Cranberries have a unique flavor making them a favorite for many meals or even just to snack on. Packed with dense antioxidants and fiber, cranberries are one of Nature’s medicinal foods. In fact cranberries have a higher content of antioxidants than many other fruits and berries. And with a low sugar ratio (only four grams of natural sugar per cup) cranberries are an ideal antioxidant.

Cranberries Have Many Health Benefits

While cranberry juice is well known to support women’s health, there are many other benefits of cranberries that make them an ideal food. Do you know the major health benefit reasons to include cranberries in your diet?

Prevents UTI Infections

The first benefit of cranberries, or rather cranberry juice, is preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs). Cranberries are loaded with an antioxidant called proanthocyanidins, or PACs for short. These PACs help reduce the chances of developing a UTI by keeping bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract. Because women are more prone to UTIs the cranberry is a friend to women’s health.

Improves Digestion

The fiber content found in cranberries is great for overall digestive health. One cup of cranberries has about 4.6 grams of fiber which is 16% of the recommended daily amount of fiber. Not only does the fiber help you stay fuller for longer, but it also keeps you regular and prevents big swings in your blood sugar. This may reduce the risk of stomach ulcers and some cancers.

Reduces Bad Cholesterol

Cranberries are rich in anthocyanins (an antioxidant), which have protective cardiovascular effects that can lower high levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol and raises the HDL or “good” cholesterol which is beneficial to heart health. Studies have shown that dried cranberries contain more phenol antioxidants than any of the other commonly consumed fruits like raisins, plums, or apricots.

Supports Anti-Aging

The high levels of antioxidants in cranberries help flush out the endocrine system of free radicals that contribute to the aging process. With these free radicals removed your skin can look younger with prolonged improvement of the internal organ functions.

Eat Cranberries All Year Long, Not Just During the Holidays!

Cranberries have been part of my family’s traditional holiday celebrations all my life. But over the years I’ve started incorporating cranberries in foods I eat all year long. Whether in sauces, salads, casseroles, desserts, drinks, snack mix, or toppings, eat more cranberries to live well with zest. Let me know your favorite ways to enjoy cranberries.

Enjoy and Live Well with Zest

Bev xo

Written by Bev Hope

Reviewed by Board Certified MD

The post Cranberries: Nature’s Potent Antioxidant Food appeared first on Well with Zest.

Our bones are our body’s framework and much more. Made of up calcium, they manufacture and store our blood cells and bone marrow.  Bone density is important because our systems and organs in our body rely on what they produce. But unfortunately, by the time we are about 30, we’ve reached our peak bone mass.  This means that building strong bones when you’re young is essential. And maintaining your bone strength as you get older is doubly important!

Bone Loss Impacts Over Half of Americans Older than 50

Keeping healthy bones may seem like a tall order when you look at the statistics. About 54 million Americans (about half of Americans older than 50) have osteopenia, and another 10 million Americans have osteoporosis. These are the two conditions related to a loss of bone mineral density (osteoporosis is more severe). Recently I joined the 50% of Americans over 50 who have osteopenia.  So now I am taking steps to keep my osteopenia from progressing to osteoporosis because I know how important bone density is to overall wellness.

To reduce risk of developing chronic health conditions and protecting against bone fractures, check out the following research-based bone health tips for building strong bones. Having hyperthyroidism, I am at greater risk of developing osteoporosis. But smart lifestyle choices can manage osteopenia, prevent osteoporosis and make bones stronger!

5 Ways to Make Bones Stronger

1. Fill your diet with bone health foods.

Bone health foods need to be a part of every person’s daily diet. These include dark green leafy vegetables, healthy protein from foods like chicken, fish, and eggs, and high quality fats from foods like nuts, seeds, and olive oil. Make sure you’re eating enough to support exercise and avoid pro-inflammatory food like processed foods and refined carbohydrates.

P.S. It’s not just the calcium you need! Other minerals, including magnesium and zinc, and also Vitamin D, are just as important, if not more so, for building strong bones. It’s important to get these nutrients in your food or in high-quality supplements.

2. Get moving.

Studies show that performing weight-bearing exercises like walking and lifting weights helps prevent bone loss when you’re older and may actually make bones stronger and larger during bone growth. So, get yourself moving and have fun doing it with friends, family, colleagues. The key is to stay active.

3. Maintain a healthy weight.

Being underweight or overweight can impair bone quality and increase your risk of fractures. And yo-yo dieting isn’t doing you any good, either—repeatedly losing and regaining weight, or losing a lot of weight too quickly (can we say crash diet?!) is not good for bone health (nor mental health).

4. Choose the right dairy.

The media has told us for years that milk “does a body good” and that dairy is one of the best foods to fight osteoporosis. But mixed research data reveals that dairy products actually do not increase bone calcium and bone density.

For example, countries with the lowest rates of dairy and calcium consumption also have the lowest rates of osteoporosis and hip fractures. Plus research published in the British Medical Journal  in 2014 revealed that high milk intake actually increased risk of bone fractures and mortality!

Possible explanations for this surprising conclusion are that dairy tends to be loaded with antibiotics and hormones, pro-inflammatory compounds. Plus, many people are lactose intolerant!

If you are going to consume dairy, opt for grass-fed and organic cow milk options or try dairy products from goat’s milk, almond milk, cashew milk, or oat milk for example. There are many good options to reduce consumption of cow milk.

5. Take a calcium supplement.

Getting adequate dietary calcium is necessary to prevent bones from weakening, plus adequate vitamin D is necessary to help our bodies absorb calcium. Women over 50 need 1,200 mg of calcium and 1000 IU of vitamin D a day, given the drop in estrogen that can cause a loss of 20% bone density within five to seven years after menopause. Talk to your doctor about taking a dietary supplement to help keep your bones strong.

6. Stop smoking—or never start.

If you smoke, it’s never too late to quit…and it’s never too late to find a reason why! Smoking increases your risk for osteoporosis and even delays bone healing after a fracture.

Build Strong Bones to Maintain Optimal Health

In summary, bone health tips don’t just help you build a healthier skeleton—they’ll help you build and maintain a healthy body overall! We need strong bones to live well and keep thriving.  I hope these tips help you take good care of your bones so you can stay strong and maintain optimal health.

Build strong bones and live Well with Zest!

Bev xo

Written by Bev Hope

Reviewed by Board Certified MD

The post 5 Proven Ways To Build Strong Bones appeared first on Well with Zest.

I remember my mother’s wise anti-aging advice when I was just 16 years old. One night while having a dinner table conversation, she blurted out, “You are going to age well” and mentioned something like “you have a thin neckline”. I didn’t pay much attention, but just wondered why she was so concerned about me aging when I was so young.

My Mother’s Best Advice

Soon after that memorable dinner conversation, she took me to a local department store to purchase a new skin care line that had just been introduced for younger people. She emphatically said, “You are going to have a skin care regimen so you can take good care of your skin”.  I was thrilled to get grown up beauty products from the best department store in town, so, I dutifully followed her advice.  She would be proud that I have kept up my regimen for more than 4 decades. I can say it has paid off because I often get compliments on my skin.  I have my mom to thank because she was right. What she knew is that anti-aging is very much about having a regimen. But anti-aging is more than just having a good skin care regimen, it’s about having an anti-aging lifestyle regimen.

It Starts with a Regimen

Studies of ‘Blue Zones’ – places around the globe where people live longer than anywhere else in the world – have shown that we can live full, rich and healthy lives well into our 90s and beyond. Researchers have isolated the lifestyle factors in Blue Zone communities that provide insight into the secrets to aging well. Further, scientists around the world are advancing the research and learning more about the science behind the aging process and how to slow it down. We are learning more and more about what it takes to stay active and energized during aging so we can live active, healthy, happy lives. I’ve rounded up some of the best anti-aging tips that are sure to help one live well with zest no matter what your age.

Here Are My Top 10 Best Anti-Aging Secrets

1. Change Your Pillowcase

Seriously. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase instead of a cotton or polyester pillowcase is one of the least known, best anti-aging tips. Silk is gentle on your skin and doesn’t tug or crease it unnecessarily while you sleep. And considering the percentage of your lifetime that you sleep, having a helpful pillowcase is a good plan for your skin.

2. Cut Back on Sugar

It’s no secret that consuming too much sugar puts us at risk for diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, but it can also contribute to premature aging. Too much processed sugar can create unwanted dark circles, premature wrinkles, and dehydrated skin. If you have a sweet tooth, it’s easy to replace processed sugars with natural sugars and anti-aging sweet foods like blueberries, sweet potatoes, or pomegranate seeds.

3. Don’t Smoke

If lowering your likelihood of getting lung cancer isn’t a strong enough reason to stop smoking (or to avoid it altogether!), keep in mind that smoking takes a toll on your skin. The vasoconstricting effect has been known to speed the aging process, increase psoriasis, and add wrinkles. Avoid smoking and second-hand smoke.

4. Eat your Avocados

Healthy fats —like those found in avocados—are one of the most important anti-aging foods to add to your diet. Fats with high Omega-3s are vital to optimal health as they help prevent chronic inflammation, a major risk factor in most aging related diseases. They help you feel full (so you don’t snack on items filled with processed sugar), and they create smoother, healthier skin. When it comes to anti-aging foods, there is probably no better one than avocados.

5. Go to the Gym

Or actually, just exercise wherever you can! One of the secrets to healthy and happy lives is getting daily exercise, and it’s also good for our skin. Staying active, moving your body and working out on a regular basis prevents chronic health conditions and slows the signs of aging. And sweat is good for the body and skin, too, so it’s a win/win. Flush out toxins and support longevity literally and visibly.

6. Keep Stress in Check

One of the best anti-aging secrets is managing stress. Since hormones associated with stress are also linked to premature aging, it makes sense that lowering our stress levels will support our anti-aging routine. Sleep longer. Practice yoga. Learn to meditate. Get out in nature. These are good for your body, your brain, and your beauty.

7. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Dehydration is one of the fastest ways to age skin prematurely. Getting the right amount of water will have the opposite effect. Aim to drink half your weight in ounces every day. Our bodies are made of about 70% water, so it’s important to keep replenishing the water in our tissues. Water helps the elasticity of skin tissues and can delay getting wrinkles and fine lines.

8. Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Eat whole grains, natural (i.e. non-processed) foods, including plenty of brightly colored fruits and vegetables. High anti-inflammatory foods include many greens such as spinach, swiss chard, kale, and broccoli. In addition, colorful fruits such as berries, dark cherries, and beets are high in anti-inflammatory properties. And be sure to eat foods rich in Omega-3 such as salmon and mackerel and sardines.

9. Reduce Intake of NSAIDS and Antibiotics

Avoid using antibiotics, antacids, and NSAIDs unless advised by a doctor, as they can harm the microbiome in the gut causing inflammation and lead to leaky gut which can trigger many diseases.  Long-term use of NSAIDs may also cause kidney damage and increase the risk of having a stroke or heart attack or stroke.

10. Sleep 7+ Hours Each Night

Overnight sleep ideally 7 to 8 hours helps in stimulating Human Growth Hormone (HGH) that promotes the body to rebuild itself. Aim for at least 7 hours per night. The goal is to feel well-rested upon arising in the morning.

Follow a Simple Anti-Aging Routine to Serve Your Skin and Body!

With a little time and effort, you can create an anti-aging skin care and lifestyle routine that will serve your skin and body well for the next 50 years and beyond!

Enjoy and Live Well with Zest!

Bev xo

Written by Bev Hope

Reviewed by Board Certified MD

The post Top 10 Best Anti-Aging Secrets appeared first on Well with Zest.