September 11, 2023

Back to School? Gluten-Free Lunch Ideas

Preparing school lunches for our gluten-free kiddos is no simple task. While kids can often times be picky eaters making mealtime complicated no matter the location, school lunches introduce even more factors: Will the food keep until lunch time? What if his lunch is different from everyone elses and he is embarrassed? What if the other kids make fun of him? What if he doesn’t understand the severity of his intolerance and is buying school lunch without telling me? Read on for tips on how to navigate this process, and suggestions for gluten-free lunch ideas that your munchkins will love! […]
September 11, 2023

Cholesterol: The Good, The Bad And The “Ugly”

I know it’s also the title of a 60’s “spaghetti Western” movie, but when it comes to your cholesterol, heart researchers have actually classified cholesterol as these 3 types.  Unlike the movie though, where the “Ugly” Tuco Ramirez (Eli Wallach) was only a fictitious character, ugly cholesterol is a real-life killer.  It not only causes heart disease but ups your risk for a sudden heart attack.  Let me explain what you can do about this dangerous type of cholesterol. What Is Ugly Cholesterol? You likely already know that having high cholesterol is not good for your heart or your arteries.  Your doctor may have […]
August 30, 2023

Do You Know What Your Ideal Diet Is?

Most nutritionists agree there is no one dietary pattern that’s ideal for everyone. In addition to your unique combination of genes, medical history, cultural and family background, taste preferences and daily living patterns, you apply your own set of values to your eating approach. Some people may focus on preventing or managing disease, others on protecting the environment, some on managing weight, others on enjoying what they eat and so on. Prioritizing what matters to you can help determine your eating style. The six dietary patterns discussed here have dominated headlines over the past few years. We’ve tapped nutrition experts […]
August 30, 2023

Good Gut Health Helps Prevent Diseases

(Digestive health is a critical player when it comes to your overall health. Learning which foods can help keep you well and positively improve everything from your mood to how your body absorbs nutrients. Staying well is the focus for the sixth part in our series on the nine benefits at the core of FoodTrients® and all of our recipes. What you eat matters, which is why we’ll explore one of these incredible anti-aging benefits each month and show you how they help fight the diseases of aging.) You may be familiar with the phrase “gut health,” but in order […]
August 30, 2023

Top 50 Foods for Energy and Performance

You can’t be active or workout without the right fuel for your body. The food you eat makes a huge difference in athletic performance and also for a quick stop at the gym. Foods that contain energy in the form of carbohydrates and protein in addition to certain vitamins, antioxidants and stimulants known to boost performance top the list of 50 foods for physical activity. Here they are: 1. Almonds The key to using almonds to fuel activity lies not only in their caloric density – a useful combination of healthy unsaturated fat, protein and carbohydrates – but also in […]
August 30, 2023

Age-Fighting Quercetin Is Anti-Inflammatory

Quercetin (pronounced kwer-suh-tin) has been in the news recently, and for good reason. This yellow pigment is a flavonoid that occurs in apples, grape skin, red onions, and green tea. While quercetin’s presence in foods has long been recognized, it has only been lately that some of its remarkable effects have come to light. Quercetin’s recently discovered properties include protective effects against cancer, cardiovascular disease, allergies and immune dysfunction — all of which, if prevented, could help improve or extend life. For life extensionists, however, the most exciting research involves the use of quercetin as a potential treatment for aging. […]
August 30, 2023

Insulin Resistance: Why We Get Sick?

  We are sick. Around the world, we struggle with diseases that were once considered rare. Cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes affect millions each year; many people are also struggling with hypertension, weight gain, fatty liver, dementia, low testosterone, menstrual irregularities and infertility, and more. We treat the symptoms, not realizing that all of these diseases and disorders have something in common. Each of them is caused or made worse by a condition known as insulin resistance. And you might have it. Odds are you do—over half of all adults in the United States are insulin resistant, with […]
August 16, 2023

Cheers to the Top 50 Foods for Happiness

  Did you know that food can actually play a role in your mood and happiness levels? So many people live with restricting many foods or feelings of guilt or shame surrounding eating. Others may not get the nutrition they need to fuel the pleasure centers in the brain (think serotonin production), keeping mood stable. The brain uses a full 20% of the calories you take in so fueling it is absolutely critical. Foods that contain compounds like zinc, selenium, B6 and B12, magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants have proven links to brain health and even mood, which […]
August 16, 2023

Grace O and Cedars Launch Studies on Aging

The Grace O Foundation and Cedars-Sinai recently announced the first two of four awardees of funds for research on nutrition and the diseases of aging.  The awards are part of a $300,000 research gift that the Grace O Foundation committed to support the Center for Integrated Research in Cancer and Lifestyle (CIRCL) at Cedars-Sinai last fall. Cedars-Sinai issued a request for application for studies on inflammation and the diseases of aging, and the role nutrition and lifestyle can play to prevent and/or minimize inflammatory diseases. One of the studies receiving funds will examine how diet and lifestyle might mitigate the […]
August 16, 2023

Eight Surprising Causes of Dehydration

As a health conscious individual, you probably know the importance of drinking plenty of fluids. It is likely that you sip lemonade on hot days, drink water during tough workouts and pack sports drinks in your child or grandchild’s lunch bag for soccer practice. These are all important steps to squelch the common causes of dehydration, but what about the uncommon causes that catches you unaware? A wide array of medical issues can lead to dehydration. Considering that our bodies are made up of 50% to 65% water, this element is critical to virtually all our physical functions. Every organ […]
August 16, 2023

Rosemary Improves Memory and Cognition

“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” —Ophelia in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Although poor Ophelia was mad, she appears to have been spot on in her association of rosemary with better memory. Despite its name, rosemary is not related to roses but, rather, takes its name from ros, which means dew in Latin, and marinus, which means “of the sea”. The herb was said to have clung to the goddess Aphrodite when she arose from the sea foam in her mythological birth. This “dew of the sea,” which is native to the Mediterranean area, is now cultivated in many areas of the world. […]
August 16, 2023

How To Thrive in a Turbulent World

Forget Type As and Bs. The future lies with Type Rs—the resilient individuals, leaders, businesses, families, and communities who turn challenges into opportunities in times of upheaval, crisis, and change. Type R stands for Transformative Resilience and is the focus of a new book by strategy and leadership expert Ama Marston and psychotherapist Stephanie Marston — Type R: Transformative Resilience for Thriving in a Turbulent World. According to the authors, those who follow the principles of this program find themselves more and more able to cope with difficult circumstances in these challenging times. Readers learn strategies that allow them to […]
July 31, 2023

Meet the Best Foods for Disease Prevention

(Knowing which foods can help keep you well and prevent disease is key to a healthy life. Staying well is the focus for the fifth part in our series on the nine benefits at the core of FoodTrients® and all of our recipes. What you eat matters, which is why we’ll explore one of these incredible anti-aging benefits each month and show you how they help fight the diseases of aging.) Disease preventing FoodTrients® focus on foods that can help reduce the risk of, or even help navigate chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Diseases are […]