Tag: berries

Food for the Mind

  • Todays post is about Food for the Mind.

It seems that a groups of U.S. scientists have been researching nutrition. They found that certain foods are not only good for our body; but also good for our brain.

Finally science is catching up with what naturopaths have been trying to teach us for years. The father of western medicine, Hippocrates, did say ‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food’ way back in 5th century BC. Even back then, Hippocrates recognised the value of eating well and the potential of certain foods for good health.

Good food lowers our risk of ALZHEIMERS!

Scientists have taken our diets in almost a full circle. Along the way they have created ‘food substances’ in laboratories and developed ways of genetically modifying food to ‘improve it’. Over the years, scientists have generally messed around with foods that were okay to start with.

Now research has shown that by eating a diet of vegetable, legumes, fish and poultry can lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease among ageing adults by up to 53%.

Just as there is no magic pill to prevent cognitive decline, no single almighty brain food can ensure a sharp brain as you age. Nutritionists emphasise that the most important strategy is to follow a healthy dietary pattern that includes a lot of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Try to get protein from plant sources and fish and choose healthy fats, such as olive oil or canola, rather than saturated fats.

The MIND Diet

The MIND diet was developed by a Dr Morris from Rush University and she stated; ‘in the same way our organs need nutrients the brain is no different. This means that the more a person adheres to the MIND diet, the greater the protection and the healthier they’ll be.’

The MIND diet has ’10 brain-healthy food groups’, which cover a spectrum of nutrients, healthy fats, antioxidants, and proteins that nourish the brain.

*Green leafy vegetables

*Other vegetables

*Nuts

*Berries

*Beans

*Wholegrains

*Fish

*Poultry

*Olive oil

*Wine

Research shows that the best brain foods are the same ones that protect your heart and blood vessels.

The 5 brainpower foods

Green, leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, collards, and broccoli are rich in brain-healthy nutrients like vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta carotene. Research suggests these plant-based foods may help slow cognitive decline.

Fatty fish are abundant sources of omega-3 fatty acids, healthy unsaturated fats that have been linked to lower blood levels of beta-amyloid—the protein that forms damaging clumps in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Try to eat fish at least twice a week, but choose varieties that are low in mercury, such as salmon, cod and canned light tuna. If you’re not a fan of fish, ask your doctor about taking an omega-3 supplement, or choose omega-3 sources such as flaxseeds, avocados, and walnuts.

Berries, as they contain flavonoids, the natural plant pigments that give berries their brilliant hues. Studies have found that flavonoids also help improve memory.

Tea and coffee might offer more than just a short-term concentration boost. In a 2014 study published in The Journal of Nutrition, participants with higher caffeine consumption scored better on tests of mental function. Caffeine might also help solidify new memories, according to other research.

Nuts are excellent sources of protein and healthy fats, and one type of nut in particular might also improve memory. Walnuts are high in a type of omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Diets rich in ALA and other omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to lower blood pressure and cleaner arteries. That’s good for both the heart and brain.

Well, it seems that we are on to a good thing with our desire to ‘live clean’ and eat ‘real, whole foods.’ Science is backing us up.

Other lifestyle choices mentioned to assist with brain health are – reduce stress, be creative, keep learning and

Get moving!

We are also making an effort to get moving and go for a daily walk, as well as monitoring our incidental movement throughout the day. This has been a bit of an eye opener; it’s really surprising some days how little we move.

There are also some mornings when I really don’t feel like going walking, but you know, once I have made the effort and I’m walking down the street, I’m really glad I did. It wakes me up, gives me time to think about my day; what I need to do and what I want to achieve. Of course it gets the metabolism up and running for the day, increasing the heart rate, burning the calories and improving lung capacity.

Till next post,

Live clean ‘n’ prosper.

(Sources – Harvard health Publishing – Premier Neurology & Wellness – Mayo Clinic 

Gut Health and Strawberries

Today’s post is about Gut Health and Strawberries.

Lately there has been a lot of focus on Strawberries. All scandals aside, these sweet berries are very good for us. In particular, Strawberries are very good for supporting our gut health.

Very early on in my blog, I wrote about how a healthy gut and its ‘microbiome’ is linked to our overall health.

 So, what is the Gut Microbiome?

Our ‘gut microbiome’ is made up of the trillions of microorganisms and their genetic material that live in our intestinal tract. These microorganisms live in the digestive system and play a key role in digesting food we eat; they also help with absorbing and synthesising nutrients.

The gut microorganisms are involved in many other important processes that extend beyond the gut. These organisms contribute to metabolism, body weight, immune regulation, as well as brain functions and mood.

Our gut began to populate with bacteria very early in life. As we grow, there continue to be many things that can shape the bacteria that live in our gut. We all live our day-to-day lives in different environments with different combinations of habits and surroundings. Because of this, our microbiome is like a bacterial fingerprint, uniquely individual.

Some things are difficult to change, like genetics, stressful events or illness. There are other factors we can modify or control, such as our lifestyle behaviours – particularly diet.

 What is a ‘Healthy Gut’?

Generally speaking, a healthy gut has a barrier that is effective at keeping the contents of the gut, such as its micro biota, undigested food particles and toxins, from escaping into the bloodstream. Apart from performing all of its usual digestive and regulatory functions, a healthy gut has several other important jobs, including helping to fight off infection.

 What about the Strawberries?

Recent research has found that Strawberries contain ‘anti-inflammatory’ compounds that reduce gut inflammation and increase healthy gut bacteria.

Strawberries are also rich in Potassium, which helps reduce high blood pressure.

The presence of ellagic acids and flavonoids in strawberries protect hearts from bad cholesterol.

Strawberries also contain Fisetin which contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown that Fisetin could help to protect brain cells against the effects of ageing. The Journal Annals of Neurology published that eating strawberries more than twice a week has been shown to delay cognitive ageing by up to 2.5 years.

 

We have always enjoyed eating Strawberries and it has been great to learn how good they are for us. Not that we needed a reason to eat more of them.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Food Misconceptions – Fruit or Vegetable?

Today I thought I would write about some of the more common food misconceptions. By this I mean incorrect references to some foods, particularly in regards to whether something is a fruit or vegetable. I was talking with some colleagues about this this week and I thought it would be interesting to research and share.

First – Peanuts

Many people regards peanuts as nuts, however they are not. As per Wikipedia – ‘The peanut, also known as the groundnut and the goober and taxonomically classified as Arachis hypogaea, is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds.’ ‘The botanical definition of a “nut” is a fruit whose ovary wall becomes very hard at maturity. Using this criterion, the peanut is not a true nut, but rather a legume. However, for culinary purposes and in common English language usage, peanuts are usually referred to as nuts.’ I’ve often wondered if that is the reason I don’t like them. I like all the other nuts!

Next – fruits and vegetables

Vegetable According to Dictionary.com a vegetable is any plant whose fruit, seeds, roots, tubers, bulbs, stems, leaves, or flower parts are used as food, Fruit Dictionary.com states that fruit is the developed ovary of a seed plant with its contents and accessory parts. Including the edible part of a plant developed from a flower, with any accessory tissues, Using this more specific definition all fruits are considered vegetables but not all vegetables are fruit. Olives, plums, tomatoes, artichokes and cucumbers are fruit. Lettuce, potatoes, celery and beets are not reproductive parts of the plant developed from flowers so are considered vegetables. So with that in mind, a tomato is not a vegetable. Neither is corn, zucchini, pumpkin, green beans and peas. Interestingly, berries are fruits that come from a single plant ovary with multiple seeds. With this in mind, scientifically bananas, grapes and capsicum are actually berries.
More berry facts
Raspberries, blackberries and mulberries are called ‘Aggregate fruits’ because they are actually a bunch of tiny little fruits grown together. Strawberries are also a different kind of fruit called a ‘fleshy receptacle’. This is because the actual fruits are the tiny little seeds stuck to the outside of the strawberry. Wow, who would have thought that there were so many fruits and vegetables that we refer to incorrectly. I will be looking at my fruit and veges in a whole new light now. Till the next post, Live Clean n Prosper.