Topic: antioxidants

Study Says Antioxidants May Be Less Important Than We Think; I’m Sticking With Kale

Study Says Antioxidants May Be Less Important Than We Think; I'm Sticking With Kale

Nearly everyone has heard of antioxidants: They’re  anti-aging, promote weight loss, and they’re in everything from coffee to kale. They’re also the main selling point of several superfoods (that cost a lot more than coffee or spinach). But a new study says that oxidative stress—the whole premise behind making antioxidants a big part of our diet—may not be as harmful as we think. Given that it’s a natural part of how our bodies function, that’s not necessarily surprising, but I won’t be giving up my kale anytime soon. More »

Afternoon Links: Weight Loss Rumors That Actually Hamper Results

Afternoon Links: Weight Loss Rumors That Actually Hamper Results

• The weight loss rumors actually slow down your results. (Prevention)

• Delicious summer recipes that incorporate peaches. (Fit Sugar)

• Sexy things to say to your partner. (Third Age)

• Use sunscreen that has antioxidants. (Truth In Aging)

• Meditation is the best way to relieve stress and increase your energy. (YouBeauty)

• Try adding these ingredients to your smoothies. (Vitamin G)

• Heart healthy tea. (Organic Authority)

• Mila Kunis understands that losing weight and looking beautiful and healthy aren’t the same thing. (The Frisky)

• The state of the economy isn’t stopping people from taking yoga classes. (Well + Good)

• 11 reasons why your hair may be falling out. (HuffPost Fitness)

 

Morning Links: Indulging Is Okay, Just Do It The Smart Way

Morning Links: Indulging Is Okay, Just Do It The Smart Way

• The state of the economy isn’t stopping people from taking yoga classes. (Well + Good)

• Indulge in food the smart way. (Fit Sugar)

• The truth about microwave popcorn. (Organic Authority)

• Mila Kunis understands that losing weight and looking beautiful and healthy aren’t the same thing. (The Frisky)

• How to build the healthiest salad. (Prevention)

• Add this vibrant cardinal flower to your late summer garden. (Shelterpop)

• Use sunscreen that has antioxidants. (Truth In Aging)

• Meditation is the best way to relieve stress and increase your energy. (YouBeauty)

• Take these steps to strengthen your nails. (Third Age)

• Respect your body and your health. (Your  Tango)

• 11 reasons why your hair may be falling out. (HuffPost Fitness)

Some Doctors Say Antioxidants a Sham

Some Doctors Say Antioxidants a Sham

If you’ve paid any attention to health news (or marketing) lately, you’re probably well-versed in the Gospel of Antioxidants. As Slate writer Kent Sepkowitz notes “few medical remedies have a more sterling reputation than that assortment of foods, pills and general life maneuvers known collectively as ‘antioxidants.’” Technically, any molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules, antioxidants fight ‘free radicals’ (those rascally products of oxidation that can cause cell damage or death) and help prevent against stroke, cancer, neurodegenerative and heart diseases. More »

Good at Life: Eat Some Black (or Yellow) Raspberries—Now

Good at Life: Eat Some Black (or Yellow) RaspberriesâNow

The black raspberry has been called the king of berries in terms of health benefits, but with a growing season that typically only lasts through the month of July, you should get your hands on some soon. The elusive fruit looks a lot like a blackberry (though mutant black raspberries can be yellow, and some farmers now deliberately breed these yellow raspberries) and, like most berries, are packed with anti-oxidants. More »

When and How to Detox Your Liver for Weight Loss and Better Health

When and How to Detox Your Liver for Weight Loss and Better Health

Is it really necessary to detox? In a word: Yes. Why? Well, more than 80,000 industrial chemicals have been developed over the last 75 years, including heavy metals, solvents, phthalates, polychlorinated bisphenols, and organophosphates. I find this number mind-blowing. Surely the knowledge of this statistic makes the gentle support of our kidneys, liver, and digestive system – the three main organs that support the removal of these harmful compounds from the body – a very good idea.

Our thyroid gland, the master of our metabolism, is particularly sensitive to these chemicals and others including chlorine, fluoride, mercury, and pesticides. These types of chemicals have also been shown to disrupt communication between the hypothalamus, pituitary, and thyroid – the pathway that closely controls our metabolic rate. In fact, researchers have looked at the effects of synthetic chemicals such as DDT, phenol derivatives, phthlates, polyhalogenated hydrocarbons, amitrole, and thiocarbamates on the thyroid, and have noticed mild thyroid suppression. More »

In Praise of Peas: 10 Healthy Recipes for Spring

In Praise of Peas: 10 Healthy Recipes for Spring

Our Fearless Foodtrainer and resident nutritionist Lauren Slayton (@foodtrainers) is pretty protective of her peas, that little green vegetable she doesn’t feel gets the respect it deserves from the food world at large. I, too, am a proponent of peas (and lima beans and fiddlehead ferns and nettles and asparagus), which are a perfectly pleasant — and palate-pleasing sign of spring. (Okay, enough with the alliteration already.) So, because Lauren is such a prominent pea-promoter (somebody stop me!), I asked her to explain the health and nutritional virtues of America’s most underrated vegetable, and share with us ten healthy yet uncommon ways to do them up right (and do them justice) in our kitchens this spring. Peas, please. More »

The Diet Is Dead and Multivitamins Will Kill You Sooner

The Diet Is Dead and Multivitamins Will Kill You Sooner

It’s spring, which quickly leads to summer, so naturally many of us are thinking more and more about losing that winter weight and shaping up for the season, as is our annual custom. But this year, let’s try to implement our strategy differently and more effectively. Here’s help. Personal trainer and fitness expert Daniel Reynen is the author of the controversial new book The Diet Is Dead: Why Traditional Diets Fail and How You Can Succeed. This guy is seriously down on diets and dieting, and all for healthy and lasting lifestyle changes. And he’s a firm believer that there are four pillars to any weight-loss program that guarantee success. End of story. They are: behavior shifts, assessment, monitoring, and ongoing support. Reynen really tells it like it is (which we appreciate), so I asked him five pointed questions about dieting and weight-loss myths, strategies, and techniques that he brings up in his book:
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Can’t Afford Acai? The FTC Says It’s Probably Just a Scam, Anyway

Can't Afford Acai? The FTC Says It's Probably Just a Scam, Anyway

I’ve mused about the hype around various super foods in the past: One study says blueberries will keep you thin, another says that ketchup holds the key to your heart health, but at the end of the day, most of us would do better to just eat our vegetables and get some exercise. Apparently, the Federal Trade Commission agrees, at least when it comes to acai (the super food that has ambushed you from ads on every website, email, and magazine you’ve laid eyes on in the past ten years). Last week, the FTC requested that federal courts put a stop to deceptive ads for acai, many of which masquerade as news stories, that market the super food as weight loss products. We only wish they’d kabosh the false advertising of more “super foods” and natural weight loss drugs. More »

Raw Detoxing Recipe: Sweet Chili Pecan “Paté”

Raw Detoxing Recipe: Sweet Chili Pecan "Paté"

Pecans may conjure images of sugary, Thanksgiving pies, but they’re also a high-protein nut that research indicates could have the ability to fight prostate cancer in men. They’re also antioxidant rich and, for all those low-carb fiends out there: Just one serving (seven to eight nuts) contains the same amount of protein found in a one-ounce serving of meat. In this “paté” recipe, they’re combined with cilantro, which helps the body detox and chelate heavy metals from the blood. Happy spring cleaning! More »

Win a $70 Anti-Aging Kit From Park Avenue Prescription

Win a $70 Anti-Aging Kit From Park Avenue Prescription

Today’s new 40 Days of Giveaways prize is time-travel in a bottle for your skin. (If you’re late to this spring fling: Blisstree is using the season of Lent to reward you for giving up your vices in favor of healthier habits. Each weekday from now until May 3, we’ll give away a different prize to one reader just for becoming our Facebook fan.) And today’s prize is all about revealing the younger-looking you this spring and summer. We’re giving away one (1) Park Avenue Prescription Anti-Aging Starter Kit (worth $70) to one reader who simply “Likes” Blisstree on Facebook. Aging? We defy you. More »

Beauty Product Review: bareMinerals Naturally Luminous Skin Renewing Trio

Beauty Product Review: bareMinerals Naturally Luminous Skin Renewing Trio

What it is: 30-Day bareMinerals Naturally Luminous Skin Renewing Trio (Purifying Facial Cleanser, Purely Nourishing Moisturizer for Combination Skin, and Firming Eye Treatment)

What’s in it: Lavender oil, apricot kernel oil, coffee seed extract, licorice root extract, olive fruit oil, sunflower seed oil, soybean oil, antioxidants, xanthan gum, and a alot of unpronounceable ingredients that I wouldn’t want to meet on an SAT exam without ample No. 2 pencils at the ready.

What’s not in it: Synthetic fragrances or artificial oils

What it feels like: The Purifying Facial Cleanser is a total winner; my face feels freshly cleaned after each use, which sounds obvious, but I’ve met a lot of cleansers in my experience that don’t end up making you feel cleaner at the end of the day. The Purely Nourishing Moisturizer feels light and grease-less, and I’m liking the amount of moisture it’s delivering. And after just a couple weeks of using the Firming Eye Treatment at bedtime, I’ve noticed reduced puffiness under my eyes. And that makes for a good night (and next day).
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Study Says Eat Blueberries to Stay Thin; We Say Keep Eating Vegetables

Study Says Eat Blueberries to Stay Thin; We Say Keep Eating Vegetables

Blueberries are one of the health foods that’s easiest to swallow, and research suggests that they could become a popular diet food, too. They might be high in sugar, but they’re rich in polyphenols that scientists found reduce fat cell formation in mice. But for humans? Scientists say they won’t shrink your thighs, but they could keep you from turning into Violet Beauregarde; we say that, while that may be true, you could get the same results from eating your vegetables, too. More »

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