High-protein diets

There is a suggestion that it is less effort to have weight loss if we can eat 10 to 35 percent high protein food such as turkey, chicken and red meat in our diets.

Proponents say that such diets boost our metabolism, promoting weight loss while making us feel full. This is because it takes more energy for our body to digest protein in meat than it does for carbohydrates or fat. In other words, the more protein we eat, the harder our body has to work to digest it and so more calories can be burnt in the process.

However, we need to be very careful about high protein diets as nutritional deficiencies could arise and our liver or kidney might have problem as a result, since a high-protein diet could affect these organs.

Merry Christmas

Fresh vs Dried Turmeric

Turmeric is a plant in the same botanical family as ginger. It supports internal cleansing, acting as a liver and gastrointestinal system tonic. Curcumin, which is found in turmeric, is a powerful antioxidant and can help support joint health and helps support blood circulation. Moreover, its antioxidant properties help calm and brighten skin and provide protection from free radicals.

Fresh vs Dried Turmeric

Fresh turmeric is the root of the turmeric plant and some studies show that it is more bioavailable, which means the body uses it more readily and effectively. We can slice, grate, juice or blend the turmeric root. However, some people find it difficult to prepare fresh turmeric and consume it regularly to avoid spoilage.

Dried turmeric is the ground powder made from the root of the turmeric plant. The powder is shelf-stable and easy to add to recipes. Many people prefer the powder form of turmeric for these reasons and we do not have to toss it for about 2 years.

Top Herbs for Immune Health

# Echinacea
Echinacea is an herb that is native to North America and was used as a health tonic by Native Americans. There are 9 known species of this antioxidant-packed plant. Taking echinacea may reduce our risk of some health concerns and it may stimulate the immune system.

# Elderberry
As one of the most commonly used health tonics in the world, elderberries are high in vitamin C and a good source of antioxidant flavanols and phenolic acids, among other health-supporting substances.

# Turkey Tail Mushroom
This wild-sounding mushroom gets its name because it is shaped like a turkey tail. Turkey tail mushroom is a common mushroom with uncommon benefits for immune health. Research shows it may boost immune health by modulating cytokine production, a substance made by immune cells that influences the health of other cells.

# Reishi
Being an adaptogenic herb with a long history of combatting stress and promoting wellbeing in many aspects, reishi mushroom, also known as Ganoderma lucidum, contains several molecules that promote health—triterpenoids, polysaccharides and peptidoglycans.Reishi mushroom has been scientifically proven to boost the immune system and it may positively influence the genes in white blood cells, a critical component of immune health.

# Black Cumin Seed
Black cumin seeds are the seeds from the plant Nigella sativa. As a supplement, black cumin seed nourishes our body from head to toe. This botanical is most often taken to maintain immune health, support microbial balance and promote respiratory health.

# Olive Leaf
The same olive plant that gives us healthy Mediterranean staples like olive oil and delicious olives also contains an antioxidant substance known as oleuropein in its leaves. Olive leaves have been used in Greece, Morocco and Tunisia as a health tonic for centuries and modern wellness-seekers are catching on to its immune-boosting benefits.

# Garlic
Another feature of the healthful Mediterranean diet is garlic. Garlic boosts the immune system by producing more natural killer cells in the blood.

# Essiac Tea
Essiac tea is an herbal blend traditionally comprised of four ingredients: slippery elm, sheep sorrel, Indian rhubarb root and burdock root. This combination of herbs is often used to support immune health. Essiac was popularized by Rene Caisse, a Canadian nurse, in the 1920s.

In addition, lack of sleep suppresses immune function and has been linked to a long list of health concerns. If you have trouble sleeping, try a sleep-promoting supplement like melatonin or magnesium.

Vitamins and Herbs for Men Over 40

Ashwagandha for Sexual Health and Stress

Adaptogenic herbs are a special category of herbs known to fight the physical and mental effects of stress. One of the most popular adaptogenic herbs, ashwagandha, helps with men’s sexual health.

Ashwagandha is an ancient herb used for health and wellness. In fact, it is one of the most important herbs in Ayurveda and it has many, time-tested uses. Research has shown that stressed adults who supplement with ashwagandha can show up to a 30% reduction in cortisol levels.

Then what is cortisol? Cortisol is a stress hormone that fuels our body’s fight-or-flight instinct. It plays a role in everything from how our body uses carbs, fats and proteins to our sleep/wake cycles.Too much cortisol as a result of long-term stress can disrupt almost all of our body’s processes. That includes having a negative impact on men’s sexual health and sleeping patterns.

Selenium for Vitality

Selenium is a trace mineral and antioxidant that is necessary for many natural processes. Low levels of selenium have been linked to many health issues that affect aging men including prostate health concerns, and cardiovascular and cognitive health.

The Food and Nutrition Board recommends that adult men get at least 55 mcg of selenium each day. Selenium can be found in garlic, broccoli and brussels sprouts.

Saw Palmetto for Prostate & Urinary Health

Prostate changes are a fact of life for men as they age. And so urinary or prostate health becomes an important area of health for men.

Starting as early as mid 20s, the prostate in a man slowly gets bigger as a normal part of aging. And by the time when the age reaches 50s, it may cause changes in urination frequency and comfort. Saw palmetto is one of the most common supplements taken by men to support prostate and urinary health.

The best sport for a longer life

Social interactions might play a part in augmenting the benefits of exercise.

People who played tennis, badminton or soccer tended to live longer than those who cycled, swam or jogged.

According to a new epidemiological study of Danish men and women, playing tennis and other sports that are social might add years to your life,

The study found that adults who reported frequently participating in tennis or other racket and team sports lived longer than people who were sedentary. But they also lived longer than people who took part in reliably healthy but often solitary activities such as jogging, swimming and cycling.

One widely publicized 2017 study of more than 80,000 British men and women also found that those who played racket sports tended to outlive those who jogged.

These results piqued the interest of a group of scientists. They previously had examined links between jogging and longevity and concluded that moderate amounts of moderately paced running led to greater gains in longevity than more-gentle or strenuous running.

In another study, the researchers zeroed in on 8,600 of the participants who had been part of the study for about 25 years.

The most obvious finding was that people who had reported almost never exercising were more likely than the active to have died in the ensuing decades.

The associations between particular activities and life span were more surprising.

Cycling was associated with a lengthier life span, adding an average of 3.7 years to riders’ lives, compared to sedentary Danes. Running likewise was associated with an extra 3.2 years of life.

But these gains were notably less than for playing tennis, which was linked to 9.7 added years of life, or badminton, which was linked to an extra 6.2 years, or soccer, which added almost 5 years to players’ lives.

“We know from other research that social support provides stress mitigation,” Dr. James O’Keefe, a study co-author and the director of preventive cardiology at the Mid America Heart Institute at Saint Luke’s Health Center in Kansas City says.

“So being with other people, playing and interacting with them, as you do when you play games that require a partner or a team, probably has unique psychological and physiological effects,” he says, amplifying the benefits of the exercise.

How many steps per day we should walk?

Walking support joint health, bone health and more. In 2009, at the University of Tasmania, Australia, it was found that women who achieved greater than 7,500 steps per day had a 50% lower prevalence rate of depression than women who had less than 5,000 steps per day. This indicated the role of physical activity in decreasing the occurrence of depression in women.

In another study, in 2006, at the University of Tennessee, it was found that women who had between 5,000 and 7,500 steps per day had a substantially lower body mass index than the women, who accumulated less than 5,000 steps per day. This relationship indicates that increased physical fitness each day contributes to maintaining a healthier weight.

Then how many steps per day we should walk are enough?

The popular slogan “10,000 steps per day” originated in Japan, in the 1960s, when a pedometer was marketed with the name “manpo-kei”, which translates as “10,000 steps meter”.

Several studies have been published that support this presumption to be true, as there are several health benefits we can receive from actively reaching 10,000 steps per day.

In 2011, a study from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center recommended increasing steps per day by 2,000 for individuals with low levels of activity, who already had excess body fat. Those who do not need further improvement on their body composition may need optimal physical activity levels, such as 11,000 to 12,000 steps per day, to achieve greater benefits in their body composition. Catrine Tudor-Locke, Director of the Walking Behavior Laboratory at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center estimates that 150 minutes of a moderate fitness routine would equate to around 7,000 to 8,000 steps per day.

Normative data indicate that healthy adults typically take between 4,000 and 18,000 steps/day, and that 10,000 steps/day is reasonable despite some inter-individual variation. 100 steps/minute represents a reasonable floor value indicative of moderate intensity walking. Multiplying this cadence by 30 minutes (i.e., typical of a daily recommendation) produces a minimum of 3,000 steps that is best used as a heuristic (i.e., guiding) value, but these steps must be taken over and above habitual activity levels to be a true expression of free-living steps/day.

However, physical activity guidelines are typically expressed in terms of duration.The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has outlined certain guidelines for aerobic exercise that will produce health benefits. Aerobic activity for 60 minutes or more per day is recommended for children over 6 years of age. For healthy adults and older adults, it is advised that 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, should be undertaken every week. If an adult prefers more vigorous-intensity workouts, such as jogging or running, this should be limited to 75 minutes per week.

Each individual needs to find a method that is suitable to his or her physical activity level and lifestyle. Tudor-Locke also suggests that if you normally accumulate 5,000 steps per day, taking an extra 30-minute brisk walk would increase the number to about 8,000 steps. This simple addition to your daily routine can have a great impact on a more favorable body composition and your overall health.

Talking to a healthcare or fitness professional can help you determine how many steps you should be taking each day to best fit your lifestyle and physical health. Thus although aiming for around 10,000 steps a day can have great health benefits, this amount of steps may not be healthy for every individual.