KTK-Nutrition

Are you missing some nutrients in your diet?     There is a lot of focus on health and healthy eating, yet many Americans have diets low in one or more nutrients.   What are the top 7 nutrients commonly missing in people’s diets?   WebMD has a great slide show on   The 7 Missing Nutrents in Your Diet .   This week we will focus on 4 of these nutrients and next week cover 3 more. Are you missing or Low in These Nutrients ? Potassium - almost everyone knows we should cut back on salt and sodium but few realize potassium helps negate the harmful effects of all that salt in our diets.   Well sodium is linked with increasing blood pressure, potassium helps lower your blood pressure.   Those into weight lifting and body building may want to focus on potassium rich foods as we need potassium for our muscles. Good sources of potassium – bananas, sweet potatoes, avocados, legumes, milk, potatoes 2.        Mag...

Are there foods that can help control inflammation?   In our bodies we can have low-grade inflammation that can simmer along for years before raising its ugly head as cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or even heart disease.   There are foods that can help fight this low grade inflammation as described in Tame the Flame of Inflammation .          1.   Broccoli – not just broccoli but other vegetables in the cruciferous family – kale, Brussel sprouts, help lower inflammation.   The antioxidants in these foods seem to provide the benefits.   If you don’t like broccoli plain, add a cheese sauce, or put some in soups, on salads, in stir-fry dishes.         2.   Wheat berries and whole wheat – many people are shunning wheat and thus the benefits whole wheat can provide.   Wheat berries and whole wheat provide a polyphenol antioxidant that can lower inflammation.   Add some ...

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was “brain food”?    Just eat a few foods and be smarter, more alert, improve your memory?   Well, apparently there are foods you can eat to improve your memory and learning.   A recent article in Environmental Nutrition, 5 Steps for Feeding Your Brain , lists a number of foods and steps to feed your brain.           1.    Foods rich in Phytonutrients – these aren’t vitamins or minerals but plant nutrients that have health benefits to plants and to us.   There are many phytonutrients, the one called flavonoids, are good for brain health.   These promote memory and learning.   Whole plant foods are better than processed so choose:         a.        Citrus fruits – whole orange vs. orange juice, grapefruit, slices of lemon in ice water              ...