& some fun facts about your health
by Monique deGroot
Want to get healthier and feel young? Here are some very interesting facts from the Journal of Immunology. We know the benefits of vitamin C when it comes to fighting a cold. Now studies point to the immune boosting benefits of vitamin E, found in foods such as almonds and sunflower seeds. Experts also found that these nutrients can reduce inflammation and help fight infection at levels of 200IUs daily (under the max limit of 400IU, but 10 times the RDA). Ask your doctor for proper serving size.
Coffee: the new Sunscreen? Yale University researchers have found that caffeinated coffee is protective against melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Coffee, chock-full of health promoting antioxidants, seems to mitigate UV damage to skin cells. This doesn’t mean you don’t need sunscreen. You do! But reaching for that cup of java could ultimately do your body good!
Did you know that there was a 30% increase of sugar intake in adults since 1977? Sugar is linked to weight gain, obesity, lower immunity, and increase in diabetes, so cut back! You should be getting no more than 100 daily calories from sugar, which is about 6 teaspoons.
A study from JAMA Internal Medicine says feeling younger than your age actually helps you live longer. Feeling younger is linked to the perception of resilience and overall will to live. This may correspond to healthier habits.
Happy Life, Healthy Bones. The more satisfied you are with life, the higher your bone density will be according to a new study. While bone density typically decreases as a person ages, happiness seems to play a surprising, bone boosting role. Life satisfaction, says researchers, is linked to more exercise, healthy eating, and avoidance of smoking (which can trigger bone loss) as well as less stress and depression.
