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...

So much confusion and misunderstanding about carbs.   This week my dentist said he had a patient trying to eat 3,000 calories of protein a day and skipping the carbs. My dentist told him his kidneys wouldn’t like all that protein.   I just heard a commentator on TV say they are eating a lot of protein and skipping the bread.   What is the truth about carbs ?   Do carbs really make you gain weight, make you fat?   Should you go on a low carb diet to lose weight?   In 2017 researchers reviewed 32 clinical trials of patients eating the same calories and protein but on high or low carb diets.   Those on a low carb diet lost the same amount of weight as those on a high carb diet.   Other researchers looked at weight loss differences in those on a high protein diet or a high-carbohydrate diet.   Surprise, surprise, there was no difference in pounds lost.   Marilyn Holmes, a registered dietitian at Vanderbilt University says, “Weight gain...

Have you ever heard of brain food?   Foods you can eat for a healthier brain.     Researchers have found that the food we eat greatly affects our brain health.   Besides the food we eat, staying hydrated also affects our cognitive function.   Why is hydration important for brain health?   I always told my students that before an exam they should drink some water.   Why?   Because even being slightly dehydrated affects cognitive function.   A 1% dehydration level can lead to “a 5% decrease in cognitive function”.     A 2% level of dehydration “can result in short term memory loss”, what some people call “brain fog”.   Besides drinking plain water, many beverages are good for hydration including 100% juice and cow’s milk.   (See:   What beverage is most effective for staying hydrated? ) What researchers have found about diet and brain health. Researchers at the University of Warwick studied diet and brain heal...

So many people talk about “eating healthier” and then go on a fad diet thinking it is good for their health.   A TV personality said he avoids bread and cereal to eat healthier.   But is avoiding any food group a healthy choice?   What does “eating healthy” mean?   In the classes I taught, students always recommended we should “eat healthy”.   But when I asked them what this means they often struggle to come up with specifics.   Are there healthy diets to follow?   A diet not for weight loss or weight gain, but just a healthy eating pattern? Not a “diet” you go on for a week or two but a lifelong way of eating for a healthier you.         I was watching TV recently and saw the commercial for taking pills to get your fruit and veggies each day.   Rather than take pills, eat your fruit and veggies to eat healthier in 2025.   A popular quote from Hulk Hogan is “Train.   Say your prayers.   Eat your vitamins....

Are you one of the people who have made a resolution to lose a few pounds in 2025?   If you or someone you know wants to drop a few pounds, what are the best weight loss diets to be on? So many diets don’t change your lifestyle but offer a quick solution but for many a temporary solution.   You may lose some weight but once you go “off” the diet, you gain the weight back.   Every year U.S. News & World Report ranks the Best Weight-Loss Diets .     What makes a weight-loss diet a winner?   A diet you can stay on for the long haul.   Not really a diet but an eating pattern that keeps the weight off. A diet that promotes healthy weight loss, not quick weight loss due to loss of water and muscle and not fat.   A diet that doesn’t slow your metabolism like some quick loss diets do. A diet that doesn’t give up any food groups so you can stay on it long term. U.S. News and World Report notes a healthy diet focuses on lean protein, high fi...