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A Doctor Dishes: Which "Superfoods" Are Worth the Cost?

LearnVest — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:15:00 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Most people you speak to these days are trying to stretch every dollar as far as possible - even the ones they spend buying apples and oranges.

Food prices are expected to increase yet again this year, and food manufacturers are making portions smaller without reducing prices. Not surprisingly, a recent Rasmussen poll found that 93 percent of adults report paying more for groceries now than they did a year ago.

So how can we supercharge our grocery dollars and get them to do overtime for us?

Yes, some foods are obviously a better nutritional deal than others (think apples vs. potato chips), but there’s another class of foods that blows the rest of the field away in terms of nutrients and health-protecting qualities: superfoods.

Superfoods can help prevent diabetes and heart disease, repair damage to your body’s cells, and more. But before you go piling them into your cart, know that some superfoods are better nutritional bargains than others. As a doctor and a mom, I’ve sleuthed out which ones are worth the extra cost in terms of their long-term health benefits. Below is the scoop on which ones may help you age better, ward off cancer, and more.

What to Know Before Buying Superfoods

Before we dive into what to buy, there are a few important things to remember about consuming these foods:

Eating foods fresh and in their natural state, especially fruits and vegetables (rather than in pill or powder supplement form), usually allows us to absorb the greatest amount of their nutrients. The way a superfood is processed or cooked can significantly lower its antioxidant content.
If the superfood can’t be eaten fresh, look for easy and appetizing recipes containing it. No matter how “super” a superfood may be, if you don’t know how to cook it, you’ll probably let it go to waste.

Are Superfoods "Good Buys" If I’m Shopping on a Budget?

Read on to find out.

The 5 Worst Habits That Damage Your Immune System

Prevention — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 04:19:31 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Kick these surprising habits to keep colds, flu and other bugs at bay.
By The Editors of Prevention.com

Staying healthy isn't just about using hand sanitizer and avoiding coughing co-workers. It turns out some pretty surprising daily habits - like how you fight with your husband or whether you stay up late for Letterman - can impact how well your body fends off colds, flu and other pesky bugs. Here's a list of science-backed tips to add to your stay-healthy arsenal today.

1. You Avoid the Water Cooler
Friendship may be Miracle-Gro for your immune system. Research shows that the fewer human connections we have at home, at work, and in the community, the likelier we are to get sick, flood our brains with anxiety-causing chemicals, and live shorter lives than our more sociable peers. In one study, researchers who monitored 276 people between the ages of 18 and 55 found that those who had six or more connections were four times better at fighting off the viruses that cause colds than those with fewer friends.

What to do: Don't let a jam-packed workday or hectic schedule get in the way of your friendships. Stop by a co-worker's office for a quick Monday morning catch-up, or e-mail/text your friends at night to stay in touch when you're too busy for phone calls.

7 Ways to Work Out at The Office

2. You Often Feel Tired
Scrimping on sleep has a powerfully detrimental effect on immunity. The perfect example: college students who get sick after pulling all-nighters cramming for exams. Poor sleep is associated with lower immune system function and reduced numbers of killer cells that fight germs. In fact, University of Chicago researchers found that men who had slept only four hours a night for one week produced half the amount of flu-fighting antibodies in their blood (jump-started by a flu shot) compared with those who slept 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 hours.

Keep reading to learn how to keep your immune system strong after the break.

The Truth About the Health Benefits of Tea

Health — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 04:13:17 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

Tea - does it really fight cancer? Lower cholesterol? We filter the research to find out which health claims actually hold water.
By Kate Lowenstein

The way scientific studies and health gurus alike have touted the perks of tea over the past few years, you'd think the stuff was some kind of all-powerful magical elixir. Improving heart health, reducing cancer risk, warding off dementia and diabetes - there's barely a health benefit that hasn't been credited to tea. It's true that the brew has disease-fighting antioxidants, and, as far as anyone can tell, should be great for us.

"The science is certainly promising," says David L. Katz, MD, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center. "But the hype goes beyond it and tends to make promises which the science can't yet deliver." (No, tea probably will not cure depression, eliminate allergies, or boost your fertility!) We talked to the experts and weighed the studies to separate the truth from the hype.

Health.com: Drink This Tea to Lose That Belly

Why tea is so hot
First, a definition: When scientists talk about tea, they mean black, green, white, or oolong teas - all of which are made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal brews, like chamomile and peppermint, are not technically considered tea; they're infusions of other plants with different nutritional characteristics. If you're not sure what kind you're drinking, check the ingredients for the word "tea."

Keep reading to learn even more about tea.

5 Health Reasons to Make Time For Cuddling

Shape — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:08:28 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Next time your guy gets on your case about cuddle time — he says he's too hot, needs his space, doesn't feel like relaxing — present the evidence. Research suggests that there's more to cuddling than meets the eye. Lovey-dovey'ness aside, the health benefits of cuddling will surely convince him to make time for it.

Reason 1: It Feels Good
Cuddling releases oxytocin, which is also known as the feel-good hormone. "It increases overall happiness," says psychologist, physical therapist, and author of bestseller A Happy You: Your Ultimate Prescription for Happiness Elizabeth Lombardo.

"Cuddling, holding, and sexual play releases chemicals, like oxytocin, in the brain that create a sense of well-being and happiness," says Dr. Renee Horowitz, an ob-gyn who recently opened the Center for Sexual Wellness in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

Cuddling can also release endorphins, which is the chemical released after a good workout or when you eat chocolate, Horowitz adds, which contributes to that great feeling.

Dr. Oz: 5 Tips for Lasting Love, Health, and Happiness

Reason 2: It Makes You Feel Sexy
The most obvious benefit to cuddling is getting close to your partner in the physical sense. Cuddling can lead to fun sexy time or relaxing and loving time post sexual intercourse, but there's also a chemical plus.

"There is also the release of dopamine, which is an excitatory hormone that increases sexual desire," Horowitz says. Plus, studies show that sex is healthy for fitness and mental reasons, too. So it's a win-win.

Keep reading for two more reason to snuggle up!

Are You Addicted to Exercise?

FitSugar — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:14:35 PDT

If you're feeling tired, down, or otherwise out of sorts, exercise can do wonders to help you feel better. That's because exercising releases endorphins, chemicals that tap into your brain's feel-good center.

It's no wonder, then, that exercising is on the list of activities, from eating dessert to sex, that people can become addicted to. In fact, in a recent New York Times article, researchers said that compulsive exercisers act much like drug addicts in regards to their daily workout: "tolerance, craving, withdrawal, and the need to exercise 'just to feel normal.'"

Of course, like any addiction, being addicted to exercise is no joke; it can cause anything from headaches to injuries to a weakened immune system - here are more signs that you are exercising too much. But many people profess to feeling out of sorts if they miss a workout, or how much they love experiencing that "runner's high." Are you one of them? Have you ever been addicted to exercise?

4 Natural Remedies You Already Have in Your Pantry

Leta Shy — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 03:06:33 PDT

Some ailments need the power of the medicine cabinet, but other times when you're not feeling that hot all you need to do is look toward the spice rack. Whether you're in a bad mood, can't stop coughing, nursing a hangover, or have post-workout soreness, here are four spices that can help you feel better - no medicine required!

What: Peppers
When to use: When you're feeling down.
Why: The hot feeling you get in your mouth is from the compound capsaicin. It triggers pain receptors in your mouth, which causes your brain to release feel-good endorphins to compensate.
How to eat: Spice up a cold, dreary day with this spicy-sweet chili recipe, or this recipe for a healthy version of spicy eggplant.

What: Ginger
When to use: When you're fighting a cold or feeling nauseous or achy.
Why: Remedy the sniffles, aches, and congestion of the season with ginger; ginger contains a chemical that helps reduce nausea and inflammation symptoms, and ginger tea has been a tried-and-true congestion remedy for years.
How to eat: Whip up this ginger tea recipe the next time you are feeling under the weather, or dress up your dinner with this ginger-garlic broccoli recipe.

Read on for more remedies you can make with what's already in your spice cabinet!

Health Junkie: Hormones and Chemicals Released Due to Exercise

Anna Monette Roberts — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 01:17:15 PDT

Ever wonder what is going on chemically in the body while you sweat it out at the gym? The euphoric feelings during and after exercise, as well as the muscle soreness that might just come a day later, don't just appear magically. Your body is made up of millions of chemical reactions, which result in different physical and mental feelings. Take a look at some of the top hormones and chemicals that are released when you workout.

Endorphins
These chemicals are released by your pituitary gland, which is located in the base of your brain. Endorphins make you feel exhilarated and happy and block any feelings of pain, so you can power through any discomfort caused by exercising. That's why people become addicted to strenuous forms of exercises and experience "runner's high."

Estrogen
Estrogen determines whether carbs or fat fuel the body during an intense exercise session. Women tend to burn fat for fuel, while men tend to burn carbs, because women have higher estrogen levels. When women undergo menopause, they usually experience some weight gain because of lowered estrogen levels.

See more chemicals released while exercising.

Hunger: Is It Your Brain or Your Stomach?

Heather Dale — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 02:05:41 PDT

Feel hunger pangs, find food, eat food - sounds simple, right? Unfortunately, there's a long list of reasons as to why we eat in addition to just physiological hunger pangs. With obesity rates in the United States continuing to climb, it's important for people to not only be conscious about what they are eating, but the motives behind their eating habits. Here's how to know if you're eating to satiate your brain, or your belly.

Stomach hunger: Stomach hunger is exactly that: the feeling when you experience hunger pangs, stomach growling, and you physically need food. It tends to mount as more time passes since your last meal, and is dependent on factors like the hypothalamus in your brain, your blood sugar levels, hormone levels in your body, and how empty your stomach is. Feeling tired, moody, light-headed, having a headache, or finding it difficult to focus are all symptoms of real physical hunger.
Mind hunger: Otherwise known as "psychological hunger," this type of hunger is often caused by emotions triggered by stress, sadness, boredom, and even sometimes happiness. You aren't physiologically hungry, and you tend to eat more than normal since you don't know when to stop. Usually, you crave one particular thing, and if you wait it out, the craving tends to go away. The key is to recognize your cravings and to learn how to control them. Thanks to our brains, fatty, sugary foods release chemicals called opioids into our bloodstream. It's these chemicals that put us in a mild euphoric "feel good" state, therefore just reinforcing our cravings.

Keep reading to learn how to control mind hunger.

Foods That Send Metabolism Soaring

Prevention — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 04:21:01 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Power up your fat-burning engine with every bite!
Excerpted from The Active Calorie Diet book by Leslie Bonci, R.D.

A calorie is a calorie, and cutting them is the best way to lose weight, right? Not so fast. New research shows that eating certain types of foods can rev your metabolism, curb your appetite, and help you drop more pounds than others. The Active Calorie Diet, an eating plan based on this research, explains how some foods take more work to eat so you burn more calories during digestion. In fact, just the act of chewing foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean cuts of meat can increase your calorie burn by up to 30 percent!

In this diet plan, foods are broken down into four types of "active calories" — chewy foods, hearty foods, energizing foods, and warming foods. Here's how each one encourages your body to burn more calories.

Burn More Calories By Eating

Chewy Foods (lean meats, nuts, whole fruits and vegetables)
These calories make your body work right off the fork. To maximize the chew factor, choose food in its most "whole" state — apples instead of applesauce, for instance. High-protein foods really are your best ally in the Active Calorie Diet because they take more work to chew and longer to leave your stomach so you take more time eating—and have more time to register that you're full.

Hearty Foods (fruits, vegetables, brown rice, whole grains and cereals)
In addition to being chewy, these active calories are packed with fiber, so they take up more room in your belly (compared to other foods with the same number of calories), and leave less room for second helpings. Foods that take more work to chew literally make your mouth work harder (ramping calorie burn by 10 percent!) and increase the thermic effect of food, the calorie-burn bump we get from eating and digesting any given type of food.

Tasty Ways to Get More Fiber

Energizing Foods (coffee, black and green tea, dark chocolate)
You can get metabolism-boosting caffeine in coffee and black tea; just be careful not to load them up with milk, cream, or sugar. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, so your daily java or black tea can boost your metabolism by 5 to 8 percent - about 80 to 128 calories a day. Green tea doesn't have much caffeine but it does contain catechins, an antioxidant that raises resting metabolism by 4 percent (about 80 calories a day). Dark chocolate contains both catechins and caffeine, but stick to one ounce per day to limit fat and calories.

8 Secrets for All-Day Energy

More foodie tips to rev your metabolism after the break.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Touches Down

GeekSugar — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 09:31:22 PDT

The space shuttle Atlantis touched down with its crew for the final time yesterday morning, marking the final shuttle mission for NASA. The space shuttle program may be coming to an end but research and broader NASA missions have yielded technological findings that affected life on the Earth's surface:

Based on lighting technology developed for plant growth research on the space shuttle, surgeons have used photodynamic therapy to treat brain cancer with successful results.
Algorithms developed for the Hubble Telescope were used to improve the image processing techniques in mammography.
Miniature sensors that explore air on other planets for traces of life eventually led to the development of hand-held devices to detect explosives and chemical agents in combat situations.

Click through the gallery to see more incredible images of Atlantis returning home.