KTK-Nutrition

My husband showed me an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal,  Is Your Brain Aging Faster Than You?  New Clues Emerge .    In the article, a man was experiencing issues like no longer being able to play the bagpipes as he made too many mistakes, then forgetting things.    At 56 years old, he was diagnosed with dementia.   What are the risk factors dementia? Age  is the highest risk factor for dementia and one you can’t change. Type 2 diabetes  is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.  Other  risk factors  include obesity, high blood pressure, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, physical  in activity, poor diet, and hearing loss.  Some more risk factors are noted in  Risk factors for dementia . What lifestyle changes can potentially slow and maybe even reverse some cognitive decline?  There are two lifestyle changes one can make that are often noted in research:  diet and physica...

Who doesn’t enjoy a cup of tea?    As  NIH  noted, “drinking tea has been considered a health-promoting habit since ancient times”. Researchers have found this to be true.    Why is tea so healthy? What are the substances in  tea  that promote health? Polyphenols  include catechins which are antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.   Flavonoids  act as antioxidants in our bodies and may inhibit cancer cell growth.     Theanine  is an amino acid that helps with relaxation. Caffeine  is a  stimulant  that can improve alertness and focus. A cup of tea provides much less  caffeine  than a cup of coffee: black tea about 47 mg of caffeine, green tea only 28 mg.  Herbal teas like ginger tea and peppermint tea have no caffeine.  Minerals : Tea can provide  minerals  like potassium, magnesium, copper, and zinc.      What are so...

Are you in the habit of taking a morning walk?   If not, should you start?   Scientists have found there are many health benefits to starting your day with an early morning walk.   Eat This, Not That! has a great article , What Going for a Morning Walk Does to Your Body, Says Science .   And it doesn’t have to be a long walk, even 10 minutes can benefit your health. A brain boost – Your brain relies on sugar (glucose) for energy and this glucose is in your blood.   Walking increases the amount of blood going to your brain and thus increases the amount of fuel going to your brain.   Researchers from New Mexico Highlands University found that a steady walk significantly improved blood flow to the brain.   Want some tips on improving your walk, then Harvard has some for you, The Secret Trick for Walking for Exercise .   What is the “secret”?   To start, just walk at a steady pace for 5-20 minutes a day a few days a week.   Get your bo...