Turmeric Smoothie – A Recipe That Can Improve Your Overall Health

Turmeric powder is well known for its many health benefits.

It is also known as Indian saffron because of its deep yellow color. It is a best source of curcumin.

Turmeric Smoothie – A Recipe That Can Improve Your Overall Health

Turmeric powder is well known for its many health benefits.

It is also known as Indian saffron because of its deep yellow color. It is a best source of curcumin.

Curcumin have strong anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-tumour properties. (1, 2)

Curcumin is also a helpful anti-oxidant which fights against many free radicals and prevent oxidative damage of our body.

This can be helpful to prevent aging and many chronic diseases.

Curcumin helps to fight against some degenerative process in brain by boosting level of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)

When its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties kept together, it gives strength to our body to fight prevent heart diseases.

Some recent studies about use of turmeric powder in cancer show positive outcome. Its anti-tumour property help to prevent and cure cancer to certain extend.

But having turmeric in its raw form is not possible, so people try many smoothie recipes.

Here is one of them –

Ingredient for turmeric smoothie recipe –

1. ½ teaspoon of turmeric
2. ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
3. ½ teaspoon of ginger paste
4. 1 teaspoon of chia seeds.
5. 1 fresh and well ripe banana
6. ½ cup of frozen mango chunks or pineapple
7.  1 cup of coconut milk

Procedure –

Mix all ingredients in a blender and process until it become a smooth and enjoy this healthy anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant smoothie once a week.

Read More

Blueberries and strawberries reduce cognitive impairment in older adults

 Did you know that eating blueberries and strawberries is one of the smartest things you can do to prevent cognitive impairment?

Let’s face it: Nobody wants to experience dementia or any other brain disorder, but most people haven’t been told by their doctor how to prevent these conditions.  In fact, too often, a person’s loss of memory, inability to learn or make good decisions go unnoticed (sometimes ignored) – until it’s too late to correct with better nutrition and other lifestyle changes.

The problem with conventional wisdom: Where is the solution?

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) openly admit that more than 16 million people are living with cognitive impairment, with age (according to the CDC) proving to be the largest factor.  The CDC goes on to say that about 5.1 million of us 65 or older may have Alzheimer’s disease, the most well-known form of brain dysfunction.  Unfortunately, the CDC does little to teach people about the true cause of disease or the value of eating healthy foods like blueberries or any other natural food.

These staggering statistics have led many people to search for more natural ways to improve brain function.  Fortunately, there is an extensive amount of research indicating that strawberries and blueberries can offer brain health benefits and should be considered a vital part of an overall healthy diet. (of course, we’re talking about organic varieties only – without the chemicals)

How do blueberries improve brain health?

We know that berries contain high levels of flavonoids and bioflavonoids like anthocyanidins – which provide lots of antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.  Since we know that stress and inflammation play a major role in contributing to cognitive impairment, studies were conducted to see if increasing the intake of strawberries and blueberries could slow down the progression of these brain-related diseases.

The results?  Actually, they are quite impressive. (keep reading)

The Nurses’ Health Study, initiated in 1976, is among one of the largest investigations into the risk factors for major chronic diseases in women.  Currently at over 275,000 participants, people were given ‘food frequency questionnaires’ every four years.  In the period from 1995 to 2001, they began measuring cognitive function in over 16,000 participants who were over 70 years of age.

Ultimately, the results of the study were published in 2012 and it offers hope for those looking for a natural way to improve brain health and prevent dementia.

It’s official: Blueberries and strawberries reach “super food” status for brain health

The results of the study showed that increasing the intake of blueberries and strawberries resulted in slowing the rate of cognitive decline in these older participants. In fact, it showed that increasing strawberry and blueberry intake could slow cognitive decline by as much as two and a half years. This was the first research of any significance involving humans.

Overall berries, and blueberries in particular, have long had a reputation as a “superfood.”  They are rich in nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals that can help us prevent heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, and high blood pressure.  And now, thanks to the Nurses’ Health Study, we can say that berries are a super brain food.

As the baby boomer population continues to age, the problem of cognitive impairment will likely continue to increase, placing more pressure on families and the healthcare system. This research clearly suggests that a diet rich in whole foods, such as berries, is a smart choice to avoid dementia and other brain-related disorders.  If you feel like your diet needs improvement, don’t wait – get started today.

References:

http://www.cdc.gov/aging/pdf/cognitive_impairment/cogimp_poilicy_final.pdf
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/244647.php
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426110250.htm
http://www.medicaldaily.com/eating-berries-slows-mental-decline-25-years-240261
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22535616

http://www.naturalhealth365.com/fat-cells-bisphenol-a-1810.html

Read More

Power Your Brain

Whether we are playing the latest video games or watching reality television, our generation is one that has become accustomed to participating in mind-numbing activities for hours upon hours. Presently, there is still no consensus among scientists in regards to the overall negative health effects of watching TV or playing video games. However, why not supplement those long hours staring at moving pictures on a screen with an activity that’s actually designed to help you keep your mind sharp?

Daily Brain Training, developed by JoyPlot, is a brain-training app designed to improve memory, problem solving skills, and cognitive functioning. The app was launched earlier this month on April 1st in the iOS App Store. Unlike many other brain-training apps, Daily Brain Training is free to download, and users are not required to sign up for a paid in-app subscription to get unlimited access to the games and puzzles.

Using and navigating through Daily Brain Training is simple and painless. Upon downloading the app, users are immediately prompted to input their name, under which a file is created that saves their progress on exercises (the app supports up to four user profiles), which is unlike the more traditional account creation by either email or phone number. Once a personal storage file is set up, users can choose from a variety of skill games to begin exercising their brain.

Users can test everything from speed, memory, attention, flexibility, and problem solving skills with memorization games, color recognition games, and several different number puzzles. Currently, the app only offers eight games, but JoyPlot plans to add more puzzles and games with future updates.

Each of the eight games Daily Brain Training offers is simple. The game Word Memorization, for example, has users memorize shown words in under 20 seconds, while the game Cross Number has numbers appear from the edge of the screen of a user’s mobile device and requires the user to answer the sum of all the numbers.  Be warned: while the games may sound easy, they do gradually increase in difficulty and become more challenging with each new level.

In terms of features and design, Daily Brain Training is not among the most sophisticated apps. However, the app is very colorful, user frien
dly, and unlike many other brain-training apps available on the market, Daily Brain Training is a fun (and free) way to boost brainpower and practice different mental skills.

According to The Guardian, there is no conclusive scientific evidence that suggests brain-training apps actually work to help people do things such as perform better at school or work. However, if you download a brain-training app for your phone or tablet, chances are that you will improve at whatever games the app offers, thereby improving some of your most crucial cognitive skills. Regardless, at the very least, an app like Daily Brain Training will provide you with a convenient distraction from the hectic nature of the day, so download it today.

source:http://www.newyorkminutemag.com/power-your-brain/

Click here to mind/brain sharpness and boost . 

Read More

Forgetful? 10 Foods To Boost Brain Health

8

Who doesn’t want to stay sharp and feel great at the same time? Here are SupermarketGuru’s top ten picks for brain boosting foods you can find in your local supermarket. 

Berries: Studies show that those with the highest intake of blueberries and/or strawberries demonstrated about one and half to two and half years of delays in cognitive aging; i.e. thinking, remembering, and reasoning. Researchers think it could be the flavonoids, which are plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Flavonoids are also found in other food and drinks such as citrus fruits, tea, red wine, and onions. How much do you need to keep your brain sharp? Just a half-cup of blueberries or two half-cup servings of strawberries a week.

Chocolate: A study from researchers based at Reading University's School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences in the UK found that consuming cocoa flavanols may improve aspects of eye and brain function. The study looked at acute intake of cocoa flavanols and then tested the subject's vision and cognitive performance and found that both were improved.

Cruciferous Vegetables: Adding foods like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts could have great brain health benefits. These vegetables pack serious antioxidant power, which helps protect the brain. A Harvard Medical School study found that women who ate more of these veggies lowered their brain age by one to two years.

Eggs: Whether hard-boiled, scrambled or sunny side up, eggs are a great meal or snack. Eggs are rich in choline, a vitamin-like substance (also plentiful in bacon, nuts, yogurt, chicken and more) which helps promotes memory and brain development. In fact, a study recently published by researchers at the University of North Carolina demonstrated that choline helps fetuses develop regions of the brain linked to memory. 

Healthy Fats: Healthy fats help “cushion” the brain; in fact 60 percent of your brain is made up of fat. Salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for the brain and eyes (deficiency can lead to anxiety and depression). Avocados are another great fat, as well as coconut, flax, chia and hemp seeds. 

Herbs And Spices: Next time you're whipping up a meal, turn to your spice rack for an extra brain boost. Spices and herbs may do more for your health than you realize; they are packed with nutrition! According to Dr. Daniel Amen, cinnamon balances blood sugar; garlic, oregano and rosemary increase blood flow to the brain; curry acts as an anti-inflammatory; and saffron can have anti-depressant effects 

Protein: Lean and “clean.” Choosing protein sources that are raised humanely and fed a proper diet, or pastured are your best bets. Protein is great to pair with whole grains and can help us feel full longer, avoiding a sharp drop in blood sugar which is a sure energy and brain drain.  Ask your local butcher about how you meat was raised. 

Vitamin D and E: research demonstrates the need for these essential vitamins in obtaining optimal brain health. Both D and E help to keep our minds sharper, aid in warding off dementia, and even offering protection against Parkinson's disease. There are a variety of great sources of vitamin E in foods including nuts, especially almonds and hazelnuts, wheat germ, and sunflower seeds. Green leafy vegetables like Swiss chard, spinach and kale provide vitamin E as well. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 15 mg for most adults. Few foods are natural sources of vitamin D. Salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel and fish liver oils are the best sources, and vitamin D can be found in small amounts in beef liver, cheese, egg yolks and some mushrooms. The Food and Drug Administration recommends consuming a minimum of 400 IU of vitamin D daily.

Water: Dehydration can lead to fatigue, fogginess, and more, so drinking plenty of water is crucial to keeping concentration and energy levels high.

Whole Grains: Whole grains are great – most notably oats. Getting your oats in a not so sweet granola is a great way to eat more whole grains. Whole grains in general contain phytonutrients, folate and B vitamins that boost memory.

Now that you know some of the best foods and tips for brain health… don’t forget to make a shopping list!

source:http://www.supermarketguru.com/articles/forgetful10-foods-to-boost-brain-health.html

Read More

Can a supplement boost my child's learning powers?

Starting a new school year can be simultaneously exciting and petrifying for both children and their parents. I can still remember watching my little brother proudly walking up the school drive in his new uniform, and as I see my nephews growing up, my appreciation that starting at a new school is a major life event is being reinforced.

My siblings and I always began the day with a good breakfast, my parents being of the belief that going to school on an egg, cereal or toast was one of the best ways of setting us on the right road to both enjoying school and succeeding there.
They were right: studies have long shown that having breakfast helps to boost children's concentration, mental-arithmetic skills and moods. Going to school with an empty stomach, by contrast, can make children feel weak and crotchety, and if they then obtain a chocolate bar or fizzy drink from a snack machine at school, they'll receive a sugar, caffeine and additive hit that can worsen their moods, cause dental cavities and headaches and compromise their bone growth.
So encourage your child to start the day with some wholegrain toast spread with butter and a pure-fruit jam, a bowl of wholegrain cereal, a banana and yoghurt, fresh fruit or a fruit smoothie that is bursting with vitamins and minerals.
Kids and supplementsThe interest surrounding the issue of whether children should take vitamin and mineral supplements has sharpened recently, partly as a result of a number of articles suggesting that such supplements can increase children's brain power and performance.
Although you may think that it follows that the more vitamin and minerals you ingest, the brainier you'll become, the evidence doesn't stack up. A pill can't boost your child's intelligence or health unless he or she is suffering from a medical condition that goes hand in hand with a vitamin or mineral deficiency, such as scurvy (caused by lack of vitamin C), which would be revealed by obvious clinical signs that your doctor should have detected.
If you give your child a varied diet, including five small portions of fresh fruits or vegetables spread throughout the course of a day (as a guide, a couple of pieces of apple, a few dried apricots or cherry tomatoes or a small helping of my strawberry and passionfruit fool all constitute a portion), he or she should receive a sufficient dose of vitamins and minerals to support healthy growth.
In accordance with a Department of Health recommendation, however, children aged between six months and five years of age should be given vitamins A, D and C in liquid form (vitamins A and C promote growth and bone development and vitamin D aids the body's absorption of calcium, which builds healthy bones and teeth) as a safety net.
While children rarely need to take vitamin and mineral supplements to help them to succeed in class, some interesting research is focusing on omega oils (essential for brain development), the concentration and learning abilities of children whose diets were lacking omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids having been shown to have improved once the deficiency was corrected.
I must stress that the evidence indicates that only children whose diets largely consist of highly processed foods will benefit from this correction, so there's no point in trying to force-feed children omega oils unless their diets are relatively poor.
Although there's evidence to suggest that ingesting more omega oils may lessen the negative effects of such conditions as dyslexia and dyspraxia, taking an omega-oil supplement is similarly only likely to have a dramatic effect in children who are poorly nourished to start with.
I would therefore recommend simply ensuring that your child's diet includes more oily fish, perhaps in the form of tuna sandwiches or salmon fishcakes, and nuts (but keep a vigilant eye open for nut allergies and choking and don¿t give nuts to children under the age of eight months), which you could throw into salads and casseroles or combine with dried fruits and seeds to provide a potent, brain-boosting snack.

sourse:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/

Read More