Eating For Health

My husband showed me an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal, Is Your Brain Aging Faster Than You?  New Clues Emerge .   In the article, a man was experiencing issues like no longer being able to play the bagpipes as he made too many mistakes, then forgetting things.   At 56 years old, he was diagnosed with dementia.   What are the risk factors dementia? Age is the highest risk factor for dementia and one you can’t change. Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.   Other risk factors include obesity, high blood pressure, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, physical in activity, poor diet, and hearing loss.   Some more risk factors are noted in Risk factors for dementia . What lifestyle changes can potentially slow and maybe even reverse some cognitive decline?   There are two lifestyle changes one can make that are often noted in research: diet and physical activity . NIH states, “Emerging epidemiologica...

Who doesn’t enjoy a cup of tea?   As NIH noted, “drinking tea has been considered a health-promoting habit since ancient times”. Researchers have found this to be true.   Why is tea so healthy? What are the substances in tea that promote health? Polyphenols include catechins which are antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.   Flavonoids act as antioxidants in our bodies and may inhibit cancer cell growth.      Theanine is an amino acid that helps with relaxation. Caffeine is a stimulant that can improve alertness and focus. A cup of tea provides much less caffeine than a cup of coffee: black tea about 47 mg of caffeine, green tea only 28 mg.   Herbal teas like ginger tea and peppermint tea have no caffeine.   Minerals : Tea can provide minerals like potassium, magnesium, copper, and zinc.        What are some of the many health benefits of tea? Heart Health: Black tea but especially green tea can ...