Here are this weekend's reading diversions for your enlightenment. Have a great weekend!
Judith J. Wurtman, PhD: Dropping Serotonin Levels: Why You Crave Carbs Late in the Day
You may think you are the only mom who seems to go a little crazy around four or five p.m. when it is getting dark and it's too cold or icy to go outside and your kids are getting cranky or worse. Join the club of moms who find their sanity slipping a wee bit late every afternoon and resort to the only therapeutic agent they can find: sweet or starchy snacks.
***
Superfoods for Your Heart | Reader's Digest
Powerful protection for your heart is as close by as the aisles of your local grocery store. These foods can rescue you from artery attacking LDLs, shield you from the damaging forces of free radicals, combat high cholesterol, and keep your heart safe.
***
John Shore: Elderly Parent Caregivers: How to Stay Sane
One of the most emotionally complex and difficult things a person can experience is taking care of an elderly parent. I recently spent time tending to my aging, widowed father, and thought I'd pass along these 15 points, each of which I found to be significantly helpful during this phase of my own life:
***
Anne Naylor: 7 Solid Reasons to Smile
Why smile? Because you can. I do not mean to be flippant. The better question might be, "Why would you want to smile?" -- especially if you are feeling sad, angry or frustrated. I will come to that. Read on.
***
Dr. Michael J. Breus: Melatonin: Not a Magic Bullet for Sleep
Melatonin is a hormone. It is not an herb, a vitamin or a mineral. Hormones are naturally produced by your body as you need them. This means that it is very unlikely that someone has a melatonin deficiency. While melatonin could be considered natural, in most cases it doesn't come from the earth. There are exceptions -- foods that contain melatonin in them -- but this is a different type of melatonin than what is produced in your brain.
***
Learning a Second Language Protects Against Alzheimer's
Psychologist Ellen Bialystok and her colleagues at York University in Toronto recently tested about 450 patients who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Half of these patients were bilingual, and half spoke only one language.
***
Memory Boost for Aging Adults: Take a Walk
Forget the brain puzzles, mild exercise such as walking can boost brain volume and improve memory in older adults, researchers have found.
***
Dr. Jim Taylor: Raising Good Decision Makers
One of the most powerful ways you can encourage your children to become successful, happy and contributing people is to teach them good decision-making, and then to allow them to make their own decisions. The decisions that your children make as they approach adulthood dictate the people they become and the life paths they choose.
***
10 Health Benefits of Cinnamon
Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol.
***
Diet Soda May Lead to Stroke Risk? Really?
When you grab a diet soda instead of the full-sugar version, you might think you're making the healthy choice — and you are, at least when it comes to your weight. But according to a new study, people who drink diet soda habitually could be putting themselves at risk for stroke.
***
What you eat plays a big role in whether you're getting the nutrients you need to build strong bones. What might surprise you, though, is that your diet can also play a role in sapping bone strength. Some foods actually leach the minerals right out of the bone, or they block the bone's ability to regrow.
***
You love to eat, but you also love to feel great. You can do both if you choose foods that make you smarter, leaner, stronger -- and then use them in tasty new ways.
***
