Conscious Eating Conscious Eating | Natural Awakenings Twin Cities

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Ayurvedic Cooking: Ancient System Restores Balance

Aug 30, 2019

Ayurveda works to rebalance health in coordination with mind-body energy. An Ayurvedic diet can address imbalances and optimize health and well-being. Start with these simple recipes.

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Take It Easy on the Eggs: High Intake Increases Mortality

Aug 15, 2019

Eating three to four eggs a week increases heart disease mortality by 6 percent and all-cause mortality by 8 percent, a new study found.

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Savor Cherries to Lower Metabolic Syndrome Risk: Reduces Health Threats

Aug 15, 2019

Montmorency tart cherries in juice or capsules lower systolic blood pressure and insulin levels within hours, reducing factors that lead to metabolic syndrome.

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Eat Plants to Live Longer: Diets High in Vegetables Increase Longevity

Aug 15, 2019

At least one-third of early deaths globally could be prevented if people moved to a largely plant-based diet, Harvard scientists have calculated.

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Wild and Wonderful: Foraging for Foodies

Aug 15, 2019 ● By April Thompson

There is such a thing as a free lunch! We have only to look in our backyards and parks to find the free, nutritious greens and berries an arm’s reach away.

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Eat Mostly Plants to Ease Gum Inflammation: Oral Health Benefits

Jun 28, 2019

Germans that ate a diet low in meat and carbs and high in plants and vitamins for four weeks had significantly less gum inflammation and bleeding that subjects that did not change their eating habits.

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Dangerous Dozen: Produce to Avoid

Jun 28, 2019

Strawberries head the latest list of the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” fruits and vegetables with high levels of pesticide residues; avocados top the clean list.

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Munch Nuts for a Healthy Brain: Improves Cognitive Functions

Jun 28, 2019

Chinese seniors that ate more than two teaspoons of nuts a day were found to have better thinking, reasoning and memory than those that didn’t eat nuts.

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Snack on Walnuts to Slow Growth of Breast Tumors: Nut Helps Cancer Patients

Jun 28, 2019

Women with breast cancer that ate a handful of walnuts daily for two weeks experienced a change in gene expression that suppressed the tumor growth.

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Summer Eating: The Herbal Connection

Jun 28, 2019 ● By Kajsa Nickels

Adding raw, organic herbs to summer fare both cools us down and provides us with nutrients that can lower blood pressure and boost energy.

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3-D Meat: Printer Produces Plant-Based Substitute

Jun 04, 2019

A researcher has developed a synthetic meat substitute using vegetable proteins that imitate protein complexes found in real meat and can be produced using a 3-D printer to mimic the texture of beef or chicken.

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Eat More Carbs to Lower Heart Risk: Popular Diets Can Impact Cardiovascular Health

May 31, 2019

Low-carb diets such as Atkins, ketogenic and paleo, which emphasize protein instead of fruits, vegetable and grains, significantly increase the risk of atrial fibrillation, a new study shows.

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Eat Med Diet to Boost Performance: Increases Running Speeds

May 31, 2019

Eleven athletes ran five kilometers a good six percent faster after four days on a Mediterranean diet compared to four days on a Western diet.

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Imbibe Less to Lower Blood Pressure: Link to Alcohol Consumption

May 31, 2019

Consuming as few as seven to 13 alcoholic drinks a week increases the risk of high blood pressure, say researchers.

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Medicinal Mushrooms: Beyond Buttons and Portabellas

May 31, 2019 ● By April Thompson

Reishi, lion’s mane, cordyceps and other types of mushrooms have powerful compounds that protect cognition, boost immunity and lower stress – and that’s just for starters.

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Vision Quest: Eat a Rainbow of Color for Healthy Eyes

Apr 30, 2019 ● By Melinda Hemmelgarn

Fight and prevent cataracts and macular degeneration with two key nutrients found particularly in colorful fruits and veggies.

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Fruits and Veggies Boost Moods: Eating Produce Heightens Mental Well-Being

Apr 30, 2019

Based on health data of 40,000 people, British researchers found that simply eating more produce measurably heightens mental well-being.

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Potluck for the 21st Century: Breaking Bread, Building Community

Mar 29, 2019 ● By April Thompson

Using phone apps as well as workplace and neighborhood contacts, friends and strangers are coming together to share healthy, home-cooked meals.

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Sugary Drinks Linked to Kidney Disease: Dangers of Sweetened Beverages

Mar 29, 2019

African-American adults that consumed the most sugar-sweetened drinks were 61 percent more likely to develop kidney disease within 13 years than those with the lowest consumption.

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Gut Susceptible to Food Additives

Mar 29, 2019

Testing of food additives in a Czech lab found that gut microbes with anti-inflammatory properties were easily harmed by additives, while microbes with pro-inflammatory properties were mostly resistant.

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Muddled Message: GMO Labeling Diluted

Mar 29, 2019

New federal rules gut Congressional GMO labeling legislation by exempting foods made with GMO ingredients, allowing 78 percent of products containing GMOs to avoid full disclosure.

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Over Dose: Citrus Crops to Receive Human Antibiotics

Mar 29, 2019

Two antibiotics commonly used on humans have been given the go-ahead by federal agencies for massive spraying on citrus crops to defeat a bacterial disease called citrus greening.

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Vegetables and Orange Juice Protect Memory: Certain Fruits and Veggies Reduce Memory Loss

Feb 28, 2019

A Harvard study of 27,842 older male health professionals found those that ate the most vegetables and drank the most orange juice suffered less memory loss over a span of two decades.

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Delicious Discards: Making Meals From Mainly Scraps

Feb 28, 2019 ● By April Thompson

Instead of discarding skins, cores and rinds, creative chefs are using their distinctive flavors and nutrients to make intriguing entrees and desserts.

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Nutrition Upgrades: Five Strategies for Better Health

Feb 28, 2019 ● By Melinda Hemmelgarn

As the Earth starts re-greening this season, it’s a natural time to rethink our eating habits–and here are some nourishing ways to feed body and soul.

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Nuts Improve Blood Vessel Health: Benefits of Eating Almonds and Walnuts

Jan 31, 2019

Munching on about two handfuls of either walnuts or almonds increased blood vessel dilation in overweight volunteers and lowered markers of arterial plaque.

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Recipes A Heart Will Love: Tasty Ways to Boost Heart Health

Jan 31, 2019 ● By Avery Mack

Low-fat, plant-based recipes make for a heart-healthy meal so delicious that non-vegetarians won’t even miss the meat.

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Beet Juice Boosts Stamina: Supplements Increase Endurance

Dec 27, 2018

Heart failure patients that took beetroot juice supplements exercised longer and harder.

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Low-Nutrition Foods Linked to Cancers: Reduced Nutritional Value Increases Risks

Dec 27, 2018

Europeans eating foods with lower nutritional quality had a significantly greater incidence of certain types of cancer.

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Artificial Sweeteners Harm Gut Microbes: FDA-Approved Ingredients Found Toxic to Digestive System

Dec 27, 2018

Israeli and Singapore researchers found six popular FDA-approved artificial sweeteners to be toxic to digestive gut microbes.

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Meatless Munchies: Vegan Beer Hall Highlights Plant-Based Food

Dec 27, 2018

A tavern in Quincy, Massachusetts is offering a plant-based menu for those who wish to munch on vegan foods while they sip on beer.

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Befriending Food: Embrace the Psychology of Eating

Dec 27, 2018 ● By Marlaina Donato

The way we think about the food on our plate can impact our body’s ability to absorb nutrients from a meal.

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Secret Ingredients: New Film Shares Stories of Hope and Healing

Dec 27, 2018

A new documentary, Secret Ingredients, makes a compelling case for why organic foods may be the key to unlocking better health and reversing chronic illnesses.

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Dark Chocolate Proven Healthier than Ever: Improves Stress Levels, Inflammation, Mood and More

Nov 30, 2018

Chocolate with at last 70 percent cacao can reduce stress and inflammation and boost infection-fighting cells and creativity.

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Yams Protect Against Liver Damage: Health Benefits of Popular Holiday Dish

Nov 30, 2018

Certain compounds in wild yam root help protect liver cells against damage from free radicals.

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Alcohol Fallout: Beer and Wine Contaminated with Monsanto Poison

Nov 30, 2018

Virtually all beer and wine tested in two recent studies contained residues of glyphosate herbicides, which are neurotoxic, endocrine disruptive and damaging to the liver.

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Simple Sheet Pan Suppers: Family-Pleasing Holiday Meals

Nov 30, 2018 ● By Judith Fertig

Preparing a meal for a hungry holiday crowd can be as simple as arranging protein and vegetables in a baking sheet, seasoning them and popping them in the oven.

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Raw Fruit and Veggies Key to Mental Health: Uncooked Produce Aids Psychological Well-Being

Oct 31, 2018

Eating raw fruit and vegetables correlated more with psychological well-being in young adults than eating canned, cooked or processed produce.

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Eating Well Protects Hearing: Nutrition Impacts Auditory Health

Oct 31, 2018

In a 22-year study of 33,000 women, Harvard researchers found that a healthy diet can lower the risk of moderate to severe hearing loss by nearly a third.

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Pumpkin Compounds Inhibit Cancer Growth: Beneficial Nutrients Discovered

Oct 31, 2018

New studies from Italy and China confirm the ability of certain nutrients in pumpkins to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

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Eating Walnuts Boosts Gut Bacteria: Daily Handful Increases Health

Oct 31, 2018

A daily handful of walnuts aids gut bacteria linked to heart, metabolic and gastrointestinal health.

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Really Natural: Organic Labeling Evolves to Meet Challenges

Oct 31, 2018

An emerging standard in organic labeling will distinguish produce grown in hydroponic conditions from that grown in soil.

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Thanksgiving Desserts: Plant-Based Pies for Every Palate

Oct 31, 2018 ● By Judith Fertig

Yum! Plant-based pies—think pumpkin, sweet potato, and chocolate—will please guests no matter what their dietary restrictions.

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Natural Vitamin E Lowers Heart Risks: Boosts Cardiovascular Health

Sep 28, 2018

Tocotrienols, a natural form of vitamin E found in wheat, barley, corn, rice and palm fruit, has been shown to lower high cholesterol and high blood pressure in seniors.

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Food Finder: Software Tracks Farm to Fork Supply Chain

Sep 28, 2018

New software allows businesses such as Whole Foods, Subway and Chipotle Mexican Grill to track where food was harvested, whether pesticides were used and how it was processed.

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‘Less Meat’ Goes Mainstream: Options Grow for Plant-Based Eating

Sep 28, 2018 ● By Marlaina Donato

As the numbers of vegetarians and vegans rocket nationwide, supermarkets, restaurants and even hospitals are offering a wider range of plant-based foods.

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Wild Berries Prove Anti-Cancer Prowess: Naturally Occurring Compound Prevents Tumors

Aug 31, 2018

A naturally occurring compound found abundantly in wild berries increases the cancer-fighting ability of sirtuin 6 enzymes.

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Cruciferous Veggies May Lower Stroke Risk: Reduces Carotid Plaque

Aug 31, 2018

Elderly women that eat lots of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage have less plaque on their carotid artery walls.

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Superior Superfoods: Nature’s Top Foods to Prevent and Reverse Disease

Aug 31, 2018 ● By Marlaina Donato

A surprising list of nutrient-dense superfoods aids us in eating well and avoiding the systemic inflammation that underlies many chronic diseases.

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Mediterranean Diet Cuts Risk of Prostate Cancer: Healthy Foods Provide Protection

Jul 31, 2018

A diet rich in fish, potatoes, fruit, vegetables, legumes and olive oil significantly lowered the risk of aggressive prostate cancer in older Spanish men.

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Sodas Lower Fertility: Sugary Drinks Reduce Likelihood of Pregnancy

Jul 31, 2018

By drinking one or more sugary sodas a day, women are a quarter less likely to become pregnant and men are a third less likely to father a child.

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Fiber Lowers Blood Sugar: Improves Glucose Levels

Jul 31, 2018

A diet high in diverse fibers lowered blood sugar levels to normal for 89 percent of diabetes patients in a Rutgers University study.

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Mighty Minerals: What We Need to Stay Healthy

Jul 31, 2018 ● By Judith Fertig

Minerals cannot be produced by the body but are integral to our health, and the latest guidelines show us which minerals we need and how to get them.

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Eating Apples and Tomatoes Repairs Lungs: Fresh Fruits Heal Damage

Jun 29, 2018

Fresh tomatoes and fruit, especially apples, help heal damaged lungs of ex-smokers and can slow the natural decline of lung function that typically occurs after age 30.

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Only One in 10 U.S. Adults Eats Healthy: Americans Not Consuming Enough Fruits and Vegetables

Jun 29, 2018

Just 9 percent of U.S. adults eat enough vegetables and only 12 percent eat enough fruit every day, with consumption lowest among men, young adults and people living in poverty.

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Organic Farmers: Growing America’s Health: Restoring the Nutritional Value of Crops

Jun 29, 2018 ● By Melinda Hemmelgarn

Across the country, farmers are experimenting with new ways to grow food having higher nutritional content and a positive environmental impact.

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10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods: Flavorful Ways to Lower Disease Risk

Jun 29, 2018 ● By Judith Fertig

When inflammation becomes a chronic condition—a common state today—certain foods can lower its disease-causing potential.

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Eat Right to Sleep Well: 10 Foods Help Us Relax and Rest

May 31, 2018 ● By Judith Fertig

Rather than popping a pill, eating certain foods can kick-start hormones that help us get a long, deep night’s sleep.

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Scientists Discover Alcohol-Cancer Link: Research Finds Connection

May 31, 2018

British researchers have discovered why DNA mutation results from alcoholic consumption that’s linked to seven types of cancer.

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Mangoes Carry Health Benefits: Two Studies Confirm Healing Properties

May 31, 2018

Two studies have found that mangoes fight inflammation and have properties useful in treating gastrointestinal disease.

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Healthy Oils Improve Good Cholesterol: Lower LDL Levels

May 31, 2018

In separate studies, virgin coconut oil, walnut oil and camlina oil improved cholesterol levels, making them good alternatives to olive oil.

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Seniors Eating Mediterranean Diet Retain Independence: Helps Elderly Maintain Strength

Apr 30, 2018

Seniors that ate a diet high in veggies, fruit, whole grains, nuts and legumes were markedly more independent and less frail over a four-year period.

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Crazy-Good Condiments: DIY Versions Add Zest and Nutrients

Apr 30, 2018 ● By Judith Fertig

By foregoing grocery-store condiments for homemade ones, we improve both the flavor of our dishes and our diet.

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Whole Grains Help Us Eat Less: Feel Fuller Sooner, Lose Weight

Mar 30, 2018

When overweight Danes exchanged refined grain products such as white bread and pasta for whole-grain equivalents, they tended to feel full sooner, eat less, lose weight and have less inflammation.

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Fruit Pesticides Lower Fertility in Women: Produce Has Impact on Conception

Mar 30, 2018

Women undergoing fertility treatments were 18 percent less likely to become pregnant and 26 percent less likely to have a live birth if they were eating pesticide-laden produce.

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Changing Our Diet to Cool the Climate: Good Food Choices Enable Global Health

Mar 30, 2018 ● By Judith Fertig

A new word in the food vocabulary—climatarian—points to rising global interest in eating in ways that reduce the impact of our diet on our beleaguered planet.

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Leafy Greens Lower Risk for Heart Disease: Vitamin K for Cardiovascular Health

Mar 01, 2018

Teenagers that eat few leafy greens are at triple the risk for enlargement of the heart’s left ventricle, reducing blood pumping volumes, than teens that eat greens.

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Gooseberries are Good for the Gut: Ayurvedic Remedy for Gastrointestinal Problems

Mar 01, 2018

Malaysian subjects with gastrointestinal problems had less pain, vomiting and sleep loss when receiving an ayurvedic remedy known as Indian gooseberry.

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Eating Meat Raises Diabetes Risk: Increases Chance of Developing Type 2

Feb 28, 2018

Eating red meat and poultry significantly increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes, Singapore scientists report.

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Veggie Renaissance: Brits Cutting Back on Meat Eating

Feb 28, 2018

Motivated by health, animal welfare and environmental concerns, 28 percent of Britons have drastically reduced their meat intake.

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The World’s Healthiest Cuisines: What Five Countries Can Teach Us about Good Eating

Feb 28, 2018 ● By Judith Fertig

Step aside, pizza and chop suey! These five authentic ethnic cuisines offer the real thing— traditional food that’s healthy, tasty and easy to prepare in our own kitchen.

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Spice Up Healthy Cooking: Six Seasonings with Surprising Payoffs

Feb 28, 2018 ● By Amber Lanier Nagle

These sensational spices not only give oomph to our food but also reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure and soothe upset stomachs.

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Big Breakfast, Lower Body Mass: Eat More in the Morning, Less at Dinnertime

Jan 31, 2018

People that make breakfast their largest meal of the day have lower body mass, while those that make dinner the biggest meal are likely to weigh more, a recent study concluded.

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Chocolate and Olive Oil Help Heart Health: Combination Lowers Cholesterol and Blood Pressure

Jan 31, 2018

Italians eating dark chocolate combined with olive oil had lower cholesterol and blood pressure in just 28 days.

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Foods Our Heart Will Love: Top 10 Heart Healthy Choices

Jan 31, 2018 ● By Judith Fertig

Yum! The perfect Valentine Day’s meal can easily include the healthiest foods for our hearts—starting with dark chocolate!

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Eat Wheat Again: Eight Ways to Restore Gut Health

Dec 29, 2017 ● By John Douillard

For the three in four Americans that suffer digestive distress, straightforward strategies—including eating whole wheat and grains—will rekindle normal digestive function and even restore full liver and gall bladder function.

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Lutein in Greens and Eggs Slows Cognitive Aging: Foods for Thought

Dec 29, 2017

In a University of Illinois study, adults that ate large amounts of leafy greens, avocados and eggs had levels of lutein, a brain and eye nutrient, on par with younger people.

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10 Daily Produce Servings Prevent Early Death: Double-Up on Fruits and Vegetables

Dec 29, 2017

Yes, five servings a day of fruit and veggies is a good start, but what really prevents heart disease and cancer is 10 servings a day, a new study finds.

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Red Wine Less Toxic Than White: Connection to Skin Cancer Found

Dec 29, 2017

A study of 200,000 people found a surprising link between white wine and melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer.

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Sugar Linked to Depression: Connection to Mental Disorders

Dec 29, 2017

Recent studies confirm a link between sugar-heavy diets and mental disorders, especially depression, with added sugars—not those found in fruits—identified as the culprit.

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Veggie Doctors: Cardiologists Urge Plant-Based Hospital Meals

Dec 29, 2017

Hospitals should add healthy vegetarian options and remove processed meats like bacon and ham from their menus, advises the American College of Cardiology.

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Meatless Millennials: Young Vegetarians Worry Meat Industry

Dec 29, 2017

Millennials must be “inspired and coached” to eat more animal products, a speaker advised the 2017 Chicken Marketing Summit in North Carolina.

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Crackdown Needed: Glyphosate Found in Breakfast Foods

Dec 29, 2017

Glyphosate, a Monsanto herbicide linked in studies to several cancers, has been detected in 10 of 24 breakfast foods, including eggs, oatmeal and coffee creamer.

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Milk Chocolate Also Benefits Heart Health: Lowers Risk of Irregular Heartbeat

Nov 30, 2017

Harvard researchers found that people eating one to 12 ounces a month of milk chocolate – but less than 30 ounces – had a lower risk of irregular heartbeat.

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Tree Nuts Cut Colon Cancer Relapse: Reduces Recurrence in Patients

Nov 30, 2017

Two or more ounces of tree nuts a week sharply reduced cancer recurrence and premature death risk in patients with Stage III colon cancer.

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The Gifts of Citrus: Colorful Good Health in Holiday Dishes

Nov 30, 2017 ● By Judith Fertig

Oranges, limes, lemons and grapefruit boost our immune system, improve our cholesterol, and guard against cancer—and that’s just for starters.

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Not Your Grandma’s Stuffing: Healthy Twists on Old Favorites

Nov 01, 2017 ● By Judith Fertig

The time-honored Thanksgiving dish is evolving to include healthy ingredients such as black rice, cauliflower, chestnuts and pecans, sometimes stuffed in an apple or squash.

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Onions Healthy for Heart and Kidneys: Reduces Risks of Disease

Oct 31, 2017

Using six years of data from 12,000 people, Iranian scientists found that regular eaters of garlic and onions lowered their cardiovascular disease risk by 64 percent and chronic kidney disease risk by 32 percent.

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Teetotalers Enjoy Less Heart Disease: Former and Occasional Drinkers Have Greater Risk

Oct 31, 2017

A Canadian meta-analysis of 45 studies found that former and occasional drinkers have a 45 percent greater risk of heart disease than non-drinkers.

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Cranberry Prebiotic Promotes Gut Health: Enhances Good Bacteria

Oct 31, 2017

The cell walls of cranberries contain a compound that acts as a prebiotic by feeding more nutrients to the “good bacteria” in our gut.

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Black Cumin Oil Helps Control Asthma: Improves Lung Function

Oct 31, 2017

Asthma patients given 500 milligrams of black cumin oil twice a day for four weeks had better functioning lungs and normalized levels of disease-fighting white blood cells.

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Wine Worry: Glyphosate Toxin Turns Up in Wines

Oct 31, 2017

Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide glyphosate, which harms both soil and human health, has been found in 10 of 10 California wines tested, including organic ones.

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Oil Spoil: How to Properly Discard Cooking Oil

Oct 31, 2017

Thrown-out cooking grease can suffocate animals, befoul shorelines and clog water treatment plants, but disposing of it properly protects both the environment and home plumbing.

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Resveratrol May Help Eye Health: Prevents Glaucoma, Cataracts and Macular Degeneration

Sep 29, 2017

Chinese researchers have determined that oral resveratrol passes through the brain to the eyes, where it may prevent vision degeneration.

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Banning Trans Fats Lowers Heart Attacks: Prohibiting Ingredient Protects Cardiac Health

Sep 29, 2017

Heart attack hospital admissions declined in New York counties that banned trans fat food in restaurants.

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Fermented Foods Revival: Rediscover Probiotic-Rich Foods

Sep 29, 2017 ● By Judith Fertig

Chutneys, kombucha, kimchee, yogurt—adding small quantities of fermented foods like these to meals makes for a happy gut.

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Beetroot Juice Helps Older Brains Act Younger: Positive Effects on the Mind

Aug 31, 2017

Sedentary adults with hypertension that drank beetroot juice before a thrice-weekly treadmill session had brain connectivity markers of younger adults.

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Milk Muddle: Organic Milk Producer Under Pressure

Aug 31, 2017

A huge Colorado feedlot that supplies organic milk to Walmart and Costco has come under scrutiny after satellite imagery raised questions about whether it complies with outdoor grazing rules.

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Fabulous Fan Fare: Healthy Tailgating Foods to Cheer For

Aug 31, 2017 ● By Judith Fertig

Tailgating, fangating, homegating—whatever you call it, getting together with friends and family to chow down before the big game doesn’t mean you can’t eat well.

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Eating Fruit Lowers Cardiac Risk: Keep the Heart Healthy with a Serving a Day

Jul 31, 2017

Chinese and British adults that ate 100 grams of fruit a day lowered their heart-attack and stroke risk by a third over seven years.

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