Mythbusting: Hydration
Adequate fluid is essential to health, so make sure you know the facts.
Why the Low-Fat Diet Failed
In the 1980s and 1990s, Americans were told that eating less fat would reduce risk for cardiovascular disease and obesity. Why didn’t it work? Essentially, reducing total fat led to intake of more refined carbohydrates and less healthy fats, and both of these changes had negative health impacts.
Diet and Alzheimer’s
A healthy diet may help delay onset and slow progression.
Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of the loss of memory and other cognitive abilities collectively known as dementia. There is no known food or diet that can prevent or cure Alzheimer’s dementia, but diet may help delay onset and slow progression.
The Common Bowel Problem Nobody is Talking About
Constipation is common, and often easily corrected through dietary changes.
It’s time to talk about constipation. Infrequent bowel movements or difficulty passing stools is extremely common, particularly for older adults. Chronic constipation affects up to 40 percent of adults over age 60 and, in a 2017 study published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing, older adults reported this ongoing condition negatively impacted their physical and mental health, as well as their social functioning.
Should You Show Your Love with (Chocolate) Flavonoids?
Some forms of chocolate can be a rich source of health-promoting phytochemicals, but not all.
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and many of us will say, “I love you!” with the classic gift of chocolate. Ever since scientists discovered that cocoa beans contain potentially health-promoting biologically active compounds, chocolate treats have taken on a healthy halo. February seems like the perfect time to examine the current state of science around this crave-worthy confection.
New Physical Activity Guidelines Released
Health benefits of activity are greater than previously thought, and even short bouts of activity count.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, an update of recommendations published in 2008. “The new guidelines provide more evidence-based reasons to be active than ever before,” says Roger A. Fielding, PhD, director of Tufts’ Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, and Sarcopenia Laboratory, “and they make it clear that even some activity is better than none.”
Vegetables: to Cook or Not to Cook
Cooking decreases content of some nutrients but increases availability of others.
Vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and fiber, and health-conscious consumers naturally want to know how to get the most nutritional impact from these powerful foods. “Nutritionally, there are pluses and minuses to cooking vegetables,” says Helen Rasmussen, PhD, RD, a senior research dietitian at Tufts’ Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging. For example, cooking carrots reduces levels of vitamin C (which plays an important role in maintaining collagen, the glue that holds cells together) but increases availability of beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A (which plays an important role in vision, reproduction, bone growth, and regulating the immune system).
Brussels Sprouts Marinated with Sesame and Rice Wine Vinegar
