It’s no secret that neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, are on the rise. Various factors contribute to the diagnosis of such conditions, but certain lifestyle considerations increase a person’s risk of memory loss or accelerated brain aging. Researchers  from the University of Oxford identified three lifestyle factors that increase the rate of aging and cognitive decline. This article will explain what they found. 

About The Study

Nature Communications published the recent study, during which researchers looked at the brain scans of about 40,000 people over the age of 45. These participants belonged to the UK Biobank database. The primary area of interest was how genetic and lifestyle factors impact areas of the brain that are vulnerable to the effects of aging and Alzheimer’s disease. 

• Genetic factors: usually classified as non-modifiable, but lifestyle habits may influence whether or not certain genes turn on. 
• Lifestyle: considered a modifiable risk factor because you have the power to change your habits and choices. That can ultimately increase or decrease the likelihood of developing a certain disease or illness. 

3 Risk Factors That Age The Brain Faster

Study authors noted three things that drove earlier degeneration of certain brain regions. These factors were: traffic-related air pollution, type 2 diabetes, and the frequency of alcohol intake. Interestingly enough, both traffic-related air pollution and alcohol intake have been linked to an increased risk of diabetes. 

• Air Pollution: You do not have full control of the amount of the air pollution you are exposed to on a daily basis. As a society, however, we can work to reduce the amount of pollution we produce. According to emerging data, exposure to pollution over time increases the risk of dementia.
• Diabetes: Previous studies have linked type 2 diabetes to an increased risk of dementia by as much as 60%.
• Alcohol frequency: Drinking alcohol, especially too much alcohol, can damage the brain. A 2023 study included over three million people in Korea and found that sustained heavy drinking increased the risk of dementia by 8%. Researchers noted that limiting alcohol consumption reduced the risk by 8%.

What differentiated this study from previous studies was the why factor. These factors are so dangerous to brain health because they target the brain’s weak spots. 

How Do Genetics Influence Cognitive Decline?

There have been some findings about the relationship between genetics and the way the brain ages. Most of this information is useful in research settings, and not in individuals. Certain genes, for example, code for immune and inflammatory recommendations to protect the most vulnerable parts of the brain that influence poor brain aging. Those genetic factors are also connected to some modifiable factors, so lifestyle improvements may help you overcome genetic predispositions to early brain aging. Such modifiable categories include blood pressure, body weight, smoking, depressive mood, inflammation, sleep, social patterns, physical activity, and education status. 

How To Protect The Brain And Prevent Dementia

Based on the findings in this study, the researchers encourage the following actionable recommendations to protect the most vulnerable parts of the brain:

• Invest in an air purifier: Although you cannot control the pollution outside the home, you can help keep the air inside the home as clean as possible. One of the best ways to do that is to invest in an air purifier. Just make sure that you get one with a HEPA filter because they are the best at removing particles from the air. 
• Increase your fiber intake: Researchers note that people who eat high-fiber diets are less likely to have type 2 diabetes. Fiber is a non-digestible carbohydrate that works to stabilize blood sugar and promote healthy digestion. Only 5% of American adults consume the recommended daily amount (RDA) of fiber. Women should consume between 21-28 grams per day, while men should consume 30-38 grams per day. Get more fiber by focusing on fibrous foods, such as lentils, avocados, beans, chia seeds, and other fruits and vegetables. 
• Limit your alcohol intake: Alcohol is a known toxin, especially in regards to cognitive health. You don’t have to completely avoid alcohol, but mindful consumption is best. Reserve a drink or two for special occasions and spend less time indulging just because.

SHARE:

The post These 3 Factors Make Your Brain Age Faster appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

As spring approaches, it’s time to welcome bright and refreshing flavors. The warmer weather makes you want flavors that represent the warmth. That usually means more tropical fruits and less hearty ingredients. For this reason, we concocted a smoothie that contains apples, mangos, carrots, and chia seeds. To avoid having a completely fruit-forward smoothie, we added the carrot, which provides extra vitamin A and carotenoids.

Even though this smoothie contains chia seeds, it doesn’t turn into chia pudding, primarily because it doesn’t have the proper chia seed to liquid ratio. Plus, even if the ratio was exact, the mixture would need time to set. You will drink this smoothie right away, so you don’t have to worry about taking a spoon to this smoothie. This smoothie is on the thicker side, though, but you can always add a little more homemade almond milk if you want a smoothie that isn’t as thick.

The key to this smoothie is to cube the mango ahead of time and freeze the cubes overnight. The frozen mango chunks will provide that creaminess that would otherwise come from a banana, which this smoothie does not have. The homemade almond milk also makes this smoothie a bit creamier, almost giving it a creamsicle- or milkshake-like texture. Let us know if it brightens your day and delights your taste buds by dropping a comment below.

SHARE:

The post Carrot Mango Apple Smoothie With Chia Seeds appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

A nutritional survey found that about 95% Americans do not meet their recommended daily intake (RDI) of fiber. The RDI of fiber ranges from 21-38 grams, depending on your age and gender. Most people have a lot of room for improvement on this nutrient, which plays an essential role in regulating bowel movements, nurturing the gut, and filling you up. In this article, we detail easy ways to add more fiber to your diet. 

Try Chickpea Pasta

It’s hard not to love pasta, especially because you can usually throw a recipe together in 30 minutes or less. The unfortunate reality is that most people use jarred sauce (full of sodium) and boxed pasta enriched with poor quality ingredients. Instead of feeling tired and bloated, consider switching to chickpea pasta to increase your fiber intake. Two ounces of chickpea pasta (about one cup of noodles) offers eight grams of fiber, which is a major increase from two grams of fiber from regular pasta. Chickpea pasta also has twice the protein content as regular pasta and it’s gluten-free!

Add Lentils To Grain Bowls

You can easily customize grain bowls, but a lot of people like to use rice as the base. Rice, even brown rice, is not the best source of fiber. One cup of brown rice offers 1.6 grams of fiber, while a mere half-cup of lentils offers eight grams of fiber. If you enjoy rice, consider a lentil-rice mixture to enhance the fiber content of your grain bowl. Plus, a half-cup of lentils offers nine grams of protein, and a good portion of the fiber in lentils comes from prebiotics, which feed the probiotics in your gut. 

Blend Kiwis Into Your Smoothies

Kiwis have an incredible vitamin C content and they are bursting with antioxidants. They also contain fiber, with two kiwis offering four to five grams, depending on the size. Half of that fiber content, however, is concentrated in the skin. Most people do not enjoy snacking on fuzzy kiwi skin, though. In order to reap all the fiber benefits of kiwis, toss a couple whole kiwis into your smoothie. You won’t even taste the skin!

Eat Chia Pudding With Berries

Most dietitians agree that breakfast is the best meal of the day to load up on fiber-rich foods. In doing so, you will be full and energized until lunch, avoiding unnecessary snacking. Both chia seeds and berries contain a lot of fiber, despite their small size. A half-cup of raspberries and one tablespoon of chia seeds provide four grams of fiber, each. We have many chia pudding recipes available in our recipe section (click here) if you need some inspiration. 

Snack On Nuts And Figs

Each fig, depending on the size, generally provides one gram of fiber, and one serving of figs is roughly between three to five fruits. Pair those figs with a quarter-cup of almonds for four more grams of fiber and six grams of protein. That makes almonds and figs an ideal snack to give you a natural pick-me-up and fill you up between meals. 

Add Pears To Your Salads

Pears are sneaky fiber superstars, with one medium pear offering five to six grams of fiber. Can you enjoy pears as healthy snacks from time to time? Sure, but adding them to salads can give you a better fiber bang for your buck. Pair your pears with kale (one gram of fiber per cup) and other fiber-rich ingredients for a filling, lunchtime salad!

SHARE:

The post Most People Don’t Consume Enough Fiber: 6 Ways To Get More appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Are you looking for a breakfast option that is as easy to make as it is delicious? You clicked on the right recipe! This banana blueberry overnight oats recipe combines the tartness of blueberries, sweetness of bananas, and creaminess of overnight oats. It’s so good that it will have you jumping out of bed in teh morning! The best part is that you can set it and forget it. Make it at night, refrigerate the jar, and it’ll be ready to consume in the morning.

All you have to do is mix together rolled oats, almond milk, chia seeds, mashed bananas, and a handful of fresh blueberries. Pop it in the fridge and allow it thicken overnight. When you wake up, your healthy, filling breakfast is ready to go. That means you have one less thing to worry about doing in the morning. Get yourself together and then take a spoon to that jar of overnight oats!

Blueberry banana overnight oats can help you start the day the healthy way. They not only keep you full until your next meal, but also provide lots of essential nutrients. Blueberries burst with antioxidants and bananas offer lots of potassium and complex carbohydrates. That makes this breakfast as good for your taste buds as it is for your body.

SHARE:

The post Banana Blueberry Overnight Oats appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

You can’t enjoy avocado toast while cleansing, but you can enjoy the hell out of avocados. They are excellent sources of healthy fats, magnesium, fiber, potassium, and antioxidants. Adding avocados to your salads, smoothies, sauces, and even breakfasts or desserts, such as this chia pudding, can help you feel fuller for longer. That means that you won’t need to snack as much between meals.

Even though you can enjoy this chia pudding for breakfast, dessert, or a pre- or post-workout snack, it doesn’t taste like guacamole, despite how it looks. This luxurious, creamy pudding has just the right amount of sweetness, thanks to the grade A maple syrup. Should you want to elevate this recipe even more, you can add a dash of alcohol-free vanilla extract and a half of a banana. You do not have to add anything else to the recipe, although we do recommend serving the chia pudding with freshly sliced bananas or fresh berries.

When it comes to preparing this chia pudding, you can go about it a couple different ways. If you decide to make it sans machines, you will have to thoroughly mash the avocado before you mix in the other ingredients by hand. For an easier time, follow the directions (below) and use a blender. If you would rather use an immersion blender because it is your fun new kitchen toy, then go for it! The only suggestion we have for all preparation methods is to fold in the chia seeds by hand, as opposed to blending them.

SHARE:

The post Avocado Chia Pudding appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Are you ready for another show-stopping, incredibly delicious smoothie? You must be because you clicked on this antioxidant-rich beet and berry smoothie. It is as rich in flavor as it is vibrant in color. Although berries are in this smoothie, you can thank the beets for the color and the incredible nutritional profile. Just make sure that you protect your clothing while cutting the beets, or else you run the risk of staining yourself.

There are three superfoods in this beet smoothie: berries (particularly the blueberries), beets, and chia seeds. Chia seeds pack a powerful, nutritional punch, with one serving offering 10 grams of fiber and nine grams of fat, eight of which are healthy fats. Although the berries provide a sweetly tart flavor profile, we increased the sweetness by adding banana and some Medjool dates. The homemade almond milk also provides an added layer of nutrition, but primarily makes this smoothie luxuriously creamy.

Before we give you the recipe, our last note is that people are usually scared of beets. They have a distinct, earthy flavor, but you can temper it by mixing in other fruits. Since beets retain more nutrients in their raw form, they are commonly added to detox smoothies and juices. They may help keep blood pressure in check and have proven to be a great source of folate. Finally, they work to fight chronic inflammation, which is associated with an increased risk of cancer, obesity, heart disease, and liver disease.

SHARE:

The post Antioxidant Beet Berry Smoothie appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Sometimes, it’s nice to not see a green smoothie, right? Don’t get it twisted, folks, we love greens and you should eat them daily. The base of this smoothie, which only contains six ingredients, is bananas and blueberries. The next ingredients only add healthy fats, protein, fiber, and more nutrients! Chia seeds, ground flaxseed, raw almond butter, and homemade almond milk contribute to a thicker consistency and creamy texture that you’ll love.

You know what’s so great about this smoothie? Besides the fact that it tastes incredible and offers an exceptional nutritional profile, it is more akin to a blueberry milkshake than a blueberry smoothie. Trust us when we say that you may want to enjoy this for breakfast and dessert! Although, maybe avoid drinking this at night because you don’t want the fruit to ferment in your stomach overnight. Because of the healthy fats and protein, this smoothie makes for a great pre- or post-workout smoothie/snack.

Once you have your almond milk made, this smoothie comes together in a matter of minutes. Don’t be afraid to add a little desiccated coconut to the smoothie for a tropical flair. Not only does that coconut elevate the flavor, but it also makes the smoothie more fun and exciting to drink, especially if you want to enjoy it regularly.

SHARE:

The post Blueberry Almond Butter Smoothie appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Ahhhh, the raw vegan moment you’ve been waiting for: jam that doesn’t require cooking and is free of added sugars. You just need a mixture of fresh berries, a jar for mashing, chia seeds, and grade A maple syrup. The chia seeds bloom in the mashed berries and maple syrup, thickening the creation to yield a spreadable jam. Much like chia pudding, this jam takes some time to fully set. Ideally, prepare it in the evening and refrigerate overnight so that it is ready in the morning.

This jam contains three types of berries: raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. No strawberries are involved in the creation of this jam because, quite frankly, strawberries get enough love. That’s not why, people! We love strawberries just as much as the next person, but sometimes you need to showcase other berries. Blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are all excellent sources of vitamin and other antioxidants. These berries are also low in sugar, making them great to enjoy if you follow the ketogenic diet.

Although you wouldn’t have a flavorful jam without the berries, the jam wouldn’t be jammy without the chia seeds. You need these seeds, which bloom in the presence of liquid to create a thick consistency that is similar to jarred jams you know and love. Plus, chia seeds are excellent sources of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, magnesium, and other impressive vitamins and minerals. Use this mixed berry jam as a condiment on raw ice cream or serve it with fresh fruit. After you finish cleansing, spread it on toast!

SHARE:

The post Raw Vegan Mixed Berry Jam appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Delicious and nutritions is the name of the game for this homemade cranberry chia jam! Unlike other jarred jams that have preservatives and added sugars, this jam uses real fruit and other whole food ingredients. Combining the mashed cranberries with the chia seeds creates a jam that not only looks jammy, but also tastes wonderfully sweet and tangy. It is the perfect flavor of jam for the holidays, and a much healthier alternative to jams and preserves.

Cranberries are naturally rich in antioxidants, surpassing the antioxidant activity of other berries. These antioxidants help protect your cells from free radical damage, which reduces the risk of chronic diseases. Additionally, cranberries exhibit anti-inflammatory properties that work to alleviate inflammation in the body. Cranberries aren’t the only superfood ingredient in this jam, though. Without chia seeds, this jam wouldn’t be as jammy, nor would it have the same amount of nutrients.

Chia seeds contribute to the overall nutritional profile of this cranberry jam. These small seeds are exceptionally rich in fiber, whcih works to aid digestion, regulate bowel movements, and maintain a healthy weight. Chia seeds also contain omega-3 fatty acids, which support heart function, brain health, and inflammation regulation. All of this is to say that this cranberry jam is as delicious as it is nutritious. It makes for a great addition to your holiday tables.

SHARE:

The post Cranberry Chia Jam appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

How do you transform a classic candy into a much healthier treat? First off, you clicked on this recipe, so you are on the right path. Energy balls are the best snacks because they pack healthy fats, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and more into bite-sized balls. Think of them like little nuggets of deliciousness because they easily take on the flavors of any candy or cookie, only without all the processed sugar and fat.

All you need is a food processor, ingredients, and your energy balls are a few minutes of pulsing away from becoming a real life snack. The blending part is the easiest component to the recipe. When it comes time to shape them into bite-size balls, things can be clean or messy. You can use a tablespoon or cookie scooper to form little balls, or you can use your hands. If you really want to avoid a mess on your hands, you can wear disposable gloves, wet them with water, and form the energy balls. Or, you can simply wet your bare hands with water before forming the balls. That will help avoid sticking or clumping!

The only thing to be careful about with this turtle energy balls is how many you eat in one sitting. Because they contain raw almond butter, dates, raw pecans, and chia seeds, they are high in calories. Because they have contain healthy fats, fiber, and protein, you don’t need to eat a lot to get full. Enjoy one or two between meals and you will be golden!

SHARE:

The post Turtle Energy Balls appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.