Superfoods To Help You Manage Menopause

Including a selection of superfoods in your diet can help to alleviate symptoms commonly seen in menopause, maintain your memory power, and prevent osteoporosis. These superfoods are delicious to eat, easy to prepare, and super-good for you!

Tofu is an alternative protein source to meat. Along with other soy products, tofu can be beneficial for lowering your cholesterol and preventing heart disease. Soy products like tofu may also decrease the side effects associated with menopause, including the dreaded ‘hot flashes.’

Navy beans are loaded with fiber, which can help reduce your risk of color and other forms of cancer, as well as relieve the symptoms associated with diverticulosis. Women need 30 grams of fiber each day, so include them in your favorite chili recipe, or try them as a side dish alternative to pasta or rice.

Packed with calcium, yogurt can help prevent osteoporosis. It has also been shown to boost your immunity and help with weight management. Additionally, yogurt contains high amounts of good bacteria such as acidophilus, which helps to prevent yeast infections and urinary tract infections. It also contains protein, which may help your body battle the fatigue and weariness that follows a hot flash.

As we age, we sometimes find ourselves forgetting things or feeling as if we’re in a fog. If you find this to be the case, grab for the blueberries the next time you’re shopping for groceries. Recent studies show they may actually help with short-term memory loss. They’re also loaded with antioxidants. Pair them with some low-fat plain yogurt for a top-notch way to protect both your brain and your bones.

Avocado also contains antioxidants, such as vitamin E, which can help to protect your vision and skin, which can suffer as we age. The monounsaturated fat found in avocados has also been shown to improve the condition of hair and skin. They’re great on a turkey sandwich, or mash up a few ripe ones and whip up a quick side of guacamole to have with some low-fat baked tortilla chips.

And as always, it’s important to make low-fat and low-sodium choices when menu planning. These do nothing to help alleviate the symptoms brought on by menopause, and are unhealthy options at any age, but especially as we grow older. Avoid smoking or alcohol, and get plenty of rest, and you’ll soon find your menopause symptoms are easily managed.

Antioxidants don't have to be mystifying. We hear a lot of about their power, especially when it comes to anti-aging. They are said to attach free radicals which are thought to case cellular degeneration in the body, thus enabling these cells to live longer, and us to age more slowly.

Some antioxidants are said to help reduce the percentage of fat in our body by increasing our metabolism and helping to burn fat, while others will help to protect us against cancer and various other diseases.

The various different types of antioxidants all have varying degrees of health benefits for the specific areas that they help, but tests have shown one of the best sources of antioxidants is from grape seed extract. It's been shown to deliver better results than other sources and therefore is one of the prominent antioxidants used in the cosmetic industry. Grape seed extract helps to strengthen blood vessels and there by stops them from becoming weakened and damaged.

With twenty times more strength than Vitamin C and fifty times more than Vitamin A, hospitals and doctors have even begun using it for the treatment of people to help them recover from heart disease.There is no doubt a lot more research that will be going into the properties of grape seed extract and its benefits for anti aging!

Although red wine may not cause you to live longer, it may mean you could live healthier. Aging mice fed a chemical found in red wine were healthier in their twilight years, according to scientists.

The chemical – resveratrol – mimics the effects of a calorie-restricted diet which has been shown to give mice, dogs, and worms longer, healthier lives. Although resveratrol only extended the lives of obese mice in this latest study, it made all the animals healthier. They had healthier cardiovascular systems, and stronger bones than did untreated animals. The study – which was completed by the National Institute on Aging found non-obese mice fed resveratrol also had significantly lower total cholesterol.

The study offers yet more evidence of the possible anti-aging benefits of resveratrol – which is found in the skin of grapes and left on the fruit during red wine's fermentation.

Researchers gave one-year-old mice--that's middle-aged, in mouse years-- high doses of resveratrol, and it had a broad range of health benefits for mice, they confirmed. The mice had fewer cataracts, better bone density, healthier cardiovascular systems, and better motor coordination than did untreated animals, and resveratrol also made obese mice more sensitive to insulin.

Now, let's hope it will do the same things for humans!

The acai berry was voted the number one superfood on Oprah - and when things hit Oprah, that usually means they're in for a quick rise to fame. But the acai berry has been around for thousands of years, and has already gained popularity in Central and South America. It recently hit health food store shelves in the US and is receiving acclaim for a good reason.

The antioxidant content is 10 times more potent than that of red grapes. We hear a lot about antioxidants, because they're known for fighting the free radicals that accumulate thanks to a number of things - from the body's natural processes to environmental pollution, to smoking and the synthetic chemicals in our food and water. These "contaminants" in our body can reduce cell function, sometimes causing the cell to actually die - and are thought to be the primary cause of aging. The acai berry antioxidants are among the most powerful of anti-aging supplements, as it contains the life-giving nutrients that help prevent degeneration.

Other notable anti-aging antioxidants include the goji berry, bee pollen, blue/green algae, chlorella, and spirulina.

Just what is Resveratrol, where does it come from and what does it do? Is it simply hype, or is there substance to the claims? Read on to learn more from the article that follows.

Sources of Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant which is found predominantly in the skin of grapes. This is produced as a defense mechanism against environmental stress by the plants. Resveratrol is also found in smaller quantities in lily, spruce and eucalyptus apart from being produced as diet supplements.

Recent studies have shown some interesting facts about this antioxidant. Resveratrol is seen to reduce the aggregation of platelets in the blood thereby reducing the risk of strokes, clots and even heart attacks. Moreover, resveratrol helps in prevention of damage of cells resulting from the presence of free radicals. This powerful antioxidant is also known to fight cancer effectively in all stages.

Although it is all at the experimental stage, resveratrol shows a huge potential in the treatment of coronary diseases and cancer. Research is being conducted extensively to find out how best this antioxidant can be used to fight these more common but deadly diseases. ?

As it has been proved time and again, consumption of wine or alcohol reduces the incidence of coronary diseases. This is true especially in case of red wine. Presence of resveratrol has been linked to this finding. Recent studies have proven that being a very effective antioxidant, resveratrol protects cells from lipid peroxidation.

Due to more fermentation period, red wine is a better source of this antioxidant than the white wine. Apart from grapes, blueberries are another excellent natural source of resveratrol. The Japanese Knotweed contains resveratrol in good quantities.

Blueberries are another natural source of resveratrol. A lot of antioxidants are present in blueberries along with resveratrol. Peanuts and peanut sprouts are also found to be excellent natural sources of resveratrol.

Polygonum Cuspidatum commonly known as the Japanese Knotweed is also a good source of naturally occurring resveratrol.

Apart from these naturally occurring sources, resveratrol is also produced by companies as diet supplements. These supplements are made in the form of either powders or tablets and are derived from the natural sources like skins of grapes, seeds of grapes, Japanese knotweed, red wine, etc.

Resveratrol is sometimes offered in the form of a transdermal patch. This is similar to the nicotine patch. Apart from this, it is also manufactured in liquid form for easier consumption. It is always better to consult with the doctor before taking these supplements as a prevention or cure for any condition.

Valuable information about this wonder antioxidant can be had from the internet. A lot of information is available on recent studies and research on this product along with new resveratrol based supplements introduced in the market.

Vitamin supplements currently contain in excess of the Recommended Daily Allowance for the two most common antioxidants, vitamin C and vitamin E. But, how much higher should the levels be set, in order to fight off free radicals.

Current antioxidant research is focusing on two key issues. The amount of antioxidants needed to benefit the body and the best source of these antioxidants. Researchers have already determined that food sources are the most absorbable, but which foods are best and how much should be consumed?

Antioxidants and RDA's

In studying the amount of antioxidants needed to optimally fight off free radical damage, the Recommended Daily Allowance, or RDA, of antioxidant vitamins are the levels under consideration. Scientists are trying to determine whether levels above the current RDA's are more or less affective against free radical damage.

Antioxidant research is specific, in that, each antioxidant vitamin is being examined separately. Vitamins C and E are the most common antioxidant vitamins consumed in supplement forms. These antioxidants have always been deemed beneficial as vitamins, but, as antioxidants have yet to require an RDA specific to free radical prevention and treatment.

Inquiry Into Rates of Antioxidant Absorption

Antioxidant research does not stop there. Scientists are carefully looking at the levels of antioxidants in foods and the rate at which these antioxidants are absorbed by the body. While some foods may offer a 100% absorption rate of a vitamin, others may only absorb 10% into the body. These are the facts scientists need to learn in order to recommend the best foods from which antioxidants can be supplemented.

Vitamin E, as an antioxidant, carries more attention than many of the other antioxidant vitamins. Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin, which means in order for the body to absorb and use the antioxidants, fat needs to be present. Antioxidant research is set to determine how much fat is the right amount of fat to ensure the positive components of vitamin E are absorbed.

The times of the RDA are about to change. Thank to science and antioxidant research, vitamins are being looked at through an entirely different light. Yesterday, supplements helped the body to stay healthy. Tomorrow, vitamins may just be the key to curing some free radical conditions.