From Depression to Dementia: Foods That Improve Your Mental Health After 40

The older you get, the more you start to worry about age-associated diseases. Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia affect millions of Americans, leaving many in search of ways to prevent poor health in their 40s and beyond.

It turns out your diet could improve your mental health and slow cognitive decline — but what you should eat changes as you age. Here are the foods you should be eating to save your brain and prolong your life.

Dark chocolate 

If you’ve ever eaten large quantities of chocolate to ward off emotional distress, you’ve had the right idea. Chemically, chocolate really does have the power to enhance your mood, thanks to endorphins.

But that’s not all chocolate’s good for — especially dark chocolate. Its antioxidant properties can diminish the oxidative stress that often leads to cognitive decline. Eat a small amount every day to keep your memory sharp and your brain in good condition.

Brown rice 

Are grain-based foods like bread and rice really as bad for you as everyone says? Not if you’re eating pure whole grains — which are more nutritious than the varieties you usually find in breakfast cereals and white breads. These grains are good for digestion and disease prevention, even in your brain.

People who eat whole grains are healthier and less likely to die from disease than those who don’t. Brown rice is just one of many foods that, if eaten regularly, could help you live longer.

Grapes 

Your mom used to remind you to eat your fruits and vegetables so you’d grow up healthy. Don’t break that habit just because you’re getting older. Fruits, especially those eaten with their skin intact, provide fiber and other vitamins and minerals essential for healthy aging.

Grapes can improve and prevent a number of chronic conditions, like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Like other fruits, their antioxidant properties can boost your mood and decrease your dementia risk.

Sweet potatoes 

Sweet potatoes provide a variety of vitamins and minerals that could have anti-inflammatory benefits. Eating large quantities of potatoes won’t prevent or cure the world’s deadliest diseases, but they could help prevent symptoms you don’t want your body to have to endure in older age.

Some researchers believe that inflammation and dementia could share an important connection. Reducing inflammation overall could reduce your risk for a number of diseases and keep your brain healthy.

Spinach 

Adding a little spinach to your diet may be one of the best things you can do to protect your brain. If you have high blood pressure, the plant’s high potassium content could actually save you from dementia.

One type of dementia, called vascular dementia, results from inadequate blood supply to certain parts of your brain. High blood pressure actually increases your risk of this disease, especially if it isn’t well maintained for long periods of time.

Mixed nuts

  

People often lump nuts in with other high-calorie, high-fat snack foods and warn against consuming them regularly. However, you shouldn’t avoid them completely if you want to protect your brain.

Many nuts, high in omega-3 fatty acids, decrease your risk of developing depression. Poor mental health and dementia share a possible link, so if you’re eating to fend off the devastating brain disease, add some walnuts or cashews to your shopping list ASAP.

Tuna 

Omega-3 fatty acids, also present in substantial amounts in tuna and other fish, can also slow cognitive decline as you get older. The sharper your mind, the less likely you are to succumb to certain diseases.

In addition to plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, tuna proves to be an excellent source of lean protein. Protein is an essential component of healthy aging, especially for those making it a point to exercise regularly to maintain optimal health.

7 Probiotic-Filled Foods You Definitely Need to Have in Your Diet

We’re all teeming with bacteria — gross, but true. As it turns out, your digestive tract is filled with bacteria. It’s part of your biological ecosystem — it’s supposed to be there. But some gut bacteria is good, while other types aren’t. Therefore, it’s important to keep as much good bacteria — otherwise known as probiotics –inside you as possible to stay healthy.

You can find this type of bacteria in a variety of foods, too, not just yogurt. In fact, some of the foods you know and love don’t just taste good: they’re also great for your gut.

1. Dark chocolate 

This is probably one of the better dessert options out there. Dark chocolate has more health benefits than risks, especially in small amounts. Gut Health Project says, in addition to providing plenty of antioxidants and fiber, it’s also an excellent source of probiotics. But don’t forget, it’s still chocolate — there’s plenty of added sugar packed into even the tiniest square. Try dipping your favorite fruit in dark chocolate to reap the benefits of both when you’re craving something sweet.

2. Green peas 

Green peas are a starchy legume with all sorts of health benefits. Each low-calorie pea comes packed with fiber and B vitamins, making them the perfect addition to salads. Their particular strain of probiotics can’t survive at high temperatures, however, so make sure to eat them raw if you’re on a quest to fill your GI tract with good bacteria.

3. Fermented cheese 

Cheese lovers, rejoice! Many forms of soft cheeses also contain gut-benefiting bacteria. Surprisingly, cheddar is one of the best sources of probiotics. The Journal of Applied Microbiology discovered good bacteria actually survive the manufacturing and aging process. The same goes for several other types of cheeses, including mozzarella, Gouda, and cottage. Ask for cheddar or mozzarella on your next burger to sneak some good bacteria into your meal.

Probiotics and your immune system 

If you’re often home sick or constantly in GI-related discomfort, probiotic foods might be the cure you’re looking for. According to some research, probiotic foods may protect your cells against disease, though it’s important to note this is a very controlled example using individual cells. While, probiotics alone won’t protect you from illness, research suggests they could help prevent digestive-related issues.

And while we’re on the topic of illness, taking antibiotics when you’re sick wipes out both the good and bad bacteria in your system. Fortunately, the Journal of the American Medical Association says probiotics can help relieve it. Consuming probiotic-filled foods while finishing out your prescribed dosage of antibiotics can help restore the healthy bacteria in your body, so eat up.

4. Pickles 

Pickled cucumbers — more commonly known as pickles — are soaked in a salt and water solution, then left to ferment in their own natural lactic acid bacteria. This process not only gives them their characteristically sour taste, but also packs them full of probiotics. Additionally, pickles are low in calories and fat, making them a perfect mid-afternoon snack or addition to a sandwich or burger at dinnertime. If you’re craving a snack that’s salty, sour and crunchy, a pickle is the perfect choice.

5. Sourdough bread 

Fermentation is responsible for many probiotic-filled foods. In general, fermentation in food preparation uses bacteria to break down carbs, and sourdough bread gets its unique taste from this process. The Journal of Applied Microbiology points to a number of possible reasons why the products of fermentation are so good at defending your gut against their harmful antagonists, but it’s still not totally clear. Regardless, sourdough bread is one probiotic-filled food you definitely don’t want to miss out on.

6. Olives  

Those who follow a Mediterranean diet already know olives are excellent sources of healthy fats, antioxidants, and iron. Time also notes olives contain a strain of good bacteria that can improve digestion and boost your immunity. Add olives to salads, hummus, or your favorite pasta recipe for even more benefits.

Those olives might help combat digestive disorders, too 

According to a review from the journal BioMed Research International, certain types of probiotics can help ease symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases. But this doesn’t mean probiotic foods can treat these kinds of chronic conditions in place of proven methods. However, more research might help explain how a probiotic-rich diet could be used in the future.

7. Tempeh 

Tempeh is a soy-based meat alternative. Soybeans are softened, fermented and then shaped to form tempeh, which you can prepare pretty much any way you would meat. You can put it in your salad, enjoy a meatless tempeh burger, or incorporate it into a soup or stew. Because it’s a soy-based product, tempeh is high in protein and fiber. Because it’s fermented, it also introduces strains of good bacteria into your digestive system.

Are you eating enough probiotics? 

Scientists are learning more and more about how bacteria both helps and hurts us. (Research published in Scientific Reports even suggests that the bacteria in your gut could relate to Alzheimer’s disease.) And it’s the same idea with any kind of food: More isn’t always better. Instead of worrying about whether you’re getting enough good bacteria, focus instead on food groups. Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy products to supply your digestive system with all the nutrition it needs.

Should you take a probiotic supplement? 

Probiotics could be good for your mental health, too. According to the Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, certain probiotic supplements might improve symptoms of depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It’s important to remember, however, that supplements are additives, not substitutes. You should be able to get all you need from eating as many probiotic-rich foods as possible.

5 Major Misconceptions About Juicing

Juicing and juice fasting can be a really healthy way to fill your body with nutrients and kickstart your health (especially in the new year after all those cookies!), but there are a lot of misconceptions about juicing out there. Let’s clear some of those up, shall we?

Myth: Everyone should drink a juice every day.

While a good green juice has tremendous nutritional merit, not every juice is good for every person. You need to be very careful about which foods you juice, especially if you have blood sugar issues. Drinking only high sugar fruit juices—orange, mango, pineapple, apple—will cause blood sugar levels to skyrocket. It’s just too much sugar and there is no fiber, fat or protein to slow its absorption into the bloodstream.

If you are trying to have a healthier, cleaner body, limit fruit juices and focus on greens. While a little less tasty, drinking green juices cut with a small amount of fruit fill the body with nutrients with throwing off blood sugar. Hint: tossing in a little apple or carrot and half a lemon is great for giving the illusion of sweetness.

(Another cautionary note: those with thyroid issues should be aware that juicing raw cruciferous veggies, like kale, can impede iodine absorption and harm thyroid function. The thyroid-concerned should always lightly steam these greens before juicing, or choose other veggies.) 

Myth: I can make juice in my Vitamix, right?

Your Vitamix cannot make juice. I know there are those out there who believe that the Vitamix can do anything and everything. I mean, it could probably grind your smartphone into a fine pulp if you wanted it to. But there is one thing it absolutely cannot do. It can’t make juice. When people are putting fruit and greens into their high speed blender and calling it a morning juice, this is inaccurate.

A Vitamix is a very powerful blender, which means it leaves the fiber intact and makes smoothies. A juicer filters out the fibrous pulp, which means it makes juice. Your Vitamix can make a killer smoothie, sure, but not juice. Juicers and blenders are different.

Myth: Isn’t fiber good? Wouldn’t a smoothie be healthier than a juice?

Yes, fiber is great and we all need it, however most of us get plenty of fiber through our consumption of grains, legumes, fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds throughout the day. Fiber isn’t a difficult thing to get more of. But there are benefits to consuming something as nutrient-rich as a juice.

Since a juice has no fiber, its nutrients are immediately absorbed into the bloodstream and utilized in the body upon consumption rather than having to slog through the long digestive process. Smoothies are great and fiber-rich, but they are more of a meal and require digestion.

Consider a green juice more like a really tasty, energizing supplement. You don’t skip out on breakfast because you took a multivitamin, right? So don’t skip out on a healthy, fiber-rich diet just because you had a green juice this morning. Although they are often lumped into the same category, smoothies and juices serve totally different purposes.

Myth: Juice fasts are silly because our digestive system doesn’t need a break.

There is the argument that the human body doesn’t really need a break from the digestive process; there are few benefits to going without solid food for a handful of days. On the other hand, juice advocates claim a juice cleanse allows your digestive system to take a break and for your body to focus on other housekeeping tasks that generally get swept under the rug. So who is right?

They both are, kind of. The human body is an incredible organism. It is designed to multitask—to digest and detox at the same time. We really don’t need a juice cleanse to kickstart detoxification. But, juice cleanses can load our bodies with plant foods that assistthe liver in detoxification, which is important. And since most of us are overloading our digestive system with constant snacking, unnatural foods, too few veggies and poor chewing practices, allowing the digestive system to catch up and reset isn’t a bad idea either.

That’s right. The vast majority of us are not chewing food thoroughly. So who do you think has to pick up the slack? The rest of the digestive system. Chewing is the first step of digestion, but most of us are doing a pretty bad job of it. If you are chewing your food thoroughly with each bite, your digestive system probably isn’t working on overdrive and doesn’t really need a break. But since most of us don’t chew properly, short, veggie-intensive juice fasts can actually have a beneficial effect on the body by giving the overcompensating digestive system a breather to reset.

Our bodies are incredible, but they are not infallible. A rest is never a bad thing. So go ahead, do that 7 day juice cleanse. But do it healthily, and make sure that you use it as a lifestyle kickstart to encourage healthier habits rather than a cure-all to atone for your dietary sins of last year.

Myth: Bottled juices are as healthy as fresh, just more convenient.

Unless the juice is cold-pressed in a vacuum and never touches oxygen, all fresh juices begin to break down immediately upon juicing due to oxidation. So the sooner you drink it, the more nourishing it will be. Does that mean your bottled juice is nutritionally worthless? Probably not, but if you have the option of getting one that is fresh, you’ll be rewarded with a peak product that is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and more.

Once you’ve finished your imminent New Year cleanse, whatever it may be, keep up with the juicing. Drinking a veggie-heavy juice everyday is a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet, since most of us don’t eat nearly enough plants. That doesn’t give you an excuse to ditch whole veggies, though. Keep eating veggies, whole and juiced, and you’ll notice an immediate and stark improvement in your health and overall energy levels.

The Surprising Food that Slows Aging

While mushrooms offer a wide range of nutrients that can vary from type to type, a new study found that there may be more reason than ever to love mushrooms. Even mushroom haters may want to reconsider given the exciting new findings.

New research published in the medical journal Food Chemistry found that mushrooms contain some potent therapeutic compounds known as ergothioneine and glutathione, which have been found to significantly reduce free radicals linked to heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and aging. Glutathione is also a required nutrient for a healthy liver.

Mushrooms are considered the highest food source of ergothioneine and contain abundant amounts of glutathione. High levels of ergothioneine have been found in people with the lowest incidence of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Glutathione is a potent antioxidant nutrient that helps destroy free radicals linked to aging and disease. Increasing amounts of glutathione in the diet is considered a treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune disorders, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, autism and for those suffering from environmental sensitivities. Glutathione helps ensure healthy functioning of phase 2 detoxification in the liver, which is involved in neutralizing toxins to which we’re exposed.

While all of the mushrooms tested contained these antiaging nutrients, porcini mushrooms were found to contain the highest levels of both nutrients. Button mushrooms contained the lowest concentrations of both nutrients but are still higher than other food sources so you’ll still want to include them in your diet. Interestingly, the mushrooms that had the highest levels of ergothioneine also had the highest levels of glutathione, and vice versa. 

The researchers also found that cooking the mushrooms did not affect the levels of these 2 nutrients, suggesting they are heat stable. The head scientist on the study, Professor Emeritus of Food Science, Robert Beelman, also hopes that there will be future studies exploring the connection between mushrooms and brain and neurological diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. He indicated that higher levels of ergothioneine seems to be linked to lower incidence of these brain diseases; however, it remains unclear how they are linked. Three grams of ergothioneine, or the amount found in approximately 5 button mushrooms, daily is the amount that separates countries with the lowest incidence of these brain diseases compared to those with the highest incidence.

It’s easy to add more mushrooms to your diet. Here are some of my preferred ways of using mushrooms:

-Saute mushrooms and onions in a little olive oil until soft as a delicious side dish or topping for baked potatoes.

-Saute onions, garlic, rosemary and mushrooms together until soft. Then add a slurry (mixture of water and flour) and some salt and pepper and cook until thick for a delicious mushroom gravy. Choose gluten-free flour if you have a gluten-sensitivity or allergy.

-Brush portabello mushrooms with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper and bake until soft. Use as a basis for other ingredients or as a delicious sandwich filling.

-Add a handful of shiitakes to your favorite noodle bowl for a nutritional boost.

-Throw a handful of your favorite mushrooms into whatever soups and stews you cook as a flavor and nutritional boost.

-Grind dried mushrooms into a powder and add to soups, stews, curries and other dishes as a mild thickener and flavor enhancer.

-Boil mushrooms, carrots, celery, onions and other vegetables you have on hand in a pot of water. Season with salt and you’ll have a delicious vegetable stock as the basis of a soup or to cook rice or quinoa in.

What is Konjac and Is It Good for Me?

More and more low-calorie noodle and flour options are appearing on the market, making it difficult to know whether they are actually healthy options. One in particular, known as konjac root, is often used to make konjac flour or noodles. But what is it? And, is it really a healthy option?

Like the name suggests konjac root (here’s how to pronounce it) is a type of root which has a naturally starchy quality and is high in the type of fiber known as glucomannan. Either glucomannan, which is extracted from konjac, or the konjac root itself are used in the making of many different noodle or rice-like products on the market. Sometimes konjac flour is mixed with a liquid to form a gelatinous product that is similar to gelatin and can be used as a vegan substitute for gelatin in recipes.

Because konjac is low in calories, the pasta made with the root are often called “miracle noodles,” “wonder pasta,” “shirataki noodles” or “low cal pasta.” Not all shirataki noodles are made from konjac root. Some are made with tofu and usually state “tofu shirataki” if they are made with soy instead of konjac root. 

The noodles have an unusual, chewy texture similar to kelp or other seaweed. And, straight out of the package they also have an odd smell, but once rinsed the smell quickly disappears. I poured some tomato sauce over the noodles. Not only did the noodles remain flavorless, the sauce just wouldn’t stick to them. They definitely weren’t my favorite.

Nutritionally, they tend to be low calorie, high in fiber and have a small amount of calcium. Research in the journal Medical Science Monitor found that supplementing with glucomannan (the fiber in konjac root) can help with weight loss. Other research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that glucomannan can help lower cholesterol levels. And, recent research in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that glucomannan may help with constipation in children, but the results were somewhat inconsistent.

Research published in the journal Bioactive Carbohydrates and Dietary Fibre found that konjac fiber may help people with diabetes feel full longer making them less likely to reach for other foods or snacks that could cause blood sugar fluctuations.

Surprisingly, glucomannan appears to boost the immune system and aid the speed of wound healing, according to research presented in another edition of the journal Bioactive Carbohydrates and Dietary Fibre. While there are some claims that konjac root helps with skin conditions, the reality is that this effect was found when konjac fiber was applied directly to the skin and acne in particular. Let’s face it: few people are slapping these noodles on their face unless they are sloppy eaters.

There can be uncomfortable side-effects due to their ability to absorb high amounts of water. The side-effects include: diarrhea, bloating, intestinal or esophageal blocking, and flatulence. They are basically fiber supplements in noodle-form.

To reduce the chance of side-effects you’ll want to drink a lot of water throughout the day. Ideally, drink water just prior to eating konjac noodles or just afterward. You may still experience bloating but it may reduce the likelihood of other intestinal issues or blockages.

A Cheaply Built Cob House That Is Rented For Milk (20 Pics)

Michael Buck is a 59 year old farmer who used unwanted items he found in skips to build a “cob house” in his garden. Cob houses are from prehistoric times and are made from earth, clay and straw. It cost him only $240 (£150) to build the house and his current tenant pays rent in milk.

Collection Of Celebrity Animorphs (14 Pics)

The best of Celebrity Animorph memes.