Thanks to the internet, many are starting to learn the true status of mass produced food.
Read a good article today that discusses how up to 15% of US poultry weight consists of "fecal soup":
If you are overweight, here’s some additional incentive to lose the pounds from a recent study in the journal Neurology that suggests there is a connection between obesity and brain power amongst the middle aged.
2223 healthy men and women between the ages of 32 and 62 were studied. Those who were overweight (as judged by a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25) performed worse on cognitive tests that measured learning and memory ability.
Here’s some new research that will come as a surprise to most neurologists: Moderate iron deficiency- without overt anemia- can impair learning and memory.
Importantly, the study found that iron supplementation can reverse the cognitive dysfunction.
The study was published in the March 2007 issue American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
There is an ever-growing body of scientific evidence indicating omega-3 fats likely play a very significant role in depression. Unfortunately, because drug companies can’t really profit from omega-3 oils (non-patentable), I doubt you’ll currently find many physicians who understand the potential significance of such a simple intervention.
Just a quick stroll through the medical literature reveals the following interesting lines of recent research findings:
Your mental energy and ability to concentrate depend to a very large extent on the types of food you eat. Unfortunately, most people fall short when it comes to understanding how to best feed the brain. Here’s a short tip you may find helpful:
It is estimated that more than 1 in 3 Americans take vitamin supplements every day. Many believe that by taking these pills, they can improve brain function. B Vitamins are especially popular.
Do they work?
My suspicion is, as long as you don’t have a significant deficiency, they are probably not doing your brain very much good.
If you’ve ever tried to chew Vivarin instead of swallowing it, you’re well aware of the fact that caffeine- as available in its raw form- has a horrible, bitter taste.
A molecular biologist who owns a coffee shop in North Carolina, however, has figured out a way to turn caffeine into small, flour-like particles and eliminate the bad taste so it can be added to baked goods like donuts, cakes, and pastries.
Over the past 4 years, I’ve eaten a lot of dark chocolate, and some of the world’s best bars have made their way through our kitchen. Amedei, Valrhona, Michel Cluizel, El Rey, Domori, Bonnat. The nice thing about chocolate is that it is a very affordable luxury. You can grab yourself the world’s finest bar for less than $20.
The headlines from the last few days would make you think so: “Folic Acid may boost brain power”, “Folic acid boosts minds of over-50’s”, “Folic acid improves memory in elderly”, “Folic acid boosts cognition in older adults”.
The truth, however, is that this new study published in The Lancet shows that folic acid provided cognitive benefits for those with high homocysteine levels. Patients (drawn from the Netherlands) that had normal homocysteine levels were not included in the study.