The findings were published in Vascular Medicine and focused on observing the residents of Ikaria, a Greek Island, where they have the longest lifespans in the world. The scientists were intrigued to find out how these island inhabitants found the secret to a longer life. Only 0.1 percent of Europeans live to be older than 90 years – but on the island of Ikaria that number is 1 percent.

Gerasimos Siasos, a medical doctor and professor at the University of Athens Medical School, and his colleagues wanted to explore the elderly population’s coffee drinking and coffee effect on health.

The endothelium is a layer of cells that lines the blood vessels, which is impacted by lifestyle habits and aging. The researchers focused on coffee because earlier research has proven that moderate coffee intake may decrease the risk of coronary heart disease, they wondered whether it could have a positive impact on other areas of endothelial health. For example, a study from 2009 reported that high intakes of coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and tea are all linked to a decreased risk of diabetes

The researchers recruited 142 Ikarians (71 women and 71 men) who were over the age of 65 years and had lived on the island all their lives. They carried out their analysis using health check data (for diabetes, high blood pressure) and questionnaires to measure the participants’ lifestyles, coffee drinking, medical health, and tested their endothelial function.

The investigators researched all kinds of coffee consumed by the participants. Surprisingly over 87 percent of those in the study drank boiled, Greek coffee every day. Participants who drank more Greek coffee had better endothelial function than those who drank other types of coffee.

Even in volunteers who had high blood pressure, coffee consumption was linked to better endothelial function, without negative influence on blood pressure.

Gerasimos Siasos concluded:

“Boiled Greek type of coffee, which is rich in polyphenols and antioxidants and contains only a moderate amount of caffeine, seems to gather benefits compared to other coffee beverages.”

The current study provides new evidence showing the link between cardiovascular health and nutritional health. Because coffee drinking is so widespread, even the small health effects of at least one kind of coffee could have a big influence on public health.

The authors suggest that further studies are needed to identify the exact advantageous effects of coffee on cardiovascular health.

Written by Kelly Fitzgerald

It is never too early – or too late – to teach your children and the whole family the importance of healthy lifestyle. And the best way to teach them, as always, is to be a role model yourself.

Instead of drastic changesthat you can only endure temporarily, make gradual changes you can live with forever.

Below are just some ideas to consider. Adopt one a month – and stick to it – and before you notice, your lifestyle and the quality of life will significantly change for the better.

• Add more fresh fruit and vegetables to your healthy diet.

• Substitute whole grains, cereals and breads for highly processed ones.

• Gradually lower the fat % in your dairy products, switching from whole milk to 2% to skim. make sure you get three servings a day.

• Don’t purchase junk food. Also, avoid fatty, greasy and fried foods. Instead serve baked, broiled or boiled foods.

• Decrease the amount of sauce, gravy, mayonnaise, syrup, salad dressing and butter or margarine you add to your food after cooking.

• Serve everyone smaller portions and offer seconds if they are still hungry. Never demand a clean plate, or use food as a reward or consolation.

Make sure that your family eats as many meals as possible TOGETHER. Studies show that children who eat regular meals with their parents are less likely to engage in risky behavior. Try to balance what your child eats with the USDA food pyramid, which recommends lots of breads, grains, vegetable and fruits, plus regular servings of protein and dairy products and sparing amounts of fats, oils and sweets.

But don’t expect your child’s healthy diet to balance perfectly every day. Dietitians say it is more realistic to achieve balance over the course of several days or a week.

Exercise is crucial aspect of the healthy lifestyle. All of us, including kids and teens, should aim for at least one hour of brisk activity every day. Make exercise a family activity: play tag, catch or shoot some baskets with your children. or invite them to join you on a bike ride, walk or jog. you all will benefit from the time together as well as the exercise.

It’s a little different these days. To prevent my own waistline demise, I limit myself to 2, maybe 3, types of cookies. But which types? I can’t use the cookies from my family’s tradition, because it’s no fun to bring more of the same to a family gathering. My grandmother no longer bakes, and since one of her signatures was Molasses Spritz cookies in the shape of an S [for the family monogram? for spritz? just an easy shape? I really don't know; I should maybe ask] with powdered sugar icing, I made an attempt at them. Next year hopefully I’m armed with her actual recipe and less water in my icing. One of my favorite treats is toffee, but making it has proved that it is truly my nemesis. The recipe I used this year involved saltine crackers and the oven…shouldn’t that be too easy? Evidently not.

As I look at my meager baking, I wonder what our family baking tradition will be. What recipes will I hold dear? What treats will our children feel constitute Christmas? Will I ever be successful at making toffee? How did our parents arrive at their standard recipe lists?

On a completely separate note, I ponder how we will instill the truth of Christmas in our children in the midst of its cultural context. It probably won’t happen with flour and sugar, but perhaps it could happen in conversations over a mixing bowl. What a day that will be!

Event wristbands can be imprinted with unique art or text. Even photographs can be imprinted on custom event wristbands, so feel free to use your imagination!

There are a lot of ways to use event wristbands are. We want to share several effective ideas that worked great for our clients:

· Logos

· Taglines

· Coupons

· Bar codes

· Website addresses

· Quick response (QR) codes

Let’s take a look at the benefits of customized event wristbands.

Security –
Party crashers are burdensome, nobody likes them. They put a dent in profitability and put event security at risk. Event wristbands enable staff to identify authorized guests and personnel quickly and easily. Coming in a variety of colors, tyvek wristbands can have distinguishing text imprinted, such as “VIP” or “STAFF.” You can also imprint the date of the event. This is especially effective if the event has multiple dates—each requiring separate tickets. With just a quick glance, security staff can identify other staff members, VIP’s and other ticket holders.

Sales Boost –
Will alcohol be served at the event? To speed up concession stand lines and increase sales, imprint “Over 21″ on party wristbands for guests who are of legal drinking age. When people arrive, have security staff check IDs upon entry. Once the age of the guest is verified to be age 21 or over, a vinyl wristband can be applied to their wrist.

Wristbands can also advertise your special offer and provide some incentive for purchases. Add custom printing to wristbands, like “2-for-1 sodas” or “buy a t-shirt, get a free cap.” Tyvek wristbands and silicone wristbands can be used for this. A strong call to action is sure to boost sales.

Custom event wristbands provide an opportunity to sell advertising space. Partnering with corporate sponsors and having their logos imprinted on tyvek event wristbands will not only cover the cost, but might also generate surplus revenue. Let’s say you are hosting a post-race night celebration for athletes. You could get sponsorship from a sporting goods store who may want to have their logo imprinted. Maybe they also want to include a promotion like, “show us your wristband, get 20% off purchase.” It’s an excellent opportunity for companies to reach a highly targeted audience.

How do you make a meal out of a salad?

Start with a foundation of salad greens. Experiment with nutrient-rich darker greens like arugula (a tangy, peppery flavor) and spinach, and mix them with butter lettuce (creamy and sweet), lamb’s lettuce (sweet and nutty) and radicchio (slightly bitter).

Then add a hearty base. Leftover cooked pasta, rice or barley or sliced cooked potatoes or beans work well. Next, add protein: leftover grilled chicken, fish or lean meat, canned light tuna, salmon or sardines; or chopped hard-boiled eggs, nuts or legumes.

Add color to your salad to brighten up your meal and make it healthier.

Red: red peppers, tomatoes, apples, oranges, cherries, strawberries, beets, plum, purple grapes

Yellow: cantaloupe, mango, peaches, papaya, pineapple, squash, corn, sweet potatoes

White: bananas, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, parsnips

Green: avocados, green apples, green grapes, kiwis, honeydew, melon, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, celery, green onion, green pepper, zucchini

Finally, top with fruits and vegetables. A colorful salad is a healthful salad, so try to add a veggie or fruit from each of these major color groups.

Nearly every canning recipe these days lets you omit sodium and use water, low-sugar or unsweetened fruit juice, or honey syrup, says Kimberly Lord Stewart, author of Eating Between the Lines.

Modified pectins – a carbohydrate that puts the “gel” in jelly – help fruits congeal without sugar. And new canner models – with boiling-water and pressure types – ensure that food reaches the proper temperature every time.

To can safely and avoid nasty bugs like botulism. Elizabeth Andress, Ph.D., project director for the National Center for Home Food Preservation, has the following advice:

• Follow tested recipes carefully.

• Glass jars and rings may be recycled, but do not reuse the self-sealing lids.

• Store home-canned foods in a cool, dry, dark place, from 50F to 70F.

• Can just a few quarts of each item. That way you will empty your pantry just before the next crop arrives.

Try out this Canned Peaches recipe and share with us your success story.

Canned Peaches Recipe

What you need:

6 1-quart canning jars and self-sealing lids

11 pounds ripe peaches

1 package ascorbic or citric acid

2 quarts unsweetened apple or white grape juice

1. Sterilize canning jars and rings by simmering them in hot water for at least 10 minutes, until ready to use. Have the lids nearby.
2. In another saucepan, dip fruit in boiling water for 30-60 seconds, until skins loosen. Dip quickly in cold water and slip off skins. Cut in half, remove pits and slice.
3. Mix ascorbic or citric acid with water according to the package directions, and coat peaches to prevent darkening.
4. Pack peach slices in jars, almost to the top.
5. Bring the apple or white-grape juice to a boil and ladle it over the peaches, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.
6. Adjust lids and process in a boiling-water canner., with jars covered by 2 inches of boiling water, for 20-25 minutes. Remove jars from canner and allow to cool for 12 hours.
7. Unscrew metal rings to make sure leads are sealed. (each lid should be indented in the center. ) Store in a cool, dry, dark place for no longer than 1 year.

Nutrients per jar: 438 calories, 7g protein, 108g carbohydrates, 11 g fiber, 2g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 10 mg sodium.

Here are some of the reasons to consider adding dandelions to healthy diet:

Higher in beta-carotene than carrots, greater in iron and calcium content than spinach, dandelions also provide a myriad of vitamins: B1, B2, B5, B6, B12, C, E, P, and D, and minerals: biotin, inositol, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc.

As with any green, the younger the plant, the more tender it is. Dandelion greens become bitter as they grow larger and are best for salads when picked early in the season. For the safest crop, be sure to pick greens well away from major roads or other chemically treated areas, and wash the greens well before you use them.

Dandelion Salad
Serves 10
Ingredients

Salad
1 quart baby dandelion greens, washed
1 quart baby spinach, washed
1 quart arugula, washed
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and crushed
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup orange segments, roughly chopped

Dressing
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons orange juice, freshly squeezed
salt and pepper to taste

Can anyone really succeed? The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) provides some answers on what it takes to achieve long term weight loss. The NWCR is a database of information on nearly 3,000 individuals 18 and over who have successfully lost 30 and more pounds and kept it off for t least one year.

1. Eat a diet low in fat, on the lower end of the current dietary guideline of 20-35%. Successful dieters averaged 34% of calories daily from fat.

2. Monitor your weight frequently, potentially once a week, as suggested by some weight-loss regimens. nearly half of successful dieters weighed themselves once a day.

3. Participate in high levels of regular physical activities. Over 3/4 of successful dieters walked, while only 11% ran. It’s the frequency and duration of physical activity that count more than the intensity. Consider dance classes for beginners, salsa classes, tango classes or swing dance classes – they can be a lot of fun! On average, successful dieters exercise daily for one hour.

Wearing a pedometer or step counter is an easy way to track your level of physical activity. You should aim for at least 10,000 steps a day. If you are below that level, set a goal of increasing your daily steps by 500 a week, then add another 500 for a week,to gradually achieve your goal.

4. Eat a healthy breakfast. Nearly 80% of successful weight losers regularly eat breakfast daily.

5. Monitor food choices frequently, both wht foods you are eating, and the amount you consume.

Successful weight losers eat an average of 1,380 calories per day and tend to eliminate or limit consumption of fried foods, and substitute low-fat foods for high fat foods.

Did you Know?

If you eat 100 more food calories a day than you burn, you will gain about 1 pound a month. To lose weight, it is important to reduce calories AND increase physical activity.

If all the above sounds hard, there is a silver lining. If you successfully lose weight and keep it off for at least 2 years, your chances for long-term successful weight maintenance are greatly increased.

We are all trying to manage our weight. People often forget that beverages play a very important role in managing body weight. Lower-calorie and no-calorie drinks are a good way to conveniently lower calorie intake without feeling deprived. A balanced diet, including portion control, beverage awareness and fitness exercise are the best ways to help keep a healthy body and healthy weight.

Dr. John Foreyt, Director, Behavioral Medicine Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston

In 2004, the american Dietic Association concluded that low-calorie sugar alternatives can help make your diet healthier by improving the flavor of foods and beverages that are ow in calories. They can also improve the taste of nutritious foods and beverages that might otherwise be consumed in lesser amounts.

In addition to concluding that low-calorie sweeteners can help reduce calorie intake, the ADA stated that “non-nutritive sweeteners have the potential to promote weight loss in overweight and obese individuals…Replacing intake of added sugars with non-nutritive sweeteners could result in a deficit of 380 calories a day, or 1 pound of weight loss in 9 or 10 days, if intake was 95 g daily. The energy (i.e. calorie) savings could be substantial for those individuals who consume higher levels of total energy (i.e. calories) from added sugars.

Reducing calories as part of an overall diet and exercise plan is a great reason to look for light, low- calorie versions of your favorite foods and beverages.

All low-cal and no-cal sweeteners found in American foods and beverages have been extensively tested and approved as safe by the Food and Drug Administration.And that means they are safe for consumption by adults and kids alike. Not only are non-caloric and low-caloric sweeteners safe for children, but,says Steven A. Abrams, M.D. professor of pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, “As a pediatrician, I consider the use of non-nutritive sweeteners to be a way that children can help control their calorie intake and maintain a healthy body weight. ” Let your children enjoy a variety of beverages, and be confident that the low-cal versions are safe for them.

Remember, you can only trade in your motor vehicle, not your body vehicle. With this mindset, we are less likely to be opposed to making any changes that would benefit our body vehicle.

Humans are designed to eat fruits, vegetables, fish, fowl, meat, roots, tubers, and nuts. Consider also that there are no chronic diseases caused by eating these foods. No matter what disease you may suffer from, none of these foods must be eliminated from the diet. The same cannot be said for grains in particular. In a nutshell, grains contain several problematic substances including gluten, lectin, and phytates, and grains also promote inflammation by promoting body acidity, and disrupting proper blood sugar regulation.

Grains contain a substance called phytic acid, which is known to reduce the absorption of calcium, magnesium and zinc from grains. Grains also promote an acidic body pH, which is known to be inflammatory.  Research has now demonstrated that a diet-induced acidic state helps to promote the loss of bone and muscle that occurs as we get older. Finally, while grains are a low-fat food, they contain an elevated ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids are converted into chemicals the cause inflammation, chronic disease, and pain.

With the above in mind, you may be wondering why we have been told that grains are so good for us? First, whole grains do contain nutrients and fiber, both of which are healthy and anti-inflammatory. However, we get more nutrients and fiber from fruits and vegetables. Second, grains are inexpensive and can be stored easily, so they are profitable for food manufacturers. We are never told that we can get all the nutrients and fiber we require by eating fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and that there is no need to consume grains. It is important to understand that the health conditions discussed above have only been associated with the consumption of grains and legumes (beans) and have never ever been associated with the consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and healthy animal products. Therefore, try to avoid grains, flours, bread, pasta, etc., and try to replace these foods with fruits and vegetables. Sprouted grains are somehow seen as a loophole to refined and whole grains, but this seems unlikely.