Lisa R. Young, PhD, RD
New York University

Forget food deprivation. These delicious treats are good for you… and you won’t feel a crumb of remorse.

CHOCOLATE BANANA FREEZE

Recipe: Roll a firm banana in 1 ounce of melted dark chocolate, then in 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts, such as walnuts or peanuts. Freeze until the chocolate hardens.

Benefits: Heart-healthy potassium and omega-3s, plus disease-fighting antioxidants. Bonus: Dark chocolate eases inflammation.

Calories saved: Up to 300, compared with a banana split.

GRILLED PEACH MELBA

Recipe: Cut a fresh peach in half and remove the pit. Grill or broil on each side for 5 minutes. Top with 4 ounces of fat-free frozen vanilla yogurt, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of warmed all-fruit raspberry spread.

Benefits: Fiber for good digestion, vitamins A and C, calcium — and gourmet taste with no fat.

Calories saved: At least 250, compared with a fruit tart à la mode.

JUICY BAKED APPLE

Recipe: Core a baking apple (Rome, Cortland), put 2 teaspoons of raisins in the center and pour a bit of unsweetened cherry or pomegranate juice over the apple. Cover with foil, and bake at 350ºF for 35 to 45 minutes.

Benefits: Fiber, vitamin C, iron, potassium and antioxidants.

Calories saved: About 150, compared with a slice of apple pie.

SUPER SOY SMOOTHIE

Recipe: Put 8 ounces of vanilla-flavored soy milk, 1 cup of cut-up fruit of your choice, 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds and a few ice cubes into a blender, then whip until frothy.

Benefits: Protein from soy, antioxidants from berries and cancer-fighting lignans from flaxseeds.

Calories saved: About 200, compared with a milk shake.

YUMMY YOGURT PARFAIT

Recipe: Spoon 1 cup of low-fat whipped or regular yogurt (with “live and active cultures”) into a tall glass, layering it with ½ cup of berries and a handful of whole-grain cereal, such as Kashi GoLean.

Benefits: Calcium and protein, plus improved intestinal health and digestion from the cultures and fiber.

Calories saved: Up to 250, compared with flan or crème brûlée.

Bottom Line/Women’s Health interviewed Lisa R. Young, PhD, RD, adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University. She is in private practice in New York City and is the author of The Portion Teller Plan: The No-Diet Reality Guide to Eating, Cheating, and Losing Weight Permanently (Broadway), http://www.portionteller.com. She also is a member of the Bottom Line/Women’s Health advisory board.

And Guam being where America’s Day Begins is just the place to start.
+++++++++++
Washington, Aug 3 (ANI): Scientists at University of Guam Marine Lab have uncovered the evolutionary origins of coral sex.

In a new study, researchers have found that ancient corals consisted of mostly separate sexes and needed to pass through an evolutionarily period in which they brooded their young before they could become spawning hermaphrodites.

“Most species of corals on tropical reefs are hermaphrodites and participate in one of nature’s most amazing spectacles, an annual mass spawning in which shallow moonlit waters rapidly fill with a ‘blizzard’ of brightly colored eggs,” said Alexander Kerr, senior author of the study.

“The evolutionary origins of coral sex turn out to be surprisingly complex. The reason for this round-about pathway from separate sex to hermaphrodite is uncertain, but is likely related to the rigors of existence on shallow, tropical reefs,” she added.

The study has been published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. (ANI)
===============
Hafa Adai

Anna

———————————————-

Fighting back after stroke

Surviving a stroke is only half the battle. The real challenge begins for many stroke victims when they return home from the hospital.

Many of them face debilitating and even permanent damage, and some even need to relearn basic activities like walking, talking and eating.

Now, two recent studies give some hope to a seemingly hopeless situation.

The first comes in the form of a simple easy-to-find everyday vitamin–one many people start their day with, whether they know it or not.

Vitamin B3–better known as niacin, a nutrient that can be found in abundance in coffee–helps rats that have suffered ischemic strokes to grow blood vessels and new nerve cells in their brains, according to a study presented at the recent International Stroke Conference.

That’s all well and good for the rats, but will it work on humans? That’s what the research team at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit wants to figure out–which is why they’re now testing to see if humans can get those same benefits after suffering an ischemic stroke. (That’s the most common type of stroke, which happens when blood can’t make it to the brain.)

But we already know that niacin has some terrific benefits for the arteries, as I’ve mentioned before. (Read “Common vitamin tops meds.”) What’s more, it’s easy to get it from your diet by eating more oatmeal, peanuts, mushrooms and fish.

And, as I mentioned, you can even get it from your morning brew. Espresso is overflowing with niacin, containing about 30 times what you’ll find in a serving of tuna or mushrooms.

Regular brewed coffee is also an excellent source of niacin, but it doesn’t contain nearly as much as espresso.

Niacin is also inexpensive and widely available in supplement form.

The researchers say this nutrient appears to rewire the brain… which is exactly what another group of scientists working with stroke patients say about a very different treatment.

Their study looks at how stroke victims benefit from something many of us do in the shower every day: singing.

It’s long been known that singing and speaking use different parts of the brain, which is why many stutterers can often belt out a tune without a single pause.

And in recent years, stroke patients who’ve lost the ability to talk have been learning to sing instead. It’s called “melodic intonation therapy,” and researchers say that the singing appears to rewire the brain–putting regions to use that had not been used before the stroke.

Many patients who’ve lost all ability to speak can begin communicating again after just one therapy session.

Stroke is often a traumatic life-changing event that robs people of their independence along with many of their abilities. It can be a long way back–but there is a road that can take you there.
————————–
Michelle, I want to thank you and your bloggers for all you do to keep health information flowing.

Mischa