The Cranky Yankee July Newsletter
Are You Getting Enough Zinc?
It's a brave man, they say, who first ate an oyster.
That earliest oyster-eater may have also improved his metabolic responses during moments of physical exertion, according to a new study. In other words, he wouldn't have tired as quickly as his non-oyster-eating buddies.
But this study isn't about oysters; it's about a multi-tasking mineral (abundant in oysters) that may improve endurance while also giving your body a very healthy vision-improving boost.
--------------------------------------------
Energy production
--------------------------------------------
The mineral is zinc which is one of the key tools in DNA reproduction and repair. There are also zinc-containing enzymes that are believed to regulate energy expenditure, although the effect of dietary zinc on metabolic response during exercise has not yet been thoroughly studied.
Enter a team of researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in North Dakota. The USDA team set out to examine what effect low zinc intake has on cardiorespiratory function and the activity of the carbonic anhydrase enzyme during exercise. (The carbonic anhydrase enzyme helps red blood cells deliver carbon dioxide to the lungs; a function that muscle cells require to produce energy.)
The researchers recruited 14 men between the ages of 20 and 31. For the first phase of this crossover study, half the group ate a low-zinc diet (about 4 mg per day) and half ate a high zinc diet (about 19 mg per day) for nine weeks. All the men returned to normal diets for a six week washout period, and then began the second phase in which they crossed over to either a low-zinc or a high-zinc diet for another nine weeks.
Peak work capacity of each subject was determined with a 45-minute physical test conducted during the second and ninth weeks of each of the two study phases. Work capacity was recorded with a cycle ergometer, which measures the effectiveness of muscles and muscle groups.
As reported in the May 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the authors of the study write: "These findings indicate that low dietary zinc is associated with significant reductions in zinc status, including red blood cell carbonic anhydrase activities, and impaired metabolic responses during exercise."
In short: An inadequate intake of zinc may impair physical performance.
--------------------------------------------
Vision advantage
--------------------------------------------
In addition to improving metabolic response, research shows that zinc provides other key health benefits, such as enhancement of the immune system, assistance in the repair of damaged tissues, and inhibition of the abnormal clotting that contributes to cardiovascular disease.
And a daily zinc intake of 80 mg has been shown to help improve vision, while also reducing the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In the e-Alert "Oyster Goggles" (10/11/04), I told you about a clinical trial called the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) sponsored by the National Eye Institute. For more than eight years, researchers tracked nearly 3,600 participants between the ages of 55 and 80 to examine the effects that antioxidant supplements have on AMD.
The results: High levels of zinc and antioxidants significantly reduced the risk of AMD, and the same supplements (if administered in the early stages of AMD) may also significantly inhibit the total amount of vision loss that would normally be caused by advanced AMD.
The AREDS team recommended that anyone at high risk of developing AMD should consider taking daily supplements in the amounts used in the study:
Zinc (as zinc oxide) - 80 mg
Vitamin C - 500 mg
Vitamin E - 400 IU
Beta-carotene - 15 mg
For those who do include zinc in their daily supplement intake, it's also a good idea to add a little copper as well. In the e-Alert "Aim High" (5/7/03), HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., noted that zinc can create a copper deficiency, and vice versa. And Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., agrees, stating that, "Zinc supplements should usually be offset by a small amount of copper, 1-2 mg daily." Fortunately, many multivitamins already provide a low dose of copper, taking care of the necessary zinc/copper ratio.
And to add more zinc to your diet all you need to do is increase your intake of the food that has the highest zinc content: oysters. But if the prospect of swallowing an oyster makes you green around the gills, then you can also get zinc from red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, whole grains and dairy products. Zinc is generally best absorbed when the diet is rich in animal protein.
Diabetes and Exercise
There are two main types of diabetes, type I and type II. Type I diabetes is characterized by the pancreas making too little or no insulin. An individual with diabetes type I will have to inject insulin throughout the day in order to control glucose levels. Type II diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes, is characterized by the pancreas not producing enough insulin to control glucose levels or the cells not responding to insulin. When a cell does not respond to insulin, it is known as insulin resistance. When a subject is diagnosed with type II diabetes, exercise and weight control are usually prescribed as measures to help fight insulin resistance. If this does not control glucose levels, then medication is prescribed. The risk factors for type II diabetes include: inactivity, high cholesterol, obesity, and hypertension. Inactivity alone is a very strong risk factor that has been proven to lead to diabetes type II. Exercise will have a positive effect on diabetes type II while improving insulin sensitivity while type I cannot be controlled be an exercise program. Over 90% of individuals with diabetes have type II.
Exercise causes the body to process glucose faster, which lowers blood sugar. The more intense the exercise, the faster the body will utilize glucose. Therefore it is important to understand the differences in training with type I and type II diabetes. It is important for an individual who has diabetes to check with a physician before beginning any exercise program. When training as a diabetic, it is important to understand the dangers of injecting insulin immediately prior to exercise. An individual with type I diabetes injecting their normal amount of insulin for a sedentary situation can pose the risk of hypoglycemia or insulin shock during exercise. General exercise guidelines for type I are as follows: allow adequate rest during exercise sessions to prevent high blood pressure, use low impact exercises and avoid heavy weight lifting, and always have a supply of carbohydrates nearby. If blood sugar levels get too low, the individual may feel shaky, disoriented, hungry, anxious, become irritable or experience trembling. Consuming a carbohydrate snack or beverage will alleviate these symptoms in a matter of minutes.
Before engaging in exercise, it is important to test blood sugar levels to make sure that they are not below 80 to 100 mg/dl range and not above 250 mg/dl. Glucose levels should also be tested before, during, after and three to five hours after exercise. During this recovery period (3-5 hours after exercise), it is important for diabetics to consume ample carbohydrates in order to prevent hypoglycemia.
Exercise will greatly benefit an individual with type II diabetes because of its positive effects on insulin sensitivity. Proper exercise and nutrition are the best forms of prevention for type II diabetics. It is important for training protocols to be repeated almost daily to help with sustaining insulin sensitivity. To prevent hypoglycemia, progressively work up to strenuous activity.
As with individuals with type I diabetes, carbohydrates should also be present during training to assist in raising blood sugar levels if the individual becomes low.
White Bread or Whole Wheat?
For any kid who grew up eating doughy, thick Wonder Bread for lunch, the encouragement by dietitians and nutritionists to switch to whole wheat bread can be a tough transition.
Bread, like any other part of our diet, is an acquired taste. Starting out early helps since children are much more adaptable to accepting foods than adults. This does not mean that children LIKE as many foods as adults - children are renowned picky eaters. But if you only expose them to healthy, whole grain foods they won't have the opportunity to develop a taste for white bread or other non-nutritious foods.
Adults, however, must learn to change their diet preferences because of knowledge. Understanding why whole wheat is superior to white bread can help you feel good about the compromise and encourage you to make it the standard for your children. Who knows - you may even like it!
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
The two biggest differences between white bread and whole wheat are the processing and the nutritional value.
Flour is made from wheat berries. The wheat berry is made up of the bran, the germ and the endosperm. All parts are filled with nutrients and are used in whole wheat flour.
White bread on the other hand, uses only the endosperm - the starchy inner layer. There is a total of 30 nutrients missing in white bread. The nutritional difference is immense and has measurable impact on our health.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF SWITCHING?
The fiber content of whole wheat bread has several health benefits.
Fiber helps the digestive system. It also creates a 'full' sensation and thus can help with weight control. Research has been conducted by Harvard and other organizations that shows men and women who eat high-fiber foods have fewer heart attacks and strokes than those who don't.
There is also an increased risk of diabetes in children who eat refined white flour - a risk that has been proven by the increase in cases of childhood diabetes.
WHAT DO I LOOK FOR?
Watch out for words like 'wheat flour' or 'enriched wheat flour' as they can be mostly made from white flour with just a small amount of whole wheat added in.
Look for 'whole wheat' or other whole grains, like oat. And don't be mislead by the name of the product. Names like wheat, whole bran, stoned wheat, 12 grain and others are still mostly white flour. The only way to know for sure is to read the label.
Feed and exercise your brain to keep it working.
Exercise your brain. Nourish it well. And the earlier you start, the better. That's the best advice doctors can yet offer to ward off Alzheimer's disease.
There's no guarantee. But more and more research shows that some fairly simple steps can truly lower your risk of the deadly dementia.
Also, if Alzheimer's strikes anyway, people who have followed this advice tend to do better -- their brains withstand the attack longer before symptoms become obvious.
The goal: Build up what's called a "cognitive reserve."
"Cognitive reserve is not something you're born with," Dr. Yaakov Stern of Columbia University told a meeting of Alzheimer's researchers Monday. "It's something that changes, and can be modified over time." In fact, there's now enough research backing this theory that the Alzheimer's Association is offering free classes around the country to teach people -- of any age, but especially baby boomers -- just how to do it. They call it "maintain your brain."
"There is tremendous interest in making sure that by the time you're 80, your brain is there with you," explains California psychologist Elizabeth Edgerly, who leads the program.
A healthy brain weighs about 2 pounds, roughly the size of a cauliflower. Networks of blood vessels keep oxygen flowing to 100 billion brain cells.
Branch-like tentacles extend from the ends of those cells, the brain's own specialized wiring to communicate. Under a microscope, they look like bushy hairs. A healthy brain can continue to grow new neurons and rewire and adapt itself throughout old age -- and you want your brain to be as bushy as possible.
That growth starts in childhood, when parents read to tots, and depends heavily on getting lots of education. The less educated have double the risk of getting Alzheimer's decades later than people with a college education. "Likewise, people who are less educated and have a not-so-challenging job have three to four times the risk of getting Alzheimer's," Stern says.
If you're already 40, don't despair. What's the advice?
Your brain is like a muscle -- use it or lose it. Brain scans show that when people use their brains in unusual ways, more blood flows into different neural regions, and new connections form. Do a new type of puzzle, learn to play chess, take a foreign language class or solve a vexing problem at work. Try to challenge your brain daily, Edgerly advises.
A healthy brain isn't just an intellectual one. Social stimulation is crucial, too. Don't sit in front of the television. People who are part of a group, whether it's a church or a book club, age healthier. Declining social interaction predicts declining cognitive function, new government research shows.
So do stress and anxiety. People who have what's called chronic distress -- extreme worriers -- are twice as likely to develop some form of dementia, reports Dr. Robert Wilson of Rush University Medical Center. Why? Autopsies show these people actually had fewer bush-like tentacles, or dendrites, linking their brain cells, meaning their brains were more vulnerable when disease struck.
It's not clear if someone can reverse a lifetime of worry and anxiety, but animal studies suggest exercise eases the effects of this kind of stress.
Getting physical is crucial also. Bad memory is linked to heart disease and diabetes, because clogged arteries slow blood flow in the brain. Elderly people who were less mentally and physically active in middle age are about three times as likely to get Alzheimer's as they gray. A study from Sweden found the obese are twice as likely to get Alzheimer's.
Go for the triple-whammy of something mentally, physically and socially stimulating all at once: Coach your child's ball team. Take a dance class. Strategize a round of golf.
And don't forget diet. The same foods that are heart-healthy are brain-healthy, so avoid artery-clogging saturated fat and try for omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and nuts.
Eat dark-skinned fruits and vegetables, which are particularly high in brain-healthy vitamins E and C. Harvard researchers found eating dark green leafy vegetables like spinach improves cognitive function. Also, B vitamins and folic acid, found in cereals, breads and fruits like strawberries, are important for brain health.
July Recipe- GRILLED STEAK AND VEGGIE SALAD
INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 pounds beef flank steak, fat trimmed and scored (that means slice some grooves in it)
1 medium sweet onion, cut into small wedges
6 medium Italian plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
4 ears corn, cooked, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 medium green pepper, sliced
Fresh Herb Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
DIRECTIONS: Grill steak over medium-hot coals to desired degree of doneness, about 20 minutes for medium, turning steak halfway through cooking time. Slice steak, diagonally across grain, into 1/4-inch slices. Combine sliced meat and vegetables in shallow serving bowl. Pour dressing over and toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate several hours and serve chilled.
Yield: 6 servings
Fresh Herb Vinaigrette
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced (chopped into very small pieces)
2 tablespoons sweetener
1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Combine all ingredients in covered jar; shake to mix.
Yield: Makes about 3/4 cup
Per serving : 1/6 recipe (3 oz. meat) with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette, 305 calories, 25 g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 16 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 56 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 255 mg sodium
This newsletter is also posted on Mrs. Cranky's blog:
http://mrscrankysblog.blogspot.com
Nancy McPherson, Mrs. Cranky Yankee.
P.S. I found an old picture I had on my ThirdAge homepage (http://home.thirdage.com/Hobbies/brianshoney) and added it to the About Us page on the website. I haven't gotten a useable picture of Cranky yet.
Check out our link partners: http://www.crankyyankke.biz/links
Herbalife diet questionaire: http://www.great2losewt.com (get a custom plan just for you)
Are you marketing online? Have you joined Instant Buzz? Membership is by invitation only, but I can send you one.
email : brianshonye@yahoo.com
I've located a few inexpensive programs that can bring in a little spare change for little or no investment. Check the banners on the site for more info.
It's a brave man, they say, who first ate an oyster.
That earliest oyster-eater may have also improved his metabolic responses during moments of physical exertion, according to a new study. In other words, he wouldn't have tired as quickly as his non-oyster-eating buddies.
But this study isn't about oysters; it's about a multi-tasking mineral (abundant in oysters) that may improve endurance while also giving your body a very healthy vision-improving boost.
--------------------------------------------
Energy production
--------------------------------------------
The mineral is zinc which is one of the key tools in DNA reproduction and repair. There are also zinc-containing enzymes that are believed to regulate energy expenditure, although the effect of dietary zinc on metabolic response during exercise has not yet been thoroughly studied.
Enter a team of researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in North Dakota. The USDA team set out to examine what effect low zinc intake has on cardiorespiratory function and the activity of the carbonic anhydrase enzyme during exercise. (The carbonic anhydrase enzyme helps red blood cells deliver carbon dioxide to the lungs; a function that muscle cells require to produce energy.)
The researchers recruited 14 men between the ages of 20 and 31. For the first phase of this crossover study, half the group ate a low-zinc diet (about 4 mg per day) and half ate a high zinc diet (about 19 mg per day) for nine weeks. All the men returned to normal diets for a six week washout period, and then began the second phase in which they crossed over to either a low-zinc or a high-zinc diet for another nine weeks.
Peak work capacity of each subject was determined with a 45-minute physical test conducted during the second and ninth weeks of each of the two study phases. Work capacity was recorded with a cycle ergometer, which measures the effectiveness of muscles and muscle groups.
As reported in the May 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the authors of the study write: "These findings indicate that low dietary zinc is associated with significant reductions in zinc status, including red blood cell carbonic anhydrase activities, and impaired metabolic responses during exercise."
In short: An inadequate intake of zinc may impair physical performance.
--------------------------------------------
Vision advantage
--------------------------------------------
In addition to improving metabolic response, research shows that zinc provides other key health benefits, such as enhancement of the immune system, assistance in the repair of damaged tissues, and inhibition of the abnormal clotting that contributes to cardiovascular disease.
And a daily zinc intake of 80 mg has been shown to help improve vision, while also reducing the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In the e-Alert "Oyster Goggles" (10/11/04), I told you about a clinical trial called the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) sponsored by the National Eye Institute. For more than eight years, researchers tracked nearly 3,600 participants between the ages of 55 and 80 to examine the effects that antioxidant supplements have on AMD.
The results: High levels of zinc and antioxidants significantly reduced the risk of AMD, and the same supplements (if administered in the early stages of AMD) may also significantly inhibit the total amount of vision loss that would normally be caused by advanced AMD.
The AREDS team recommended that anyone at high risk of developing AMD should consider taking daily supplements in the amounts used in the study:
Zinc (as zinc oxide) - 80 mg
Vitamin C - 500 mg
Vitamin E - 400 IU
Beta-carotene - 15 mg
For those who do include zinc in their daily supplement intake, it's also a good idea to add a little copper as well. In the e-Alert "Aim High" (5/7/03), HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., noted that zinc can create a copper deficiency, and vice versa. And Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., agrees, stating that, "Zinc supplements should usually be offset by a small amount of copper, 1-2 mg daily." Fortunately, many multivitamins already provide a low dose of copper, taking care of the necessary zinc/copper ratio.
And to add more zinc to your diet all you need to do is increase your intake of the food that has the highest zinc content: oysters. But if the prospect of swallowing an oyster makes you green around the gills, then you can also get zinc from red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, whole grains and dairy products. Zinc is generally best absorbed when the diet is rich in animal protein.
Diabetes and Exercise
There are two main types of diabetes, type I and type II. Type I diabetes is characterized by the pancreas making too little or no insulin. An individual with diabetes type I will have to inject insulin throughout the day in order to control glucose levels. Type II diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes, is characterized by the pancreas not producing enough insulin to control glucose levels or the cells not responding to insulin. When a cell does not respond to insulin, it is known as insulin resistance. When a subject is diagnosed with type II diabetes, exercise and weight control are usually prescribed as measures to help fight insulin resistance. If this does not control glucose levels, then medication is prescribed. The risk factors for type II diabetes include: inactivity, high cholesterol, obesity, and hypertension. Inactivity alone is a very strong risk factor that has been proven to lead to diabetes type II. Exercise will have a positive effect on diabetes type II while improving insulin sensitivity while type I cannot be controlled be an exercise program. Over 90% of individuals with diabetes have type II.
Exercise causes the body to process glucose faster, which lowers blood sugar. The more intense the exercise, the faster the body will utilize glucose. Therefore it is important to understand the differences in training with type I and type II diabetes. It is important for an individual who has diabetes to check with a physician before beginning any exercise program. When training as a diabetic, it is important to understand the dangers of injecting insulin immediately prior to exercise. An individual with type I diabetes injecting their normal amount of insulin for a sedentary situation can pose the risk of hypoglycemia or insulin shock during exercise. General exercise guidelines for type I are as follows: allow adequate rest during exercise sessions to prevent high blood pressure, use low impact exercises and avoid heavy weight lifting, and always have a supply of carbohydrates nearby. If blood sugar levels get too low, the individual may feel shaky, disoriented, hungry, anxious, become irritable or experience trembling. Consuming a carbohydrate snack or beverage will alleviate these symptoms in a matter of minutes.
Before engaging in exercise, it is important to test blood sugar levels to make sure that they are not below 80 to 100 mg/dl range and not above 250 mg/dl. Glucose levels should also be tested before, during, after and three to five hours after exercise. During this recovery period (3-5 hours after exercise), it is important for diabetics to consume ample carbohydrates in order to prevent hypoglycemia.
Exercise will greatly benefit an individual with type II diabetes because of its positive effects on insulin sensitivity. Proper exercise and nutrition are the best forms of prevention for type II diabetics. It is important for training protocols to be repeated almost daily to help with sustaining insulin sensitivity. To prevent hypoglycemia, progressively work up to strenuous activity.
As with individuals with type I diabetes, carbohydrates should also be present during training to assist in raising blood sugar levels if the individual becomes low.
White Bread or Whole Wheat?
For any kid who grew up eating doughy, thick Wonder Bread for lunch, the encouragement by dietitians and nutritionists to switch to whole wheat bread can be a tough transition.
Bread, like any other part of our diet, is an acquired taste. Starting out early helps since children are much more adaptable to accepting foods than adults. This does not mean that children LIKE as many foods as adults - children are renowned picky eaters. But if you only expose them to healthy, whole grain foods they won't have the opportunity to develop a taste for white bread or other non-nutritious foods.
Adults, however, must learn to change their diet preferences because of knowledge. Understanding why whole wheat is superior to white bread can help you feel good about the compromise and encourage you to make it the standard for your children. Who knows - you may even like it!
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
The two biggest differences between white bread and whole wheat are the processing and the nutritional value.
Flour is made from wheat berries. The wheat berry is made up of the bran, the germ and the endosperm. All parts are filled with nutrients and are used in whole wheat flour.
White bread on the other hand, uses only the endosperm - the starchy inner layer. There is a total of 30 nutrients missing in white bread. The nutritional difference is immense and has measurable impact on our health.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF SWITCHING?
The fiber content of whole wheat bread has several health benefits.
Fiber helps the digestive system. It also creates a 'full' sensation and thus can help with weight control. Research has been conducted by Harvard and other organizations that shows men and women who eat high-fiber foods have fewer heart attacks and strokes than those who don't.
There is also an increased risk of diabetes in children who eat refined white flour - a risk that has been proven by the increase in cases of childhood diabetes.
WHAT DO I LOOK FOR?
Watch out for words like 'wheat flour' or 'enriched wheat flour' as they can be mostly made from white flour with just a small amount of whole wheat added in.
Look for 'whole wheat' or other whole grains, like oat. And don't be mislead by the name of the product. Names like wheat, whole bran, stoned wheat, 12 grain and others are still mostly white flour. The only way to know for sure is to read the label.
Feed and exercise your brain to keep it working.
Exercise your brain. Nourish it well. And the earlier you start, the better. That's the best advice doctors can yet offer to ward off Alzheimer's disease.
There's no guarantee. But more and more research shows that some fairly simple steps can truly lower your risk of the deadly dementia.
Also, if Alzheimer's strikes anyway, people who have followed this advice tend to do better -- their brains withstand the attack longer before symptoms become obvious.
The goal: Build up what's called a "cognitive reserve."
"Cognitive reserve is not something you're born with," Dr. Yaakov Stern of Columbia University told a meeting of Alzheimer's researchers Monday. "It's something that changes, and can be modified over time." In fact, there's now enough research backing this theory that the Alzheimer's Association is offering free classes around the country to teach people -- of any age, but especially baby boomers -- just how to do it. They call it "maintain your brain."
"There is tremendous interest in making sure that by the time you're 80, your brain is there with you," explains California psychologist Elizabeth Edgerly, who leads the program.
A healthy brain weighs about 2 pounds, roughly the size of a cauliflower. Networks of blood vessels keep oxygen flowing to 100 billion brain cells.
Branch-like tentacles extend from the ends of those cells, the brain's own specialized wiring to communicate. Under a microscope, they look like bushy hairs. A healthy brain can continue to grow new neurons and rewire and adapt itself throughout old age -- and you want your brain to be as bushy as possible.
That growth starts in childhood, when parents read to tots, and depends heavily on getting lots of education. The less educated have double the risk of getting Alzheimer's decades later than people with a college education. "Likewise, people who are less educated and have a not-so-challenging job have three to four times the risk of getting Alzheimer's," Stern says.
If you're already 40, don't despair. What's the advice?
Your brain is like a muscle -- use it or lose it. Brain scans show that when people use their brains in unusual ways, more blood flows into different neural regions, and new connections form. Do a new type of puzzle, learn to play chess, take a foreign language class or solve a vexing problem at work. Try to challenge your brain daily, Edgerly advises.
A healthy brain isn't just an intellectual one. Social stimulation is crucial, too. Don't sit in front of the television. People who are part of a group, whether it's a church or a book club, age healthier. Declining social interaction predicts declining cognitive function, new government research shows.
So do stress and anxiety. People who have what's called chronic distress -- extreme worriers -- are twice as likely to develop some form of dementia, reports Dr. Robert Wilson of Rush University Medical Center. Why? Autopsies show these people actually had fewer bush-like tentacles, or dendrites, linking their brain cells, meaning their brains were more vulnerable when disease struck.
It's not clear if someone can reverse a lifetime of worry and anxiety, but animal studies suggest exercise eases the effects of this kind of stress.
Getting physical is crucial also. Bad memory is linked to heart disease and diabetes, because clogged arteries slow blood flow in the brain. Elderly people who were less mentally and physically active in middle age are about three times as likely to get Alzheimer's as they gray. A study from Sweden found the obese are twice as likely to get Alzheimer's.
Go for the triple-whammy of something mentally, physically and socially stimulating all at once: Coach your child's ball team. Take a dance class. Strategize a round of golf.
And don't forget diet. The same foods that are heart-healthy are brain-healthy, so avoid artery-clogging saturated fat and try for omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and nuts.
Eat dark-skinned fruits and vegetables, which are particularly high in brain-healthy vitamins E and C. Harvard researchers found eating dark green leafy vegetables like spinach improves cognitive function. Also, B vitamins and folic acid, found in cereals, breads and fruits like strawberries, are important for brain health.
July Recipe- GRILLED STEAK AND VEGGIE SALAD
INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 pounds beef flank steak, fat trimmed and scored (that means slice some grooves in it)
1 medium sweet onion, cut into small wedges
6 medium Italian plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
4 ears corn, cooked, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 medium green pepper, sliced
Fresh Herb Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
DIRECTIONS: Grill steak over medium-hot coals to desired degree of doneness, about 20 minutes for medium, turning steak halfway through cooking time. Slice steak, diagonally across grain, into 1/4-inch slices. Combine sliced meat and vegetables in shallow serving bowl. Pour dressing over and toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate several hours and serve chilled.
Yield: 6 servings
Fresh Herb Vinaigrette
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced (chopped into very small pieces)
2 tablespoons sweetener
1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Combine all ingredients in covered jar; shake to mix.
Yield: Makes about 3/4 cup
Per serving : 1/6 recipe (3 oz. meat) with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette, 305 calories, 25 g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 16 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 56 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 255 mg sodium
This newsletter is also posted on Mrs. Cranky's blog:
http://mrscrankysblog.blogspot.com
Nancy McPherson, Mrs. Cranky Yankee.
P.S. I found an old picture I had on my ThirdAge homepage (http://home.thirdage.com/Hobbies/brianshoney) and added it to the About Us page on the website. I haven't gotten a useable picture of Cranky yet.
Check out our link partners: http://www.crankyyankke.biz/links
Herbalife diet questionaire: http://www.great2losewt.com (get a custom plan just for you)
Are you marketing online? Have you joined Instant Buzz? Membership is by invitation only, but I can send you one.
email : brianshonye@yahoo.com
I've located a few inexpensive programs that can bring in a little spare change for little or no investment. Check the banners on the site for more info.
posted by Mrs.Cranky Yankee @ 11:18 PM
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