You’ve heard the hype, you’ve likely even bought pre-made versions, but I’ll bet you had no idea just how easy it is to make baked kale chips at home! Not only are they a delicious and healthy alternative to potato chips and corn snacks, but they are naturally packed with fiber and vitamin K.

 

1 bunch fresh kale

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese (optional)

 

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with olive oil.

3. Trim the kale by remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces.

4. Wash and thoroughly dry kale. It is critical that the kale be dry, or your chips will be soggy.

5. Toss kale with olive oil and sea salt (and parmesan cheese if you choose).

6. Bake 10-15 minutes, until the edges brown but are not burnt.

7. Serves 6.

A report published on June 4, 2014 in the Journal of Psychopharmacology reveals the outcome of a trial of orally administered eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) found in FIsh Oil which uncovered a reduction in smoking and tobacco craving among those who received the supplements.

Forty-eight regular smokers were given 2710 mg EPA and 2040 mg DHA, or a placebo for one month. Tobacco craving and number of cigarettes smoked per day were assessed at the beginning of the trial, at the end of the treatment period and 30 days following the end of treatment.

Participants who received omega-3 fatty acids had significantly less craving for tobacco at the end of one month in comparison with initially assessed levels.

Although craving rose in the month following the treatment period, it was still lower than that experienced initially among those who received EPA and DHA. In contrast, participants who received the placebo reported similar craving levels at all time points evaluated. Those who received omega-3 smoked 11.2% fewer cigarettes after one month in comparison to the amount smoked at the beginning of the study.

 Decreased intake of omega-3 fatty acids can affect dopamine neurotransmission,which negatively impacts the function of brain systems associated with reward and dependence. This decrease in function could enhance tobacco craving, making quitting more difficult.

According to a study published in February 2014, vitamin D supplementation reduces pain in subjects with fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread pain, abnormal pain processing, sleep disturbance, fatigue and often psychological distress.

The subjects included 30 women with fibromyalgia syndrome and serum calcifediol (25-hydroxyvitamin D) levels less than 32ng/mL (80nmol/L). The investigators randomly assigned the women to receive oral supplementation with cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) or placebo for 20 weeks. The researchers evaluated the subjects at the beginning of the study, after the 20 weeks supplementation period and again after an additional 24 weeks without supplementation.

The subjects completed several questionnaires including the Short Form Health Survey 36, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire and the Somatization subscale of Symptom Checklist-90-Revised.

The researchers determined that the cholecalciferol group had marked reduction in pain over the treatment period, which correlated to scores on the physical role functioning scale of the Short Form Health Survey 36.

The investigators concluded, “Optimization of calcifediol levels in fibromyalgia syndrome had a positive effect on the perception of pain. This economical therapy with a low side effect profile may well be considered in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. However, further studies with larger patient numbers are needed to prove the hypothesis.”

• 2/3 of the candy consumed in the U.S. is eaten by adults…not children.
• A middle school child’s science project found that 70 percent of the time, the average ice from fast food restaurants was dirtier than toilet water.
• Up to 27 chemicals can be added to packaged bread without being included on the nutrition label.
• High doses of caffeine can cause auditory and visual hallucinations.
• Salmon sushi was actually originated in Norway…the Norwegians introduced it to Japan.
• Chewing gum was invented 9,000 years ago.
• Men are 10 times more likely to smoke than women.
• The average woman will eat 4.5 to 6.5 pounds of lipstick in a lifetime.
• Excessive sun exposure is responsible for 80 percent of a woman’s wrinkles.
• A 2008 study from Duke University found that women who toss and turn at night have higher insulin and inflammation levels.
• Researchers have found that men are more likely to have nightmares centered around violence or physical aggression, while women’s nightmares focus on relationship conflict.
• The month of May is named for Maia, the Greek goddess of fertility.
• 99.9 percent of any two people’s DNA is identical. It is the mere 0.1 percent that makes us unique.
• According to the Mayo Clinic, illness can trigger nightmares, especially if you have a fever.
• Want to avoid mosquito’s? Avoid bananas. The biting insects are drawn to people who just ate the yellow fruit.

 

An article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition details the findings of New Zealand researchers of higher blood pressure and cholesterol among men and women who consumed the most sugar.

Researchers at the Riddet Institute and the University of Ontago in New Zealand selected forty trials for their analysis, which included a total of 1,699 men and women. Thirty-nine of the studies provided data concerning lipid levels and twelve reported blood pressure. Studies included those in which dietary interventions intended to alter sugar intake in one group of participants were compared to a group with a differing intake. The researchers found an association between increased sugar intake and higher total cholesterol and triglycerides in comparison with levels measured in subjects who had a lower intake, which was particularly strong in subgroup analyses of studies in which no significant difference in weight change occurred between the groups. An association between greater sugar intake and higher systolic blood pressure was observed in trials lasting eight weeks or more.

“This systematic review and meta-analyses provide evidence that dietary free sugars influence blood pressure and serum lipids independently of the effect of sugars on body weight,” Lisa A. Te Morenga and her collaegues conclude. “Although effects of sugars on blood pressure and lipids are relatively modest, our findings support the idea that reducing free-sugar intakes might be expected to reduce blood pressure and serum lipids.”