Eating For Health

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...

Who doesn’t love some sweets, some desserts?   Everyone knows candy, cookies, pies, cakes, and other desserts have sugar.    But you may not be aware of the amount of added sugar in everyday foods.   What are some food sources of hidden sugar that may surprise you?   What is the difference between the natural sugar in foods and added sugar?   It is the added sugar in foods that can lead to a number of health problems including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, dental disease and even liver disease.      What foods have natural sugar? When health professionals recommend cutting back on “sugar”, they usually aren’t talking about the natural sugar in foods.   Did you know cow’s milk has some natural sugar called “lactose”?   It is not very sweet so milk doesn’t taste very sweet unless it is chocolate milk and sugar has been added.   Fruit contains a natural sugar called “fructose”.   So why don’t you get a sugar high whe...

A relative just asked me about their triglyceride levels.   She wanted to know what to do if her triglycerides were high.   What are triglycerides?   What does a high level of triglycerides mean for one’s health?   Do we get triglycerides from food?   Does our body need triglycerides? What are triglycerides? Triglycerides are a fat that circulates in your blood and is the most common fat in your body.   After you eat a meal, you burn up some of the calories from food but your body converts the calories it doesn’t need right away to triglycerides and stores these triglycerides in your fat cells.   If you need energy between meals, your body can release some triglycerides from the fat cells to use for energy.   What do high triglyceride levels due to our health? High triglyceride levels in our blood can lead to several health issues including heart disease, stroke and even pancreatitis.   Why?   Too many triglycerides in our blood...

Last week we discussed 2 anti-aging supplements many people choose to take, calcium and collagen.   This week’s focus is on another anti-aging supplement that is popular, fish oil. Many commercials push fish oil supplements.   Consumer Reports offers some good guidance on supplements in their article   “7 Anti-Aging Supplements to Try”.      Fish Oil Why do so many people focus on fish oil supplements?   Because the omega-3 fatty acids in fish have so many health benefits: Heart Health:   Omega-3 fats can help lower total cholesterol, reduce triglyceride levels, lower blood pressure, and prevent the formation of plaques that can block arteries.   Brain Function:   NIH notes that omega-3 fatty acids “increases learning, memory, cognitive well-being, and blood flow in the brain.   Eye Health:   WebMD notes that “results from some early studies suggest that eating higher amounts of omega-3s could lower your chances of deve...