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6 Reasons to Drink Coffee Before Your Workout

hqdefault (8)If you’re like many people, you may start your day with a cup of coffee. According to Health Magazine,1 about half of American adults stick to this daily ritual, despite conventional warnings that coffee might not be all that good for you.

My own understanding of coffee’s virtues and risks was greatly enhanced by my 2011 interview with Ori Hofmekler, author of The Warrior Diet and Unlocking the Muscle Gene, who has researched coffee extensively…

 

11 May 2015

Less Can Be More, Research Shows: Maximizing Health Benefits of Exercise By Finding Your “Goldilock’s Zone”

goldilocks-zoneOne of the biggest hurdles people face in maintaining an exercise program is finding the time to do it. Fortunately, modern exercise research shows that you can significantly reduce your workout time while reaping better health benefits, compared to a traditional cardio program.

The key is Peak Fitness or high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which also goes by other terms such as anaerobic, or burst training, which I’ve discussed on numerous occasions over the past couple of years…

 

11 May 2015

11 Surprising Factors That Mess With Your Memory

memory-lossFear of losing your mind is a pervasive, fear. Among Americans, the notion of losing mental capacity evokes twice as much fear as losing physical ability, and 60 percent of US adults say they are very or somewhat worried about memory loss.1

The good news is that your brain is a dynamic organ, constantly adapting and changing, for better or for worse. Many daily activities such as, lack of sleep can seriously interfere with your memory the next day…

 

11 May 2015

Importance of Amaranth

amaranth-nutrition-factsCultivated by the Aztecs 8,000 years ago and still a native crop in Peru, the ancient history of amaranth can be traced to Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula. Today, it’s grown in Africa, India, China, Russia, throughout South America, and emerging once again in North America.

Somewhat of an unknown quantity to many, amaranth is tall – often six feet – with broad green leaves, bright red or gold flowers, and around 60 different species…

 

10 May 2015

Fluoride Isn’t the Answer, Sugar Is the Problem

dietary-sugarDental caries are caused by demineralization of your teeth (enamel and dentin) by the acids formed during the bacterial fermentation of dietary sugars.

Demineralization is countered by the deposit of minerals from your saliva, or remineralization, which is a slow process, and enthusiasts report that fluoride prevents dental caries by enhancing this mineralization…

 

10 May 2015

How Probiotics May Aid Your Weight Management

microbiotaYour gastrointestinal tract houses some 100 trillion bacteria—about two to three pounds worth. In all, the bacteria outnumber your body’s cells by about 10 to 1.

Your intestinal bacteria are part of your immune system, and researchers are discovering that microbes of all kinds play instrumental roles in countless areas of your health. For example, beneficial bacteria, also known as probiotics, have been shown to:..

 

10 May 2015

Ten Minutes of Intermittent Movement for Every Hour of Sitting May Counteract Ill Health Effects of Prolonged Sitting

heart-disease-riskIn recent years, researchers have formed a strong consensus with regards to the health effects of sitting. In short, the more time you spend sitting, the shorter and less healthy your life will tend to be.

In fact, there are now over 10,000 studies showing that chronic sitting—at work, commuting, and watching TV at night—significantly impacts your cardiovascular and metabolic function…

 

10 May 2015

What Is Watermelon Good For?

watermelon-nutrition-factsWatermelons have reputed roots in Africa, with the first recorded harvest in Egypt somewhere around 5,000 years ago. From there, they were sprouted throughout Asia and Europe. Colonists brought seeds with them to the New World, where around four billion pounds of watermelons are now produced every year. It’s easily the best-loved fruit in America.

A member of the Cucurbitaceae family with – you guessed it – cucumber, as well as squash and pumpkin,…

 

09 May 2015

What Happens Inside Your Stomach When You Eat Instant Noodles?

Instant noodles are a popular go-to lunch or dinner for those who are strapped for time (or cash), like college students. While you probably don’t consider them a health food, you may think they’re not that bad, or, at least, not as bad as eating a burger and fries or a fast-food burrito.

In a first-of-its-kind experiment, however, Dr. Braden Kuo of Massachusetts General Hospital may make you reconsider your love of instant noodles…

 

09 May 2015

Spirulina: A Luxury Health Food and a Possible Panacea for Malnutrition

spirulinaSpirulina, a type of blue-green algae, is an incredible superfood that provides a concentrated source of protein, vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients. As one of the oldest life forms on Earth, the use of spirulina as a food source dates all the way back to 9th century Chad, and it is believed spirulina was used by the Aztecs in 16th-century Mexico.

Spirulina, a type of one-celled organism, got its name from the Latin word for “helix” or “spiral” because of its spring-like physical characteristic…

 

09 May 2015