I’ve spent extensive time over the last five years in Detroit, Michigan, living there for periods, and visiting family. I can safely say, while I love Detroit, it’s not for me to call home. 

However, despite knowing that I wouldn’t live there permanently, there is one place that lives in my heart forever, that I think fondly of every Saturday, and that is the Eastern market farmers market. 

The Eastern market, located just outside downtown Detroit, is hands down the greatest farmers market I have ever been to, and while my dad says there are a few out there that are better, he’s yet to take me to any of them. 

The eastern market is my Disneyland. It’s one of my most favorite places on earth, and I can’t help but feel like all my friends are in the same place every time I visit.

My friends, the American farmers. 

It’s no secret to most that the American food system is and has been in jeopardy for a long time. If covid taught us anything, it’s that our food systems are weak, and any little bump in the road could cause the system to collapse, leaving many without access to the food they need to survive. The solution to this is simple, but not easy. We have to put the power back in the hands of the people, back into the hands of the consumer, and most importantly we have to put the dollar back in the hand of the American farmer. 

There is something so unique and special about the relationship one can cultivate with their farmer when they really get to know them. I was pondering this on my very long drive from Detroit to Atlanta. 

I had a trunk full of food. I came back with a ½ bushel of apples, 15 pounds of beef, four dozen eggs, three bags of flour, three different raw cheeses, a bag of locally made granola, and a few other assorted items. I was so excited about this haul and had been waiting until I could get up to Detroit on a Saturday so I could stock up on the things I had been missing. 

I bit into an apple that I bought from Travis and was immediately reminded why I love them-and him- so much. These are the best apples I’ve ever had. They’re sweet and tart with a slightly lemon-y taste. They’re reminiscent of the sweet tart candy, truly, and they are appropriately named “Ludacrisp”. I have never had a better apple, especially not down south. 

As I was enjoying this apple I was genuinely overcome with my love and affection for these people that grow and make my food. I began to think about how truly fortunate I was, how truly miraculous it was that I had just had an extensive conversation with my apple guy about his wife and family. His wife was nine months pregnant, due any day, they were having twins, he was so excited, but nervous, like he was for the first baby, but even more so this time. These are their 4th and 5th babies. We had brought him some old children’s books the boys were no longer reading, and he was thrilled. We talked about thanksgiving, the magic of the holidays, the excitement of the new babies, how the other children were feeling about the babies, how my travels had been, and anything else we could think of. Then, I bought my half a bushel of apples, and carried on my way. Not to sound dramatic, but I felt like I could taste the love in the apples. How special it was to know that Travis had grown these apples on his family farm, that they were his favorite apples, although sometimes the kids prefer the less tart varieties they grow, how lucky I was to experience this farm to table moment. 

I came on a mission for four things. Beef, apples, cheese, and flour. I walked up to Hyatt farms, so excited to see Denis, and Emma, but mostly excited for the ground beef. Five dollars a pound for the best ground beef you’ll ever eat. Sometimes it feels too good to be true. I lived off ground beef and scrambled eggs when I was in Detroit and I had missed it since leaving.

Dennis and I were happy to see each other as we also talked about my travels and where I was headed next. I told him I had traveled specifically to stock up on ground beef. We laughed and chatted for several minutes and I left with a big full of meat to last me the next few months. 

I headed to Randy next, our milk guy. He may have been the most excited to see me. He appreciates my affinity for vintage dresses and says that I remind him of the women he knew in the 90’s back when we saw more traditional displays of femininity more often. This was a special moment for me, and from then on, he would often compliment whatever vintage dress I had dawned that day. He also grows the best flour and cornmeal I’ve ever had, and sells the greatest raw cheese and milk. His face lit up when I approached, and we, too, talked for several minutes before I stocked up and left. 

The meaningfulness of these connections may seem exaggerated, but this is what food is supposed to be. This is what food was for the longest time. It’s only recently that we’ve begun to lose sight of the connection from the farmer to consumer, and even before then we were the farmers ourselves. In a world where we hardly know where our food comes from anymore, to get to have such close personal relationships with my farmers means the world to me, and I share these stories in hopes that you too can build these relationships with your local farmer as well. Become a regular somewhere. Shop local as often as you can. Frequent the local farmers market. Big changes don’t happen overnight. They happen through small changes over time. 

Women operate on a 28 day hormone cycle composed of four phases, the menstrual phase, the follicular phase, the ovulatory phase, and the luteal phase. 

Most women are probably familiar with the menstrual phase, and the ovulatory phase but many are not taught about all four phases in school, or how they affect the body, and each phase can affect the body in very drastic ways. Women can go through life feeling completely different week to week without even knowing why. If you’ve ever experienced the feeling of being on top of the world for a week, and then down in the slumps the next with no real logic or reasoning behind it, odds are you’re just transitioning from your ovulation phase to the luteal phase. These phases can go so far as to alter our face shape, in addition to our weight, and mood, so no, it’s not all in your head. 

I was one of those women who grew up not knowing about each of these four phases or really having any understanding of how my body worked and what it was designed to do. It took years of my adult life to learn this information and get in tune enough with my body to embrace these changes that we go through every month. 

I’ve broken down the four phases of the menstrual cycle below. While researching for this article it became clear to me that we are still learning about a lot of this information. Women’s health has not been researched or studied the same way men have. It just recently became known that women do in fact need more sleep than men, and the amount of sleep they need may vary at different times of the month. It seemed clear to me through my reading that the human body is complex, and this is a fluid cycle with some phases overlapping each other, some phases shorter, some longer but all equally important. 

The menstrual phase: 

The menstrual phase begins on the first day of your cycle and lasts anywhere between 3-7 days. Typically 3-5 days is considered healthy, 7 days is normal. Any longer than that is an indicator that your hormones are unbalanced, or a symptom of a greater problem. The menstrual phase is the shedding of the uterine lining to rid the body of the unfertilized egg. 

We’re all familiar with this. We often feel cranky and exhausted because our body is working over time. That being said, the menstrual cycle doesn’t have to be a time of extreme pain or discomfort. With a healthy diet and lifestyle, cramps can be eliminated. This is a great time to rest a little more than you usually would. Maybe do some yoga rather than a HITT class (although if you have the energy for an intensive workout, by all means go with the flow) This is a great time to get an extra hour of sleep at night or even take a nap if your lifestyle allows for it. Warm easy to digest foods can be a comfort during this phase of your cycle. 

Unfortunately, we live in a world where most people are forced to work all day outside the home regardless of the phase of their cycle, and they are constantly going against their body’s intuition, and are often expected to perform at the same level as they would in their follicular or ovulatory phase when their energy levels are higher. 

It is my personal opinion that this has created a generation of women who are both entirely out of tune with their natural cycles, and also deeply hateful towards their natural cycles, thinking of them as something to be suppressed and avoided at all costs instead of what really is- the ability to create and grow life, which is undoubtedly the greatest gift.  

During the menstrual phase the body is shedding its uterine lining to release your body’s unfertilized egg. It is common during this phase to gain weight, although it is mostly water weight and will come back off in your follicular phase. 

Follicular phase:

Your follicular phase is the longest phase in the menstrual cycle, it begins on the first day of menstruation and ends when you begin ovulation. On the tail end of your follicular phase, after menstruation ends you will likely notice your energy levels start to rise again. Your follicular phase is responsible for your egg being released from the ovaries for fertilization. One egg will reach maturity faster than the others and will be released from the ovarian follicles, through the fallopian tube. During this time, your body transitions into ovulation, and the egg is either fertilized and you become pregnant, or the egg dies and is released during your period. 

Ovulation phase:

This is typically your highest energy time of your cycle, and obviously, when you are ovulating. Your ovulation cycle is actually the only time you can get pregnant during your cycle, and your ovulation phase is typically around six days. During your ovulation phase your body is releasing an egg from your ovaries to allow it the opportunity to be fertilized. This time period is only 24-48 hours generally, and if the egg is not fertilized in this time, it will die, and be released during your period. The entire ovulation phase lasts about 6 days. Sperm can last in the uterus for up to 6 days before it dies, and if you have active sperm in your uterus within your ovulation window, then there is a good chance your egg will be fertilized. 

This is important for cycle tracking and syncing. If you’re using the family planning method of birth control, it is imperative to know when your ovulation window is so you know when you are most at risk of getting pregnant. 

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your current situation, this is when women naturally have the highest libido. Your body is quite literally preparing itself for sex, because this is the time when you should have sex in order to get pregnant. Try as you might, biology can be hard to fight. You may notice your libido increase during this time, your discharge may become thinner, and there may be more of it, and if you track your body’s basal body temperature, you’ll notice a slight increase in temperature around this time. 

Ovulation typically takes place 14 days before menstruation, in a healthy 28 day cycle. As previously mentioned, this is typically the highest energy phase of your cycle. This is a great time for intensive cardio or HITT workouts. Women often talk about feeling “unstoppable” or “on top of the world” during the ovulation phase, many women experience an increase in dopamine, and overall happy feelings. 

Many women, even those who are not particularly in tune may notice a difference in their appearance, or feel more attractive during ovulation. We’ve all felt the menstruation slump, feeling kind of blah right before or on your period but not everyone is in tune enough to experience the opposite while ovulating. But if you have ever experienced this- it’s not just you, and it’s not all in your head. There’s a kind of aura one radiates during ovulation- an aura of fertility. On a biological level, fertility is very attractive to people. It’s a sign of health, youth, and vitality. You’re less bloated, we experience an increase in estrogen, which can quite literally make your skin “glow” some women even notice a very subtle change in their face shape, and if you have a partner who is very in tune, and you live a natural lifestyle, they may even be able to smell when you’re ovulating as our pheromones can change slightly, making us smell better to certain people. 

Luteal phase: 

The luteal phase is the last phase of your cycle occurring after ovulation. The uterine lining and cervical mucus thicken to either prepare for pregnancy or to be shed and the egg is released into the uterus either for fertilization or to be released from the body. This is the phase of your cycle where you’re likely to experience PMS symptoms. Estrogen and progesterone levels rise. At this point either the egg is fertilized and ready for pregnancy, or you shed your uterine lining and begin the process over again. 

As this is the phase where you experience “PMS” fatigue, irritability and bloating are all common symptoms of this phase of your cycle. Taking B vitamins regularly leading up to your luteal phase and through your period can help alleviate some of the worse symptoms of your luteal phase, including mood swings and premenstrual depression. Eating a balanced and diverse diet full of whole foods and vegetables, and generally living a healthy lifestyle can also help eliminate these symptoms. If you do all these things, and still find that you are fatigued or drained during this time of the month, that is common and even normal. An extra hour of sleep or an afternoon nap if possible can help with this. Sometimes the best thing you can do is listen to your body, especially if your body is generally functioning at healthy optimum levels. 

BIrth Control:

Just in case you were wondering- hormonal birth control negates ALL of this. Hormonal birth control doesn’t even allow for ovulation. 

In fact, hormonal birth control only works because it prevents the natural process of ovulation, making sure the egg cannot be fertilized. There has been all sorts of research to indicate that hormonal birth control can radically change our bodies’ natural cycles, and affect us in radical ways, down to who we’re attracted to. 

Research indicates that women on hormonal birth control are typically attracted to less “manly” men, or men who are lower in testerone. There have been instances of women getting off hormonal birth control and later breaking up with their partners because they are no longer attracted to them, having had their preferences so skewed that they were with someone who did not align with their actual natural preferences in a partner. The book “Your Brain on Birth Control” talks more about this phenomenon. 

Each of our hormonal phases serves a different purpose and has value. Modern conditions and health standards have painted a picture of a tortured 10 days of mood swings, followed by bleeding, and cramps. Just because this is the prevailing narrative doesn’t mean that this is healthy or normal. Women can experience pain free periods, and menstruation can be a time to honor your body’s natural gift of bearing children. Even I have a hard time with this, it feels each month when my period comes around I’m once again reminded that I am no step closer to having a baby, and the bleeding isn’t what’d I’d call fun or comfortable, but still it doesn’t have to be a miserable week and you can do everything your normally would, without the need for pain medication or hormonal birth control. Learning about these phases is an important step to getting in tune with your body. 

As the seasons change and the days grow colder I tend to spend more time in the kitchen than the warmer months. The warmth of the oven provides a kind of comfort that somehow previously seemed stifling in the August heat. It’s officially soup season! 

I adore soup season, it is the most comforting nourishing time of year, and while I am a summer girl through and through, I cannot deny that there are few things more satisfying that a good pot roast, or creamy soup. It’s the perfect blend of food for the soul, and fuel for the body. 

So with a season of heavy cooking upon us, soups stews, thanksgiving dinner and more, I’ve decided to break down my kitchen essentials, ingredients and tools that I can’t live without that help define my dishes in their signature way. It’s less extensive than you might think, I’m a simple person at heart. While there are some things that make my kitchen feel like home, such as my pasta maker and my ravioli stamp, they’re things I can live without. However, there are things that I try to incorporate into the kitchens of my loved ones wherever I go so I can recreate the magic. 

Some of these things have to do with my cooking techniques but even more, most of these items are designed so I can recreate the food I usually make with the same health benefits I implement at home. 

Kitchen gadgets

A decent chef’s knife: 

A good chef is nothing without a good knife, right? I don’t think there’s actually a saying like that but I feel someone somewhere has said it before. I don’t bring my knife with me everywhere I go (although I do bring it to Airbnbs when traveling). If someone has a decent chef knife, I can work some magic at a rather efficient pace. A good chef’s knife makes chopping much easier.

A wooden cutting board: 

This is also one that I bring with me when I travel to an airbnb. This may seem a bit much but I’m not a fan of microplastics, and all four of the kitchens I cook in regularly have a stock of wooden cutting boards that I reach for before I ever grab plastic. Generally speaking, a wood cutting board is better for your knife than plastic, and the wood cutting boards have antimicrobial properties. Cutting on a plastic cutting board produces microplastics that are scraped up while cutting food. I prefer my food without the side of microplastics! A good wooden cutting board can be easily sanded and refinished, and will last for years to come.

Cast iron pan: 

If I was a cartoon character and I had an accessory that I carried around with me everyday, it would be a cast iron pan. Very rarely do I cook in anything but a cast iron pan because I can rarely think of a time when it is prudent. Boiling water for pasta perhaps, and on some occasions I will use a stainless steel pan for sauteing but other than that it’s cast iron.

I will not be caught dead cooking on a non-stick teflon pan. If you’ve been living under a rock and don’t know the health consequences of cooking on a teflon pan, the information is readily available on the internet. The chemicals in forever teflon pans cause cancer, and disrupt your hormones amongst other health problems and can flake off and make their way into your food. 

A well seasoned cast iron pan is a thing of beauty, and I use it to my advantage. I’ve gifted some, and made sure that there is a cast iron pan in each house that I cook in regularly. Cast iron pans are so versatile. A cast iron pan can be passed down and well loved for decades to come. 

Instant pot:

An instant pot is not necessary for success, but it is always nice to have when I’m cooking rice or beans or a stew. Instant pots cook much faster, and are more consistent for rice, and can cook a stew in a third of the time. I will bring my instant pot with me on vacation for ease of cooking certain things. It also has a stainless steel pot so it’s one less teflon pan I have to worry about. 

Metal spatula: 

I always prefer metal to plastic or silicone, it’s sturdier and typically lasts longer. With a cast iron or stainless steel pan you never have to worry about a metal spatula damaging your pan. 

Spices and seasonings

The herbs and spices in your food make or break the dish. Really, to make a good dish you don’t need much. You can make an amazing dish with a high quality sea salt, pepper, and garlic if you have high quality food. While a large variety of spices is something everyone should come to aquire, we’ll stick the basics for now.

Black pepper:

High quality, organic pepper corns in a pepper grinder. Need I say more?

Red pepper:

Red pepper is a simple easy seasoning to keep on hand. It can elevate the flavor of any dish beyond your basic black pepper, and add a mild kick. The flavor of red pepper is fairly neutral making it a good option to add spice to a variety of different cuisines. 

Himalayan pink sea salt:

I do my best to only cook with Redmons real pink himalayan sea salt. Other pink himalayan sea salt works. Redmons is generally the highest quality 

Garlic:

Fresh NOT POWDERED garlic is essential for elevating most dishes beyond your basic salt and pepper, and it’s so good for you. Rather sliced, minced, or grated, it can add flavor to the most basic of dishes like eggs and rice. 

Handy kitchen staples

Avocado oil:

I use avocado oil for almost everything. If I had to pick only one oil to use it would be avocado oil. It’s better than olive oil for cooking things at a high heat, and has a neutral enough flavor that it can be used in sauces and salad dressings in a pinch. For this reason it’s the oil that I bring with me when I travel and I use it for everything from frying eggs, to sauteing vegetables, to making roasts. 

Eggs:

I eat eggs every day. Eggs can elevate a simple dish with ease. A well seasoned brown rice with sauteed vegetables is made much better (and more filling) with a fried egg on top. A couple of scrambled eggs and some good vegetables can make a great breakfast or lunch as well. Not to mention they’re frequently used for baking. I say any good cook should do their best to find good local sourced eggs. You’ll never be sorry. 

Tapioca flour:

I use tapioca flour for dredging before frying, thickening sauces, baking, and even dry shampoo when I’ve been without (irrelevant to cooking but it comes in handy on vacation!) For health purposes I generally try to keep my meals gluten free, and having tapioca flour on hand can be the difference between keeping a meal gluten free and resorting to using regular flour to thicken a sauce. I made southern-approved fried green tomatoes, and fried okra with a cornmeal and tapioca flour mixture, and fried chicken that was eaten by even the pickiest of eaters, all gluten free.

Acids: 

Acids have saved my life in many recipes. Oftentimes you may think a dish needs salt, when really what you need is an acid. I’ve learned this through much trial and error, but generally speaking, when you taste your food, the salt will be at the forefront of your taste, and the acid flavor will be in the after taste. If you need acid in the dish, you may feel the dish is lacking depth in the after taste. This is easily fixed by adding Lemon juice, lime juice, balsamic vinegar white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar. You can also use vinegars to deglaze your pan. While any one of these acids will work in a pinch, typically the type of acid that you use will depend on the type of dish but most commonly I use lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. 

This is only a short list of the things I keep on hand regularly to impress dinner guests, or even just make a comfort meal for myself, but these are some of my best kept tips to success when it comes to how I cook my food. Of course there are many more spices, herbs, and staples I keep on hand, the actual ingredients I use commonly could be a whole separate list. However, if you don’t have these basics on hand, they are good ones to start with. 

I’m about to say something that to some, may seem controversial even though it is a fact of life. 

Men and women are different. Fundamentally, biologically, and naturally men and women are different. There are some things that men are better at than women, and some things that women are better at than men. Neither gender is better, or superior over the other but they are simply different. 

One of the biggest differences between men and women that is hardly ever discussed, is the hormonal difference between men and women. 

Yes of course, hormonally men and women are different. Many would argue that women are more emotional and “more” hormonal than men. But the reality is, men actually have a very similar hormonal cycle to women, as far as the swings that they go through and altering energy levels. However, the key difference is, as many know, women operate on a 28 hormonal cycle. Men, on the other hand, operate on a 24 hour hormonal cycle. 

Men experience a peak in testosterone (and energy) early in the morning typically around 8:00 pm, with a steady decrease over the next 8 hours. They experience their lowest levels of testerone between 7:00-9:00 pm, and then repeat the process of a gradual increase in testosterone over the next 8 hours while they sleep. 

Many women learn at some point in life about their hormonal cycle. Somewhere around age 14 or 15 we start our periods, the world ends, and we’re cursed to spend roughly the next 40-50 years in agony once a month, or so we’re taught to think. 

In reality, the “period” or menstrual phase, is just one of the four phases that women go through each month, with the other three being the luteal phase, follicular phase, and the ovulation phase. Your body is never not in one of these phases, and they all serve different purposes, and have pros and cons. 

If you’re interested in learning more in depth about the four different cycles women go through you can read this article here, but I’ve explained the basics below. 

The menstrual phase: 

The menstrual phase begins on the first day of your cycle and lasts anywhere between 3-7 days. Typically 3-5 days is considered healthy, 7 days is normal. Any longer than that is an indicator that your hormones are unbalanced. The menstrual phase is the shedding of the uterine lining to rid the body of the unfertilized egg. 

Follicular phase:

Your follicular phase is the longest phase in the menstrual cycle, it begins on the first day of menstruation and ends when you begin ovulation. Your follicular phase is responsible for your egg being released from the ovaries for fertilization. One egg will reach maturity faster than the others and will be released from the ovarian follicles, through the fallopian tube. During this time, your body transitions into ovulation, and the egg is either fertilized and you become pregnant, or the egg dies and is released during your period. 

Ovulation phase:

This is typically your highest energy time of your cycle. Your ovulation cycle is actually the only time you can get pregnant during your cycle, and your ovulation phase is typically around two weeks. During your ovulation phase your body is releasing an egg from your ovaries to allow it the opportunity to be fertilized. This time period is only 24-48 hours generally, and if the egg is not fertilized in this time, it will die, and be released during your period. Sperm can last in the uterus for up to 6 days before it dies, and if you have active sperm in your uterus within your ovulation window, then there is a good chance your egg will be fertilized. 

Luteal phase: 

The luteal phase is responsible for the thickening of the uterine lining and occurs just after ovulation. It is the last phase of your menstrual cycle and ends when your period starts, thus repeating the cycle. 

So we see these women go through changes week to week, experiencing higher energy levels at certain times of the month, vs others. Women may experience their luteal phase as being a particularly creative time for them, while their menstrual phase is a time that they need rest. 

All this to be said, it seems in this particular way men are set up to unfair advantage. Men go through all these hormonal cycles in a days time, and find their most productive, highest energy time is during the working hours, with decrease in energy levels during evening hours. Women, on the other hand, can struggle with performing at the same level every single week, with varying hormonal levels, or may be better suited to certain tasks during certain times of the month than others. 

Additionally, women need more sleep than men. It’s always been advised that we get an even eight hours, however, as we do more research and begin to really explore the differences between men and women, we’ve learned than many do better with 9-10 hours a night of sleep. If you’ve ever felt lazy or unproductive for needing these extra hours, you’re not alone, and it turns out it may be what you needed all along. Additionally, women often need more sleep during certain phases of their cycle. Eight and half hours may be suitable during the ovulation phase when you have more energy, but you may need closer to 10 during your menstrual cycle. 

All of these factors, and more, contribute to men and women oftentimes thriving in different environments. Once upon a time, menstruating women used to leave the village and spend several days alone by the river, or with other menstruating women. While to some this may be seen as ostracizing, some think of this as an opportunity to embrace community and allow women to have the rest that they truly need during a time that can be quite taxing on the body. 

Today, however, we live in a world where were told that women can do everything men can do, and that women should be girl bosses who work high demanding corporate jobs. I’m certainly not saying that women can’t hold these positions. I’m simply saying that if you have no desire for such a thing, or if you would rather live a lifestyle that allows you to embrace your body’s most natural cycles that anyone, man or woman, should be able to do that. 

Men and women are not the same, and we may find that our bodies work and feel better if we’re allowed to live in a state closer to optimization. 

A study published in the medical journal JAMA has shown that children and adolescents ages 2-19 get most of their calories from ultra-processed foods.

Two-thirds, 67% of calories consumed by this age group in 2018 came from foods like frozen pizza, microwave meals, chips, and sweets. This is a 6% increase from 1999.

This widespread reliance on junk food is an increasing public health concern as the obesity rate has been rising steadily among U.S. youths for the past two decades.

If You Think Kids Are Eating Mostly Junk Food, A New Study Finds You’re Right

Researchers analyzed the diets of 33,795 people. The authors of the study point out one reason this is particularly concerning is due to the fact that adolescents are at a critical age for developing dietary habits that carry into adulthood.

Related: How To Heal Your Gut 

In this time period that the consumption of processed foods increased the consumption of unprocessed foods decreased to 23.5%.

Ready-to-eat meals increased in consumption from 2.2% to 11.2%, the greatest increase. Packaged sweets increased from 10.6% of calories to 12.9% of calorie consumption.

While the growth in consumption of highly processed foods was higher for black, non-Hispanic youth, researchers found education level or income level didn’t affect consumption of ultra-processed foods.

On a positive note, the consumption of sugary beverages dropped from 10.8% of overall calories to 5.3% of overall calories. Researchers suggest this could be due to efforts to educate about the effects of sugary drinks on your health.

Recommended: How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children

Researchers from Edith Cowan University in Australia recently looked at the benefits of eating a diet high in nitrate-rich vegetables. The team analyzed the diets of more than 50,000 Danish citizens over 23 years and found that those who consumed a diet with a consistent intake of leafy greens were 12-26% less likely to develop heart disease later in life.

Our results have shown that by simply eating one cup of raw (or half a cup of cooked) nitrate-rich vegetables each day, people may be able to significantly reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease,

Eating This One Thing Daily Slashes Your Heart Disease Risk, Study Says

The research shows that eating nitrate-rich foods resulted in the greatest reduced risk for hypertension, as it lowered systolic blood pressure by 2.5mm Hg.

The team did not see further benefits in those who ate higher amounts of nitrate-rich vegetables, they found that one cup of fresh leafy greens was sufficient.

Related:

• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Stop Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet
• Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections 
• How To Heal Your Gut 

Research has shown that the Mediterranean diet may lower your risk for dementia by interfering with the build-up of amyloid, and tau. These are proteins that turn into plaques and tangles often resulting in Alzheimer’s disease.

The true diet is simple, plant-based cooking, with the majority of each meal focused on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and seeds, with a few nuts and a heavy emphasis on extra-virgin olive oil. Fats other than olive oil, such as butter, are consumed rarely, if at all. And say goodbye to refined sugar or flour.

Mediterranean diet may prevent memory loss and dementia, study finds

Researchers found that for every point of higher compliance with the diet participants had one less year of brain aging. The study was published in Neurology, and examined 343 people who were at high risk for Alzheimer’s and then compared them to 169 “cognitively normal” participants.

Researchers tested cognitive skills, (language, memory, and executive function), used brain scans to measure brain volume, and tested spinal fluid from 226 people for amyloid an tau protein biomarkers.

Participants were then asked how well they were following the diet and found that those who did not follow the diet closely had more signs of amyloid and tau buildup than those who did.

This study is not the first of its kind. A previous study of nearly 6,000 older Americans showed that those who followed the Mediterranean diet or similar lowered their risk of dementia by a third.

The Mediterranean diet is one that closely follows OLM’s own recommended diet. With staples of whole grains and legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables, and no flour or refined sugar those who follow the Mediterranean diet are going to be much better off than those who follow a traditional western diet.

Related:

• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Stop Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet
• Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections 
• How To Heal Your Gut