Put This Food on Your Hair for a New Level of Luster

Photo Credit: howstuffworks.com

By Dr. Mercola

'Did you know one of the best personal care products you'll ever find may be sitting in your kitchen cupboard right now?

I'm talking about coconut oil, which is equally beneficial externally as it is taken internally, and can be used for both skin and hair.

The featured coconutoil.com article written by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy discusses several of the lesser-known benefits of coconut oil for your hair.

According to one study, which compared mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil as possible products for nurturing and conditioning hair, coconut oil was the only oil that reduced protein loss for both damaged and undamaged hair.'

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Slay the Sugar Monster in Four Doable Steps

'I’m happy to say that my sugar addiction days are long behind me and while I do still look longingly at a box of Dunkin Donuts, I pass them by the vast majority of the time when they are available at a party or meeting. While I do give in and eat one bite sized munchkin from time to time, I have found the hard way (refined sugar gives me such a nasty headache!) that choosing to eat none at all is far easier than indulging even just a bite or two!

So, how did I do it? How did I slay the sugar monster and keep it at bay for so many years?

Here’s the protocol. I’m sure there are other approaches that would work just fine too. Here’s what worked for me and has enabled me to stay sugar addiction-free for many years.'


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High-Fat Diet May Cause Less Weight Gain, New Brain Cell Growth

Photo Credit: Beautiful with brains

'Scientists gave mice a high fat diet, after which, the mice showed growth of new brain cells and less weight gain.

"We really don't understand the function of these neurons in the normal brain," study researcher Seth Blackshaw, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, told LiveScience.

Prof. Blackshaw said the growth of new brain cells has yet to be explained, but initial data makes interesting implications.

"Our data suggests that these neurons may have an important role in regulating feeding."'

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New Finding: Consuming Trans Fats Linked To Aggression

'In the first study of its kind researchers have linked trans fatty acid consumption to increased aggression in humans. Published in the Public Library of Science’s own journal, PLoS, March 5th 2012, researchers at the Dept. of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego, reported: “This study provides the first evidence linking dTFA [dietary trans fatty acids] with behavioral irritability and aggression.”' 

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The Death of Dietitians...The Resurrection of a French Chef!

"First need in the reform of hospital management? That's easy! The death of all dietitians, and the resurrection of a French chef." ~ Martin H Fischer quotes Modern science is beginning to vindicate the ancient wisdom of our palates ... Butter, for instance, and without which -- some argue -- French cuisine would not be possible, actually contains a saturated fat (the dietetic equivalent of a four letter word!), with a trans- fatty acid configuration, that -- get this! -- lowers blood cholesterol levels, triglycerides and exhibits heart-protective properties. 

Known as vaccenic acid, this naturally occuring trans-fatty acid is found in the fat of ruminants, e.g. goats, cows, deer, and is also found in human milk. It is converted into rumenic acid, a type of conjugated linoleic acid, which is known to have a broad range of potential health benefits."

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Have some butter with your veggies!

'...  A Swedish study recently published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that eating fruits and vegetables didn’t lower the risk of coronary heart disease… unless said fruits and vegetables were consumed with high-fat dairy products! Why would this be? The answer is simple biochemistry. Many of the vitamins and micronutrients in food are fat-soluble, which means they cannot be absorbed without the presence of adequate fat. 

That means that if you eat fruits or vegetables without fat, you’ll absorb only a fraction of the nutrients you would absorb if you ate them with fat. Tara Parker-Pope, the health columnist for the Wall Street Journal, wrote an article about this some time back. She actually gives the ratios of nutrient absorption with and without accompanying fat. She reports on a study of the nutrient absorption from fat-free salsa with and without extra fat:' 


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9 Steps to Perfect Health – #2: Nourish Your Body

 

'In step #1, we talked about what not to eat. In this article, we’ll talk about what to eat.

Most of the calories we get from food come from protein, carbohydrates and fat. These are referred to as macronutrients. We also get other important nutrients from food, such as vitamins and minerals. These don’t constitute a significant source of calories, so they’re called micronutrients.

For the last 50 years we’ve been told to follow a diet low in this or that macronutrient. From the 1950s up until the present day the American Heart Association and other similarly misguided and pharmaceutically-financed “consumer organizations” have advocated a low-fat diet. More recently, low-carbohydrate diets are all the rage.' 


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New study puts final nail in the “saturated fat causes heart disease” coffin

Eating saturated fat doesn’t cause heart disease!

'For more than five decades we’ve been brainwashed to believe that saturated fat causes heart disease. It’s such a deeply ingrained belief that few people even question it. It’s just part of our culture now.

Almost every day one of my patients in the clinic tells me proudly that they have a “healthy” diet because they don’t eat butter, cheese or red meat or any other foods high in saturated fat (nevermind that red meat isn’t particularly high in saturated fat, but that’s a subject for another post). Or I might overhear someone at the grocery store saying how much they prefer whole fat yogurt to the low-fat version, but they eat the low-fat stuff anyways because they want to make the “healthy” choice.'

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