Posted on: February 17, 2026 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

Don’t let contaminants cancel out your green tea benefits

When I was sick as a child, my mom would come marching into my room with a warm cup of tea. I don’t remember what kind it was, but I sure didn’t like the taste. She said it would help me get better quickly. Because I didn’t like it, she wouldn’t leave my room until I’d finished the last drop. Mom had the best of intentions, but as soon as…

Posted on: February 17, 2026 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

Diet can lower elevated stroke risk of menopause

Somewhere in our 40s, our health priorities begin to shift. We start thinking about the possibility of health changes that our 30-something selves didn’t give a second thought to. For women, one of those impending changes is menopause, which we’ve learned carries an elevated stroke risk. But there’s encouraging news: a major long-term study has found that women who most closely follow a Mediterranean-style diet have a significantly lower risk…

Posted on: February 14, 2026 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

The vitamin deficiency that can lead to hospitalization from respiratory infection

It seems like everywhere you go, someone is coughing or sneezing, spreading germs that your body might not be ready to handle. Fortunately, there’s a way to strengthen your protection against respiratory infections. It may also keep you from landing in the hospital if you do get sick. All you need is a little sunshine in the form of a vitamin. Let’s look at what the latest research says about…

Posted on: February 14, 2026 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

Gut microbiome and aging: Can a younger microbiome help?

Your gut does a whole lot more than digest the food you eat. It can affect your overall health. With age, however, the gut microbiome — the trillions of microbes that live primarily in the large intestine — changes. Emerging research suggests these shifts may influence how well the intestine repairs and renews itself. That begs the question: Could maintaining a more “youthful” microbiome support intestinal regeneration and healthier aging?…

Posted on: February 13, 2026 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

Fertility: Why cellular energy matters

Every cell in your body depends on energy. At the center of that energy production are tiny structures called mitochondria. When mitochondrial function is strong, cells perform at their best. When it declines, the body can suffer a cellular energy crisis, impacting cells directly involved in vital functions throughout the body, including metabolism, inflammation, immune responses, aging and more. So, supporting our mitochondria so they can keep our cells and…

Posted on: February 10, 2026 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

When eating meat could help you live longer

Longevity is the capacity to live significantly longer than the typical life expectancy. For example, American-born men and women may expect to live to 75 and 81, respectively. Exceeding 85 to 90 is increasingly viewed as achieving longevity, with 100+ being the milestone for centenarians.  How to live that long is a question that often leads to discussions about diet, including whether to eat meat. Decades of research have sought to answer…

Posted on: February 4, 2026 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

Physical performance declined earlier than thought

Physical performance encompasses the ability to efficiently perform physical tasks, from daily activities like walking to athletic feats, and relies on factors such as strength, endurance, speed, flexibility and coordination. If I asked you when a person’s physical performance begins to decline, you’d likely say it happens somewhere in their 60s. But you’d be off by about 30 years, as the results of a 47-year study have revealed. Researchers found…

Posted on: February 4, 2026 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

Scientists capture the health benefits of thyme

Thyme is a Mediterranean aromatic herb widely used in cooking. Beyond culinary use, thyme is a potent antioxidant, containing high levels of phenolic compounds, including thymol, carvacrol and lutein, which combat oxidative stress. Thyme also possesses anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Although in small amounts, thyme contains vitamins C and A, as well as potassium, iron, calcium, and magnesium, which support the immune system and overall health. That means while most…

Posted on: January 29, 2026 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

Cacao: The superfood to beat statins

I’ve been a fan of smoothies before there was even a name for them. That’s how “old school” I am. But after all these years, and numerous smoothie variations, a raw cacao powder and banana smoothie is still my favorite. Every time I have one, I feel supercharged. It’s not all that surprising, considering cacao has 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries. (However, blueberries and their brain-boosting benefits are nothing…

Posted on: January 29, 2026 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

Microplastics appear to target male arteries

Microplastics are now everywhere — in our food, water and even the air we breathe. Frighteningly, studies have confirmed that not only do these microplastic ‘magnets’ deliver poisons to your bloodstream, but they’ve also been linked to heart failure and found to build up in both blood clots and artery-clogging plaques. Up until now, scientists considered them an equal opportunity threat. However, that’s all changing. A biomedical team at the University of California has revealed research that…