For Active Lifestyles On The Go!
March 25, 2010 at 6:53 pm · Filed under Health
It’s time to start ordering pometinis for your night out – A new University of California, Los Angeles, ranked 10 beverages by their levels of disease-fighting antioxidants - and pomegranate juice came out on top. Here are the healthiest beverage power-houses:
- Pomegranate juice
- Red wine
- Concord grape juice
- Blueberry juice
- Black cherry juice
- Acai juice
- Cranberry juice
- Orange juice
- Tea
- Apple juice
Stop by one of our MixStirs locations and try our healthy smoothies today!
October 14, 2009 at 6:00 am · Filed under Nutrition
Shopping ideas that’ll give you a healthy boost.
Build a better shopping list (and body) with these healthy foods recommended by Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, a nutrition consultant and author of The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to the New Food Pyramid.
FEED YOUR BRAIN
Tufts University researchers have found that the antioxidants in blueberries and salmon may help protect the brain from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
EAT FOR YOUR EYES
Eggs contain two carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) that protect vision and choline, a key ingredient of a neurotransmitter that gives memory a boost. And spinach, kale, and orange bell peppers have eye-protecting carotenoids, and many fruits contain protective vitamins A, C, and E.
SNACK FOR YOUR SKIN
Milk and other foods high in vitamin D — shrimp, sardines, eggs — may lower the risk of skin cancer. Plus, studies suggest that the ellagic acid in berries can prevent or slow skin cancer.
FEAST TO FIGHT DISEASE
An excellent source of protein, pork tenderloin has less heart-clogging fat than a boneless, skinless chicken breast. And extra-virgin olive oil is low in saturated fat and fights inflammation, implicated in heart disease and cancer.
BUILD BETTER BONES
The vitamin D in milk, OJ, and shrimp helps calcium absorption. Broccoli, spinach, and romaine are rich in bone-building vitamin K.
Take a stroll: Walk to the grocery store, and you’ll get exercise while you load upon healthy ingredients.
August 12, 2009 at 6:00 am · Filed under Nutrition
BOOST BRAIN POWER
Pairing vitamins C and E is smart for another reason: It may lessen your Alzheimer’s risks by as much as 64 percent, according to research in the Archives ofNeurology. Just 500 milligrams of C and 400 IU of E appear to be enough. The brain’s high fat content makes it especially vulnerable to free radicals, but these antioxidants may act as shields, says study author Peter Zandi, PhD, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. “Some studies suggest that vitamin E does its job reducing free radicals in the body, but then its capacity is depleted, Zandi says. “Vitamin C may recharge E:’
What to do now: Try taking C and E supplements, and talk to your doc about your risks for Alzheimer’s and dementia.
SAVE YOUR EYESIGHT
Vitamin C can’t prevent the need for reading glasses around age 45. But antioxidants, including C, help prevent one of the leading causes of blindness: age-related macular degeneration (AMD). More than 3.5 million Americans are thought to be in the early stages, and the disease strikes more women than men. A major clinical trial sponsored by the National Eye Institute showed that a daily supplement of 500 milligrams of vitamin C, 400 IU of vitamin E, 15 milligrams of beta-carotene, 80 milligrams of zinc, and 2 milligrams of copper reduced the risk of moderate or severe AMD-related vision loss by up to 25 percent. The antioxidants neutralize damage to the retina caused by, you guessed it, free radicals.
What to do now: If you’re at high risk for AMD (you’re overweight or have a family history), check to see if your multivitamin contains the study’s amounts of C, E, beta-carotene/vitamin A, zinc, and copper. Chances are, its C and E levels fall short, but additional supplements will do the job. (Caveat: Don’t follow this advice if you smoke; this level of beta-carotene may up your lung-cancer risks.)