Berries May Reduce Mortality (NEW Study!)

🫐🍓I’ve always loved berries, but this new research study cinches it!

Looking at a national sample of adults in the US, the research compared berry consumption with mortality rates over 8 years.

The results?

👉 People who were considered “berry consumers” had a 21% lower risk of all-cause mortality than “non-berry consumers.”

(PMID: 38184200)

Also, more specifically:

Cranberries supported ❤️ heart & metabolic health

Blueberries supported 🫁 respiratory health

Berries are a rich source of antioxidants and also contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals that support health.

Pro tip:

Frozen berries are equally nutritious and an excellent option when fresh berries aren’t in season!

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Reference

Zhang L, Muscat JE, Chinchilli VM, Kris-Etherton PM, Al-Shaar L, Richie JP. Consumption of Berries and Flavonoids in Relation to Mortality in NHANES, 1999-2014. J Nutr. Published online January 5, 2024. [link]

One Way to Improve Digestion…

Here’s why you should learn mindful eating 👇👇

Did you know that it’s possible to support your digestion, lose weight more easily, stop eating when full, and enjoy your food more….

Just by mindful eating?

I’m not saying it’s easy (it will take some practice), but here are some tips:

➡️ Block off plenty of time to eat when you won’t be distracted (at least 20 minutes)

➡️ Set your phone aside and turn off notifications

➡️ Take small bites, chew thoroughly, and focus on enjoying the food

➡️ Check in with yourself to notice when you feel full

Sometimes we get caught up in the latest trends and flashy ways to improve our health, but focusing on the basics is often even more powerful.

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Save this post 📥 for a reminder!

Foods for Vagal Tone

Nutrition for the Vagus Nerve?

It’s true!

Foods can increase vagal tone through the gut-brain axis. For example:

🥦 Fiber sends signals through the vagus nerve to the brain and back to slow gut movements and make us feel full.

🥗 The Mediterranean Diet is associated with higher heart rate variability, which is a measure of vagal tone.

🐟 Probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, and B vitamins improve heart rate variability too.

The vagus nerve regulates everything from heart health to metabolic health to immune function, and it is strongly influenced by what is going on in the gut! That means that anything you do (or eat) to affect gut health will probably also affect vagal tone.

We love to nerd out on how everything in the body is connected. If you are trying to make sense of what is going on with your own health or how your symptoms relate, we can help.

Visit our website to schedule an appointment today! 📱

Reference

Young HA, Benton D. Heart-rate variability: a biomarker to study the influence of nutrition on physiological and psychological health?. Behav Pharmacol. 2018;29(2 and 3-Spec Issue):140-151. [link]

Artificial Sweeteners: Yes or No?

The truth about artificial sweeteners ⬇️

In case you haven’t heard, there was this huge study run by Harvard School of Public Health of more than 30,000 middle-aged female nurses in the US called the Nurses Health Study II.

The women submitted info about their eating habits every 4 years for 15 years.

One finding was that women who ate more processed foods were more likely to develop depression, but now…

A more detailed analysis looked at specific components of their diets and found the only thing significantly associated with a greater risk of depression….

Was artificial sweeteners ❌

This study does not prove causation (it only shows association), but my question is this:

Is it worth the risk?

Reference

Samuthpongtorn C, Nguyen LH, Okereke OI, et al. Consumption of Ultraprocessed Food and Risk of Depression. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(9):e2334770. [link]

Swap This for That (Immune Edition)

🍭 Sugar swaps for immune health!

Here’s my take on sugar and immunity:

Science shows that elevated blood sugar weakens our ability to fight off infections.

Foods that spike the blood sugar are things like soda, candy, cookies, and sweets…

…all the treats people love to eat at the holidays 🎂🧁🥂

So here are some sugar swaps to try:

✅ Sparkling water instead of soda

✅ Dark chocolate instead of candy bars

✅ Coconut clusters instead of cookies

✅ Chia pudding instead of ice cream

You might even fall in love with some new and healthier treats you’ve never tried before.

Do you have any other sugar swaps you love?