Eating For Health

Who doesn’t love a good cup of coffee or two to start their day?   I often get asked, “Is coffee good for one’s health?”   What does the research show?     My sister sent me an article describing the latest health benefit of drinking coffee. What are the health benefits of drinking coffee? Johns Hopkins notes 9 reasons coffee is good for you.   What are some of the benefits? Coffee is loaded with healthful antioxidants .   These may lower inflammation and help protect against several diseases. Coffee lowers one’s risk of getting type 2 diabetes . Coffee lowers one’s risk of heart failure.   Enjoy those 2 cups of coffee a day as it makes your heart stronger. Coffee drinkers are less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease .   Coffee drinking is good for your liver .   How?   Coffee drinking promotes good liver enzymes. Coffee drinking reduces your risk of colon cancer – a condition now on the rise in those younger than 50.   (See...

Colon cancer was always a concern for people over the age of 50.   But now, it is becoming increasingly more common for people under the age of 50 to be diagnosed with colon cancer.   While colon cancer has been declining for older adults, since 1990 colorectal cancer has been increasing in younger adults (under 50) with rates increasing 2% a year.   What is the incidence of colon cancer in younger adults? Among those younger than 55 years of age, the proportion of cases increased from 11% in 1995 to 20% in 2019.  Although the overall rate dropped by 1% each year from 2012 to 2021, the drop was mostly in older adults, those 65 and older.    Why is the incidence of colon cancer increasing in younger adults? Research is investigating the reasons but factors being explored are diet, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and even changes in the gut microbiome, the bacteria in your gut.  (See:  Healthier gut for a healthier you )  Other factors i...

Almost every day we read about chemicals, preservatives, other additives in our foods that are not good for our health.   This week, my husband showed me an article in the Wall Street Journal, Research Delivers A Gut Punch About Emulsifiers Used In Food .    What are “emulsifiers”, why are they in food, what foods have emulsifiers, and what are the health concerns about emulsifiers in the foods we eat? What are emulsifiers? Emulsifiers help mix food components together like oil and water.   Salad dressings often have emulsifiers in them.   Food manufacturers add emulsifiers to foods to improve the texture, appearance, taste and shelf life of the foods we buy.   What emulsifiers are commonly added to foods?   According to WebMD , “there are over 100 different emulsifiers that can be added to foods”.   In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates what emulsifiers can safely be added to foods and list these on the list of G ene...

This week at the gym, a few people were saying how they or a relative were recovering from some illness, colds, flu or other illnesses that got them run-down and not feeling good.  Are there immunity boosting foods that will help you fight off infections?  As we get older , our immune system is weaker and we are more likely to get sick.  For those over 65, respiratory infections and in particular pneumonia, are leading causes of death.  What foods can you add to your diet to boost your immune system? Citrus Fruits Citrus fruits are a great way to add some important nutrients like vitamin C and folic acid to one’s day.  (See: How does vitamin C keep you healthy? )  Citrus fruits include oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, clementines, and mandarins.  Vitamin C is known for helping to strengthen one’s immune system.  Besides vitamin C, citrus fruits add important antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory effects.  Enjoying a glass of real, ...

Years ago, a deficiency of iodine was common in many parts of the US.   Then Iodized salt became available and that solved the problem.  Now, however, pregnant women, and others may have low levels of iodine, and some doctors are reporting kids with iodine deficiency.  What is iodine and why do we need it? Iodine is a mineral our body needs for many functions and one our bodies can’t make but we can get it from foods we eat.      Our thyroids need iodine for our metabolism helping our bodies turn the food we eat into the energy we need every day.   Iodine also helps our thyroid regulate our:           Body temperature           Brain development and mental activity           Breathing           Heart Health           Digestion During pregnancy and after the baby is born, iodine helps the babies bone and bra...