GOOD REASONS TO
GO NATURAL FOR BEAUTY
More side eff ects from conventional hair and
skincare products are being reported to the
FDA, rising from 706 adverse events in 2015
to 1,591 in 2016. These are largely driven by
complaints about shampoos, conditioners, and
hair styling products, with skincare products
making up the second-largest category. For-
tunately, there are many organic and natural
beauty products that feature gentle, thera-
peutic herbs and moisturizers made from
plants, without the toxic, irritating chemicals
found in conventional personal care products.Strong Muscles
MAKE YOU SMARTER
Meathead. Musclebrain. Dumb jock. Like many stereotypes, ones
equating strong muscles with less-than-admirable intellectual abilities
are off-base. A Finnish study of 338 older men and women (average
age 66) found the opposite: Those with stronger muscles had better
mental function, including better memory and a greater ability to
process and use information.
Exercise that challenges and strengthens muscles helps to reduce
loss of muscle with age, and eating protein also makes a difference.
Although it’s common for dinner to contain the biggest share of the
day’s protein, Canadian researchers found that spreading daily protein
among three meals led to stronger muscles among older people,
compared to eating the same daily amount at one sitting. At least
18 grams of protein per meal, three times per day, was an optimum
amount, and could come from a combination of high-protein foods
and protein supplements.Weight is a sensitive issue for most people, but controlling
weight gain over the course of life can have big rewards, accord-
ing to research at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health,
which looked at long-term weight and health changes among
more than 92,000 women and 25,000 men.
The study found that seemingly modest increases in weight
add up over the years. On average, U.S. adults gain 1–2 pounds
per year between their late
teens and mid-50s. While
one year’s gain is small, the
cumulative effect takes a toll
on health, with increased
risks for diabetes, heart
disease, and cancer. On the
flipside, reducing the creep of
added pounds makes aging a
healthier experience, and it’s
never too soon to start.One Secret to Healthy Aging
MAGNESIUM RELIEVES DEPRESSION
Magnesium is known to be essential for healthy heart rhythm, blood
pressure, bones, and many other functions, and now a study at the
University of Vermont has found that it relieves depression. Among
a group of 126 women and men, 248 mg daily of elemental magne-
sium was as effective as the SSRI class of antidepressant drugs—
without the side effects. “The results are very
encouraging, given the great need for additional
treatment options for depression, and our
finding that magnesium supplementa-
tion provides a safe, fast, and inex-
pensive approach to controlling
depressive symptoms,” says lead
researcher Emily Tarleton, RD.
Taking zinc acetate lozenges for a cold can
triple the odds of a quick recovery, according to
research at the University of Helsinki in Finland.
Effective doses were 80–92 mg per day, starting
when symptoms appear.3x
(^12) • SEPTEMBER 2017
trendWATC H
55%
We’re snacking more often, with 55 percent of
Americans having a snack two to three times per day,
according to market research fi rm Mintel. Treating
ourselves, taking a break, and relieving stress
are the top three reasons.