has many great health benefits and is super for your overall health.  In stressful times it is important to keep your mind at ease, and walking will help with that.
Also try to eat a well balanced diet.  Fish oils are so important in keeping your mood elevated.  The oily fish include salmon which consequently is great for your skin as well.  Make sure you keep up with your multi-vitamins as those will get depleted through times of stress.  The other important supplement to use is B-complex vitamins.  These help with all kinds of functions from breaking down protein to helping you  cope with stress.  B-vitamins will help you keep your hair healthy as well as your skin.

If you follow these simple steps during these times of stress you will be healthy.  Remember that attitude is everything and your perception is your reality.  Things are not always what they seem.  This is an important thing to know and keep in your mind.  Stay positive and focused and keep your negative thoughts in check.

The advertisements for drinking water are abundant in the media.  Everything from detoxing your body, cleaning out your kidneys, to suppressing your appetite and shuttling fat quicker through your body.  There are many people you see on the street that have a cell phone in one hand a bottle of water in the other.  Our society has been conditioned that constantly drinking water is extremely healthy.  The trend has spread out into Europe as well, and there are now thousands of bottled water manufacturers world wide, touting that their product is superior.
There are two kidney experts that believe that there is no definitive scientific proof for the average person to consume eight or more glasses of water per day.  According to the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, the health claims are almost non existent, and minor in comparison from what the media is reporting.

The fact about water being a good appetite suppressant has been proven wrong in the fact it is absorbed so quickly upon ingestion does not satiate people as much as has been previously thought.  There is no evidence that there is any hormones which are released as previously thought.  Consuming large amounts of water does not remove excess toxins.  What ends up happening is that the person builds up excess urine, which doesn’t contain any excess toxins as previously reported.

There is also a danger to drinking too much water as it may dilute the electrolytes that are needed for proper body function.  These can be replaced with a non-stimulant energy drink.  So the moral of the story here is that moderation is best. 

In a recent study of healthy older adults who were lifting weights regularly who were weight training for at least 3 months, and taking a prescribed dose of ibuprofen and acetaminophen had a much greater increase over the non active placebo group in quadriceps muscle mass and strength.
The study was conducted at the Human Performance Laboratory at Ball State University in Muncie Indiana. The study was conducted by Dr. Trappe and a postdoctoral student Dr. Chad C. Carroll. They reported the study at the annual American Physiological Society meeting conference in San Diego for Experimental Biology.

They showed that taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) during consistent weight resistance training reduced the metabolic response within the muscle which allowed the muscle to grow larger and resulted in considerable strength gains of the subjects. The study was conducted over the course of 12 weeks and was supervised. The subjects were men aged 60 to 78 years old, and performed weight training activities three times per week for 15 to 20 minute intervals. The doses used on the subjects were 1200 milligrams of ibuprofen and 4000 milligrams of acetaminophen, which is the current limit for over the counter use of the products. The ibuprofen group showed a much greater response over the acetaminophen group.

In past research when muscle protein synthesis was measured over a 24 hour period there were negative affects from the painkillers due to the blocking of the COX enzyme, which is necessary for protein synthesis. As we age muscle tissue starts to deteriorate and there are certain nutritional supplements that can help this catabolic state. Some of these include L-glutamine, Branch Chain Amino Acids, Free Form Amino Acids, And Whey Protein. We will be discussing these supplements in a future article which will focus on sparing muscle as we age.