In a recent national survey, Baby Boomers were asked which health conditions they feared most. Cancer topped the list, followed closely by Alzheimer’s Disease. And while there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s and many other forms of dementia, there are six lifestyle habits that can significantly cut your risk.

1. Stay Active - Physical exercise is essential for maintaining good blood flow to the brain as well as to promote new brain cells. It also can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes, and which are also risk factors for Alzheimer's and other dementias.

A recent study found that individuals with the highest levels of fitness during middle age were 36% less likely to develop dementia in their senior years.

2. Eat a Brain-Healthy Diet - Research suggests that high cholesterol may contribute to stroke and brain cell damage. A low fat, low cholesterol diet is advisable. And there is growing evidence that a diet rich in dark vegetables and fruits, which contain antioxidants, may help protect brain cells.

3. Stay Mentally Active - Engaging in mentally stimulating activities – like fixing a puzzle or learning a new skill or language – helps strengthen brain cells and the connections between them, and may even create new nerve cells.

4. Get a Good Night’s Sleep – Sleep disorders including insomnia and sleep apnea have been associated with memory loss and dementia. If you wake frequently or do not feel rested upon waking, you may need to have the problem evaluated by a sleep specialist.

5. Reduce Stress – Chronic stress has been linked to higher levels of damaging buildup of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and tau protein, which is seen in Alzheimer’s and in other forms of dementia.

A Swedish study found that the risk of dementia was about 65% higher in women who reported repeated periods of stress in middle age than in those who did not.

6. Be Social - Social activity not only makes physical and mental activity more enjoyable, it can reduce stress levels, which helps maintain healthy connections among brain cells.

For more on supporting your brain health, read:

• Key Nutrients Linked to Brain Health
• Physical Exercise May Trump Mental Exercise for Brain Health
• Memory Food: The Many Ways to Protect Your Brain

Sources:

MedPage Today

The Examiner

Alzheimer’s Association

The Journal of Neuroscience

American Scientist

With flu outbreaks reaching epidemic levels, many of us are heeding advice to get a flu shot (it’s not too late) and wash our hands frequently. But there’s another tactic you can employ: good nutrition. 

Eating a well-balanced, healthy diet ensures that you take in enough immune-supporting nutrients. Even a small nutritional deficiency can affect the body's ability to stay healthy, said Heather Mangieri, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Flu Fighters

So what foods help support your immune system? Mangieri suggests starting with these:

Protein is part of the body’s defense mechanism. Eat a variety of protein foods, including seafood, lean meat, poultry, eggs, beans and peas, soy products and unsalted nuts and seeds.

Vitamin A helps maintain your immune system and helps keep skin and tissues in your mouth, stomach, intestines and respiratory tract healthy. Get this immune-boosting vitamin from sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, spinach, red bell peppers, apricots, milk, eggs or foods labeled vitamin-A fortified, such as milk or cereal.

Vitamin C stimulates the formation of antibodies that support your immune system. Include more of this healthy vitamin in your diet with citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit and tangerines, or red bell pepper, papaya, strawberries, tomato juice or foods fortified with vitamin C, such as some cereals.

Vitamin E works as an antioxidant to neutralize free radicals and promote immune function. Include vitamin E in your diet with fortified foods, sunflower seeds, almonds, sunflower or safflower oil, hazelnuts, peanut butter or spinach.

Zinc helps the immune system work properly and may help wounds heal. Zinc can be found in lean beef, wheat germ, crab, wheat bran, sunflower seeds, black-eyed peas, almonds, milk and tofu.

Other nutrients including vitamin B6, folate, selenium, iron and copper, as well as prebiotics and probiotics, may influence immune response also. Fortified cereals and whole grains are a good source of these B vitamins and minerals. Yogurt, kefir and buttermilk are good sources of prebiotics and probiotics.

"A strong immune system doesn't guarantee your body can fight off every flu bug, but it is a powerful defense," said Mangieri. "Good nutrition is essential to a strong immune response."

Source:

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 

Let’s face it, many food labels can be misleading. They can lead us to believe that a product contains (or doesn’t contain) something when that’s not really the case, or labels may not tell the whole story. While touting “I’m a good healthy choice” on one count, closer inspection reveals the product fails to deliver on others—like too much added sugar, salt, or saturated fats.

Take the term “whole grain” for example; a study by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) reviewed five different industry and government guidelines for classifying foods as whole grain:

• The Whole Grain Stamp, a packaging symbol for products containing at least 8 g of whole grains per serving. (created by the Whole Grain Council, a non-governmental organization supported by industry dues.)
• Any whole grain as the first listed ingredient. (as defined by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s MyPlate and the Food and Drug Administration’s Consumer Health Information guide)
• Any whole grain as the first ingredient without added sugars in the first three ingredients (also the standard used by USDA’s MyPlate)
• The word “whole” before any grain anywhere in the ingredient list (recommended by USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010)
• The “10:1 ratio,” a ratio of total carbohydrate to fiber of less than 10 to 1, which is approximately the ratio of carbohydrate to fiber in whole wheat flour (recommended by the American Heart Association’s 2020 Goals)

Then the researchers analyzed the nutritional content of 545 grain products (breads, bagels, English muffins, cereals, crackers, cereal bars, granola bars and chips.)

As it turned out, products with the Whole Grain Stamp were higher in fiber and lower in trans fats, but also contained more sugar and calories compared to products that didn’t bear the stamp.

If you had followed any of the three USDA criteria for identifying a healthy grain product, your results would be mixed.

The American Heart Association’s standard based on a 10:1 ratio of carbohydrates to fiber proved to be the best indicator of overall healthfulness. Products meeting this ratio were higher in fiber and lower in trans fats, sugar, and sodium, without higher calories than products that did not meet the ratio.

The Takeaway

This study underscores a few important tips that can help you make healthy food choices:

• Choose whole foods instead of processed foods.
• If purchasing processed foods, choose the one made from whole ingredients without additives (preservatives, dyes, artificial flavors, etc.)
• Scan the “Nutrition Facts” box and ingredients list. Choose a product:
  • without added sugars
  • no trans fats (hydrogenated oils) and little or no fat overall
  • low sodium
  • fewest/no additives

We cover these tips and more in greater detail in our guide, Fooled by Food Labels: 9 Deceptive Claims to Watch Out For.

Source:

Harvard University

Researchers know that certain nutrients and other chemical compounds in our diet are essential to brain function. When we don’t get enough of these key nutrients, such as vitamin B12 and iron it can lead to impaired cognitive function. In fact, when we don’t eat right, including skipping meals or not eating a balanced diet, the first place we feel it is in our ability to think clearly.

So, careful attention to diet is key to supporting every facet of brain health--from thinking and reasoning, to focus and memory.

Brain Food

Based on current research we’ve put together a “shopping list” of nutrients in foods and supplements that support optimal brain health.

Antioxidants – Antioxidants help block oxidative damage caused be free radicals which can damage cells throughout the body—including your brain. Some believe oxidative damage may contribute to the aging process.

Among the most beneficial antioxidants are vitamin A, C and E as well as plant-based antioxidant compounds such as those found in brightly-colored fruits and vegetables. On the color wheel, the purple-blue-red-orange spectrum is home to the most antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin A -- good sources of this vitamin include sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, beef liver and spinach.

Vitamin C – high amounts are found in citrus fruits, berries, melons, tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.

Vitamin E – include almonds, sunflower seeds, and peanut butter in your diet to be sure you are getting enough vitamin E.

Vitamin D -- Vitamin D receptors are found throughout the brain and especially in the hippocampus. Low vitamin D levels have been linked to poor memory and cognitive function.

There are two sources of vitamin D:  sun exposure and foods or supplements. Your body makes vitamin D when exposed to the sun, and some foods are fortified with vitamin D including milk and cereal. Still, as many as 70% of us are deficient in this important nutrient.

Essential Fatty Acids – Studies have found that Omega-3 fatty acids support mental clarity, concentration, and focus. Foods containing Omega-3 fatty acids include cold-water fish (bluefish, herring, mackerel, rainbow trout, salmon, sardines, tuna, and whitefish).

B-Vitamins – B vitamins, such as folate, Vitamin B6 and B12, support cardiovascular function which in turn supports brain health by maintaining a good flow of oxygen to the brain. B12 deficiency, which is common in older adults due to inadequate digestion, is associated with reasoning and memory problems.

B6 plays an important role in blood sugar metabolism which helps ensure a steady supply of energy to the brain in the form of glucose. B6 also directly supports the nervous system as it is needed to synthesize several neurotransmitters including dopamine, norepinephrine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Folate can be found in leafy green vegetables, broccoli, beans, orange juice and avocados.

Good sources of B-12 are animal products such as salmon, beef, milk, yogurt and cheese. B12 may be added (fortified) in other foods such as soy milk and cereals.  

B6 is found primarily in poultry, pork, beef and seafood and in smaller amounts in legumes such as black beans, leafy green vegetables, nuts, and whole grains.

Mulitvitamins – A number of recent studies have linked vitamin supplements (A, C, D, E and some B vitamins) as well as multivitamins and fish oil supplements to promoting brain function including cognition, mental alertness, focus and memory.

Sources:

Psychology Today

WebMD

USDA - Agricultural Research Service

Office of Dietary Supplements

University of Maryland Medical Center

Linus Pauling Institute

NutraIngredients

Rather than take sides on the issue of which is better for our children--organic versus conventionally grown food--the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) opted to lay out the pros and cons of organic foods in their recently released report, “Organic Foods: Health and Environmental Advantages and Disadvantages.”

The AAP described the report as an extensive analysis of scientific evidence surrounding organic produce, dairy products and meat. However, the conclusion is mixed: they praise the many benefits of organic foods, but they express concern that the higher cost may cause parents to provide fewer fruits and vegetables for their children.

Here are the highlights of their analysis and guidance for parents and pediatricians.

Advantages of Organic Foods:

• Organic foods have the same vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins, lipids and other nutrients as conventional foods. (Some studies found that organic vegetables may have higher nutritional value but the AAP did not deem the increase to be significant or did not consider the studies well designed.)
• Organic produce has lower pesticide levels, which may be especially significant for children. While the lifetime risk of exposure is still unclear, one of the report authors Joel Forman, MD, FAAP stated, …”we do know that children – especially young children whose brains are developing – are uniquely vulnerable to chemical exposures.”
• Purchasing meat from organic farms that do not use antibiotics for nontherapeutic uses has the potential to reduce antibiotic resistance in bacteria that infect people.
• When you choose organic produce, meat and dairy products there are environmental benefits including less pollution and reduced impact on global climate change.

Disadvantages of Organics:

• Currently organic foods can cost 10-40% more than conventional foods. However that cost is expected to decline over time as more large scale organic farms are in operation and optimized.

Bottom Line for Parents:

The AAP had this advice for parents and caregivers: “What’s most important is that children eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products, whether those are conventional or organic foods. This type of diet has proven health benefits,” said Janet Silverstein, MD, FAAP, a member of the AAP Committee on Nutrition and one of the lead authors of the report.

“Many families have a limited food budget, and we do not want families to choose to consume smaller amounts of more expensive organic foods and thus reduce their overall intake of healthy foods like produce.”

If cost is a factor, they say that families can be selective in choosing organic foods. Some conventionally grown fruits and vegetables tend to have lower pesticide residues. The AAP cites organic shopper’s guides like those provided by Consumer Reports and the Environmental Working Group as references for consumers.

Sources:

American Association of Pediatrics

With all the concern about childhood obesity there’s some good news to report in survey data that indicates children and adolescents are drinking less soda. But what they are drinking (or not drinking) instead of soda may be cause for concern.

The new data describes trends in what kids have been drinking in the last decade. First the good news:

• The percentage of kids age 6-12 who drink soda fell from 55% to 45%
• For teens 13-17 years old, the percentage of soda drinkers dropped from 67% to 53%

Because most soda contains little or no nutritional value, drinking less will help cut calories from sugar and reduce the amount of acidic drinks that can damage teeth.

Juice: Too Much of a Good Thing?

Trends in juice consumption are not as clear-cut. Until recently, the consumption of 100% fruit juice was rising steadily among all age groups. Now the trend is reversing in teenagers who are turning to other beverages like sports drinks, energy drinks, coffee and tea.

Young children and toddlers are still chugging juice but many pediatricians believe they may be drinking too much juice. The American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for fruit juice are:

• 0-6 months: no juice
• 6 months-1 year: 1-3 oz
• 1-6 years: 4-6 oz
• 6-18 years: 8-12 oz

The concern with juice is the high amount of sugar—including naturally occurring sugars. Too much sugar is associated with many health problems including obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Fruit juice is often missing some of the nutrients and fiber that whole fruit contains.  For this reason, many health experts recommend whole fruit over juice to gain all of the potential benefits of fruit.

Got Milk?

On the down side, the survey data shows a steady decline in milk consumption. For example:

• Among children age 6-12 only 73% drink milk, down from 90%
• For teenagers the numbers are much worse. The number of milk-drinking teenagers dropped from just over 75% down to 57%.
• Also sliding is the amount of milk that kids are drinking when they do choose milk. (between 4 and 5 ounces less per day)

In drinking less milk kids are missing out on many important nutrients necessary for growth and health maintenance like calcium, vitamin D and potassium. These nutrients are needed for healthy bones and muscles and a strong immune system.

Drinking less milk would not be a problem if what kids drank instead of milk provided these nutrients, but that’s not the case.

Functional Beverages

Another growing trend in the drink category is the popularity of a new class of drinks called “functional beverages.” Popular with kids and adults, these drinks are often marketed as healthy alternatives to soda, but are they really better? Find out which drinks make the grade and which ones miss the mark with our review, Functional Drinks Exposed.

Sources:

Food Navigator

American Academy of Pediatrics

If you are looking for more ways to improve your health through better nutrition—including supplements—two new smart phone apps may help you reach your goals.

WannaBeWell

This app developed by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) is part of its “Life Supplemented” wellness campaign.

The campaign offers tools and resources to live a balanced lifestyle within the "three pillars of health" - healthy diet, supplements and exercise.

The WannaBeWell mobile application provides a comprehensive wellness resource to educate, activate and motivate those looking to live a healthier life.

Its highly customizable features include:

• An animated wellness coach
• Programmable reminders
• A health “scorecard” to track your progress
• Social media connections to share your journey
• Library of wellness information
• A “trophy case” for your wellness “wins”
• Tips for diet, supplements, exercise

The WannaBeWell app is available for iphone and ipad on the app store.

MyDS

While there are thousands of apps under the general category of health and wellness, MyDS--which stands for my dietary supplements--may be the only app focused solely on dietary supplements.

Developed by the National Institutes of Health - Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), MyDS provides tools to research and track the supplements that you and other family members take.

With the ability to create multiple “profiles” you can keep track of the supplements you use as well as lists of supplements that other family members take. This feature is especially helpful for caregivers of the elderly, who use more dietary supplements than any other age group.

Having this information with you comes in handy while visiting health care providers or shopping for supplements. Within MyDS, you also have the ability to email your list of dietary supplements to yourself or a health care provider, so it can be printed for their records.

MyDS also includes accurate and up-to-date consumer-focused fact sheets about dietary supplements, developed by the Office of Dietary Supplements.

MyDS is a web-based mobile application that is accessible through a device’s Web browser by going to https://myds.nih.gov.  It is device agnostic and will work on all major platforms including the Apple iPhone and iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, and Blackberry touch devices. It will also work on desktop/laptop computers with the Chrome and Safari browsers.

For a list of other top-rated health and wellness apps, read our review, 21 Best Online Tools and Apps to Manage Your Health.

Sources:

Life Supplemented

Office of Dietary Supplements

Sometimes grocery shopping can feel like the game show Let’s Make a Deal--especially when it comes to choosing the most nutritious fresh fruits. Since they rarely come with nutrition labels, it’s like trying to select the best prize from behind door number 1, 2, or 3. How are you supposed to decide which option is the best without knowing what’s inside?

Luckily, with a little research and fancy math, (combining USDA cost data and Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) ratings) you can pick the most nutritious fruits for your grocery dollar.

Based on these calculations, here are the top picks in the fruit category: (drum roll please)

1. Watermelon – Provides vitamins C and A plus the antioxidant lycopene.
2. Plums – A good source of fiber as well as vitamins C and A.
3. Oranges – Chock full of natural antioxidant flavonoids and vitamin C.
4. Apples – Provide fiber and beneficial compounds like quercetin.
5. Strawberries – Naturally loaded with potassium, vitamin C, folate, flavonoids and fiber.
6. Cantaloupe – These melons contain important minerals like potassium, iron, calcium as well as vitamins A and C.
7. Grapefruit – Contains vitamins A and C as well as potassium and folate.
8. Bananas – A favorite of athletes everywhere, bananas provide vitamin B6, fiber and potassium.
9. Tomatoes – Packed with the antioxidants beta-carotene and lycopene.
10. Kiwi – These little gems contain vitamin C and K plus potassium.

If you’re looking for more affordable, nutritious food options, try this list of Foods that Deliver the Biggest Nutritional Bang for the Buck.

Source:

New Hope 360

Women are often the primary caregivers for their families and, as a result, they often put the needs of their spouses, children, and parents before their own.

With National Women’s Health Week, (May 13-19) upon us, we want to encourage women to take care of their own health and wellness. This includes:

• Getting regular health checkups and preventive screenings
• Being physically active
• Eating healthy
• Paying attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress
• Avoiding unhealthy behaviors such as smoking

That said, we know that saying “put yourself first” and doing so are two very different things. Women have some natural tendencies that, like a double-edged sword, can work for or against them.

• Women are hard-wired to nurture others.
• They have a tendency to feel responsible for those around them.
• Women tend to be “people-pleasers.” This isn’t always a bad thing. But it can lead to over-commitment. For example, when a friend asks a favor, women may have a hard time saying no--even when it’s in their best interest. The reason? Women often say, "I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or make them mad at me."
• To make matters worse, many women define their self worth by their ability to please others.
• Some women also have a little of the martyr complex. These women might tell themselves, “I'll be neglecting the kids,” or “Things will fall apart at home if I'm not there."

Taken together, these factors can lead women to feel over-whelmed and stressed out—or worse--depressed, unworthy, and inadequate.

Initiating Change

No matter what the underlying psychological reasons, women have to recognize that they must take care of themselves first or not only will they suffer, it’s very likely that it will have a ripple effect in the health of the entire family. National health statistics and medical studies bear this out. For example:

• Currently 36% of women 20 and over are obese. If one parent is obese, there is a 50% chance that their children will also be obese. When both parents are obese, their children have an 80% chance of being obese.
• Only 42% of women 18 years of age and older meet the federal physical activity guidelines for physical activity. Studies have found that parent’s inactivity is a strong predictor of their child’s inactivity.
• Similarly, children mimic the eating habits of their parents. Children are less likely to consume soft drinks, junk food if those foods are not regularly consumed at home.  

Bottom Line: When you take care of yourself first, you are also taking care of those closest to you.

For more information about  keeping your health in check no matter what your age, read our latest newsletter, Women: Go-to Guidelines to Take Charge of Your Health at Any Age.

Sources:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Forbes

Centers for Disease Control

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

PubMed

A new study of women in China found that those who consumed the most cruciferous vegetables were 63 percent less likely to die of breast cancer and 35 percent less likely to experience a recurrence of the disease, than those who ate the least.

Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, mustard greens, collard greens, kale and arugula.

This study involved almost 5,000 women between 20 and 75 years old who were part of the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study. Researchers interviewed the women within six months of their diagnosis to record information about their diet, lifestyle and tumor stage. They also asked about their intake of cruciferous vegetables at 18 and 36 months after their diagnosis. On average, the women in the new study ate about 3 1/2 ounces a day of cruciferous vegetables.

Previous studies conducted in China, the United States and Sweden suggested that higher cruciferous vegetable intake could be linked with reduced risk of developing breast cancer, but the current research is among the first to examine women after a breast cancer diagnosis.

More Benefits

In addition to finding a reduced risk of dying of breast cancer or having it return, the researchers also found that women in the top quarter for cruciferous veggie consumption were 62 percent less likely to die of any cause than those in the bottom 25 percent. This supports previous research in which the same researchers found a link between cruciferous vegetable consumption and fewer deaths and less heart disease among healthy Chinese adults, suggesting that they may promote overall health.

Cruciferous vegetables are just one food proven to help prevent cancer, there’s four more in this article highlighting the Five All-Star Foods to Help Prevent Cancer.

Source:

Health Finder

Health guru, Dr. Mehmet Oz says it’s possible to get all the nutrients your body needs by eating a balanced diet—if you’re careful. But in his experience he often finds that many of us may not be getting enough of these five important nutrients.

Vitamin B 12

Vitamin B12 plays many essential roles in our bodies that help us feel good, look good and think clearly:

• B12 is necessary for the manufacture of red blood cells.
• It is needed for DNA to replicate normally--a process that leads to the creation healthy new cells.
• B12 supports brain and nerve health and function.
• A B12 deficiency can cause anemia, fatigue, dizziness and irritability.

To make sure you’re getting enough B12 in your diet, eat foods that contain high amounts of B12 including: sardines, salmon, and beef.

Dietary Fiber

It can be difficult to get the recommended 25-35 grams of fiber daily. But doing so can yield many health benefits:

• Fiber helps you feel full longer and therefore may support weight management
• It supports cardiovascular health
• Fiber promotes blood sugar balance
• Dietary fiber promotes regularity and detoxification

Good sources of dietary fiber include: whole grain bread or pasta, oatmeal, apples, or beans.

Calcium

Most Americans--young and old--are not getting enough calcium. Calcium is not only important for healthy bones, it is vital for healthy blood vessels, muscle contractions and nerve signal transmission.

Good sources of calcium include milk and fortified orange juice. Both contain about 500 milligrams of calcium in an 8 oz glass. Dr. Oz recommends that adults get at least 1,000 – 1,300 mg of calcium a day plus 600 milligrams of magnesium per day to help your body absorb calcium.

Vitamin D

Like calcium, vitamin D is necessary for bone health, but it also supports your immune system and inflammatory balance.

Milk and some dairy products are fortified with vitamin D. Other sources include fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, as well as beef and egg yolks. Your body can also create vitamin D from exposure to sunlight.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Next on Dr. Oz’ list of nutrients we may be missing are omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are now the most popular dietary supplement on the market and among the top doctor recommended supplements for overall good health. Omega-3 fatty acids:

• Promote cardiovascular health
• Support inflammatory balance
• Promote joint flexibility and comfort
• DHA in fish oil promotes brain health, memory and cognitive function

Good sources of omega-3s are cod, salmon, scallops and shrimp. If you don’t care for the taste of fish, other omega-3 sources include walnuts, flax seeds and soybeans.

Plan B

Of these five nutrients, Dr. Oz says some--particularly fiber and omega-3s--are more difficult than others to obtain from your diet. That’s where you may need to go to your “back-up plan” and take dietary supplements to fill-in nutritional gaps. Just be sure you choose a supplement brand that is professionally formulated and held to the highest standards for purity, potency and authenticity through extensive quality testing.

All supplements are not the same. Learn why quality differs among supplement brands.

Sources:

Yahoo Health

When you think about it, honey is really amazing - from how it’s made to its many healthful benefits. In honor of National Honey Month, we’re spotlighting the many ways honey makes us feel (and look) great!

There’s a lot of truth in the expression, “busy as a bee.” A single hive of about 60,000 bees may travel as much as 55,000 miles and visit more than two million flowers to gather enough nectar to make just a pound of honey. And at the same time, they pollinate 80% of our agricultural crops that put food on our table!

The color and flavor of honey differ depending on the bees’ nectar source. In fact, there are more than 300 unique kinds of honey in the United States, originating from diverse floral sources such as clover, eucalyptus and orange blossoms. In general, lighter colored honeys are mild in flavor, while darker honeys are usually more robust in flavor.

Beneficial Compounds in Honey

Honey is composed primarily of carbohydrates (natural sugars) and water, as well as trace enzymes, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. A tablespoon of honey provides 17 grams of carbohydrates and 64 calories. Honey also contains a variety of flavonoids and phenolic acids, which act as antioxidants, scavenging and eliminating free radicals. Generally, darker honeys have higher antioxidant content than lighter honeys.

From a medicinal standpoint, the therapeutic value of honey has been documented since ancient times and folk remedies for honey for everything from sore throats to stomach aches still abound. About 45 years ago, medical researchers began investigating the healing properties of honey and today, medical grade honey preparations are used in mainstream medicine.

Researchers found that some of the chemicals in honey kill certain bacteria and fungus. The antibacterial activity of honey has been attributed to its high concentration of active compounds, acidity and hydrogen peroxide content. A particular type of honey called manuka honey has attracted attention because its antibacterial activity is not only attributable to the hydrogen peroxide content, but is also due to specific plant-derived components (from manuka blossoms).

Medical grade manuka honey is principally used as a wound dressing as it fights infection, reduces swelling, removes damaged tissue and promotes rapid healing. It works against some of the most pathogenic bacteria in infected wounds including:  E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium and Streptococcus pyogenes. In 1992, the research team at Waikato Hospital in New Zealand found that manuka honey was effective against all laboratory tested strains of MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus). Ten years later, this research was repeated in humans and found that MRSA infected wounds were particularly sensitive to honey dressings.

Other research has explored the use of manuka and other varieties of honey for treating many other ailments including sore throat, diarrhea, gingivitis, stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, sinusitis, eye infections and acne with some promising results.

Honey Beauty Treatments

The use of honey as a beauty aid has been around for ages. It has been said that Cleopatra bathed in it and the wife of the Roman Emperor Nero used honey for a face cream to maintain her youthful appearance. As it turns out, these women weren’t wasting perfectly good honey.

Honey is natural humectant that acts as a moisturizer by absorbing water from the air. Together with its antimicrobial properties, this makes honey the perfect natural skin and hair treatment.

You can save yourself a trip to the salon and enjoy one of these ancient beauty treatments at home with these honey facial recipes. If you have sensitive skin, you may want to test the mixture on a small area of your face, rise off after the recommended time and then wait 24 hours before applying to your entire face.

Cleansing Scrub

Try a cleansing scrub to remove dead skin cells and get an over-all smooth feel. Mix 2 tbsp. honey with 4 tbsp. of finely ground almonds, adding 1 tsp. lemon juice. Rub this gently onto your face and body. Rinse with warm water and towel dry. This mixture will exfoliate your skin and restore moisture.

Moisture Mask

Mix 2 tbsp. honey with 2 tsp. milk or yogurt. Smooth this mixture on your face and throat, leaving it on for 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Sources:

National Honey Board

WebMD

Livestrong

Linus Pauling Institute

Livestrong

New data on the nutrient intakes of Americans reveals that between 34 and 70% have insufficient intakes of magnesium, calcium, and vitamins A, C, D and E. However, if it weren’t for fortified foods and supplements, these percentages would be higher and the list of nutrients lacking in our diets would be much longer say researchers.

The researchers used the National Cancer Institute method to assess intakes of 19 micronutrients in 7,250 American children (aged from 2 to 18) and 8,860 adults. The study also examined the sources of these nutrients to determine the relative impact of natural foods, fortified foods and supplements in meeting our nutritional needs.

Compared with intakes from natural foods alone, enrichment and/or fortification dramatically improved intakes of several key nutrients, including vitamins A, C, and D, thiamin, iron, and folate. With the addition of dietary supplements, intakes of magnesium and vitamins A, C, and E were further increased.

More than 90% of us are getting enough of some nutrients. Among those who obtained their nutrients through natural and fortified foods as well as supplements, less than 10% were below recommended amounts of vitamin B6, folate, zinc, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B12, phosphorus, iron, copper, and selenium.

The bottom line: without enrichment and/or fortification and supplementation, many Americans would not be meeting their recommended micronutrient intake levels. It’s not surprising that the number of doctors recommending their patients take supplements continues to rise.

Source:

The Journal of Nutrition

As most of the country bakes under a heat dome of record-setting temperatures, there’s one cool, refreshing treat that can help your body stay healthy and hydrated—watermelons. Since it's watermelon season, we thought we’d share a few fun facts about this so-called “fruit” that’s actually a vegetable.

Nutrition Facts

• One cup of watermelon provides 18% of your Recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin A,  21% of Vitamin C and only 46 calories.
• The same one cup serving also provide small amounts (1-3% of RDAs) of the vitamins: Thiamin, Riboflavin, Nicin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid and (1-5% of RDAs) of these minerals: calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium.
• Watermelon contains more lycopene—a powerful antioxidant-- than any other fresh fruit or vegetable. Lycopene is also the pigment that gives watermelon its bright red color.
• Since watermelon is about 92% water, it helps keep you hydrated on a hot day.

Fun Facts

• Did you know that watermelons were originally round? This posed a problem in transport and marketing as they were difficult to stack. Early watermelons were also more susceptible to some plant diseases. So, through selective breeding a new variety of watermelon dubbed the “Charleston Gray” was developed that was oval (stackable) and more disease resistant.
• Today, there are now over 1,200 varieties of watermelon grown worldwide.
• The largest watermelon ever grown weighed over 260 pounds.
• The longest flight of a watermelon seed propelled by human air-filled lungs is 68 feet 9 and 1/8 which was set aloft by Lee Wheelis in Luling, Texas in 1989.

Cool Recipe
Watermelon Pomegranate Green Tea
Ingredients
4 cups watermelon puree
2 cups pomegranate juice
4 cups strong prepared and chilled Green tea
1 cup white grape juice
1 serving ice

Instructions

Mix ingredients together in a large container (except ice) and chill well. Stir before serving and serve over ice.
Servings
Makes about 6 to 8 servings.

Sources:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

National Watermelon Board

Nutrition Data

On the surface, nutritional information about the foods we buy at the neighborhood grocery store certainly appears to be plentiful, handy and easy to read on the outsides and insides of packages. If you read our recent Fooled By Food Labels feature, however, what information isn't included on a food label may be plenty harmful to your health, almost as if you never took the time to read it at all.

Case in point: A recent survey in The Organic & Non-GMO Report that polled several food manufacturers about their use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in cereals they market as natural products.

Three manufacturers cited in the report -- Peace Cereals, Annie's Homegrown and Barbara's Bakery -- are currently in the process of having their cereals analyzed and certified by the Non-GMO Project. (This non-profit organization began building listings of products that passed its non-GMO verification program some three years ago.)

Two companies passed on making comments altogether and four more very popular brands, including Quaker Oats and Kashi owned by Kellogg's -- a charter member of Big Food's Smart Choices Program -- reported their products contained GMO ingredients.

Of course, this knowledge may not be surprising, but it should concern you…

The Organic & Non-GMO Report March 1, 2011