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Keto diet fans swear by MCT oil so much that they even drop it into their coffee. Now MCT oil has gone mainstream, and you don’t have to be keto to find it in all kinds of foods, since it has been showing up in everything from vegan powders to shakes to cookie bites. And given the health claims around MCT oil–which include weight loss and improved brain health and focus –you might begin to think of MCT oil as a superfood (it’s not). So does that mean you should add it to your diet? We talked with nutrition pros who urge caution. What is MCT oil?

MCT stands for medium-chain triglyceride, a type of fatty acid. There are also short and long-chain fatty acids, but most of the fat people eat is of the long-chain variety (like those in avocados, nuts, and fish), says Leigh-Anne Wooten, M.S., R.D.N., L.D.N., a dietitian in Charlotte, NC, and Vitamix nutrition and wellness expert.

MCT is found naturally in coconut oil and other tropical oils like palm kernel and in smaller amounts, whole milk, butter, and human breast milk. It’s the MCTs from the oils, though, that are extracted and turned into MCT oil, a 100 percent saturated fat, which could wreak havoc on your health. “It’s well established that the more saturated the fats are, the more they can raise LDL (aka bad) cholesterol which is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” says Catherine Fody Flanagan, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., a dietitian in Long Island, NY. That bulletproof coffee mentioned above? One cup is packed with 25 grams of fat, 21 of which is saturated. How MCT oil is different from other oils

MCT oil has some unique characteristics that oils like long-chain fatty acids don’t have. For starters, MCTs provide about 10 percent fewer calories than other oils. While most oils contain nine calories per gram, MCTs contain 8.2 calories per gram. MCTs also go straight to your liver where they can be used as a quick energy source. “Since they’re broken down and absorbed rapidly, this quick energy source is less likely to be stored as fat,” Flanagan says. Note, though: That only holds true if you’re not consuming other fat calories in addition to MCT calories.

And if you’re a cook, know that MCT oil has a lower smoke point than other oils, which means it’s not an oil to be used to pan or stir-frying or other methods of high-heat cooking, Flanagan says. Yet because it’s a neutral oil with virtually no taste or smell, it can be mixed into food and drinks without adding flavor. The health benefits of MCT oil

There is research to suggest benefits from MCT oil, including weight loss, appetite suppression, cognitive function, decreased cholesterol, lower risk of cardiovascular disease, lower levels of insulin resistance, and improved Alzheimer’s symptoms, Wooten says. But all of this comes with a caveat. “These are small studies, and the research on MCT oil is still quite young and not conclusive enough to recommend MCT oil yet,” says Wooten, adding, though, that MCT can be beneficial for people with health issues like epilepsy and those with certain fat absorption disorders.

Take, for instance, weight loss, one of the most common reasons people take MCT oil. In one study from the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition comparing MCTs to LCTs, MCTs resulted in greater increases in leptin and PYY, or peptide, which increases feelings of satiety and fullness, Flanagan says.

MCTs are also more easily digested and absorbed than longer-chain fatty acids. That means when consumed, they’re funneled directly to be used as energy. “Because the calories in MCTs are used straight away, they’re less likely to be stored as fat,” Wooten says. This is the principle behind the keto diet, but here’s the catch: If you’re not in a state of ketosis or you’re taking in a lot of MCTs, your body will convert it to fat, which would negate any weight loss effect. Some studies have even found that the weight loss benefits are short-lived, the effect disappearing about two weeks after the body has adapted, Flanagan says.

Brain health is another reason people are flocking to MCT oil, and here’s why. The brain prefers glucose as its fuel source. “Because Alzheimer’s patients show reduced glucose metabolism in the brain, ketones, which are molecules produced when the liver breaks down large amounts of fat, can act as an alternative fuel source for the brain,” Flanagan says.

In fact, one study in the American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias found that MCTs improved learning and memory in mild to moderate cases of Alzheimer’s, as long as people didn’t have the APOE4 gene which may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Wooten notes, though, that ketones are not the preferred energy source for the brain, and if you don’t have a cognitive disorder, it’s unlikely you’ll notice a long-lasting brain boost just by consuming MCT oil.

As per cholesterol, don’t hang your hat on MCT oil. “The research is promising but not conclusive enough for health professionals to recommend MCT oil to help lower cholesterol,” Wooten says. There are some promising animal studies (like this one from Nutrition & Metabolism ) and even small human studies, but they’re so small – involving, say, only 24 adult overweight men – that there is no way experts can extrapolate a recommendation for all people. The bottom line on cholesterol? While research on MCT oil’s long-term effects on the heart is still out, “in very limited quantities and as a replacement to other fats, it probably won’t elevate cholesterol or heart disease risk, but in higher doses, it absolutely could,” Wooten says. Getty Images/iStockphoto So is MCT oil healthy?

Technically, MCT oil should be considered unhealthy since it’s a saturated fat. Yet because MCTs aren’t digested, absorbed, or stored like regular fats, “they’re not exactly unhealthy either, unless, of course, you’re consuming too many,” Wooten says. If that’s the case, your body will store them as […]

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Intense CBD treatments have shown improvements in hereditary Alzheimer’s disease. Very preliminary research, but showing that CBD opens up a lot of therapeutic avenues. Treatment of high doses of CBD for two weeks helps restore function of two key proteins to reduce the build-up of beta-amyloid plaque, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, and improves cognition in an experimental familial Alzheimer’s model early, the researchers report. CBD improves cognition

TREM2 and IL-33 proteins are important for the ability of immune cells in the brain to literally consume dead cells and other debris like beta-amyloid plaque that builds up in patients’ brains and levels of both are lowered in Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers report for the first time that CBD normalizes levels and function, improving cognition as it also lowers levels of the immune protein IL-6, which is associated with the high levels of inflammation found in Alzheimer’s disease, says Dr. Babak Baban, immunologist and associate dean of research at Georgia Dental College and corresponding author of the study.

There is an urgent need for new therapies to improve outcomes for patients with this disease, which is considered one of the fastest growing health threats in the United States according to analysts at DCG and the Medical College of Georgia write in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease . CBD works on several levels against Alzheimer’s

“Right now we have two classes of drugs to treat Alzheimer’s disease,” says Dr. John Morgan, neurologist and director of movement and memory disorders programs in the Department of Neurology at MCG. One treatment increases the levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is also lowered in Alzheimer’s disease, and another works through NMDA receptors involved in communication between neurons and important for memory. But we don’t have anything that addresses the pathophysiology of the disease,” says Morgan, co-author of the study.

Analysts at DCG and MCG have decided to examine the ability of CBD to attack some of the major brain systems that go wrong in Alzheimer’s disease . They found that CBD appears to normalize levels of IL-33, a protein whose highest expression in humans is normally found in the brain, where it helps sound the alarm that there is a invader such as the build-up of beta-amyloid.

There is also emerging evidence for its role as a regulatory protein, the function of which to increase or decrease the immune response depends on the environment , Baban says. In Alzheimer’s disease, that involves reducing inflammation and trying to restore balance to the immune system, he says. An improvement in phagocytosis

CBD also enhanced the expression of the trigger receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2, or TREM2, which is found on the cell surface where it combines with another protein to transmit signals that activate cells, including cells. immune.

In the brain, it is expressed on microglial cells, a special population of immune cells found only in the brain where they are essential for clearing invaders like viruses and irrevocably damaged neurons.

Low levels of TREM2 and rare variations in TREM2 are associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and in their mouse model, TREM2 and IL-33 were both low.

Both are essential for a natural and ongoing cleaning process in the brain called phagocytosis, in which microglial cells regularly consume beta-amyloid, which is regularly produced in the brain as a result of the breakdown of the precursor protein amyloid-beta, which is important for synapses, connection points between neurons and which plaque can damage. Visible improvements in mice

They found that the CBD treatment increased IL-33 and TREM2 levels seven-fold and ten-fold , respectively. The impact of CBD on brain function in the mouse model of early Alzheimer’s disease has been assessed by methods such as the ability to differentiate a familiar from a new one, as well as by observing rodent movement.

People with Alzheimer’s disease may experience movement problems like stiffness and impaired gait, says Dr. Hesam Khodadadi, a graduate student working in Baban’s lab. Mice with the disease move in an endless inner circle, a behavior that stopped with the CBD treatment , says Khodadadi, the study’s first author.

The next steps include determining optimal doses and administering CBD earlier in the disease process. The compound was administered in the later stages of the published study and now analysts are using it at the first signs of cognitive decline, Khodadadi says. Inhaling CBD as a mode of absorption

They are also exploring delivery systems, including the use of an inhaler that should help deliver CBD more directly to the brain . For published studies, CBD was introduced into the stomachs of mice every other day for two weeks.

One company developed animal and human inhalers for researchers who also explored the effect of CBD on adult respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS, a buildup of fluid in the lungs that is a major and fatal complication of COVID-19 as well as other serious illnesses like sepsis and major trauma.

The doses of CBD used for the Alzheimer’s disease study were the same as those used successfully by researchers to reduce the “cytokine storm” of ARDS, which can irrevocably damage the lungs. Familial disease is a hereditary version of Alzheimer’s disease in which symptoms usually surface at ages 30 and 40 and occur in about 10 to 15% of patients . Effective against both standard and hereditary Alzheimer’s

CBD is expected to be at least as effective in the more common non-familial Alzheimer’s disease , which likely has more targets for CBD, Baban notes. They are already looking at its potential in a more common model of this type and are moving forward to establish a clinical trial.

Plaques along with neurofibrillary tangles, a collection of the tau protein inside neurons, are the main building blocks of Alzheimer’s disease, Morgan says. Beta-amyloid usually appears in the brain 15 to 20 years or more before dementia, he says, and the appearance of tau tangles, which can occur up to 10 years after, correlates with the onset of dementia. dementia.

There is some interaction between beta-amyloid and tau that decreases […]

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Can playing video games help prevent cognitive decline that comes with aging? Maybe so, according to research by Dr. Adam Gazzaley, a neuroscientist, neurologist, author and entrepreneur. Credit: Getty Gazzaley is the David Dolby Distinguished Professor of neurology, physiology and psychiatry and chief of the cognitive neuroscience division in the Neurology department at Weill Institute for Neurosciences-University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He is also the founder and executive director of Neuroscape , a UCSF neuroscience center engaged in technology creation and scientific research to assess and optimize brain function.

In our studies on healthy older adults, we have shown benefits of different types of custom-built video games on both attention and memory abilities.

Bolstered by early grant support from the American Federation for Aging Research, Gazzaley has merged his scientific research with the possibilities of technology to explore the potential of video games as an innovative treatment option for attention and memory.

In this interview, he explains how his research has developed and what’s next to improve cognitive health for gamers of all ages.

How do you define ‘gaming’ in your research? And what led you to intersect your research as a neuroscientist with game development?

The goal to build a video game was not my initial inspiration. I wanted to find a novel approach to improve attention in older adults. This was in response to my research revealing that memory abilities in older adults were impaired by them being more distractible.

I came up with the idea to challenge older individuals with a task that would selectively activate the brain’s neural networks involved in attention. The hypothesis was that this would harness their brain’s natural plasticity (the ability of neural networks to change through growth and reorganization) to optimize attention abilities over time.

I decided to build a video game because I felt that the fun and immersive nature of play would lead to deeper engagement in the moment and better adherence to this as a treatment over time. And that, in turn, would result in better outcomes.

What is ‘cognitive control’ and how can gaming help to improve it? And how long do cognitive improvements last?

Cognitive control defines a set of abilities that allow us to engage in the world in a goal-directed manner. It includes attention, working memory (holding information in mind for short periods of time) and cognitive flexibility (multitasking and task switching).

Neuroscientists have learned over the years that although these aspects of cognitive control are distinct in many ways, they use common neural networks that involve the prefrontal cortex in the brain. Because of this, I hypothesized that if an individual engaged in a video game that challenged cognitive control at a very high level and the game kept pushing them to the edge of their ability, we would see transfer of benefits to cognitive control abilities outside the domain of the game.

And that is what we have found in almost a dozen studies.

How long the cognitive improvements last is still an open question, although we have shown benefits in some of our studies six months to a year later.

I suspect that for long-lasting improvements, we will need to offer booster doses of the game over time.

How can gaming prevent normal cognitive decline associated with aging or treat memory disorders like dementia?

In our studies on healthy older adults, we have shown benefits of different types of custom-built video games on both attention and memory abilities. These games work by challenging our research participants in a ‘closed-loop’ system. That means they use algorithms that let them challenge and reward the players at an appropriate level based upon their own data.

We are now advancing our efforts to study if our video games have benefits in older adults who have mild cognitive impairment and the earliest stages of dementia.

Video games have recently been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration [the FDA] as a prescription treatment for children with ADHD [Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder]. How far is this new frontier of ‘playing your medicine’ from the cognitive aging space?

Yes, after a decade of effort by hundreds of people at Neuroscape and Akili [a prescription digital medical company], as well as external scientific research teams, evidence has been generated that resulted in FDA clearance of EndeavorRx .That’s a prescription treatment for inattention in children with ADHD. This marks the first FDA-cleared digital treatment for ADHD, and the first prescription treatment for any clinical condition delivered as a video game.

EndeavorRx’s clearance creates a new regulatory classification of therapeutics. The goal now is to advance this research and regulatory approval to other populations that would benefit from improved inattention abilities.

Personally, I am very motivated to create solutions for cognitive challenges in older adults; that is where this all began for me.

Editor’s note: For more insights from Gazzaley, join AFAR, Next Avenue and Prevention for the webinar “Gaming and Your Brain” on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, 4-5 pm ET. Support Nonprofit Journalism

Next Avenue brings you reliable stories, special features, videos and resources on issues that matter most as we age. Your generous donation will help us continue this work and keep it free of charge. Show your support today and experience the benefits of being a Next Avenue member .

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These days there’s always some buzzy supplement that can rock our well-being world, and black seed oil is the latest on the list to peak people’s interest. But if you’re new to this particular conversation and wondering what is black seed oil? And better still, what are the actual benefits of black seed oil that makes it so special compared to anything else bottled or capsulized, you’ve come to the right place.

Formally speaking, black seed oil is extracted from the fruit of the Nigella sativa plant, a small flowering plant that grows in Southwest Asia, the Middle East, and Southern Europe. And it’s been around for a while: It’s commonly used in Ayurveda , a holistic medicine practice that originated in India, and Unani Tibb medicine, which is traditionally practiced in Muslim cultures in South and Central Asia. Recorded use of black seed oil dates back to the 1600s, Rachelle Robinett, RH (AHG) founder of Supernatural and herbalist, tells me.

“It’s also known as Nigella and black cumin seed,” says Robinett. “Nigella is a member of the Ranunculaceae, or buttercup family, along with goldenseal, black cohosh, and yellowroot, which are also excellent herbs, though with different benefits from black seed oil. Like many plants that grow in difficult climates or conditions and develop natural defense mechanisms, Nigella passes those along to us. It’s very much a superfood-slash-herb, if the color weren’t convincing enough.” Pin It Pin It Black seed oil, then, is a long-honored, expert-backed way to fortify your diet. But no need to rely on its reputation alone—below, we break down eight concrete benefits of black seed oil, who it might be best suited for, and how to incorporate it in your diet. Health benefits of black seed oil

1. High in antioxidants

“Those antioxidants help protect your cells from damage from free radicals,” says registered dietitian Brigitte Zeitlin, RD , owner of BZ Nutrition . In particular, black seed oil is rich in thymoquinone , a powerful component that is good for the lungs, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective (read: helps prevent damage to the liver). 2. Helps fight inflammation

You can credit the antioxidants for black seed oil’s anti-inflammatory benefits. “They can help fight inflammation in the body, reduce the risk of certain chronic illnesses, like heart disease , diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease ,” Zeitlin says. She also mentions it can reduce the risk of some cancers; among them are blood cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer .

One small study published in the Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine investigated how black seed oil impacted oxidative stress in patients with rheumatoid arthritis . Researchers split 42 subjects into two groups—one received a placebo and the other twice-daily doses of black seed oil—and found an improvement in inflammation and reduced oxidative stress for those who consumed the supplement after eight weeks. While not fully conclusive given the size of the study, the results are promising. 3. Good for respiratory health

This also bleeds into the next point, which is that black seed oil is believed to be a helpful aid with lung health , including guarding against conditions such as bronchial asthma. “Because antioxidants help to fight inflammation and asthma results in inflammation on the airway, black seed oil has been shown to help reduce the inflammation in that airway , helping to improve asthma control,” says Zeitlin. Of course, be sure to consult a doctor before you start any treatment protocol. 4. Lowers cholesterol

If you struggle with high cholesterol , black seed oil might be a worthy supplement in your pantry. ” Some studies have also linked black seed oil to lowering [the risk of] heart disease by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure,” Zeitlin says. “These findings, again, are linked back to the antioxidant content in the oil.” 5. Helps maintain blood sugar levels

“While there is lots of talk about black seed oil and weight loss, more research is needed for any real link to be shown,” Zeitlin says. “What we have seen is that the antioxidants in black seed oil can help regulate your blood sugar levels, and that blood sugar regulation does help to maintain a healthy weight.”

In general, remember that keeping your blood sugar regulated is an essential part of living a healthy life. Consistently unstable blood sugar levels can increase the risk of heart and kidney disease; in the short term, unbalanced blood sugar levels can impact your mood and energy. The more you know, ya know? 6. Offers a healthy dose of fatty acids

Robinett notes that black seed oil is rich in fatty acids. But these are considered the good, healthy, unsaturated kinds of fats , things like Omega-6 and Omega-9, which can’t be naturally produced by the body. Omega-6 can help with hair growth and skin regeneration, while Omega-9 can help increase energy and improve mood . 7. It might even help with brain health

There’s a sliver of research on this, but hear us out. Black seed can potentially be beneficial when it comes to memory and focus, according to one teensy tiny study of 20 elderly participants published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology . The study investigated the effect of Nigella sativa on memory cognition and cognitive health in elderly volunteers. These participants were divided into two groups, with one group given a capsule twice daily for nine weeks and the other given a placebo. When given a series of tests, it was shown that the Nigella sativa had a positive impact on memory, attention, and cognition. 8. And it can be good for so many skin afflictions

Black seed oil is something you’d love to see as an ingredient in your skin-care routine. For example, it’s been found to be beneficial when it comes to treating conditions such as psoriasis (due to its antipsoriatic effect) and acne, according to one giant meta-analysis published in the Journey of Tropical Medicine . Possible side effects and risks of using black seed oil

For the most part, black seed oil is considered a […]

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( Natural News ) Vitamin C is an essential micronutrient that plays a crucial role in regulating immune function and supporting overall immune health. But recent studies suggest that it may also hold the key to stroke prevention and better heart health in the long run.

In one such study, scientists from the Rennes University Hospital in France compared the vitamin C levels of 65 hemorrhagic stroke patients to those of healthy participants. They found that vitamin C levels were greatly lower in stroke patients . They also identified high blood pressure as a leading risk factor for stroke.

Lead researcher and neurologist Stephane Vannier said that the link between vitamin C depletion and a higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke could be associated with the role of vitamin C in blood pressure regulation.

In the future, these findings could aid scientists when studying the effects of vitamin C supplementation on the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, added Vannier. The study appeared online in the journal Neurolog y . Low vitamin C levels linked to increased stroke risk

Vannier and his colleagues studied the vitamin C levels of 65 participants who had experienced a spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) or hemorrhagic stroke. This life-threatening type of stroke occurs when there is bleeding within the brain tissue itself. High blood pressure and head trauma are common causes of ICH.

The study also included 65 healthy controls. When the researchers studied both groups’ vitamin C levels, they found that only 41 percent had a normal vitamin C status of more than 38 micromoles per liter (umol/L).

On the other hand, 45 percent of all participants had depleted vitamin C levels (11–38 umol/L), while another 14 percent were deficient in the nutrient (less than 11 umol/L).

The researchers identified high blood pressure, alcohol consumption and being overweight as some of the top risk factors for ICH. Interestingly, participants who had high blood pressure had depleted vitamin C levels.

Furthermore, the researchers discovered that stroke patients with normal vitamin C status spent significantly less time (9.8 days) in the neurology care unit than stroke patients with depleted vitamin C levels (18.2 days).

Vannier suggested that the longer hospital stay could be the consequence of complication-related infections or delayed healing due to vitamin C deficiency. However, further studies are needed to confirm this theory.

Overall, the findings expose a link between vitamin C depletion and increased stroke risk. To maintain healthy vitamin C levels, Vannier recommends taking 120 milligrams (mg) of the vitamin daily. Vitamin C itself can be found in several plant-based foods, including citrus fruits, black currants and parsley. Simply eating vitamin C-rich foods as part of a balanced diet should keep one’s vitamin C levels within the normal range. Nutrients for stroke prevention and recovery

Good nutrition is essential not only for stroke prevention but also for fast recovery from a stroke event. Aside from vitamin C, regularly consuming certain nutrients as part of a healthy diet can reduce stroke risk, as well as facilitate faster healing. These nutrients include: Niacin – Niacin, or vitamin B3, helps boost cognition, memory and neuroplasticity. Niacin can also reduce levels of bad cholesterol, which can otherwise block blood flow to the brain, causing ischemic stroke.

Vitamin D – Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with a higher risk of high blood pressure, including poor post-stroke outcomes.

Probiotics – Beneficial bacteria in fermented foods, called probiotics, help protect brain tissue from damage. Recent studies also suggest that probiotic supplementation can lower ischemic stroke risk .

Cobalamin – Cobalamin, or vitamin B12, helps to restore neurons after a stroke.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) – CoQ10 helps reduce cholesterol levels, thus minimizing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – DHA is a type of omega-3 fatty acid that supports brain health. It can also reduce high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. (Related: DHA supports liver health in people who eat a poor diet .)

Read more articles about stroke prevention at Prevention.news .

Sources include:

NaturalHealth365.com

Medscape.com

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The latest version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans focuses on making every bite count—and the best way to do that is by choosing the most nutrient-dense foods and drinks. “You can think of nutrient dense foods and beverages as those that pack in a lot of nutrition— vitamins , minerals , antioxidants , and bioactive substances—in every bite,” explains nutrition expert Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD . According to Cassetty, nutrient-dense foods tend to be whole or minimally processed foods with little to no added sugar , sodium, or refined grains. And before you assume that you’ll need to take on a second mortgage to afford all the superfoods you see splashed across your Instagram feed, think again. “Choosing nutrient-dense foods doesn’t mean you have to break the bank. There are numerous affordable options that are convenient, too,” she adds. That means eating nutrient-dense foods can be easy on you and on your wallet. Here’s exactly what to stock up on, according to Cassetty. Canned Chickpeas

Adding more chickpeas to your diet can boost your nutrient intake and protect your health. According to Cassetty, people who eat chickpeas or hummus have been found to have diets with higher levels of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and iron compared to those who don’t eat these foods (talk about overachieving!). Chickpea eaters were also less likely to be obese, possibly because chickpeas supply a filling combo of protein and fiber, which may reduce the likelihood of overeating. A cup provides 15 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber.

“Chickpeas are incredibly versatile and can be used in sweet or savory recipes,” she says. “I like adding them to baked goods and energy bites to give these foods a healthier spin. When roasted, they’re crunchy like nuts and make a filling snack or a crunchy garnish in salads and soups. Of course, they’re also an easy way to add more protein and nutrients to a meatless meal.”

Get the recipe Plain Greek Yogurt

Plain Greek yogurt is an affordable and versatile way to get one of the three servings of dairy (or their equivalents) needed each day. “More than 80 percent of Americans aren’t meeting their dairy needs, which may be why calcium and potassium, which are prevalent in dairy foods, are two of the nutrients most Americans fall short on,” Cassetty says. Plain Greek yogurt can help fill the dairy gap. One cup provides 270 milligrams of calcium, 345 milligrams of potassium, and 27 milligrams of magnesium, on top of 25 grams of protein.

“I like to start my day with a Greek yogurt breakfast bowl, but I also use Greek yogurt to top pancakes and baked potatoes. Greek yogurt is also a delicious soup garnish, and it makes excellent dips for both fruits and veggies,” she adds.

Get the recipe 100 Percent Orange Juice

“100 percent orange juice contains no added sugars, so it’s a great replacement for soda and other sweetened drinks, which are the leading sources of added sugars in our diet,” Cassetty explains. Currently, 63 percent of people exceed the limit for added sugars.

In one study that looked at the dietary intakes of almost 16,000 Americans, those who drank 100 percent orange juice had lower intakes of added sugar and more nutritious diets than those who skipped OJ. “That’s unsurprising when you consider that a glass of 100 percent orange juice is a good source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and thiamin. It also supplies magnesium and health-protecting plant compounds, such as flavonoids and carotenoids. In addition to these natural nutrients, you can buy 100 percent OJ that’s fortified with calcium and vitamin D, which will boost your intake of these much-needed nutrients.”

Cassetty recommends pouring a big splash of 100 percent orange juice into seltzer water to make yourself a lightly sweet and refreshing fizzy drink. “It’s also fun to pour it into an ice cube tray and then use the frozen cubes in water or seltzer. In recipes, 100 percent orange juice is an excellent way to add sweetness without any sugar.”

Get the recipe Baby Spinach

This leafy green veggie is less bitter than regular spinach, which makes it more approachable and versatile, and it also happens to be one of the less expensive pre-washed leafy greens in the market. Buying pre-washed baby spinach makes it more convenient to regularly eat these greens because you can easily add a fistful to soups, smoothies, pasta dishes, and sandwiches and wraps. And just a fistful could have a significant impact on your health.

One study found that eating just a cup of raw or a half cup of cooked leafy greens like baby spinach per day may preserve memory and thinking skills as you age. The study tracked more than 900 older adults over 10 years and found that compared to those who didn’t regularly consume leafy greens, those who ate this amount had the memory and cognitive ability of someone 11 years younger. Nutrients like vitamin K, folate, lutein, and beta carotene, which are rich in baby spinach as well as other leafy greens, may offer neuroprotection.

If you’re not currently a baby spinach eater, try adding a little bit to foods you’re already fond of, like pasta or eggs.

Get the recipe Walnuts

According to Cassetty, walnuts have more ALA—the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid—than any other nut. “An ounce of walnuts is an excellent source of this anti-inflammatory fat. This serving also supplies 4 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and a good source of magnesium, a nutrient that’s involved in maintaining healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels,” she explains. Because they pack so much nutrition in every bite, a study found that eating them daily for six months significantly improved diet quality and led to healthier LDL cholesterol.

Walnuts are great for snacking and sprinkling on salads, oatmeal, and yogurt parfaits. You can also crush walnuts to use as a healthier alternative to breadcrumbs as a crust for chicken and fish.

Get the recipe Eggs

Few […]

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The latest version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans focuses on making every bite count—and the best way to do that is by choosing the most nutrient-dense foods and drinks. “You can think of nutrient dense foods and beverages as those that pack in a lot of nutrition— vitamins , minerals , antioxidants , and bioactive substances—in every bite,” explains nutrition expert Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD . According to Cassetty, nutrient-dense foods tend to be whole or minimally processed foods with little to no added sugar , sodium, or refined grains. And before you assume that you’ll need to take on a second mortgage to afford all the superfoods you see splashed across your Instagram feed, think again. “Choosing nutrient-dense foods doesn’t mean you have to break the bank. There are numerous affordable options that are convenient, too,” she adds. That means eating nutrient-dense foods can be easy on you and on your wallet. Here’s exactly what to stock up on, according to Cassetty. Canned Chickpeas

Adding more chickpeas to your diet can boost your nutrient intake and protect your health. According to Cassetty, people who eat chickpeas or hummus have been found to have diets with higher levels of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and iron compared to those who don’t eat these foods (talk about overachieving!). Chickpea eaters were also less likely to be obese, possibly because chickpeas supply a filling combo of protein and fiber, which may reduce the likelihood of overeating. A cup provides 15 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber.

“Chickpeas are incredibly versatile and can be used in sweet or savory recipes,” she says. “I like adding them to baked goods and energy bites to give these foods a healthier spin. When roasted, they’re crunchy like nuts and make a filling snack or a crunchy garnish in salads and soups. Of course, they’re also an easy way to add more protein and nutrients to a meatless meal.”

Get the recipe Plain Greek Yogurt

Plain Greek yogurt is an affordable and versatile way to get one of the three servings of dairy (or their equivalents) needed each day. “More than 80 percent of Americans aren’t meeting their dairy needs, which may be why calcium and potassium, which are prevalent in dairy foods, are two of the nutrients most Americans fall short on,” Cassetty says. Plain Greek yogurt can help fill the dairy gap. One cup provides 270 milligrams of calcium, 345 milligrams of potassium, and 27 milligrams of magnesium, on top of 25 grams of protein.

“I like to start my day with a Greek yogurt breakfast bowl, but I also use Greek yogurt to top pancakes and baked potatoes. Greek yogurt is also a delicious soup garnish, and it makes excellent dips for both fruits and veggies,” she adds.

Get the recipe 100 Percent Orange Juice

“100 percent orange juice contains no added sugars, so it’s a great replacement for soda and other sweetened drinks, which are the leading sources of added sugars in our diet,” Cassetty explains. Currently, 63 percent of people exceed the limit for added sugars.

In one study that looked at the dietary intakes of almost 16,000 Americans, those who drank 100 percent orange juice had lower intakes of added sugar and more nutritious diets than those who skipped OJ. “That’s unsurprising when you consider that a glass of 100 percent orange juice is a good source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and thiamin. It also supplies magnesium and health-protecting plant compounds, such as flavonoids and carotenoids. In addition to these natural nutrients, you can buy 100 percent OJ that’s fortified with calcium and vitamin D, which will boost your intake of these much-needed nutrients.”

Cassetty recommends pouring a big splash of 100 percent orange juice into seltzer water to make yourself a lightly sweet and refreshing fizzy drink. “It’s also fun to pour it into an ice cube tray and then use the frozen cubes in water or seltzer. In recipes, 100 percent orange juice is an excellent way to add sweetness without any sugar.”

Get the recipe Baby Spinach

This leafy green veggie is less bitter than regular spinach, which makes it more approachable and versatile, and it also happens to be one of the less expensive pre-washed leafy greens in the market. Buying pre-washed baby spinach makes it more convenient to regularly eat these greens because you can easily add a fistful to soups, smoothies, pasta dishes, and sandwiches and wraps. And just a fistful could have a significant impact on your health.

One study found that eating just a cup of raw or a half cup of cooked leafy greens like baby spinach per day may preserve memory and thinking skills as you age. The study tracked more than 900 older adults over 10 years and found that compared to those who didn’t regularly consume leafy greens, those who ate this amount had the memory and cognitive ability of someone 11 years younger. Nutrients like vitamin K, folate, lutein, and beta carotene, which are rich in baby spinach as well as other leafy greens, may offer neuroprotection.

If you’re not currently a baby spinach eater, try adding a little bit to foods you’re already fond of, like pasta or eggs.

Get the recipe Walnuts

According to Cassetty, walnuts have more ALA—the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid—than any other nut. “An ounce of walnuts is an excellent source of this anti-inflammatory fat. This serving also supplies 4 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and a good source of magnesium, a nutrient that’s involved in maintaining healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels,” she explains. Because they pack so much nutrition in every bite, a study found that eating them daily for six months significantly improved diet quality and led to healthier LDL cholesterol.

Walnuts are great for snacking and sprinkling on salads, oatmeal, and yogurt parfaits. You can also crush walnuts to use as a healthier alternative to breadcrumbs as a crust for chicken and fish.

Get the recipe Eggs

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A two-week course of high doses of CBD helps restore the function of two proteins key to reducing the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaque, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, and improves cognition in an experimental model of early onset familial Alzheimer’s, investigators report.

The proteins TREM2 and IL-33 are important to the ability of the brain’s immune cells to literally consume dead cells and other debris like the beta-amyloid plaque that piles up in patients’ brains, and levels of both are decreased in Alzheimer’s.

The investigators report for the first time that CBD normalizes levels and function, improving cognition as it also reduces levels of the immune protein IL-6, which is associated with the high inflammation levels found in Alzheimer’s, says Dr. Babak Baban, immunologist and associate dean for research in the Dental College of Georgia and the study’s corresponding author.

There is a dire need for novel therapies to improve outcomes for patients with this condition, which is considered one of the fastest-growing health threats in the United States, DCG and Medical College of Georgia investigators write in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease .

“Right now we have two classes of drugs to treat Alzheimer’s,” says Dr. John Morgan, neurologist and director of the Movement and Memory Disorder Programs in the MCG Department of Neurology. One class increases levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which also are decreased in Alzheimer’s, and another works through the NMDA receptors involved in communication between neurons and important to memory. But we have nothing that gets to the pathophysiology of the disease.” Dr. John Morgan, Study Coauthor The DCG and MCG investigators decided to look at CBD’s ability to address some of the key brain systems that go awry in Alzheimer’s.

They found CBD appears to normalize levels of IL-33, a protein whose highest expression in humans is normally in the brain, where it helps sound the alarm that there is an invader like the beta-amyloid accumulation. There is emerging evidence of its role as a regulatory protein as well, whose function of either turning up or down the immune response depends on the environment, Baban says. In Alzheimer’s, that includes turning down inflammation and trying to restore balance to the immune system, he says.

That up and down expression in health and disease could make IL-33 both a good biomarker and treatment target for disease, the investigators say.

CBD also improved expression of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2, or TREM2, which is found on the cell surface where it combines with another protein to transmit signals that activate cells, including immune cells. In the brain, its expression is on the microglial cells, a special population of immune cells found only in the brain where they are key to eliminating invaders like a virus and irrevocably damaged neurons.

Low levels of TREM2 and rare variations in TREM2 are associated with Alzheimer’s, and in their mouse model TREM2 and IL-33 were both low.

Both are essential to a natural, ongoing housekeeping process in the brain called phagocytosis, in which microglial cells regularly consume beta amyloid, which is regularly produced in the brain, the result of the breakdown of amyloid-beta precursor protein, which is important to the synapses, or connection points, between neurons, and which the plaque interrupts.

They found CBD treatment increased levels of IL-33 and TREM2 — sevenfold and tenfold respectively.

CBD’s impact on brain function in the mouse model of early onset Alzheimer’s was assessed by methods like the ability to differentiate between a familiar item and a new one, as well as observing the rodents’ movement.

People with Alzheimer’s may experience movement problems like stiffness and an impaired gait, says Dr. Hesam Khodadadi, a graduate student working in Baban’s lab. Mice with the disease run in an endless tight circle, behavior which stopped with CBD treatment, says Khodadadi, the study’s first author.

Next steps include determining optimal doses and giving CBD earlier in the disease process. The compound was given in the late stages for the published study, and now the investigators are using it at the first signs of cognitive decline, Khodadadi says. They also are exploring delivery systems including the use of an inhaler that should help deliver the CBD more directly to the brain. For the published studies, CBD was put into the belly of the mice every other day for two weeks.

A company has developed both animal and human inhalers for the investigators who also have been exploring CBD’s effect on adult respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS, a buildup of fluid in the lungs that is a major and deadly complication of COVID-19, as well as other serious illnesses like sepsis and major trauma. The CBD doses used for the Alzheimer’s study were the same the investigators successfully used to reduce the ” cytokine storm ” of ARDS, which can irrevocably damage the lungs.

Familial disease is an inherited version of Alzheimer’s in which symptoms typically surface in the 30s and 40s and occurs in about 10-15% of patients.

CBD should be at least equally effective in the more common, nonfamilial type Alzheimer’s, which likely have more targets for CBD, Baban notes. They already are looking at its potential in a model of this more common type and moving forward to establish a clinical trial.

Plaques as well as neurofibrillary tangles, a collection of the protein tau inside neurons, are the main components of Alzheimer’s, Morgan says. Beta-amyloid generally appears in the brain 15-20 years or more before dementia, he says, and the appearance of tau tangles, which can occur up to 10 years afterward, correlates with the onset of dementia. There is some interplay between beta amyloid and tau that decrease the dysfunction of each, Morgan notes.

The Food and Drug Administration is scheduled to make a ruling by early June on a new drug aducanumab, which would be the first to attack and help clear beta amyloid, Morgan says.

Read more at www.news-medical.net

( Natural News ) Researchers from Northwestern University have found a fascinating way to activate problem-solving during sleep. In a study published in the journal Psychological Science , the researchers explained how they used sound cues to stimulate information processing in sleeping participants. When the volunteers woke up the next day, they were able to work out the brainteasers they failed to solve the previous night.

“This study provides yet more evidence that brain processing during sleep is helpful to daytime cognition,” said senior author Mark Beeman of Northwestern’s Department of Psychology . Stimulating problem solving with sound cues

Beeman and his colleagues said that solving a difficult problem can be a matter of building new combinations of known elements to reveal a solution. Based on this premise, the researchers hypothesized that there could be a problem-solving strategy similar to the reorganization of memory during sleep.

“We know that people rehearse or ‘consolidate’ memories during sleep, strengthening and reorganizing them,” said corresponding author Kristin Sanders, a research associate at ?Northwestern.

To test their hypothesis, the researchers needed to direct the brains of sleeping participants toward specific problems without waking them. Based on previous studies, this could be achieved by playing sounds associated with the information being rehearsed in the brain.

With that in mind, the researchers enlisted 57 participants and presented them with various spatial and verbal brainteasers before bed. Each brainteaser was paired with a unique sound, and some of the puzzles remained unsolved. During the volunteers’ slow-wave sleep – the period where dreaming and memory re-organization are thought to occur – the researchers replayed the sounds for half of each participant’s unsolved puzzles without waking them up. In the morning, the volunteers were asked to work out the remaining puzzles.

Over the course of two experimental sessions, the researchers found that the participants were 55 percent more likely to solve the remaining puzzles when the corresponding sound clips were secretly played while they slept. The team added that the effect was not dependent on the type of puzzle; solve rates for both verbal and spatial puzzles increased when cued during sleep. (Related: Sleep it off: Research explains why sleep is so important for your immune system .)

The study demonstrates that the mind can be manipulated during sleep to search of solutions that prove elusive while awake. However, the researchers noted that the technique will only work if one has the necessary information to solve the puzzle.

“For example, no matter how much sleep I get, I’m not going to suddenly figure out black holes or find a cure for a rare disease because I don’t have the necessary background knowledge,” explained Beeman. Improving cognition through sleep

In another study, researchers from Lancaster University in the U.K. found that “sleeping on” a problem overnight can boost your problem-solving abilities . The researchers showed one group of volunteers a set of problems in the evening and asked them to solve them again the next morning. Meanwhile, another group saw the problems in the morning then reattempted them in the evening. While the latter solved the easy problems slightly more effectively, those who slept first did much better at solving the difficult problems.

Cognitive scientist Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel of the University of Glasgow , who was not part of the study, said that sleep improves problem-solving because it is one form of “incubation” – a stage in the creative thinking process where you spend time away from a puzzle. Incubation, according to Kuepper-Tetzel, is one way to facilitate insight and get you closer to finding a solution.

Read more fascinating studies about the science of sleep at Brain.news .

Sources include:

News.ND.edu

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