Women's Health

Studies Find Eating a Simple Spice May Help You Live Longer

Americans spend billions of dollars a year on pharmaceuticals. Despite this, we are somehow among the sickest people in the developed world, with high incidences of cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Many people are looking for ways to stay healthier and avoid the devastation of disease. Scientists have long blamed the high fat and sugar content of our diet for much of our collective poor health, but another aspect of the Western diet may also contribute: A lack of spice. New studies on various spices are showing that benefits of capsaicin and ginger include helping to promote healthy cell growth and lowering your chance of developing certain diseases.

The Importance of Cellular Health

Our bodies rely on cell growth to sustain our tissues and ultimately to stay alive. Because it is important that cells grow when needed—and only then—there are a variety of checkpoints involved in starting and stopping cell growth and reproduction. When these systems break down, there are two main results: Either tissues cannot produce new cells, or they reproduce out of control. When cells grow and reproduce without essential checkpoints, the result is cancer.

Cancer is ultimately an end-product of unhealthy cell growth and reproduction. Cells grow out of control, crowding out healthy cells. When cancer metastasizes, the cells from this tumor invade other tissues. In addition to crowding out normal cells, cancerous cells also require a great deal of energy to maintain this constant growth, leeching energy and nutrients from other tissues in the body. You can see why maintaining healthy cell growth is essential as you age. Capsaicin, ginger and other spices may contribute to promoting this healthy cell growth.

Capsaicin: Promoting Healthy Cell Growth

Capsaicin, the molecule that makes chili peppers spicy, appears to have a variety of benefits in sustaining healthy cell growth. When this compound is added to petri dishes containing cells from the most difficult-to-treat type of breast cancer, a new cell receptor is switched into action. This ultimately leads to the slowing of tumor growth and even the death of some of the unhealthy cells. Unhealthy cell growth in the breast is not the only type that appears to respond to capsaicin. Gut tumors also appear to respond to capsaicin in the same way. Capsaicin isn’t the only spice that appears to have powerful benefits for promoting healthy cell growth. Together, certain compounds in ginger and capsaicin were shown to be particularly effective in helping to maintain healthy cell growth.

Whole Health Benefits of Capsaicin

Capsaicin appears to have the potential for maintaining healthy cells, but there may be other reasons to spice it up. The health benefits of ginger, capsaicin and other spices appear to extend far beyond cellular health. Scientists tracked the diets of a large population over almost two decades as well as their rates of death. People who eat larger-than-average amounts of capsaicin and ginger were found to have a 13 percent lower rate of death from all causes. It appears that the promotion of healthy cell growth may be a factor in preventing a wide variety of health concerns, although the actual mechanism is not currently known.

This is great news for people who enjoy eating spicy food, but not so much for those with more timid palates. Is there a way to get the benefits of capsaicin and ginger without burning a delicate tongue?

Not a Fan of Spice? Ways to Get the Benefits of Capsaicin and Ginger

If you wish to get more capsaicin and ginger in your diet for the health effects of these spices, there are a variety of options. Ginger is a common spice used in Asian foods as well as those from a variety of places. However, if you do not appreciate a spicy curry, ginger is also used in a wide range of traditional Western desserts such as gingerbread. Capsaicin can be more difficult for picky eaters to incorporate into their diets. It is present mainly in hot peppers such as jalapenos and habaneros, giving these peppers their heat and bite.

If you cannot handle the taste of capsaicin or ginger enough to add it in therapeutic amounts to your diet, there are also supplements that contain ginger and capsaicin. Because these pills or capsules are swallowed whole, you do not have to burn your tongue to get the benefits of these spices. This may be the best option for Americans and other places in the West, where spicy foods are a taste that many simply do not acquire.

Diet is one of the foundations of good health. While we often focus largely on things we should not eat, such as white sugar and saturated fat, it is just as important to add healthy nutrients and compounds to our daily life. Capsaicin and ginger appear to play an important role in promoting healthy cell growth and thus good whole-body health, so even the pickiest eater has good reason to get a little more spice in their life.

Antioxidant Resveratrol Found to Promote Healthy Fertility in Women

Feb 04 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Got baby fever? New research on resveratrol and fertility suggests that this readily available supplement may help those who are trying to conceive, or who plan to try to conceive in the future.

Around one in eight couples struggle with infertility, whether it be trouble conceiving or difficulty staying pregnant. Infertility can be one of the most devastating conditions, as it prevents people from participating in one of the most natural activities in human life: Starting a family. Numbers appear to be growing, which is why infertility has become a multi-million dollar industry in the United States. However, recent studies on resveratrol and fertility suggest that an affordable and safe supplement made from a compound found in grape skins and certain other fruits may be able to help many people who are struggling to become parents.

What is Resveratrol?

You may have heard about the health benefits of red wine. Many of these benefits are caused by the high levels of a compound known as resveratrol found in different varieties of wine. Resveratrol is present in red wine, red grape skins and other berries such as mulberries. It has been shown to have a variety of health benefits including protecting against atherosclerosis and promoting cellular health. It also has been found to support healthy cellular inflammatory processes and support healthy balance of female hormones, which may be why it has recently been found to have benefits for fertility. Millions of people have adopted the wine and fruit rich Mediterranean diet as a way of achieving good health and good fertility. What if resveratrol is the answer for many people?

Resveratrol and Fertility

According to several recent studies, taking resveratrol may make it easier for couples to conceive a child. Women are born with all of their eggs present in ovaries and waiting for more fertile times. As women age, their eggs also age and decrease in general quality. Even if older couples try in-vitro fertilization and other reproductive technologies, low-quality eggs can be a major barrier to conceiving and bearing a healthy child. However, there is hope. Mice that were given resveratrol throughout their fertile years had higher quality eggs even into middle age. Researchers believe that this may be due to anti-inflammatory effects of this grape compound, which prevents some of the aging that makes eggs less viable as a woman ages.

This is not the only way that resveratrol can affect fertility. Women with endometriosis often have trouble conceiving because endometriosis creates an environment that is less hospitable to the developing egg. According to recent studies on resveratrol and fertility, this grape extract may reduce endometriosis enough to let healthy follicles mature and be released in a healthy manner. Because up to half of women who require reproductive technology have endometriosis, this could have huge repercussions for people who are trying to conceive. There may be a simple, natural way for many couples who struggle to conceive to become parents once and for all time.

How Can Resveratrol Help Support Healthy Fertility?

As mentioned before, resveratrol’s effects on inflammation as well as its balancing effects on female hormones appear to be the reason that it has been shown to help many couples conceive. While most people tend to think of conception as a simple process, it actually requires the coordination of at least four different hormones released by both the ovaries and the pituitary gland of the brain. In addition, conception requires that the woman have a uterus that is hospitable to both receiving and hosting a pregnancy, which means that antioxidant and anti-aging effects can make a powerful difference.

Getting More Resveratrol in Your Diet

Red wine has long been touted as one way to get resveratrol. However, there is some controversy as to whether the amounts of resveratrol in red wine are sufficient; also, this may not be a solution for women who are trying to conceive and are thus avoiding alcohol. If you are interested in trying this supplement because of the link between resveratrol and fertility, there are other ways to get your daily allowance. Berries such as blueberries and mulberries are both good sources of this compound. In addition, it is present in large amounts in the skins of red grapes, so eating this fruit may help.

However, levels of resveratrol in these fruits can vary, so many people opt to take a supplement that contains adequate amounts of resveratrol instead. This ensures that you always get enough of this compound to reap the health benefits, without having to munch on blueberries and red grape skins all day.

If you or a loved one are trying to conceive, it is important to ask your doctor about whether resveratrol is right for you. This supplement appears to have a variety of positive health effects and no side effects, making it a win-win situation for people who are determined to begin building a family. While modern medicine has few answers for people who struggle to carry a child, studies on the link between resveratrol and fertility suggest that natural solutions may offer new hope.

Cognitive Decline in Women May Start Sooner Than Previously Thought

Jan 31 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Age-related cognitive decline is an unfortunate part of growing older. According to new studies, this cognitive decline in women may begin earlier than previously suspected.

For many people, one of the most feared aspects of aging is the prospect of cognitive decline. Physical disability can be mitigated, but no one wants to live without their memories, personality and ability to navigate life. According to new studies, this gradual decline may begin even earlier than we previously believed—as early as middle age for many women. However, this bad news comes with hope: There are ways to slow or stop mental decline and lead happy fulfilling lives even into our golden years.

What Is Age-Related Cognitive Decline?

Modern medicine has come up with innovative solutions to many of the problems that plague people in old age. The result is that we live longer lives than ever before in human history. However, because people are living longer than ever before, cognitive decline is becoming increasingly common. We can slow the signs of aging in the body but not in the mind. With 72 million elderly people expected to live in the United States alone by 2030, this gradual loss of cognition and memory could be a devastating public health issue in addition to the personal tragedy it is for the elderly and their loved ones.

According to a large-scale study called “The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation,” this decline may begin even earlier in women than in men. This study found that many women are showing the early signs of cognitive decline as early as middle-age. Women were tested three times over several years after they had completed menopause in areas such as working memory, verbal memory and speed tasks. On average, these women showed a decline in these cognitive skills even though neither they nor those around them realized there was already a loss of cognition. This decline appears to occur earlier in women than in men, perhaps decades earlier. Researchers believe that this may be partially due to menopause when women lose the protective effects of estrogen and other female hormones.

When Do the First Signs of Dementia Begin?

Some people keep their mental faculties throughout old age, while others succumb to Parkinson Disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other devastating types of dementia. Most elderly people end up somewhere between these two extremes, with a condition known as mild cognitive decline. Mild cognitive decline involves small and gradual changes in memory and reasoning skills that occur with aging. People may regularly forget where they placed their keys or forget how to perform a complicated hobby that they once could do well. Most of these people will never develop actual dementia, although they are at higher risk.

This decline is so common that it is generally regarded as a normal by-product of aging. It indeed is normal in that it is common and affects most people. In fact, almost all mammals show similar changes as they grow older. While mild and gradual decline appears to affect women earlier than men, it will likely affect almost all of us at some point, and even affects our dogs, cats and other furry loved ones. This leads many to wonder: Are there ways to stop or even merely slow this decline? How can we ensure that our golden years are indeed golden?

Can Cognitive Decline Be Stopped or Prevented?

According to new research, there are a few natural and healthy ways that we can maintain good memory and cognition throughout our lifespan. First, it is crucial to remain active—both mentally and physically. Getting exercise every day and engaging in mentally stimulating activities both have been proven to keep us healthier for longer times, both in the body and in spirit.

There also appears to be a few dietary changes we can make to encourage good health and cognitive function over a lifetime. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are most commonly found in fish oils, have been found to support brain health and help preserve cognition and memory. Not only are these fatty acids essential building blocks for healthy brain cells, but they also protect against the inflammation that can be destructive to the tissues of our organs over time. Eating a Mediterranean diet with plenty of vegetables, whole grains and lean protein also may slow or prevent different types of dementia. The carotenoid plant compound lutein, which can be found in supplement form or obtained from the diet, has also been linked to healthy cognitive function.

Age-related cognitive decline may be common and occur earlier in women, but this does not mean that we have to accept it. Understanding more about why our bodies lose brain function as we age, and learning how to prevent this, will allow our growing aging population to lead happier and more functional lives. In the meantime, taking antioxidant supplements, eating a healthy diet and staying active in a variety of ways appears to protect you from mild cognitive decline.

Plant Compound Lutein Linked to Cognitive Health and Intelligence

Jan 19 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

New studies linking lutein and brain health suggest that getting enough of certain plant compounds like lutein is essential to intelligence and cognitive function.

Modern research is beginning to shed light on the importance of getting good nutrition as a means of staying healthy and preventing disease. Medications and surgeries are certainly important treatments, but many people would prefer to stay healthy in the first place by making simple lifestyle changes. While most people know about the importance of vitamins C and E, it appears that carotenoids — in particular the plant compound lutein — may also play a critical role. If you want your brain to function at its best, it is important to get enough of this little-known nutrient.

What Is Lutein?

Lutein and its related compound zeaxanthin are found in many plant foods. It is related to vitamin A and, like this vitamin, appears to play an important role in eye health and sight. In particular, it acts as a pigment that filters light entering the eye and thus prevents damage. As though this was not an important enough role, new research indicates that lutein may also have a huge impact on brain health as well.

People with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia have less lutein in their eyes than those without neurodegenerative disease. When their diets were supplemented with lutein in a recent study, elderly people with dementia developed more lutein in their eyes, better vision and also higher cognitive function. Over time, lutein may even affect the architecture of your brain, helping it to remodel and respond to potential outside threats.

This is not the first study to find a link between this eye pigment and cognitive function; other studies have found that lutein makes up a large portion of the carotenoids in children’s brain tissue. Lutein appears to accumulate in human brains and the amount of the accumulation is linked to intelligence. These changes are not just self-reported; they can also be seen in MRIs. People who took lutein had smaller interventricular space and more robust brain tissue than those who went without.

Lutein and Brain Health

Lutein appears to be especially important in building, maintaining, and preserving a type of cognitive function called “crystallized intelligence.” Crystallized intelligence is basically the vault of skills and daily knowledge that you have built over a lifetime. This type of intelligence is especially affected in people with dementia, who often forget mundane daily things such as their dog’s name and how to make a bed properly. Over time, most people with dementia forget how to perform even the simplest tasks and progress to needing full-time caregivers.

Unlike many vitamins, lutein accumulates mainly in the gray matter of our brains. It is present in the cell membranes of your neural cells, scattered throughout the brain tissue that is responsible for conscious thought and decision-making. High levels of lutein in the brain appear to have a neuroprotective effect, keeping people from developing many serious disorders such as dementia. It appears to act as a scaffolding, allowing cells to be more resilient and functional as we go about our daily lives. Older adults who eat diets rich in this nutrient are less likely to develop dementia and also likely to maintain high function over their lifetimes.

Are You Getting Enough Lutein?

If you are concerned about lutein and brain health, there are a few ways to ensure that you get enough of this vital nutrient. First, eat several servings a day of foods rich in lutein, which include:

broccoli
leafy greens such as spinach and kale
zucchini and other squash
corn
orange bell peppers
grapes
kiwi fruit
orange juice
eggs

Be sure to eat these items with fatty foods, as lutein is best absorbed in the presence of higher fat items. In addition, be sure to get enough of these lutein-rich foods on a daily basis because this nutrient takes a while to build up to noticeable levels in the brain. Finally, consider taking a supplement. While many multivitamins on the market contain only a small amount of lutein, it is not usually enough to support optimal brain and eye function. You will likely need to find either a special multivitamin or a way to take a pill under your tongue or via shot for the rest of your life.

Although more research is needed, lutein appears to be one of the most promising natural ways to keep your brain functioning as well as possible over the course of your lifetime. Links between lutein and brain health suggest that this nutrient may be one of the most important factors in maintaining healthy sight and cognitive function over the last decades of your life.

Natural Options Chondroitin and Glucosamine Outperform Modern Meds

Jan 09 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Minor joint discomfort is a common concern that affects millions of Americans. A new study suggests that the natural supplements chondroitin and glucosamine outperform even the best modern treatments.

Unfortunately, minor pain is a common problem, affecting around 100 million people in the United States alone. Joint discomfort is one of the most common causes of this pain epidemic. Not only can sub-optimal joint health cause people an immeasurable amount of daily discomfort, but it can also cause destructive changes to joints over time that leave people immobilized and unable to care for themselves. Modern medicine has a few first-line treatments for minor joint discomfort that often work for many. However, some people continue to struggle to find an effective remedy. New research suggests that chondroitin and glucosamine supplements may be the answer.

The Nationwide Pain Dilemma

While opiates and opioids can treat acute/short-lived pain successfully, addressing lingering discomfort is one of the greatest challenges to modern medicine. Taking these medications over a long period of time can cause addiction or overdose as well as a host of other unpleasant side effects. These medications also fail to address the long-term degenerative changes in joints that gradually worsen pain and reduce mobility over years. Because most pain medications are a short-term answer to a long-term problem, finding safer and more effective options for minor joint discomfort is a major priority in pharmaceutical research.

Celecoxib, a non-opiate anti-inflammatory pain medication, is the current preferred treatment for joint conditions such as osteoarthritis. Celecoxib reduces pain from inflammation of joints while slowing the joint destruction that can occur over time. However, even this first-line treatment does not always affect pain or slow joint damage. This medication is only effective in some patients, and even then it merely serves as a “Band-Aid” rather than helping to promote ongoing joint health. In addition, it can have serious side effects such as permanent liver damage. As a result, many people seek a natural option that can help soothe minor joint discomfort.

Chondroitin and Glucosamine: Natural Options for Minor Joint Discomfort?

Because modern medicine has few current answers, a great deal of research has gone into finding newer and safer options for joint discomfort. Studies that have been done suggest almost unanimously that the natural remedies chondroitin and glucosamine appear to be superior in many ways to the current pharmacological options. The combination of these two supplements has been shown in studies to reduce minor joint discomfort in people with osteoarthritis better than celecoxib or placebo. Even better, they wield these benefits without as much risk of liver damage and other life-threatening side effects.

In addition, these supplements also appear to make a measurable difference in protecting against joint damage and degeneration. A recent study looked at people who take chondroitin sulfate versus those who take celecoxib using modern MRI technology. The group taking chondroitin had fewer joint changes at the end of the two-year trial. They had less thinning of the cartilage that lines and protects joints as well as fewer flare-ups in the synovial tissues of the knee, which protect and maintain the joint space. Because these flare-ups and joint degeneration are painful, these people also tend to experience less pain, swelling and other symptoms.

Natural Remedies for Minor Joint Discomfort

Chondroitin and glucosamine are not new miracle drugs, but rather natural components of the cartilage that makes up much of your joints. The glucosamine taken as a supplement is usually isolated from the shells of shellfish, while chondroitin is taken from natural animal cartilage. It appears that taking a supplement containing these fundamental building blocks of human cartilage can help to maintain the cartilage in our joints, thus easing minor joint discomfort and slowing the degenerative changes that define certain joint conditions. It is important to talk to your physician before taking these or any other supplements. In addition, people who are allergic to shellfish may need to take a special form of glucosamine that is not taken from seafood components.

Modern medicine and pharmacology have brought many exciting advances in health care. People now have options for diseases that disabled or killed us just a century ago. In some cases, these medications also improve the quality of life immensely. However, natural remedies remain the best option for many people. If you suffer from minor joint discomfort, taking natural supplements containing chondroitin and glucosamine may be effective, while also protecting against long-term damage—with fewer side effects than their pharmaceutical counterparts.

Unmotivated to Exercise? You May be Low on Dopamine

Jan 06 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Are you trying to exercise more but are coming up short on “get up and go”? Low levels of a common neurotransmitter may be to blame.

Countless Americans make the New Year’s resolution to exercise more and finally get fit. However, when January 1 rolls around, these would-be fitness gurus often find they are stuck to the couch instead. If this is your own story, you should not feel alone. While over 40 percent of Americans make resolutions at the beginning of a new year, less than 10 percent actually achieve them. New research suggests that low dopamine levels may be the reason so many people find they are too unmotivated to exercise.

What is Dopamine?

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, i.e. a chemical that is released to send different signals to the brain. It is made from tryptophan, which is an essential amino acid that we get from our diets. Tryptophan is also used to make serotonin and a variety of other essential amino acids, so it is in high demand in the body. While we know a lot about dopamine’s shape and synthesis, this tiny molecule’s method of action was once one of the least understood—and most misunderstoo—neurotransmitters in the human body. Scientists once believed that it was released in reaction to pleasure and reward. Now we know that dopamine is not so simple. Not only does this chemical cause us to feel pleasure, but motivation as well.

People who have high levels of dopamine are motivated enough to work hard for a reward, which in turn causes the release of more dopamine. This creates a positive feedback loop in which people who are used to achieving goals often have the motivation to aim for more positive changes.

Dopamine and Motivation

Low dopamine levels can have a variety of negative effects. Defects in dopamine production can lead to Parkinson’s disease as well as serious mental illnesses. However, low dopamine can have less obvious but just as pervasive effects as well. People who have a shortage of this neurotransmitter may suffer from depression and low motivation. When researchers removed the part of the brain that produces dopamine from rats, the rats became extremely inactive and unmotivated.

We tend to think of exercise and other health changes as a matter of willpower. However, willpower appears to be less a matter of personal character and more a matter of brain chemicals. If you are one of the tens of thousands of Americans who made a resolution to get more exercise and promptly broke it, low dopamine may be the reason for your woes. Low dopamine may be behind your lack of motivation to exercise, but there are many safe and natural ways to boost your levels. You can make a few simple changes that increase your dopamine levels and allow you to make the positive life changes you desire.

Are You Unmotivated to Exercise? Here’s How to Get Up and Go!

There are a few ways you can increase your motivation to exercise. First, plan your day so that exercise is easier. Keep your workout bag packed and ready; make sure time to work out is penciled into your busy day. In addition, you should make sure your body has the building blocks for dopamine and other important neurotransmitters so you can get the mental rewards you deserve when you finally make it to the gym or track. Each a diet rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which is present in a variety of foods including poultry and eggs. If you struggle to get enough of this amino acid in your diet, consider taking a supplement that contains tryptophan. You can also talk to a dietitian about whether your diet is providing the building blocks for optimal physical and mental health.

Finally, stop blaming yourself. If you are feeling unmotivated to exercise, the culprit is very likely low neurotransmitter levels rather than personality flaws. Many people struggle to get the motivation that they need to make positive life changes. Once you have begun the journey, your dopamine and serotonin levels will likely increase in response to the positive activity and accomplishment.

Many people make New Year’s resolutions that are completely forgotten by February. However, you don’t have to be part of this statistic. By eating the right amino acids and planning for healthy living to be a part of your overall life, you can overcome the barriers that make you unmotivated to exercise. This year can be the beginning of a healthier, happier life.