While there is no one “superfood” to help with brain health, there are some foods and lifestyles that have been linked to positive brain improvements.

Current research indicates that diets high in saturated fat and trans fat inhibit memory and increase the risk of brain dysfunction, so, whenever possible, choose healthier oils like olive oil and canola. Other foods that have been linked with positive brain health are walnuts, fish, berries and leafy green vegetables.

Walnuts contain vitamin E, antioxidants and omega-3s, and the omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts — as well as salmon and cold-water fish — have been associated with proper brain development in infants, increased memory in adults, and decreased onset of mental decline in the elderly.

Omega-3 fatty acids have also been linked to lower blood levels of beta-amyloid. In the brain of someone suffering from Alzheimer’s, beta-amyloid has been shown to clump into plaques that then can collect between neurons and disrupt brain function. Berries contain flavonoids and antioxidants, both of which are important because they rid the body of free radicals that could eventually do harm to the brain. Leafy green vegetables provide nutrients such as vitamin K, lutein, beta-carotene, folate, vitamin B, and the antioxidants vitamins C and E.

The best menu for boosting memory and brain function promotes good blood flow to the brain. Here are some tips:

— Munch on vegetables.

— Eat berries and cherries.

— Work walnuts in as snacks and toppings.

— Eat foods rich in omega-3s.

— Combat saturated and trans fats with healthy fats.

— Skip simple sugars.

Source: Lancasteronline

Trying to shed some extra pounds but not seeing any results? Here are 5 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight Even With Exercise.

Weight loss does not happen overnight and involves a process that starts with a gradual but definite shift in lifestyle. While there are advocates of rapid weight loss strategies, such efforts offer short-term benefits and are mostly unsustainable. Diet experts still say that the best way to lose weight and to keep the pounds down is to manage a healthy relationship between food and physical activity.

However, there is no cookie-cutter solution to losing weight, and some people might find that despite pounding it out at the gym daily, they’re still not getting the results they want to see on the scale. If you’re experiencing a plateau in your weight loss efforts, there are several reasons why this might be happening.

1. You don’t take enough protein

Diets that are high in protein can result in more pounds lost, at the start at least. Protein tricks your body into feeling sated so you are not tempted to eat more and give in to cravings. It also prevents your body from shedding muscle mass while your weight loss happens. The amount of protein the body needs depends on how much you weigh, but for discussion purposes, most women of average weights are recommended to consume as much as 80 grams’ worth of protein a day. So, go ahead and chomp on those eggs, Greek yogurt, chicken breasts, nuts, beans and more.

2. You have a generally sedentary lifestyle

Even if you have a regular gym schedule, if most of your waking hours are spent at a desk, then you probably won’t see weight loss results right away. That’s not really your fault because your job might demand that you do so. But instead of carrying a defeatist attitude, you can take your desk position positively and find ways to get your blood pumping without needing to skip work. Experts say that getting up frequently and walking around the office for about 2 minutes can help you burn as much as 59 calories per day; more if you do some basic exercises.

3. You don’t drink plenty of water

Water not only helps your body get rid of toxins, it also helps suppress appetite. In addition, when you don’t drink enough daily, your kidneys will be dehydrated and fail to function properly, thus messing your metabolic process. How much water should you be taking? Experts say at least eight glasses, but if you can consume more than that, then all the better for you. There is no limit to how much you can drink and the best part is that it has zero calories.

4. Your baselines are incorrect

You might be basing your weight loss goals on an incorrect BMI measurement, calorie deficit and other numbers that can affect loss and gain. To be sure you’re on the right track, consult a dietician or fitness expert to help you set an accurate baseline. This way, you know that your efforts are anchored on scientific facts and you’re not just assuming your calculations. If you’re using a gadget to help you compute, then be sure that you understand how it really works so that your numbers are not off.

5. You’re eating the wrong food

Weight loss is largely about how much and what you eat. This is why apart from regularly exercising, dieticians recommend that you also watch your calorie intake. This makes a lot of sense because the point of physical activity is to burn calories. If you are eating food that introduces more calories than what you lose from your usual efforts, then everything will go to waste. As a general rule, stick to natural and whole foods and avoid anything that’s processed and refined.

Diet takes up the majority of one’s weight loss battle. That said, even if you have a rigorous training program, if you are not eating right then you won’t be losing weight. Other factors that can affect this include your age, your metabolic rate and, sometimes, even genes. Overall, succeeding in this journey is more than just following your gym program. It should take a conscious effort on your part to be extra mindful of how you eat and to understand how your body responds to food and activity.

Source: ibttimes

Your immune system could use a little help as you age. Find out which vaccinations and lifestyle changes can do you the most good.

Your immune system’s role is to actively fight infections and illness in order to keep you healthy. But as you get older, your immune system changes, making it more difficult to fight off a cold or beat back the flu, according to the National Institute on Aging. This means that, as you age, you may get sick more often. It also means that vaccines against certain infections might be slightly less effective.

“We know that the number of immune cells generally stays about the same as we age, but how they work is less effective,” says Carmel Dyer, MD, a professor in the department of geriatric and palliative medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, and executive director of the UTHealth Consortium on Aging in Houston. “You’re more prone to get infections as you age.”

However, once you know what steps you can take to protect or even boost your immune system, you can improve your chances of remaining healthy as you get older. Making healthy choices each day and throughout the changing seasons can help. Start with these six steps:

1. Get vaccinated. Just because vaccines may be slightly less effective as you age doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following vaccines:

Annual flu shot. “Older adults tend to produce a slightly lower antibody response to the flu shot,” says David Watts, MD, an associate professor of geriatrics at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. However, the CDC estimates that 60 percent of hospitalizations for flu-related illness each year are people older than 65. Getting an annual flu shot may reduce your risk for hospitalization.

Pneumonia. Once you reach 65, two pneumococcal vaccines are recommended: PCV13 (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) and PPSV23 (pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine). Dr. Watts recommends getting these shots a year apart to make sure you have the most protection for the rest of your life.

Zoster vaccine. If you had chicken pox, the virus that caused it might be dormant in your body. If it comes back, you can get shingles — a painful rash that can potentially lead to long-term nerve pain. The zoster vaccine may help prevent shingles. The CDC recommends that everyone over 60 get the zoster vaccine — whether you’ve previously had shingles or not — provided you’re healthy enough to do so.

You need one booster in adulthood for tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis, Watts says. After that, you should get a tetanus-diphtheria booster every 10 years, according to the CDC. Pertussis, more commonly called “whooping cough,” in particular is a danger not only to you, but to any unvaccinated grand- or great-grandchildren you might be around.

2. Exercise regularly. Physical activity helps boost the production of immune system cells and lower inflammation in your body, according to a review of research on exercise and immunity published in the journal Biogerontology in March 2016. The researchers note that people who have been moderately active throughout their lives have the most immune system benefits. The CDC recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week and two sessions a week of muscle-strengthening activities, such as lifting weights.

3. Get a good night’s sleep. People who don’t sleep well appear to have more inflammation, which suggests their immune system is working overtime. At the same time, people who are fighting infection and illness might not be sleeping well, according to an article published in August 2016 in Neuropsychopharmacology. “Sleep is important to all of us,” says Dr. Dyer. The time that you go to sleep and wake up can change as you age, she adds, but you should try to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep daily — which is also a recommended by the National Sleep Foundation. If you’re having trouble getting enough quality sleep, talk to your doctor.

4. Eat a healthy diet. “One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was that, when you look down at your plate, you should see a variety of colors,” Dyer says. A rainbow of fruits and vegetables indicates a wide range of nutrients. For seniors, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics specifically recommends a protein-rich diet that also focuses on vitamins A, B, C, and E, as well as zinc, folate, selenium, and prebiotics and probiotics to help protect your immune system. Talk to your doctor about whether you should take any additional vitamin or mineral supplements.

5. Lower stress. It’s important to find fun, productive ways to manage stress. For instance, going on a vacation and meditating both can reduce stress levels, which might benefit immunity, according to a study published in Translational Psychiatry in August 2016.

6. Wash your hands. Practicing good hand hygiene can go a long way toward keeping you from getting sick from other people’s germs, or from passing on your own. The CDC recommends washing hands with soap and water before and after preparing and eating food, and after:

Caring for someone who is sick
Using the toilet
Blowing your nose
Treating a cut or wound
Changing a diaper

Be sure to wash for 20 seconds. Use alcohol-based sanitizer if you don’t have soap and water handy.

Source: Everydayhealth

Dates which is popularly known as dabino in the northern part of Nigeria is a delicious fruit with great attributes and benefits such as relief from constipation, intestinal disorders, heart problems, anemia, sexual dysfunction, diarrhea, abdominal cancer, and many other conditions.

Eating one date fruit per day is necessary for a healthy and balanced diet, some health specialists have recommended.
The incredible health benefits of dabino aka dates can not be over emphasized as it is the best ingredients for the development of muscle.

Dates can be consumed in several ways, such as blending of the dates with milk, yogurt or coconut and also eaten with bread or butter.

The paste is essential for adults and children as well, especially during period of recovery from injury or illness.

Modern day medical survey, recently  acknowledged the usefulness of dates in preventing abdominal cancer.

The consumption of dates also to help prevent over feeding after fasting. The urge and feeling to eat more are pacified when the nutritional value of the fruit is absorbed into the body. It also helps the nervous system because of the high level of potassium.

The consumption of dietary fiber of 20 to 35 grams per day has been recommended by American Cancer Society which can be gotten from dates. To also maintain a healthy eyes,  it is said that eating just a date per day is an eye saver. These fruits are generally attributed to be effective in the protection against night blindness.

Health Benefits of Dates

Constipation:

The consumption of dates help people suffering from constipation. For laxatives effect of the fruit for constipation, soaking them over night in water and eating the soaked dabina fruits in the morning give the desired result. The high levels of soluble fiber,  enhances healthy bowel movements and the comfortable movement of food through the intestinal tract, that  relieve symptoms of constipation,

Sexual Weakness: 

Studies have shown that dates are even useful for increasing sexual stamina. Soak some dates in fresh milk over night, then grind within the same milk with a conbination of cardamom powder and honey. This mixture becomes a really helpful tonic for increasing sexual endurance and reducing sterility caused by varied sexual disorders. Study shows that, the effects of date palms and their oil on sexual functions. It found that the high levels of oestrogen and flavonoid elements of dates are what increase spermatozoa and motility, in addition to promoting enhanced testes size and weight. So, if you are looking for a masculine boost, eat some dates,

Allergies: 

One among the foremost fascinating aspects of dates is the presence of organic sulfur in them. This is often not an awfully common component to find in foods, however it does have a worthy quantity of health advantages, together with the reduction of hypersensitive reactions and seasonal allergies. In line with a study in 2002, organic sulfur compounds will have a positive impact on the number of suffering individuals experience from SAR (Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis), that affects close to twenty three million individuals within the us alone. Dates are an excellent way to somewhat stem the results of these seasonal allergies through its contributions of sulfur to the diet.

Anemia:

Dates have a high mineral content, that is useful for several totally different health conditions, however their spectacular levels of iron make them an ideal dietary supplement for individuals affected by anemia. The high level of iron balances out the inherent lack of iron in anemic patients, increasing energy and strength, whereas decreasing feelings of fatigue and sluggishness.

Healthy and Strong bone:

These highly nutritional fruits contain  selenium, manganese, copper, and magnesium which are significant to the development of healthy bones. It fight diseases such as osteoporosis. The substantial numbers of minerals found in dates make it an incredible food that strengthens and boost bones when aging steps in. It fighting off painful and debilitating diseases like.

Weight Gain: 

Dates ought to be enclosed as a a part of a healthy diet. They encompass sugar, proteins and lots of essential vitamins. If dates are consumed with cucumber paste, you’ll be able to additionally keep your weight at a standard, balanced level, instead of over-slimming. One kg of dates contains virtually 3,000 calories, and also the calories in dates are enough to fulfill the daily necessities for a person’s body. Of course, you must not eat simply dates throughout the day. If you’re skinny and slim and need to extend your weight, or if you’re making an attempt to create your muscles to impress some lady, otherwise you became weak as a result of a heavy medical downside – you need to eat dates!

Intestinal Disorders:

The frequent consumption of dates aids to inhibit the pathological organisms growth and help the growth of bacteria that are friendly to the intestine. The nicotine content in dates is also said to be effective in the cure of several kinds of intestinal disorders. In other words dates soluble and insoluble fibers, and also lots of amino acids which can helps the digestion of food, makes it efficient for nutrients to be absorbed by the digestive tract and enter your body for proper usage.

Abdominal Cancer: 

Research has pointed towards dates being a legitimate way to cut down the chance and impact of abdominal cancer. They work as a helpful tonic for all ages, and in some cases, they work better than ancient medicines, and they are natural, as a result they do not have any negative side effects on the human system.

Source: Glo’s corner