Blueberries by HLife Photography
Memory: Scientists are reporting the first evidence from human research that blueberries – one of the richest sources of healthful antioxidants and other phytochemicals – improve memory. previous studies in laboratory animals suggest that eating blueberries may help boost memory in the aged, but until now there had been little scientific work aimed at testing the effect of blueberries on memory in people. The research, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, found that participants who drank blueberry juice showed significant improvement on learning and memory tests. “These findings are encouraging and suggest that consistent supplementation with blueberries may offer an approach to forestall or mitigate neurodegeneration,” said the authors of the report. Read More…
It is said that there is no such thing as good or evil – just useless and useful stuff. It is also said that 80% of our immune system resides in our intestines. Taking these two premises, we’re going to introduce you to the key to intestinal – and consequently overall – health: Probiotics.
Probiotics (from the Latin pro meaning “for” and bio meaning “life” are dietary supplements that consist of microorganisms that are beneficial for our health. These beneficial organisms are the “friendly” bacteria that colonize our intestines (yes, they make cozy homes in there, and you’re about to find out why you should be very grateful for this, so stop saying “eew!”) and help boost our immune system by maintaining a balanced ratio of good (useful) or bad (disease-causing) organisms in our bodies. In case you didn’t know, our bodies are homes to zillions of microorganisms – many of which are bacterial – that either help or hurt us, and it is a balance of all of them that determines whether we get sick or not. The intestine is home to hundreds of different species of these guys and, as you can imagine, the struggle to see who’s gonna stay alive is constant and tough. Will the friendly bacteria prevail and keep you healthy? Or will the unfriendly bacteria take over and make you sick? It’s all determined by you and what you choose to eat. Read More…
