May 2018 – Embrace Midlife

May 30, 2018July 20, 2018

Turmeric: Midlife Miracle or Medical Myth?

I’ve been hearing lots of buzz about the principal ingredient (and the main coloring agent) in curry. I love curry. So, needless to say, I’m hoping there’s something to the turmeric midlife miracle and that it’s not just another health hype fad.

Long known as the ingredient that gives curry its golden hue, turmeric is now capturing attention for its medicinal qualities. That’s because it contains curcumin, a substance with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. It’s been touted as a remedy for everything from everyday digestive ills like heartburn and indigestion to serious conditions like arthritis and cancer. But does this spice really measure up to its wunderkind reputation? (Source: FoodNetwork.com)

While turmeric is said to offer bountiful health benefits, more rigorous scientific studies are needed to better understand how the golden hued powder effects our health.

Recently TIME magazine researched turmeric but were unable to find “any double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials (the gold-standard of medical research) to support its myriad health claims. Many studies also involved conflicts of interest […] like researchers who owned supplement companies and could benefit from sales of curcumin extract.” (TIME)

However, using turmeric to assist in disease management does have a long history and is gaining popularity. Is it worth a try?

Turmeric Consumption Tips:

Is fresh turmeric or powdered turmeric better to use? Fresh turmeric, which looks similar to ginger, is becoming easier to find in grocery stores, but preparing it involved peeling, chopping, grinding, etc. and the dried version is much simpler to work with — also it takes a lot of fresh root to add up to the concentration of the dried powder so its more flavor (and therapeutic effects?) in a the powder than the root itself.
Combine turmeric with fat; it is fat-soluble and needs the fat to activate beneficial nutritional effects as well as flavors. You can combine with whatever fat you prefer: ghee, butter, oils, etc. and store for use when ready to cook.
Combine turmeric with other spices, black pepper specifically has been shown to assist in absorption.
Think outside the box: don’t only use it in curry, but try sprinkling the spice on eggs and roasted vegetables and meats and using it in smoothies and soups. Look online for recipes to try!
Traditionally turmeric has been said to soothe upset stomachs (in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine). While not proven, it is an ingredient in Golden Milk, a popular warm beverage that seems to help solve at least psychosomatic stomach issues. You can make Golden Milk with any milk or a non-dairy equivalent and a mix of spices. Check out a variety of recipes: Golden Milk recipes.
It’s anti-inflammatory properties can also help with sore throats, try adding turmeric to a salt water gargle or tea.

Using Turmeric Supplements

Curcumin, the part of turmeric that has the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, is not easily absorbed by the body. So while adding turmeric to your cooking will give your dishes flavor and may assist in some therapeutic ways — as part of a complete diet utilizing other helpful healthy foods — your body will not be absorbing a lot of it. You may want to consider a supplement if you believe the benefits are worth it.

“Curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory. But to make a real difference, you’ll need to take it in supplement form,” recommends Maggie Ward MS, RD, LDN, Nutrition Director at the UltraWellness Center in Lenox, MA.”The general dosage recommendation is 500 mg, 1-3 times a day. Some brands are now using a formula that includes ingredients that have been shown to increase the absorption of curcumin, like black pepper, or liposomes, which are fat molecules that help the gut.” (Source: FoodNetwork.com)

Turmeric Risks

Even though turmeric may be good for digestion, some people can experience GI distress with it and high quantities have been linked to acid reflux, low blood sugar, and other unwanted side effects. If you want to try cooking with it use small amounts to start to test your reaction to it. If you want to attempt using supplements with curcumin talk with your doctor first!

If you’re bound and determined to experiment with curcumin medicinally, [consult] your doctor — especially if you are already on medication — because preclinical studies have indicated it might change how other medications you use are metabolized in your body. (NBC)

Travel and Zesty Living

Why do we travel?

“We travel to see. To learn. To find out first-hand for ourselves…” (“Oh, the places you’ll go…“)

Vanity Fair‘s Editor on Travel, Michelle Jana Chan introduced the 2018 issue with her article, “Oh, the places you’ll go…” She highlights the reasons why someone would travel and extols the benefits of travelling for the person and society.

Through several short personal anecdotes Chan illuminates various people she has encountered in her travels throughout the world and implies how encountering these people of different countries and cultures has made them real in a way that simply hearing about them secondhand wouldn’t.

“I have a romantic belief that world peace can be achieved through travel (and that the emissions from plane travel can be offset by avoiding war and its massive carbon footprint). […]

At the very least, travel fosters empathy.” (“Oh, the places you’ll go…“)

Although empathy is the more whimsical benefit, travelling itself can make a life more interesting.

“…it’s also the most fun ever. If I had only a year left of life, I’d hit the road for 365 days. Without question. Travel slows down the perception of the passage of time. It magnifies the moment. I live more zestfully.” (“Oh, the places you’ll go…“)

May 2, 2018July 20, 2018

Fight Aging’s Effect on Your Body’s Muscles

“Loss of muscle begins in your 30s but gains momentum when you hit 50 and accelerates even more rapidly in your mid-70s. The good news is that muscle loss and loss of strength can be slowed considerably in most cases and even reversed in some, regardless of age or fitness level. A 1994 study even showed that people could gain muscle in their late 90s.” (CNN)

Although everyone faces deteriorating muscles as they age there are ways to fight that loss. The best ways to counteract aging’s effect on our body’s musculature include:

Strength Training: Be sure to train appropriately, which involves choosing the right weight/resistance levels, exercising different muscle groups, and allowing adequate rest time between sets and sessions. Do proper research and/or hire a trainer or physical therapist to help you start.
Eating enough protein: Protein provides the building blocks for muscle and stimulates its growth, and as one gets older the quality, quantity and distribution of protein throughout the day becomes more important.
Reducing sedentary behavior: Pursue hobbies/activities that involve movement, etc.
Regular cardiovascular exercise: This helps prevent weight gain, which can be detrimental to health in many ways.
Maintaining good vitamin D levels: Get checked by your doctor and take supplements if necessary. Vitamin D has been shown to aide muscles.

For more information and details about the right combination of diet and exercise described above that can assist in slowing muscle loss and diminishing strength read the full CNN article, “How to build muscle as age tears it down.”

Month: May 2018