Which of the following berries has been found to help prevent and treat cold and flu?
Raspberry
Blueberry
Goji berry
Elderberry
Elderberry contains zinc and antioxidants, including vitamin C and anthocyanin, known for their ability to boost immune function and inhibit cold and flu. Research shows elderberry protects against influenza and other viral attacks by preventing the virus from entering and replicating in human cells.
We know that every plant, every animal, even we humans, we have clocks. And it’s becoming clear how these clocks, we call it “circadian rhythms” – the 24-hour clock – have a profound effect on our health and physiology. When we are born, our little babies, they actually don’t have a fully functional clock.
So they’re not wired properly, so at random times of the day they would go to sleep, they would cry, wake up, eat a little bit and go back to sleep.
As noted by neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter, author of “Grain Brain” and “Brain Maker,” your diet and other lifestyle factors have major implications for your Alzheimer’s risk.
Indeed, according to research1,2 published in the journal Lancet Neurology in 2011, up to half of all Alzheimer’s cases could be prevented by addressing modifiable lifestyle contributors such as physical inactivity, depression, smoking, high blood pressure, midlife obesity, and diabetes.
Three dietary components shown to promote this neurological degeneration are sugar (especially processed fructose), grains and trans fats. Research3,4 from the Mayo Clinic, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease in 2012, found diets rich in carbohydrates are associated with an 89% increased the risk for dementia while diets high in healthy fats are associated with a 44% reduced risk.
Chronic disease is on the rise. Right now, 133 million Americans – nearly half the population – have at least one chronic illness such as diabetes or heart disease. With so much illness prevalent – and with the aging of the population overall – it’s no wonder many individuals are worried about healthy aging. But, could consuming the proper amount of omega 3 fatty acids be part of the solution?
Research shows most Americans are not consuming enough omega 3 fatty acids in their diets. Turns out this is hugely problematic, and not just because people aren’t getting enough of these healthy nutrients. People also aren’t consuming the right ratio of fatty acids – which is believed to be a major driver of age-related health problems.
I chatted with my mom recently and told her that I’m pulled in a new direction. I’m shifting my focus on eating without fear, especially after disordered eating and chronic dieting.
“Now that I’m not fearful about what I weight and what I eat, I realize the freedom I missed out on for so long,” I said.
“You faced that even after your eating disorder? I didn’t know that,” she replied.
I had hidden and normalized my pain so well that even those closest to me didn’t know that weight anxiety ruled my life for a decade.
No matter how high up on the evolutionary ladder we are, we are still ruled by our bodies. How we treat the body greatly affects how we think and how spirited are we. “Your body is a temple” might be a cliché, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Those who neglect to worship their personal temples will never achieve the mental and emotional stability they crave. Building a path to that stability is hard work and it starts with how you handle your body.
