Category Archives: gut health

Chemicals produced in the gut after eating red meat may contribute to heart disease risk – AHA

Chemicals produced by microbes in the digestive tract may be partly responsible for the increased heart disease risk associated with higher consumption of red meats such as beef and pork, a new study suggests, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

Cardiovascular disease – which includes heart attacks and strokes – is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and around the world. As people age, their cardiovascular disease risk increases.

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But risks can be lowered by eating a diet emphasizing fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains, lean protein and fish, staying physically active, getting enough sleep, maintaining a healthy body weight, not smoking and properly managing blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

“Most of the focus on red meat intake and health has been around dietary saturated fat and blood cholesterol levels,” study co-author Meng Wang said in a news release. Wang is a postdoctoral fellow at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston.

“Based on our findings, novel interventions may be helpful to target the interactions between red meat and the gut microbiome to help us find ways to reduce cardiovascular risk,” she said.

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Filed under American Heart Association, heart attack, coronary heart disease, gut health, gut microbes

Scientists study the link between the gut and Alzheimer’s disease

Do you know that feeling you get in your gut? It turns out your gut may really be trying to tell you something.  Our microbiome – the 100 trillion bacteria and organisms living in our gut – appears to have a profound influence on our health and risk of disease. And early scientific studies show there may be a link between the microbiome and the brain that could impact the risk of Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases.

The microbiome is a collection of bacteria, viruses and fungi that live mostly in our intestinal system. They play an important role in digestion and the production of certain vitamins, and they support our immune system. Researchers around the world study the gut microbiome, especially those bacteria unique to individuals, to learn more about their influence on our overall health.

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Filed under aging brain, Alzheimer's disease, Alzheimer's risk, brain, brain function, gut bacteria, gut health, gut microbes

How Healthy is Lobster Tail?

Just removed from the potOn the off chance that you work for a firm that gives out edible gifts in the Christmas season, I am rerunning this post I wrote on lobster tail after I was given a gift of lobster tails some time ago. I hope you have been one of the lucky ones. Lobster is healthy as well as delicious.

Wellness Secrets of a SuperAger

I love the taste of lobster tail, but since I live in the Midwest the cost of flying them in has always added to their already relatively high price to put them almost out of reach of my purse strings. My personal economics has not favored eating a lot of lobster tail except on birthdays, anniversaries, etc.  That is to say, once or twice a year. However, I recently got lucky and was gifted with some frozen lobster tails (thank you, Harrah’s Horseshoe Casino!). As I looked forward to preparing them I also wondered just how much food value lobster tails have.

Here is what I found out. The USDA puts the nutritional breakdown as follows: Serving size: four ounce tail (113.4 grams) Calories 105, Fat 1.1 grams no saturated or trans fats, Cholesterol none, Sodium 340 mg, Carbohydrates 1 gram and protein 22.7 grams. You need protein to build…

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Filed under good health, gut health, lazy cook, lobster tail, Weight

How broccoli protects your gut – MNT

I am a broccoli lover, so this item from Medical News Today was welcome news for me, but not a surprise. I have read that broccoli is one of the 10 most nutritious foods we eat.  You can find a list of links to my posts on broccoli at the end of this item.

Broccoli is now known to improve gut health; new research has uncovered a potential molecular mechanism to explain this protection ” which is good news for broccoli lovers.

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It is common knowledge that eating fresh fruit and vegetables on a regular basis can stave off a multitude of ills. However, as science delves deeper into the molecular details, certain vegetables are often found to impart specific benefits.

Recently, it has been broccoli’s turn in the grocery-related spotlight. Although this tree-like green is hated by children across the United States, its health benefits cannot be refuted. Continue reading

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Filed under broccoli, broccoli benefits, gut health