The Health Foods of Summer

Summer is the best season to get outside, hit the bike trails, and enjoy a glass of sangria at your favorite outdoor cafe. It’s also a great time of year to savor fresh fruits and vegetables. While it’s always smart to indulge in fresh tomatoes and watermelon at the local fruit stand, there are probably a few summertime treats you’re not including in your daily diet. Here are my recommendations.

Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranate juice is full of antioxidants. But, it also has a rich, syrupy taste that can turn people off, i.e. me. A great way to cut the syrupy taste and keep the health benefits, is to mix a few ounces of pomegranate juice with some sparkling water and a slice of lime. Add vodka to that glass and you’ve got a happy hour worth repeating!

Swiss Chard
Swiss chard tastes an awful lot like spinach and it’s in season from June to August. This long, leafy green, with a spray of red, white and yellow fanning leaves, is a bitter green packed with nutrients. It’s great cooked with a little olive oil and lemon. Swiss chard is fiber rich, and contains nutrients that have been linked with preventing digestive tract cancers. It also contains loads of vitamin A that may reduce your risk for developing cataracts.

Basil
Basil is unique not only because it tastes great with tomato sauce, Thai curry, and eggs, studies suggest it is antibacterial, flavonoid rich, it protects cells from free radicals and blocks inflammation.

Apples
An apple a day may not keep the doctor away, but it will give you a great dose of fiber, vitamin C, and it’s a great, low-calorie snack. The two types of fiber found in one apple reduces cholesterol and protects your body from heart attacks. Insoluble fiber attaches to LDL cholesterol during digestion and flushes it through your digestive system. Soluble fiber lowers LDL levels in the liver.
 
Summer Squash
Squash has cancer preventative affects, and studies suggest it may contribute to prostate health. Squash is rich in manganese and vitamin C, and it is a great tasting base for vegetarian soups and stews. When buying squash, look for a shiny outer layer, and a heavy weight.

The Return of the Family Dinner

Want your young daughters to stay off drugs? Encourage them to eat dinner at home.
A recent study, including 800 Minnesota school kids, examined the relationship between family dinners and alcohol and substance abuse in adolescence. The study found that young girls who routinely ate dinner at home, with their family, were less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol. Young boys, did not appear to be any more resistant to drugs and alcohol based on sit-down meals with family, but other positive affects were documented.

Girls who ate dinner with their families at least five times a week during middle school, according to a report published in the Star Tribune, were “much less likely to drink, smoke or use marijuana five years later.

Why the gender gap?
While family meals are a great way to bring families together and encourage connections, healthy eating and building close bonds, there is no real understanding why when it comes to alcohol and substance use, there seems to be a gender gap. Marla Eisenberg, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health explains that family meals are very valuable because they give parents a time to “check in” with their kids, “be role models,” and see if they are adapting any negative behaviors. Another key reason to bring back the family dinner is that studies suggest kid’s connecting with adults who are supportive and care about them is more “protective” than income or religion.

Healthy Eating
A third benefit to the family meal is health. Sitting down to a dinner cooked at home is a great way for parents to eat healthy, and insure their kid’s are too.

My Big, Fat Greek Pantry

There has been a lot said over the last decade about the virtues of eating a Mediterranean diet. Principally, research suggests that people who live in the region have lower rates of heart disease and improved longevity.

What does a Mediterranean diet look like?
Traditionally, Greek food relies heavily on fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. Foods are cooked in olive oil, and fish are favored on a daily basis over meat and poultry. Yogurt and cheese are sparse parts of the diet, used to flavor dips, and salads. Alcohol intakes is moderate and usually wine and ouzo, a anise flavored liqueur, the Greek national spirit, is favored over beer and other liquors.

Many studies, some involving tens of thousands of Greeks, between the ages 20 and 90, have determined that a Mediterranean diet is associated with improved cardiovascular health and lower rates of cancer. A Swedish study, from 2003, found that a Mediterranean diet can help control the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis. Though unsure exactly why a diet high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains and olive oil would benefit arthritis sufferers, researchers think it may have to do with Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and olive oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are "healthy" fat acids that may reduce inflammation. Also, fruits and vegetables contain a variety of nutrients and antioxidants that may also control inflammation and reduce damage to cells.  

Is a Mediterranean diet all about the food?
No medical expert would argue that eating fresh vegetables, whole grains, and a diet low in saturated fats is doing your body harm, but there may be an additional benefit to the Mediterranean way of eating, often overlooked by science. Culturally, meals are a time of languid celebration with family and friends. Traditional Greek meals are served late in the day, and can stretch on for hours. Men and women, especially from the Greek island of Crete, live to record ages, past one hundred.

What are these centenarians doing that we're not?
While researchers have focused on the nutrient benefit that comes from Mediterranean dining, Blue Zones takes a more holistic approach to health. A relaxed island lifestyle, social gatherings between friends, these events also contribute to longevity. It would seem there is more than a healthy diet at work when we talk about Mediterranean eating. Socializing and spending time with family and friends may also reduce inflammation and contribute to a long, healthy life, by reducing stress and fostering connections. And this is absolutely an ingredient you will find in a traditional Mediterranean diet.

I feel great! I must be...hungry?

Feeling hungry is not fun or pleasurable, (if you’re me), but it might make you happier.
When our bodies send out hunger signals, levels of a ghrelin, an appetite stimulating hormone, increase. According to a recent study, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, ghrelin’s staring roll may not be letting you know it’s time for a snack, but fighting stress.

The study
Using mice, researchers played with ghrelin levels by restricting calories and giving injections of the hormone that overtime made the mice numb to ghrelin’s appetite-rendering affects.

How did the mice feel?
Appetite aside, the dominating mood of the study was downright depressing! Mice with low levels of ghrelin activity were suicidal, (if pushed into deep water they didn’t try to swim), scared, (when they were put in a maze they hung by the entryway), and lonely, (they didn’t play with other mice).

Those mice could use a pick me up...
Interestingly, mice who showed symptoms of ghrelin-induced depression responded very well, (they perked right up), when they received anti-depressant medication.

Eggs, toast, and a side of ghrelin please...
Mice with high ghrelin levels swam like champs and took to the maze, searching eagerly for an exit. They socialized and were not afraid to explore new social environments.

Also...
Sleep studies have found that ghrelin levels increase between midnight and dawn in thin people. This may be caused by a flaw in the circadian system of obese individuals. A different sleep study, led by professor Cappuccio of the University of Warwick, found not getting enough rest may lead to obesity by increasing appetite (brought on by hormonal changes), during the day. While lack of ghrelin may cause depression, lack of sleep pumps more ghrelin into our systems which equals, “I’m hungry.” Constantly feeling hungry may also mean your body is creating less leptin, a hormone that plays a key role in regulating energy intake and energy expenditure, including appetite and metabolism.

The lesson here? It’s all about balance. Get a good nights rest and eat healthy to keep hormones, hunger, and mood swings in check.

The Benefits of Gardening

Most women in my family are blessed with a green thumb, most. I, on the other hand, can’t seem to keep a cactus alive. But now that I know the longevity benefits that come from cultivating the gardener in me, I’m going to attempt to turn this black thumb emerald green!

What are some of the health benefits that come from gardening?

• Stress reduction.
• Gardening is a great way to get physical exercise without really trying.
• It increases balance and flexibility.
• Gardening is good for spacial awareness, and it cultivates a nurturing attitude towards nature and the environment.
• Gardening gets you outside where you get the added benefit of sunshine and vitamin D.
• Free food! Yummy tomatoes, squash, basil, peas, oh my!

So where to turn if you lack the touch with mulch, seedlings, saps, plants and pods like me? I found a great website aptly titled Garden (it's the National Garden Association website). This is where I began my journey down the path of improving my plant cultivating skills. What did I learn?

For my edible garden I’ll be using these great tips:

• Tomatoes - Plant them about one foot apart so you can use a string of 7-watt outdoor Christmas tree lights to keep them warm at night. Huh...

• Limited space for your garden? Too much shade? - For people with “limited space and too much shade,” make raised garden boxes, two feet high, four feet long, and two feet wide. “Around the outer edge of the planter plant corn and beans. In the box plant tomatoes. The corn shades the tomatoes and the beans grow up the corn plants but don’t affect the corn's growth.”

• Organic fertilizer anyone? - After cooking vegetables in water, especially beets, let the water cool and add it to your lawn and garden. The nutrients in the water make a great fertilizer.

Is green tea really good for me?

There is a lot of hype about the benefits of drinking green tea, is any of it true? I’m a coffee devotee but if there are great reasons to trade in French Roast for fresh brewed, I want in. Here's what I've uncovered about the health benefits (and risks) inside that cup of yummy green tea...

Cancer
Research suggests that polyphenol content in green tea is rich in antioxidant properties that prevent cancer. But in 2005, the FDA concluded that green tea drinkers were not reducing their risk for gastric, lung, colon/rectal, esophageal, pancreatic, ovarian, and combined cancers, despite what some previous studies had suggested. The good news is, the FDA also found that green tea drinkers may be reducing their risk for breast and prostate cancer.

Hearts and Warts
In 2006, the FDA claimed that there is no “credible evidence” that supports green tea’s supposed ability to reduce instances of Cardiovascular Disease. Later that year, the FDA approved a topical ointment based on green tea used to treat warts.

Antioxidants
Also in 2006, researchers at Yale University School of Medicine reviewed over 100 studies on the health benefits of drinking green tea. They examined why in Asia rates of heart disease and cancer are low, despite high rates of cigarette smokers. Researchers hypothesized that 1.2 liters of green tea, consumed daily, might provide very high levels of polyphenols and other antioxidants that improve cardiovascular health and essentially counteract the negative affects associated with smoking.

Pregnancy
Drinking green tea in excess can cause oxidative stress and liver toxicity. Some suggest exercising caution when you brew, and pregnant women are advised by some doctors to avoid green tea all together.

So can it make me skinny?
Some green tea fans think drinking tea increases endurance while exercising and improves fat metabolism. But research that backs up this claim is spotty.

Smoother skin?
Studies also suggest that tea extracts might be effective for treating patients who “suffer from damaged skin following radiation treatment for cancer.” This might be because tea is high in anti-inflammatory properties.

Are you a green tea believer? Tell us why you love green tea!

Red, Red, Wine

Let me start by saying I don’t need a reason to drink wine. It’s delicious, it pairs nicely with food, chocolate, friends, but it’s good to know that if I ever need a little motivation, I’ve got ample reason to hit the bottle (in moderation, of course).

Red wine is sometimes understood as the secret behind why French people can eat three square meals consisting of baguette, brie, croque monsieur, beef bourguignon, and not gain a ounce or develop heart disease. Red wine has long been championed as a contributor to the ‘French Paradox’ because it is high in flavonoids, a type of polyphenol and a vital antioxidant.

What are polyphenols?
Polyphenols are antioxidants found in the skin and seeds of grapes. When wine is derived, the fermentation process dissolves the polyphenols in the skin and seeds right into the beverage of choice. Red wine contains higher levels of polyphenols than white wine because the skin is not removed at any stage in the grape crushing process. Because antioxidants may protect cells from the negative affects of free radicals, and because cellular damage may be a contributing factor in the development of cancer, upping antioxidant intake may be a key stage in preventing the development of certain cancers.

Res-what-a-who?
Another great reason to drink red wine is it contains Resveratrol, a compound which may limit tumor growth and potentially prevent cancer. According to lead cancer research, this substance, found also in peanuts and raspberries, is essentially a part of a plants "immune system" and acts as a defense against disease. This antioxidant substance may also reduce inflammation.

And those French fries?
The alcohol in wine is beneficial, along with the antioxidants, because studies suggest it may lower cholesterol absorption. Pour yourself a glass of Shiraz before you reach for that burger and those yummy pommes frites! When paired with fried food, wine may soften the calorie rich, cholesterol dent.

Want to learn more? Check out this Blue Zones article on Resveratrol.

NUTS! How they can increase longevity and reduce Cholesterol

One of the four Blue Zones originally highlighted was Loma Linda in California, home of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Part of the Adventists' belief is a strong emphasis on health and diet. They even had a large part to play in breakfast cereal becoming common daily consumption (John Harvey Kellogg was an eager health promoting Adventist).

However one food group in particular has been highlighted as a key aspect of a diet that helps Adventists live much longer than average Americans: Nuts. Almost 25% of Adventists eat nuts five or more times per week. Regular consumption of nuts is particularly helpful for those at risk or suffering from Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) caused by high levels of cholesterol.

Studies showed that Adventists who eat nuts five or more time per week had half the risk of CHD than those who ate once a week or less. These results repeated themselves no matter what other things were taken into account. Whether you're a smoker or not, fat or thin, hypertensive or normotensive, vegetarian or non vegetarian, eating nuts regularly will help you live longer no matter what condition you're body is in.

The reason behind this is that nuts have a high content of unsaturated fatty acids (the "good" fatty acid) and their regular consumption can reduce the levels of LDL cholesterol from 5% to 15%. Other advantages of nuts include healthy skin and hair, blood pressure control, immune response and blood clotting.

Increase Protein, Decrease Calorie can increase longevity by 50%

A new study has highlighted 11 proteins that can increase your longevity. The study by Adamo Valle of University of the Balearic Islands in Spain also shows that a 30 percent decrease in calorie consumption can increase longevity by an astonishing 30%-50%.

It's well known that women live longer than men but this new study has found that, in experiments with rats, the female animals who had been fed a calorie restricitve diet had higher levels of 11 proteins in their liver. These low-fat female rats were also the ones that lived the longest, tying the levels of the 11 proteins directly to longevity.

Read the article here.

FEATURE: Low-Impact Longevity

Ever wish you could live past 100 in the most sustainable, environmentally friendly way?
Ever lust for this while driving to work, talking on your cell phone, and drinking a vanilla latte from Starbucks? Maybe it’s time to stop wishing and start living, sustainably that is. A good place to start is to change your diet, that’s right, your diet, and learn how to consume less. What and how we eat has a huge affect on our longevity and the longevity of the planet. The golden rule is actually pretty simple: eat green.

Green, leafy, longevity!
A diet rich in leafy greens like romaine lettuce, kale, spinach and avocado is a healthy way to eat a low calorie, high fiber diet packed with monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidant substances.

Eat green close to home.
Buying local and organic leafy veggies is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint by supporting the sustainable farmers near you. Better yet, ride your bike to the nearest coop or farmers market, and the only emission you’ll be giving off is sweat and calories!

Give up the frappe and the quit the bottle!
We’ve all seen the commercials by now, the one with the water bottle on the desk? Some voice over says “one hour in a meeting, forever in a landfill?” Well it’s true. If you must, can it. Aluminum cans can be recycled very easily.

Get an organic-buzz on.
A full range of organic wines, beers and spirits are more readily available now than ever before. My organic drink of the week? Prairie Organic Vodka.
It's from Minnesota like me dontcha know, and it's gooooood...

Eat less
Okinawan centenarians remind themselves before every meal to eat until they are 80 percent full. Consuming less is an important factor for living a long healthy life. Preparing less food cuts down on packaging, transportation costs and emissions and waistlines. I know it’s hard but try this, eat meat half as much this week as you usually would, and eat at home more often. You’ll be increasing your nutrition count, and decreasing your carbon footprint one Boca burger and fresh green salad at a time!