Category Archives: Health

Green Tea

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There are several health benefits of drinking green tea.  Green tea is considered by many to be the ultimate “anti-aging beverage.”

In Okinawa, Japan — one of the world’s “Blue Zones” that’s associated with longevity —drinking green tea daily is considered “essential.” A popular practice is sipping on a combination of steeped green tea leaves, jasmine flowers and a bit of turmeric (turmeric tea) throughout the day.

According to dozens of studies, green tea is considered one of the top healthy drinks. Regularly drinking this tea may reduce your risk of developing heart disease or Alzheimer’s, help you maintain better bone mineral density, ward off eye diseases that affect vision in older age, prevent strokes, and even extend your life.

What Is Green Tea?

Green, black and oolong teas come from the Camellia sinensis plant.

Green tea consists of leaves that haven’t been fermented so they contain the highest level of antioxidants. For example, flavonoid antioxidants account for about 30 percent of the dry weight of green tea leaves.

Some of the antioxidants and healing compounds found in green tea include polyphenols, catechins and various other types of flavonoids — the same anti-aging compounds found in things like red wine, blueberries and dark chocolate. Despite that it does contain small amounts of caffeine, green tea consumption has been associated with more health benefits than even many of the healthiest foods available to us.

Most experts recommend drinking about three to four cups per day for the most anti-aging benefits of green tea. But, even drinking one to two cups is a step in the right direction. There are some ways to spice up your green tea.

The standard way to brew green tea:

Place your tea bag or high-quality tea leaves (purchase organic from a reputable company for the best tea) in your teapot.

Heat or boil water, but don’t let it completely boil and become too hot, as this can destroy some of the delicate compounds found in green tea leaves. The “ideal” temperature for brewing green tea is between 160 degrees Fahrenheit to 180 degrees F (traditionally standard Chinese green teas brew at a slightly higher temperatures).

Pour hot water into the teapot to steep the leaves for only about 1–3 minutes. Larger leaves need more time to steep than finer, smaller leaves. At this point you can also add any fresh herbs you plan on steeping.

Once brewed, pour a little tea at a time into each cup in order to have the tea’s strength be evenly distributed. At this point, you can add some lemon juice or raw honey as the finishing touch.

Novak Djokovic

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In 2010, Novak Djokovic was a Serbian struggling tennis player because a hidden enemy was destroying him from within. One that no amount of training could beat.

His body was falling apart:

• Respiratory issues since childhood
• Allergies getting stronger yearly
• Constant exhaustion
• Mid-match collapses

Even surgery couldn’t fix his breathing.

Growing up in Belgrade meant bakeries on every corner.

– Fresh bread with every meal.
– Pizza as celebrated as life itself.
– Each meal is a family tradition.

Each mouthful was sabotaging his destiny.

Then, with one diet change… he won 3 out of 4 Grand Slam titles and became world No. 1 the following year.

Dr. Igor Tretojevich determined, through his holistic approach, Novak’s Serbian diet was poisoning him and body was at war with:

• Gluten – hiding in his beloved bread
• Dairy – in every traditional dish
• Refined sugar – fueling his exhaustion

The solution was to burn it all down resulting in him he losing eleven pounds (5 kilos). As a result, Novak felt something extraordinary:

• For the first time since childhood, he could breathe freely.
• His mind cleared.
• His energy soared.

He wasn’t just changing his diet…he chat his life.

His new diet became the blueprint for peak performance:

• No gluten, dairy or refined sugar
• Whole foods
• Strategic meal timing
• Light mornings, power-packed evenings

His new diet became the blueprint for peak performance:

• No gluten, dairy or refined sugar
• Whole foods
• Strategic meal timing
• Light mornings, power-packed evenings

The transformation broke records:

• World #1 ranking
• 3 Grand Slam titles
• 41-match winning streak
• 10 tournament victories

All from one diet change.

https://x.com/craigbrockie/status/1893663518446285287?s=46&t=mF_tsrQnjgviyl62GYfJjw

Dark Chocolate Health Benefits

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Dark chocolate containing 80 percent cacao or higher is packed with nutrients that can strengthen your body’s defense systems and positively affect your overall health. It is so outstanding, many consider it a superfood containing surprising health benefits.

Dark Chocolate is Heart Healthy

Epidemiologists have long-established a connection between consuming foods with flavanols—a potent antioxidant found in dark chocolate—and a lower incidence of death from cardiovascular disease.

Increases Good Gut Bacteria While Controlling the Bad

Researchers from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom studied specific bacteria affected by chocolate consumption by giving 22 healthy volunteers a beverage containing high-cocoa flavanols for four weeks. They found that this drink strikingly improved the ratio of good to harmful bacteria. There was an increase of beneficial Lactobacillus (by 17.5 times) and Bifidobacteria (by 3.6 times), and there was a decrease in harmful Clostridium histolyticum (by 2 times), a bacteria best known for causing gangrene.

Reduces Stress

For stressed-out individuals, eating dark chocolate can reduce biomarkers of anxiety and stress in the body. Researchers at the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research designed a study that tested the effects of dark chocolate consumption on high-anxiety subjects. Participants received a medium-sized commercially available chocolate bar (Noir Intense, 74 percent dark) to eat every day. After two weeks, researchers found that levels of the stress markers cortisol and adrenaline had substantially decreased in their urine.

Dark Chocolate is Antiangiogenic

Scientists at the University of California at Davis have shownthat bioactives called procyanidins in cocoa have potent antiangiogenic effects through their ability to stop the signals activating blood vessel cells. Research my group has conducted on cocoa powder showed that not all chocolate is the same. When we studied the antiangiogenic effect of cocoa from two different powder suppliers, one of the samples had twice the potency of the other.

Stem Cell-Recruiting Food

With the help of over 750,000 stem cells, your body regenerates itself each and every day. Dark chocolate can mobilize your stem cells to carry out their job to the fullest. At the University of California, San Francisco, researchers found that participants who received a chocolate drink made with cocoa twice a day for thirty days had twice as many stem cells in their circulation as their control group.

Consumption of Dark Chocolate May Lower Diabetes Risk

As a sweet, chocolate is a confection containing saturated fat and processed sugar, two ingredients that are not healthy. But dark chocolate with high amounts of cocoa solids provides antioxidants, which mobilize stem cells, aid in blood sugar control, and reduce inflammation—all contributing to a reduced risk of diabetes.

Dark Chocolate Provides DNA Protection

DNA is your personal genetic blueprint that guides every aspect of your health. Yet, DNA is quite fragile and is the target of ferocious attacks throughout your life. Antioxidant compounds found in dark chocolate—like flavanols and other polyphenols—have been discovered to support DNA repair and strengthen your body’s regenerating abilities.

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The health benefits of dark chocolate are both impressive and exciting. But you must choose wisely—not all commercially available chocolate is nutrient-dense.

Source:  https://drwilliamli.com/7-pleasantly-surprising-health-benefits-of-dark-chocolate/

Brain Health

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About 40% of individuals aged 55 and older will develop dementia in their lifetime, and this risk increases to 50% for those aged 85 and older.

These statistics highlight the importance of taking steps to maintain brain health as you age.

Here are some effective ways to reduce the risk of dementia:

1. Stay Physically Active: Regular exercise can improve blood flow to the brain and reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
2. Maintain a Healthy Diet: Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can support brain health. Foods high in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids are particularly beneficial.
3. Keep Learning: Engaging in mentally stimulating activities, such as puzzles, reading, or learning a new skill, can help keep your brain active and reduce the risk of dementia. Learning a foreign language appears to have the greatest benefits.
4. Stay Socially Connected: Maintaining strong social connections and participating in community activities can help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, which are linked to cognitive decline.
5. Manage Chronic Conditions: Keeping conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol under control can reduce the risk of dementia.
6. Prevent Hearing Loss: Addressing hearing loss with hearing aids or other interventions can help maintain cognitive function.
7. Limit Alcohol and Avoid Smoking: Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking can increase the risk of dementia, so it’s best to limit alcohol intake and avoid smoking.
8. Get Enough Sleep: Quality sleep is essential for brain health. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

By incorporating these habits into your daily routine, you can significantly reduce your risk of developing dementia.

Sources:

  1. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/senior-health/living-longer-can-mean-more-dementia-but-there-are-ways-to-reduce-the-risk
  2. https://www.cdc.gov/alzheimers-dementia/prevention/index.html

 

 

9 Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Yoga

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Practicing yoga regularly can help you feel better from head to toe, since yoga offers physical and mental health benefits for people of all ages. And, if you’re going through an illness, recovering from surgery or living with a chronic condition, yoga can become an integral part of your treatment and potentially hasten healing. 

Yoga can support the healing process and help the person experience symptoms with more centeredness and less distress.

1. Yoga improves strength, balance and flexibility.

Slow movements and deep breathing increase blood flow and warm up muscles, while holding a pose can build strength.

Try it: Tree Pose
Balance on one foot, while holding the other foot to your calf or above the knee (but never on the knee) at a right angle. Try to focus on one spot in front of you, while you balance for one minute. 

2. Yoga helps with back pain relief.

Yoga is as good as basic stretching for easing pain and improving mobility in people with lower back pain. The American College of Physicians recommends yoga as a first-line treatment for chronic low back pain.

Try it: Cat-Cow Pose
Get on all fours, placing your palms underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. First, inhale, as you let your stomach drop down toward the floor. Then, exhale, as you draw your navel toward your spine, arching your spine like a cat stretching.

3. Yoga can ease arthritis symptoms.

Gentle yoga has been shown to ease some of the discomfort of tender, swollen joints for people with arthritis, according to a Johns Hopkins review of 11 recent studies.

4. Yoga benefits heart health.

Regular yoga practice may reduce levels of stress and body-wide inflammation, contributing to healthier hearts. Several of the factors contributing to heart disease, including high blood pressure and excess weight, can also be addressed through yoga.

Try it: Downward Dog Pose
Get on all fours, then tuck your toes under and bring your sitting bones up, so that you make a triangle shape. Keep a slight bend in your knees, while lengthening your spine and tailbone.

5. Yoga relaxes you, to help you sleep better.

Research shows that a consistent bedtime yoga routine can help you get in the right mindset and prepare your body to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Try It: Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose
Sit with your left side against a wall, then gently turn right and lift your legs up to rest against the wall, keeping your back on the floor and your sitting bones close to the wall. You can remain in this position for 5 to 15 minutes. 

6. Yoga can mean more energy and brighter moods.

You may feel increased mental and physical energy, a boost in alertness and enthusiasm, and fewer negative feelings after getting into a routine of practicing yoga.

7. Yoga helps you manage stress.

According to the National Institutes of Health, scientific evidence shows that yoga supports stress management, mental health, mindfulness, healthy eating, weight loss and quality sleep.

Try It: Corpse Pose (Savasana) 
Lie down with your limbs gently stretched out, away from the body, with your palms facing up. Try to clear your mind while breathing deeply. You can hold this pose for 5 to 15 minutes.

8. Yoga connects you with a supportive community.

Participating in yoga classes can ease loneliness and provide an environment for group healing and support. Even during one-on-one sessions loneliness is reduced as one is acknowledged as a unique individual, being listened to and participating in the creation of a personalized yoga plan.

9. Yoga promotes better self-care.

Scientific Research on Yoga Benefits

The U.S. military, the National Institutes of Health and other large organizations are listening to — and incorporating — scientific validation of yoga’s value in health care.

Numerous studies show yoga’s benefits in arthritis, osteopenia, balance issues, oncology, women’s health, chronic pain and other specialties.

Source:  https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/9-benefits-of-yoga

Benefits of Dark Chocolate and It’s Impact on Stem Cells

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Dark chocolate containing 80 percent cacao or higher is packed with nutrients that can strengthen your body’s defense systems and positively affect your overall health.

With the help of over 750,000 stem cells, your body regenerates itself each and every day, states Dr. William Li.

Dark chocolate can mobilize your stem cells to carry out their job to the fullest. At the University of California, San Francisco, researchers found that participants who received a chocolate drink made with cocoa twice a day for thirty days had twice as many stem cells in their circulation as their control group.

Dark Chocolate can Improve Insulin Sensitivity

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Cocoa is loaded with compounds called polyphenols that have been shown to help our bodies fend off inflammation, lower blood pressure and maybe even improve our moods.

Now, a new study finds people who have a habit of eating a little dark chocolate — about an ounce per day — have a 21% lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, compared to people who don’t consume it.

There’s long been evidence that the compounds found in cocoa can contribute to heart health. For instance, a study published in the journal Heart, found chocolate lovers had a lower risk of strokes and other types of cardiovascular disease.

Scientists have homed in on bioactive plant compounds found in cocoa beans, called flavanols, which have been shown to prompt production of nitric oxide in the body. This gas can cause blood vessels to open up or dilate, and multiple studies have shown dark chocolate consumption is linked to a modest reduction in blood pressure.

Research, going back 20 years, has also shown that dark chocolate can help improve insulin sensitivity in healthy people. Insulin sensitivity is a gauge of how well a person’s cells are responding to insulin, which is a hormone that regulates blood sugar.

Dark chocolate typically contains higher levels of cocoa, compared to milk chocolate. And researchers are interested in learning more about specific types of flavanols found in cocoa, including epicatechins which are known for their antioxidant properties.

Source:  https://health.wusf.usf.edu/npr-health/2024-12-05/how-sweet-a-daily-dose-of-dark-chocolate-may-cut-your-risk-of-diabetes

Brain and Mental Exercises and Health

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Engaging in brain exercises can help keep your mind sharp and improve cognitive functions and mental health.

Here are some effective brain exercises you can try:

  1. Puzzles: Working on jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, or Sudoku can enhance your problem-solving skills and memory1.
  2. Card Games: Playing card games like solitaire, bridge, or poker can improve memory and thinking skills1.
  3. Learning New Skills: Picking up a new hobby or skill, such as playing a musical instrument or learning a new language, can boost brain function2.
  4. Reading and Vocabulary Building: Reading books and learning new words can stimulate your brain and improve cognitive abilities1.
  5. Physical Exercise: Activities like dancing, yoga, and tai chi not only benefit your body but also enhance brain health by increasing blood flow and reducing stress3.
  6. Meditation: Practicing mindfulness meditation can improve focus, memory, and emotional regulation2.
    Socializing: Engaging in social activities and maintaining strong social connections can help keep your brain active and healthy1.
  7. Playing Games: Board games, video games, and brainteasers can be fun ways to challenge your brain and improve cognitive functions2.

Which of these exercises are you most interested in trying? 1: Healthline 2: Medical News Today 3: AARP

Vitamin D and COVID-19 Research

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A new research study at the University of Chicago Medicine has found that when it comes to COVID-19, having vitamin D levels above those traditionally considered sufficient may lower the risk of infection, especially for Black people.

The study, published March 19 in JAMA Open Network, retrospectively examined the relationship between vitamin D levels and likelihood of testing positive for COVID-19.

While levels of 30 ng/ml or more are usually considered “sufficient,” the authors found that Black individuals who had levels of 30 to 40 ng/ml had a 2.64 times higher risk of testing positive for COVID-19 than people with levels of 40 ng/ml or greater.

Statistically significant associations of vitamin D levels with COVID-19 risk were not found in white people.

The study looked at data from over 3,000 patients at UChicago Medicine who had had their vitamin D levels tested within 14 days before a COVID-19 test.

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210322175028.htm