6 Foods that help prevent Alzheimer's Disease by Positivemed.com

This horrible disease usually first appears as simple forgetfulness, but in time it can destroy speech,comprehension, and coordination, causing restlessness and dramatic mood swings.Although that the chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease after you turn 80 are rather high, you can lower your risk by as much as 50% with the right diet.

1. Omega-3 fatty acids: you can find them mainly in seafood, walnuts, olive oil and flax seeds, they have high levels of DHA, which are needed for normal brain development, and in addition they counter inflammation, which may contribute to protein build-up in the brain.

2. Foods rich in vitamins E and C: free radicals clean up the pollution in your brain, which can be fought with daily doses of vitamin C, which you can acquire from red peppers, currants, and broccoli, among others, and vitamin E, which is proved to lower Alzheimer’s risk

3. Foods and beverages high in flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants, they are one of the toughest polyphenols in plants and were created by plants as an arsenal to protect themselves. You can find them mostly in apples, berries, grapefruits, asparagus, cabbage, garlic, kale, and others. They can lower your risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease and also lower the likelihood of developing dementia.

4. Curry powder: a prime ingredient in curry powder is turmeric, which contains curcumin, a powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-amyloid compound that can improve brain performance.

5. Foods high in folate: a B vitamin that helps on the performance of some cognitive tasks, it also helps to keep homocysteine levels in check, you can find it in dark leafy and dried beans.

6. Wine: drinking 2 glasses of wine per day reduces your chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease by
75%.

http://positivemed.com/2013/06/18/6-foods-that-help-prevent-alzheimers/

Top 10 Foods to Enhance Fertility and Top 10 Foods to Avoid when trying to get Pregnant by Sharon New

I'm re-blogging this article from eatlocalgrown.com because is was very helpful to me and I know a lot of you will find the information useful.

One of the more discouraging results of  “nutritionists” misguided emphasis on eating low-fat and cholesterol free foods is infertility…now happening in younger and younger women.

Cara Bergman is the founder and owner of Stillwater Fertility Clinic , Maryland’s Natural Fertility and Women’s Care Clinic in Severna Park, Maryland.  Cara has given numerous talks about the importance of nutrient dense foods especially for pre-conception and for growing children.

Here are Cara’s top ten foods to eat to enhance fertility and the top foods to avoid.

Top 10 Foods to Enhance Fertility

 1. Bone Broth – old fashioned chicken soup made with the bones.  Add a splash of vinegar to the water so that the nutrients come out of the bones and into the broth. Read more on Bone Broth

2. Liver - especially from grass-fed animals.  Eating liver once a month provides nearly the same nutrients as eating red meat every day of the month.  

3. Lacto-fermented Vegetables - if you haven’t tried these, read more about my favorite brand Fab Ferments

4. Fermented Cod liver Oil – If you only take ONE supplement ever, it should be fermented cod liver oil in my opinion.  It is an excellent source of Vitamin D among other things.

5. Wild-caught Salmon high in Omega 3′s.

6. Red Raspberry Leaf Tea – Great uterine tonic.  Good to drink throughout pregnancy.

7. Greens - especially wild greens like dandelion. Read 20 Ways to Cook Leafy Greens

8. Kefir - both yogurt and kefir have beneficial bacteria.  The difference is that the bacteria in yogurt is transient – it will do good things and then leave your system where as the bacteria in kefir colonizes and continues to fight off pathogens in the gut.

9. Nettles tea – look for this in health food stores.  It supports the adrenals and helps your body build blood.

10. Grass-fed meat  – Animals need to be outside eating a natural diet to be healthy. More about the differences of Grass Fed vs Regular Beef

Top 10 Foods to Avoid when trying to get Pregnant

1. Trans-fat - it will say “partially hydrogenated oil” on the label. More on Healthy vs Un-Healthy Oils

2. Margarine - is usually made from rancid oils and is full of chemicals.  Butter (especially from grass-fed animals) is a much better choice.

3. Soy – the only soy I recommend is fermented soy and only in small amounts.  However, if you have any thyroid problems or if you are trying to conceive, it is best to avoid all soy.  Most is genetically modified and the estrogen-like compounds may disrupt the endocrine system.

4. Fat free or low fat dairy – most low fat milk has powdered milk added to it which has oxidized cholesterol. 

5. Enriched Flour = White flour + synthetic vitamins.  Whole grains that are soaked or sprouted are better.

6. Sugar - one of the most harmful (and addictive) substances in our diets Read our 14 Steps to Cut Processed Foods

7. Sodas - especially diet sodas – some fertility clinics will not even work with people until they go off of artificial sweeteners.

8. Coffee - depleting to the adrenals.  In Chinese medicine, the kidneys are responsible for reproduction. 

9. Vegetable oils – including canola oil – most are genetically modified and rancid.  They are also usually too high in Omega 6′s which creates an Omega 3 / Omega 6 imbalance. More on Healthy vs Un-Healthy Oils

10. MSG - it is given to rats to induce obesity.  Will show up as “hydrolyzed yeast extract” or “autolyzed yeast extract” or many other pseudo names.

http://eatlocalgrown.com/article/top-10-foods-to-enhance-fertility.html?c=cure