Foods to Keep Your Brain Young

The right foods can keep your brain young. Start with these colorful veggies.
Carrots for memory. Carrots—along with bell peppers, celery, rosemary and thyme—contain luteolin, a flavonoid believed to reduce inflammation that can lead to cognitive decline. In a study published in the October 2010 issue of The Journal of Nutrition, mice that ate a diet that included luteolin had better spatial memory (e.g., how quickly they found a platform in a water maze) and less inflammation than mice who didn’t get any luteolin.

Beets to beat dementia. Beets, plus cabbages and radishes, are rich in naturally occurring nitrates—which, unlike unhealthy artificial nitrates found in processed meat, may be beneficial. In a study published in the January 2011 issue of the journal Nitric Oxide, older adults who ate a nitrate-rich diet got a boost in blood flow to the frontal lobe of their brains—an area commonly associated with dementia. Poor blood flow contributes to age-related cognitive decline. Scientists think that the nitrates’ nitric oxide, a compound that keeps blood vessels supple, helps increase brain blood flow.

Think quickly with asparagus. Like leafy greens, this vegetable delivers folate, which works with vitamin B12 (in fish, poultry and meat) to help prevent cognitive impairment. In a study from Tufts University, older adults with healthy levels of folate and B12 performed better on a test of speed and mental flexibility. If you’re 50-plus, be sure you’re getting enough B12: your ability to absorb it decreases with age.

HATE THIS? EAT THAT!

By Kerri-Ann Jennings M.S., R.D.

How To Get The Nutrients You Need When There Are Some Foods You Don’t Eat

I’ve never been a picky eater. Even as a child, I gleefully ate yogurt, wheat germ, broccoli...even liverwurst! And that’s a good thing, because eating a wide variety of whole foods is key to good nutrition. But what about people who flat out hate certain foods?
Must-Read:
Do you need to eat breakfast? Even when you’re not hungry?
5 “Bad” Foods You Don’t Have to Feel Guilty for Eating

Are you getting enough of the nutrients your body needs? Unless you’re savvy about the different nutrients in food, you might be missing out. Most Americans are not meeting the recommended intake for several micronutrients, according to the 2010 report from the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (the folks who convene every five years to look at how Americans are eating and tell us how to eat better). The biggest shortfalls? Vitamin D, calcium, potassium and dietary fiber.

To make sure you’re not among the nutrient-deficient, check out the following list. Hate the most common food source? Try eating some of the alternatives to meet your needs.


Key Nutrient: Vitamin D
How to Get It: Hate salmon? Eat cereal.

Not many foods contain vitamin D, the vitamin that helps your body use bone-building calcium and phosphorus and is also touted as having a host of disease-fighting, health-supporting properties, from helping to ward off depression to lowering cancer risk. Many people have turned to supplements to up their vitamin D intake (the Institute of Medicine recently raised its recommendation to 600 IUs/day for everyone ages 1 to 70 and 800 IUs for adults over 70), but if you’re looking to get this nutrient from food (as I am), eat fortified breakfast cereals. Most milk is also fortified with vitamin D and you can find vitamin D-fortified orange juice. Sounds like a D-lightful breakfast for fatty-fish haters!

Must-Read: Is vitamin D just a bunch of hype?


Key Nutrient: Calcium
How to Get It: Hate milk? Eat tofu.

Bone-building calcium is richly packed into dairy foods (1 cup of milk delivers 300 mg, while a cup of yogurt provides 450 mg), but you don’t have to drink 3 cups of milk a day to get your daily dose (most women need 1,000 mg/day; those over 50 need 1,200 mg). Tofu prepared with calcium sulfate is a great alternative to milk (1/2 cup packs in 253 mg). Other good sources include broccoli and kale (60-94 mg per cup) and canned sardines (make sure to eat the bones to get about 200 mg per 3-oz. serving).

Recipes to Try: Tofu & Broccoli Stir-Fry for a double dose of calcium, and more quick tofu dinners.


Key Nutrient: Potassium
How to Get It: Hate bananas? Eat sweet potatoes.

Although bananas might be the best known potassium source, plenty of other fruits and vegetables fit the bill. A medium baked sweet potato (543 mg) has more potassium than a medium banana (422 mg). The daily recommendation for adults is 2,000 mg. A medium white potato (926 mg), cup of pumpkin (505 mg), cup of cherry tomatoes (353 mg), cup of cooked spinach (839 mg) or 1/4 cup of raisins (309 mg) all deliver a good dose of potassium, which is critical for helping nerves transmit signals, muscles contract and cells maintain their fluid balance.

Recipes to Try: Sweet Potato Oven Fries and more healthy sweet potato recipes.


Key Nutrient: Fiber
How to Get It: Hate whole grains? Eat beans.

Many people ask me if they have to eat whole-grain pasta, when they prefer white. The truth is, while you do miss out on extra vitamins and minerals (some B vitamins, vitamin E, phosphorus and potassium, to name a few) by opting for the refined grain, the biggest loss is the fiber (whole-grain pastas have two to three times the fiber per serving of regular white pasta). Fiber helps keep you fuller longer and may lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of certain cancers. The recommended intake is 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams for men, yet most Americans are only getting 14 grams! But whole grains aren’t the only healthy foods that can add fiber to your diet. Beans provide a whopping 6 to 7 grams per 1/2 cup, while whole fruits and vegetables (juice doesn’t count!) and some nuts (pecans, pistachios and hazelnuts all deliver 3 grams in a 1/4-cup serving) are also great sources of fiber.

Recipes to Try: Fiber-Rich Recipes to Help You Lose Weight; Delicious Recipes with Canned Beans

Your thoughts....

Are you a picky eater? How do you stay well nourished?

THE EAT WELL PLATE

If you want to get the balance of your diet right, use the eatwell plate. The eatwell plate makes healthy eating easier to understand by showing the types and proportions of foods we need to have a healthy and well balanced diet.

DIABETS

Diabetes develops when the body can't use glucose properly. As a result, people with diabetes can have abnormally high levels of glucose in their blood, if the condition isn't controlled.

Types of diabetes

There are two types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is more likely to be diagnosed in younger people, but it can develop at any age. In the UK there are about 18,000 people under the age of 18 with Type 1 diabetes. It develops when cells in the pancreas that produce insulin are destroyed. Insulin is a hormone that regulates the levels of glucose in the blood. This type of diabetes is treated with insulin injections.

Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed in older people - the older you are the greater the risk. However, it is increasingly being found in younger people and sometimes in children. This type of diabetes can be treated with diet and exercise alone, although people with Type 2 diabetes often need medication and they sometimes need insulin too.

Effects on health

People with diabetes can live a normal healthy life. However, poorly controlled diabetes can lead to complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, blindness and nerve problems leading to amputation.

For both types of diabetes, it's extremely important to control blood sugar levels and blood pressure, to prevent any long-term complications.

Diabetes is the third most common long-term disease in the UK, after heart disease and cancer.

Who develops diabetes?

Nobody knows for sure why people develop Type 1 diabetes, but people who have a relative with diabetes are more likely to develop the condition.

You are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes if you:

• have a relative with diabetes (such as a parent, brother or sister)
• are overweight
• are over 40
• are of Asian or African-Caribbean origin
• have had diabetes during pregnancy

There is no guaranteed way of preventing diabetes. However, eating a healthy balanced diet, taking regular physical exercise, and losing weight if you are overweight can delay the onset of the condition.

Can diabetes be prevented?

There is no guaranteed way of preventing diabetes. However, eating a healthy balanced diet, taking regular physical exercise, and losing weight if you are overweight can delay the onset of the condition.

Diabetic products

The Food Standards Agency and Diabetes UK (formerly the British Diabetic Association) don't recommend special diabetic products.

Foods that are labelled 'diabetic' aren't necessarily healthier or more suitable for diabetics than other foods. And they tend to be more expensive than other products.

Many of the products that are labelled 'diabetic' are sweets, chocolates and biscuits. We should all avoid eating lots of these types of foods.

What should people with diabetes eat?

People with diabetes should try to maintain a healthy weight and eat a diet that is:

• low in fat (particularly saturated fat)
• low in sugar
• low in salt
• high in fruit and vegetables (at least five portions a day)
• high in starchy carbohydrate foods, such as bread, chapatti, rice, pasta and yams (these should form the base of meals) - choose wholegrain varieties when you can

There are no foods that people with diabetes should never eat. And there is no need to cut out all sugar. But, like everyone, people with diabetes should try to eat only small amounts of foods that are high in sugar or fat, or both. If you have diabetes you can eat cakes and biscuits sparingly, as part of a balanced diet.

Fruit juice is high in fructose (fruit sugar) so it can cause blood sugar levels to rise quickly. Because of this, it's best for people with diabetes to drink juice with a meal and avoid having more than one small glass a day.

If you are prone to low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), you might sometimes need to increase your blood sugar level quickly. If you suffer from a hypoglycaemic episode, you should have some fast-acting carbohydrate, such as a sugary drink or some glucose tablets, and follow this up with a starchy snack, such as a sandwich.

Your GP or diabetes nurse can advise you on how to be prepared for hypoglycaemia, and how to manage it.

 

Visit the Diabetes UK website

EAT LESS SATURATED FAT

Eating a diet that is high in saturated fat can raise the level of cholesterol in the blood. High cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease. These practical tips can help you cut down on saturated fat.

Saturated fat is the kind of fat found in butter and lard, pies cakes and biscuits, fatty cuts of meat, sausages and bacon, and cheese and cream.
Most of us eat too much saturated fat – about 20% more than the recommended maximum amount.

• The average man should eat no more than 30g of saturated fat a day.
• The average woman should eat no more than 20g of saturated fat a day.

You can use these figures to guide your choices when you are shopping. When you check nutrition labels on food packaging and see how much saturated fat is contained in many common foods, you’ll see how easy it can be to exceed the recommended maximum amount.
You can learn more about fat, including how nutrition labels can help you cut down, in Fat: the facts.

Cut down on saturated fat

Read the label

Food labels can help you to cut down on saturated fat. Look out for the figure for ‘saturates’ or ‘sat fat’ on the label:

• High: more than 5g saturates per 100g. May display a red traffic light.
• Low: 1.5g saturates or less per 100g. May display a green traffic light.
• If the amount of fat or saturated fat per 100g is in between these figures, that is a medium level, and may be colour coded amber.

Use these practical tips about common foods to help you cut down on saturated fat:
First are tips for eating at home. Next, tips for eating out-and-about.
At home

• Spaghetti Bolognese: use a leaner mince. It’s lower in saturated fat. If you aren't using leaner mince, brown the mince first, then drain off the fat before adding other ingredients.
• Pizza: choose a lower-fat topping, such as vegetables, ham, fish or prawns, instead of pepperoni, salami or extra cheese.
• Fish pie: use reduced-fat spread and 1% fat milk.
• Chilli: use leaner mince to reduce the saturated fat content. Or try it vegetarian-style for a change by adding beans, pulses and vegetables instead of mince.
• Ready meals: compare the nutrition labels on different ready meals. There can be a big difference in saturated fat content. Pick the one lower in saturated fat using per 100g or per serving information. Remember, serving size may vary, so read the label carefully.
• Potatoes: make your roast potatoes healthier by cutting them into larger pieces than usual and using just a little sunflower or olive oil.
• Chips: choose thick, straight-cut chips instead of French fries or crinkle-cut. If you’re making your own, cook them in the oven with a drizzle of sunflower oil, rather than deep-frying.
• Mashed potato: use reduced-fat spread instead of butter, and 1% fat milk or skimmed milk instead of whole or semi-skimmed milk.
• Chicken: before you eat it, take the skin off to reduce the saturated fat content.
• Meat: trim the visible fat off meat such as steak.
• Sausages: compare nutrition labels on the packs and choose the ones lower in saturated fat using per serving or per 100g information. Remember, servings may vary so read the label carefully. Make sure you grill them instead of frying.
• Bacon: choose back bacon instead of streaky bacon. If you’re cooking your own, grill the bacon instead of frying.
• Eggs: prepare eggs without oil or butter. Poach, boil or dry-fry your eggs.
• Pasta: try a tomato sauce on your pasta. It’s lower in saturated fat than a creamy or cheesy sauce.
• Milk: use 1% fat milk on your cereal. It has about half the saturated fat of semi-skimmed.
• Cheese: when using cheese to flavour a dish or sauce, try a strong-tasting cheese, such as mature Cheddar, because you’ll need less. Make cheese go further by grating cheese instead of slicing it.
• Yoghurt: choose a lower-fat yoghurt. There can be a big difference between different products.

Out-and-about
The tips below can help you cut down on saturated fat when eating out.

• Coffee on the go: swap any large whole-milk coffee for regular ‘skinny’ ones.
• Curry: go for dry or tomato-based dishes, such as tandoori or madras, instead of creamy curries such as korma, passanda or massala. And choose plain rice and chapatti instead of pilau rice and naan.
• Kebabs: at the kebab shop, go for a shish kebab with pitta bread and salad, rather than a doner kebab.
• Chinese take-away: choose a lower-fat dish, such as steamed fish, chicken chop suey or Szechuan prawns.
• Thai: try a stir-fried or steamed dish containing chicken, fish or vegetables. Watch out for curries that contain coconut milk, which is high in saturated fat. If you choose one of these, try not to eat all the sauce.
• Snack time: have some fruit, toast, a low-fat yoghurt or a handful of unsalted nuts, instead of chocolate, doughnuts, croissants or pastries. If you must have something sweet, swap cakes and biscuits for a currant bun, scone or some malt loaf, plain or with reduced-fat spread. 

5 A DAY WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

Fruit and vegetables are key to a healthier lifestyle. What's more, they taste great and add variety to any meal.

These just few points why you should eat fruit and vegetables everyday:

• Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables will give you plenty of vitamins and minerals. For example, many are naturally high in folate (folic acid), vitamin C and potassium. Fruit and vegetables are also a good source of fibre and other substances, such as antioxidants. I want you all to remember that all these nutrients are important for our heath.
• Fruits and vegetables are generally low fat, low calorie foods. so eating fruits and vegetables instead of foods that are high in fat and added sugars may help you achieve or keep to a healthy weight.
• Eating more fruits and vegetables may help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

Honestly, they are so many tastes, colours and textures to choose from. So give it a try and become part of the five a day family.

BODY

Our skin is the front line defense in our daily fight against pollution and other environmental irritants, so we need to protect and reinforce it with extra care. Aloe vera, whose most traditional use as a natural product is to soothe the skin, is an ideal defense. We have designed unique and varied products that work naturally by providing essential moisturizers and vitamins to the skin. Our skin care products can help counteract the environment’s harsh effects, and are reinforced with the International Aloe Science Council Seal of Approval.

FACIAL

Our skin is the front line defense in our daily fight against pollution and other environmental irritants, so we need to protect and reinforce it with extra care. Aloe vera, whose most traditional use as a natural remedy is to soothe the skin, is an ideal defense. We have designed unique and varied products that work naturally by moisturizing and providing essential nutrients and vitamins to the skin. Our skin care products can help protect the skin against the environment’s harsh effects, and are reinforced with the International Aloe Science Council Seal of Approval.

New and Improved** Forever Lite Ultra with Aminotein - Vanilla

Introducing the new and improved Forever Lite Ultra® with Aminotein® . Now with fewer carbohydrates and higher protein content, Forever Lite Ultra® with Aminotein® still contains 100% of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for vitamins and minerals and is available in delicious new Vanilla (Item #324) and Chocolate (Item #325) flavors.

What is so different? Well for one, Forever Living’s new and improved Forever Lite Ultra® with Aminotein® has the complete and total benefits of soy protein. Emerging science has revealed that soy protein alone can provide some unique advantages over using the combination of whey and soy.

Consider this table showing the benefits of a whey/soy protein blend vs. a soy only protein:

One of the best parts about soy protein, though, is that significant clinical research studies have found that it lowers cholesterol – and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has even approved this as an authorized health claim! In fact, two shakes made with Forever Lite Ultra® with Aminotein® provide you with 34 grams of protein from soy. And according to the FDA, “25g of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.” That’s a win-win situation!

Soy protein also appears to support exercise performance, and because it is such a high quality protein, it satisfies the greater need athletes have for protein during muscle-building.

The other difference about Forever Lite Ultra® with Aminotein® is...Aminotein, which is a unique blend of enzymes specifically designed to break down protein and to ensure proper digestion and optimal absorption of amino acids.

So take the plunge with our new and improved Forever Lite Ultra® with Aminotein® shake mix. Be consistent in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and mix a shake or two every day. Make Forever Lite Ultra part of your healthy diet.The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the FDA. The products discussed are not intended to diagnose, mitigate, treat, cure or prevent a specific disease or class of diseases. You should consult your family physician if you are experiencing a medical problem.

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For more information on this product refer to the PDF downloads.
Forever Lite Ultra Vanilla w/Aminotein