Nutrition

For those of us living in northern climes, it’s been a long, cold winter. Even more than usual, I’m looking forward to the fresh fruits and vegetables of spring and summer.

Gourmands know that half the secret of great cuisine is fresh ingredients. Just-picked, vine-ripened produce is a gourmet treat, even with no special sauces or preparation. I buy organic whenever possible.

Read up on these seasonal sensations and include them in your next healthy meal or snack. . .

1. Beets

This bright-hued root veggie is having its moment in the culinary spotlight these days, showing up in everything from salads to hummus. […]

Leading scientist Bruce Ames, now 90, has published more than 500 studies in his distinguished career, and shows no sign of letting up.

In his latest paper he introduces the idea of “longevity vitamins.” These are nutrients he’s particularly identified that give us a long and healthy life. Or, to be more exact, they load the odds heavily in your favor.

Despite the name he’s given to the category, none of these is actually classified as a vitamin. And – more interesting to me — several of them are almost unknown.

Considering he’s made it to 90 himself, I’d say his ideas are […]

Every minute of every day, two basic activities keep you alive from one moment to the next: your heartbeat and your breathing.

We’ve all read or seen a ton of information about how to keep your heart healthy and functioning properly, but what does anyone ever tell you about maintaining healthy lungs? (Except for “Don’t smoke.”)

That’s a sorry oversight, because researchers warn that if you’re over 30, your lungs have already begun to show their age, in a way that tests can detect. So if you want a decent chance of living to a ripe old age, keeping your lungs “younger” […]

Arriving from all over the world, a veritable Who’s Who of anti-aging scientists gathered at the campus of UCLA in Westwood, California in 2011.

They met to discuss a newly rediscovered nutrient that must be obtained from the diet. It’s a type of sulfur-containing amino acid, but it’s also been described as a potential vitamin with powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.

It’s called ergothioneine. . .

Ergothioneine (ET) was first isolated by a French scientist in 1909, but largely ignored for the rest of the century.

Then in 2005 interest was reawakened by a paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of […]

Research now shows you can improve your health and increase your chances of living longer with a snack that doesn’t cost much, and is already popular for good reason: it’s delicious.

This goes against the widespread belief that the foods that help you get healthier are dull and tasteless. Ice cream, alas, does not appear on any list of health foods I’ve seen, but this is almost as good. . .

Nuts– one of my all-time favorite munchies – have proven again and again to help the body fight off illness, improve your brain and increase your life expectancy.

It doesn’t even seem […]

Imagine there was a natural compound that could figure out what was wrong with your body and fix it.

Imagine the same compound could be smoothed on your skin to fight wrinkles … or swallowed to boost your energy and fight off aging from the inside.

And imagine this “miracle” compound could even help your body deal with stress, protect your heart and brain, and fight tumors.

Well, a natural compound like this does exist! And global consumption is rapidly growing because of its almost magical powers. . .

The “Mushroom of Immortality”

The compound comes from the “Mushroom of Immortality,” as some cultures call […]

Fasting has long been known to extend lifespan.

From worms to mice to rhesus monkeys, the lives of many creatures can be rendered longer by restricting their food intake.

This may be an effective anti-aging technique, but cutting down calories by a third or more is too big a price to pay for all but those who are really determined to live a long time.

For those of us who don’t like to go hungry, new, exciting findings have recently been released which demonstrate that a dietary supplement can mimic at least one of the major benefits of a calorie-restricted diet.

Yes, folks, it’s […]

If you’re old enough, you may realize that today’s fruits and vegetables just don’t taste like the ones you remember as a child.

It’s not your imagination, or nostalgia.

The drive to increase food production over the last fifty to a hundred years has been successful, but it’s come at a price.

Modern farming techniques have caused water and carbohydrate content to rise, while protein, vitamins and minerals have taken a dive. There’s even a term for it: “the dilution effect.” The result is much more serious than a mere lack of flavor. . .

While we’re urged to eat five fruits and vegetables […]

If you’ve been following the research into how to slow down aging, you’ve probably read that cutting calories and periodically fasting can help prolong your life. We’ve written about it frequently in these pages.

But not everybody wants to go hungry to live longer. There is some sentiment that good food is worth dying for. I can understand that.

And now there’s good news on that front. Studies show that a few adjustments to the foods you eat – without eating less or fasting – may produce some of the same anti-aging benefits. Here’s the good word. . .

The new line of […]

If the thought of losing your vision scares you as you get older, you’re not alone. Most people fear blindness more than losing a limb, and almost as much as getting cancer.¹

That’s why glaucoma is so scary.

In glaucoma, abnormally high pressure develops in the eye and damages the optic nerve. It’s one of the top causes of blindness in the United States.²

But do you know the worst part about glaucoma?

It gives no warning signs. It comes over you so gradually, you may not even notice a change in your vision until it’s done permanent damage to one or both of […]