Mushrooms and Cancer Risk? Eating fresh mushrooms (greater than or equal to 10 grams per day) and dried mushrooms (greater than or equal to four grams per day) may decrease your cancer risk by 64% and 47%, respectively. The most commonly consumed mushroom in this study was the white button mushroom (one small white button…

Stop Smoking. Smokers are twice as likely to have a heart attack compared to people who have never smoked. Not smoking is the most important thing someone can do to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. European Society of Cardiology, August 2013

Sleep and Your Brain. Sleep increases the reproduction of the cells (oligodendrocytes) that form myelin. Myelin is the insulating material found on nerve cell projections in the brain and spinal cord that’s responsible for allowing electrical impulses to move from cell to cell, similar to the insulation around electrical wires. University of Wisconsin, September 2013

Obesity Microbes? New research suggests changing the mix of gut microbes can prevent obesity, but only if combined with a healthy diet. Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables encourages leanness-related microbes to populate the gut leading to better weight control. However, a diet high in saturated fat and low in fruits and vegetables…

The Great and Powerful Ginger. Ginger is an herb that is used as a spice and also has therapeutic qualities. The underground stem (rhizome) can be used fresh, powdered, dried, or as an oil or juice. Ginger is used for treating loss of appetite, nausea/vomiting after surgery, flatulence, upset stomach, colic, morning sickness, motion sickness,…

Breastfeeding and Alzheimer’s. Mothers who breastfed their children have a reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease later in life. Researches have two theories on why this may be the case: 1) Breastfeeding deprives the body of progesterone and progesterone is known to desensitize the brain’s oestrogen receptors. This may increase the amount of oestrogen in the…

Breastfeeding and Alzheimer’s. Mothers who breastfed their children have a reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease later in life. Researchers have two theories on why this may be the case: 1) Breastfeeding deprives the body of progesterone and progesterone is known to desensitize the brain’s  oestrogen receptors. This may increase the amount of oestrogen in the…

Don’t Take Your Team’s Loss So Personally. Seeing your team lose can cause you to eat more sugars and saturated fats, especially in close games that are lost at the last second. However, researchers found that you can counteract this behavior by simply writing down what’s most important in your life immediately after the game.…

Save Your Brain! 50% of Alzheimer’s and dementia cases may be preventable! Preventable or treatable risk factors include smoking, physical inactivity, depression, mid-life high blood pressure, diabetes, and mid-life obesity. The Lancet Neurology, September 2011

Pregnancy Food Risk! Laboratory tests on rats found that pregnant females who ate too many fatty and sugary foods while pregnant produced offspring that exhibited hyperactivity and stronger responses to alcohol and commonly abused drugs, like amphetamines. American Psychological Association, August 2013