KTK-Nutrition

Have you ever heard of brain food?    Foods you can eat for a healthier brain.      Researchers have found that the food we eat greatly affects our brain health.    Besides the food we eat, staying hydrated also affects our cognitive function.   Why is hydration important for brain health?  I always told my students that before an exam they should drink some water.  Why?  Because even being slightly  dehydrated  affects cognitive function.  A 1% dehydration level can lead to “a 5% decrease in cognitive function”.   A 2% level of dehydration “can result in short term memory loss”, what some people call “brain fog”.  Besides drinking plain water, many beverages are good for hydration including 100% juice and cow’s milk.  (See:   What beverage is most effective for staying hydrated? ) What researchers have found about diet and brain health. Researchers  at ...

So many of my relatives have switched from drinking sugared sodas to drinking sparkling water.   What are the pros and cons of switching to sparkling water?   My sister sent me several articles about sparkling water that answers these questions. What is sparkling water? Sparkling water is also called “seltzer water” or “carbonated water” as it has carbon dioxide bubbles in it.   There are many kinds of sparkling water including: “club soda, soda water, seltzer water, mineral water, and tonic water”.   Mineral water:   water from a mineral spring or a well that may contain some minerals, sulfur compounds and natural bubbles.   Tonic water:   has quinine and added sugar or added high-fructose corn syrup.   The quinine gives it a bitter taste.   Sparkling water :   Water with carbon dioxide added to make it fizzy and bubbly.   May also have flavorings, some real fruit juice, or artificial sweeteners added.    What are...

Who doesn’t enjoy some fresh watermelon?   So juicy and naturally sweet.   We have some sliced watermelon in our fridge as my husband went to the farmer’s market this week. Many people enjoy watermelon and don’t realize how healthy it is.   Cleveland Clinic says, “watermelon should be part of your diet”.   Why?   Watermelon is “packed with vitamins and minerals and can be enjoyed all year ‘round”.   We hear a lot about superfoods like blueberries but we don’t hear much about other fruits like watermelon.    Watermelon packs a big nutritious punch. One reason why watermelon is so good for your health is that it is loaded with many vitamins and minerals as well as fiber.            Vitamins : watermelon is a good source of vitamins A, C and many B vitamins.   One cup of watermelon balls provides 12.5 mg of vitamin C, almost 25% of daily needs.   One cup also provides 876 IU of vitamin A, ...

Who hasn’t experienced the afternoon energy slump?   You did fine all morning, ate lunch and then about 2 or 3 pm, you have no energy, you are in an afternoon slump.   Some people then head to the snack machine for a candy bar in hopes that it will boost your energy.   It will, but then after the sugar rush your blood sugar may plummet and you are back to being tired.     Well rather than hit the snack machine for some high sugar, high salt food or grab a left-over donut in the break room, what are some ways and foods that can give you an afternoon pick me up?    What are some quick ways to deal with an afternoon slump?         Move around – so many people sit at their desk all day and even send an email to the co-worker next door.   Get up and ask the co-worker what you wanted instead of sending the email.   Get up and go the stairwell and go up and down a couple of flights of stairs. Drink some water . ...

So many of us will be hitting the road as the weather warms up.   A relative is relocating from one state to another and is on a 29-hour road trip.   Other relatives are headed to the beach on a seven-hour road trip.   Too often those on a road trip push their health to the side and stop at Fast Food places for a quick bite to eat.   Even if one had good intentions to eat healthier a road trip can sabotage your efforts.   My husband showed me a good article on “How to Eat Healthy on the Road” in the AAA World magazine.   Many others have written on this topic.   On your next long road trip, how can you eat healthier?   As Wander Wisdom notes, Once I started bringing my own foods and snacks on trips, I felt noticeably better.   My energy levels were high, I was less hungry and I didn’t have to resort to eating the kind of unhealthy meals I’d never eat at home. Men’s Journal recommends avoiding the “feel bad” foods.   Skip the juice dr...

Every winter people get sick with colds, flu and now COVID is added to the mix.   Yet, we all know some people who seem super healthy.   While everyone in the office, the school or our friends have come down with something, there are those people who seem to have the latest illness bypass them.     Why aren’t they getting sick like everyone else?   Instead of being jealous at how healthy these people are, why not copy some habits that will build your immune system and lead to a healthier you?   My sister sent me a great article about 10 habits of healthy people .   What are some of those habits can you adopt for a healthier you? Drink water – lots of water .   What does drinking water have to do with a healthy immune system?   The University of California, Irvine notes :   Hydration is a key element to maintaining a healthy immune system .   Why?   To have a healthy immune system your body needs nutrients.   We need en...

As the weather turns colder, we think of enjoying a hot cup of soup.   Last week, we enjoyed tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.   True comfort food.   How healthy is soup?   Have you tried making your own soup?   Some recipes are actually pretty easy to make and taste oh so good.   Livestrong asks “ Why is Soup Healthy ?” Vegetables – soup is a great way to add some vegetables to your day.   A relative hates tomatoes but enjoys a bowl of tomato soup.   Tomatoes are loaded with good nutrition – vitamins A and C and the healthy antioxidant, lycopene, which is so good for your eyes.   An interesting fact :   about 80% of our dietary lycopene comes from tomato products like tomato soup.   And, the lycopene from cooked products, like tomato soup, is even more bioavailable than lycopene in raw tomatoes.     Vegetable soup, pea soup, bean soup – so many choices that add some veggies to your day.   Kids often shu...