10 Superfoods Backed By Science

I’ve willing to try broccoli sprouts.

According to Harvard Health, John Hopkins, and other medical experts, the following are Superfoods based on science, i.e. backed by controlled studies proven to keep humans healthy:

1) Broccoli Spouts - are 3 to 4 day old broccoli plants that look like alfalfa sprouts, but taste like radishes. They are super rich in glucosinolate, an antioxidant that stops free radicals from hooking up to form cancer. The whole cruciferous family of vegetables including broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are super stars, but broccoli sprouts are like the espresso of coffee concentrated in glucosinolate.

2) Skim milk - Infants and toddlers need the fatty acids in whole milk to grow properly. For older children and adults the main benefit from drinking milk is its calcium. Skimming the milk leaves the milk with a greater percentage of calcium, 306 mg for skim vs 285 mg for whole milk per 8 oz cup.

3) Whole grains - Contain vitamins, minerals and fiber. They also have plant compounds similar to cholesterol that blocks your body from absorbing bad cholesterol.

4) Beans - The dietary fiber in beans flush cholesterol out of your body. You can count peas and peanut butter, which are also legumes, in a healthy diet.

5) Oranges - An orange a day provides an adult with a full dose of vitamin C + folate, heart-healthy B vitamins, fiber and hesperidia, a blood vessel booster found in the white spongy pith.

6) Salmon - Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids contribute to heart health by reducing triglycerides (the main constituents of natural fats and oils; high concentrations of triglycerides in the blood indicate a high risk of stroke), lowering blood pressure, and preventing plaque buildup. Additionally, omega-3s may reduce inflammation, which is linked to chronic conditions like arthritis and heart disease, and support brain function to prevent age-related decline such as dementia. In cooked canned salmon, you can also eat the calcium rich bones.

7) Dark chocolate - Contains antioxidants called flavonoids to make blood less sticky reducing the risk of clogged arteries. Eat a serving of 1.6 oz repeatedly over the course of a week to benefit. Also present is the mood enhancer phenylethyl. Good to know!

8) Tomatoes are high in vitamin C and lycopene, which has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. You must cook the tomatoes, though, for your body to metabolize the lycopene.

9) Olive oil contains vitamin E, polyphenols, and monounsaturated fatty acids, all which help reduce the risk of heart disease. Olive oil is 71% oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat. Studies suggest that oleic acid reduces inflammation and oxidative stress, and may even have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer.

10) Berries are high in antioxidants such as anthocyanins, which may slowdown the cell damage caused by free radicals responsible for aging and disease. It turns out inflammation is very bad for our bodies. Berries reduce inflammation due to their high content of antioxidants, such as flavonoids and anthocyanins, which help fight oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. Compounds like anthocyanins give berries their vibrant colors and have been shown in studies to lower blood pressure, improve blood flow, and protect against inflammation-related diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Many of us already know how healthy most of these 10 superfoods are, but once in a while we need a reminder least we forget. Bon Appetite!

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5 Body Lotions Similar To EOS

Click to enlarge.

EOS (Evolution of Smooth) lotions claim to add 24 hours of moisture to your skin. Users like its lightweight, non-greasy formula and pleasant scents. The Cashmere Vanilla scent is especially popular. Surprisingly, only Target has a bonafide dupe of it, but there are a number of drugstore moisturizes that offer very similar benefits like moisturizing and norising your skin for 24 hours. With such a claim, at least we know the body lotion will have a rich consistency. I’m going to introduce you to more than 5 choices to consider, including a link to a previous blog (#5) listing a ton of moisturizers costing less. 

Here we go!

1) Up & Up Everyday Moisturizing Body Lotion (Target’s house brand) - 20 oz. Vanilla and White Jasmine + other scents. Cost: $5.49

2) Nivea Soft: 6.8 oz. A classic moisturizing lotion with a creamy texture and a subtle floral scent.

3) Jergens Shea Fusion Vanilla Crush Lotion with Shea Butter and Vitamin E, 14 oz. Like the others on the list, it has deep moisturizing properties to nourish very dry or sensitive skin.

4)  Malibu Hemp Ultra Healing Body Moisturizer For Dry Skin, 18 oz. Aloe Vera and Hemp Seed Oil are main ingredients.

5) My previous blog on Equate dupe moisturizers (Walmart’s house brand) which of course means the original brands are also super moisturizing.

With choice galore you can watch for sales to get rich moisturizers for less per ounce. Watch for drugstores' 2 for 1 deals. No longer are you restricted to buying one brand when it isn’t on sale. Consider another brand! Dupes and some alternatives come in larger sizes of 18 oz - 20 oz to last longer saving you more money.

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Does Japanese Mounjaro Help You Lose Weight?

Photo: Tasty Mounjaro

The Japanese Mounjaro recipe is the latest craze circulating around TikTok and social media claiming to help with weight less the natural way ... but is there any science behind it? 

Call me a Google expert on this topic! Here is what AI has to say about it ... the following seems to be mainly summarized from Yale University’s self help education website as well as VeryWellHealth: 

"The individual ingredients often found in these "natural Mounjaro" recipes are supported by scientific research for their health benefits and potential contributions to weight loss.

Core ingredients commonly found in these recipes, such as matcha, ginger, apple cider vinegar, lemon/lime, kombu, and umeboshi, have some science-backed health benefits that may support weight management:

🌱Matcha: Contains catechins like EGCG which may aid metabolism and fat oxidation during exercise. L-theanine provides sustained energy.

🌱Ginger: Possesses thermogenic properties and may help reduce hunger and promote fullness. It also supports digestion.

🌱Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV): May help regulate blood sugar and increase feelings of fullness due to acetic acid content.

🌱Lemon/Lime: Encourages hydration and can contribute to feelings of fullness.

🌱Kombu: Contains fiber (alginate) that can promote fullness and iodine, important for thyroid function and metabolism.

🌱Umeboshi: Can act as a probiotic-rich digestive aid.

Important Considerations:

- Not a Mounjaro Replacement: It is crucial to understand that the "Japanese Mounjaro recipe" is a natural wellness drink and is not a substitute for the prescription drug Mounjaro (tirzepatide). Prescription Mounjaro works by activating specific hormonal pathways (GIP and GLP-1) for blood sugar and appetite regulation, which cannot be replicated by food.

- No Peer Reviewed Studies: There are no specific peer-reviewed studies directly validating the Japanese Mounjaro recipe as a weight loss solution. Its effects are likely due to the combined benefits of its individual ingredients rather than a unique magical property.

- Individual Results Vary: While many users report positive results, including weight loss and improved digestion, these effects are likely due to improved hydration, increased satiety, and potentially a slight metabolic boost, not the same mechanism as the prescription drug.

- Combine with Healthy Habits: The most effective approach for sustainable weight loss involves integrating these drinks with a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and stress management.

- Consult a Healthcare Professional: If you have any health conditions or are taking medications, it is recommended to consult with a healthcare provider before adding the Japanese Mounjaro recipe to your routine."

The ingredients in the recipe can vary slightly. Below is one recipe:

1 cup of warm water

1/2 teaspoon matcha powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
The juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon of honey (which is optional)
1/8 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt, or a small piece of Kombu edible kelp (also optional)

My thoughts are: Japanese Mounjaro contains healthy ingredients that benefit a diet, but there are tastier ways of consuming them. Fads rarely work. The drink isn’t sustainable. Without reducing your food intake, you won’t drop significant amounts of weight. Moreover, drinking ginger every morning may interfere with certain prescription drugs some people take to treat other health conditions. Check with your doctor to make sure the ingredients ingested daily play nice with other drugs.

This recipe is an unwavering no for me! How about you.🍕🧀🍷

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These types of charts are circulating all over Facebook and Instagram, so much so, I don’t know who produced the one I’ve selected to share, and (look→) who should be credited?

I share the above as great, solid advice that is also sustainable to do. Some of the 9 activities are challenging (#1, #2, and #3) and do require committing to them, but others (#6, #7 and #9) are enjoyable. It’s a balanced list and what we should be doing to live a long healthy life! What an excellent reminder for you to check off daily! If you are wondering about #3: Tea is loaded with anti-oxidants. Studies support its health benefits.

I promised you a post this week on Korean Beauty, which I’ve written but will hold until next Monday. Instead, I'm ending the week with the above Savvy Shopper Short. Why? Because it’s end-of-the-week Friday and sunny. Start by sleeping those 8 hours tonight! 🛏

Enjoy your weekend my lovies!🏖🌞

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Saturday's Breakfast Courtesy of Simple Food

My senior Mom and I ate this dessert from Simple Food for breakfast. As I anticipated, it was too chewy to satisfy a cake or brownie craving. I'll post Simple Food's video below so you can see how easy it is to make and why I was so tempted to try it. 

Note: I don't let FB track my or your activities. Click here to watch if you don't wish to give FB such permission. 

Ingredients:

For the Cake --

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup warm milk

2 eggs

a pinch of salt

2 smashed bananas

4 tablespoons of cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

I added 1 scoop of Premier protein chocolate powder to the recipe.

For the Topping --

Dark Chocolate and walnuts 

We're not in my kitchen today so we didn't have a loaf pan. I used an 9" x 9" square baking pan and surprisingly got  more pastry than expected. I used butter flavored cooking spray, and it lifted out cleanly.

After baking, I let dark chocolate chips melt on top of the pastry while we waited for it to cool enough to eat.

Here's my review: If you crave a piece of cake or a brownie, skip this recipe. If you're trying to eat a bowl of oatmeal and want to dress it up, then wait about 40 minutes for it to bake, go for it!

Although we had no problem eating it (we were hungry waiting!), and it was nutrious, I doubt I'll make it again. Either I'll eat a bowl of oatmeal or have a piece of cake. Sometimes you can't have it both ways.

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What I'm Feeding My Senior Mom

Photo: Canadian Digestive Health Foundation

My Mom relies on me to make her food choices, but honestly, I liked it better when she had an appetite and all her faculties, and if she didn't eat, or eat healthily, it was her choice as an adult and not my problem. I should add that younger, she prepared and ate healthy meals. Now it's my job to plan and cook for her.

I support eating a healthy diet, and I also pity her because it's sad to grow old and lose your independence and appetite. She must follow my rules, and I can be an enforcer if necessary.:)

The following are my caregiver rules:

1) She must eat at least 2 meals a day! In her adult life, she never ate lunch, so I have to work with her lifelong habit and pack her nutritional requirements into 2 meals a day. But after I've done so ...

2) She must eat her dinner. Breakfast is never a problem. Too often she claims she's not hungry for dinner, but I tell her she must eat one. She's lucky to have someone in her life who is mean. Me! It is something a nursing home aide cannot do ... tell a senior she must eat food. In a nursing home, the meals roll in and out, eaten or not, often by separate aides.

3) She must eat the amount of protein her body requires daily and a variety of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, as much as I can get her to eat with her reduced desire for food. I use skim milk and 4 ounces of fruit juice (no sugar added) to help meet her dietary needs. According to the National Library of Medicine, older adults may benefit from consuming 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (or 0.54 to 0.9 grams per pound). This is in line with what other medical sources recommend. Three glasses of skim milk a day help get the job done! Eggs, too, are an easy-to-eat light meal.

3) No overloading on sugar. Everybody should eat a healthy diet, young, old, or in-between. Sugar is a treat, not a staple. In fact, sugar is bad for all of us and addictive. Many of us like sweets, but if a senior has arthritis, sugar causes inflammation, resulting in more painful joints. We cut down on sugar, eating it in moderation only: A row of dark chocolate, 2 cookies here and there, birthday cake, Christmas cookies, one portion of Halloween or Easter candy. So we don't feel deprived. I'm also a believer in the less sugar you consume, the less you crave it. Finally, it's as easy to like healthy food as unhealthy food. Cherries, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, and apples are all delicious snacks! Ditto for vegetables and a healthy dip such as spicy humus!!

A fortune in eggs.😳

It's payback time for both my mom and me. Once upon a time, she was the enforcer ensuring I didn't overload on sugar and ate a balanced diet, and now our roles are reversed. The egg has become the head chicken and enforcer. Be careful of the values you instill in your children. Chickens come home to roost!🐣😁

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Oatmeal, An Apple & A Carrot For Breakfast

Recipe and photos courtesy of Simple Food

The following is a recipe from Simple Food on Facebook. An appetizing and healthy breakfast is what I see! As Aristotle knew, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."

Oatmeal, An Apple, & A Carrot For Breakfast

Ingredients:

2 cups flaked oatmeal, ground in a food processor

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 cup of milk

1 carrot, grated

4 tablespoons raisins soaked in hot water

a medium apple, unpeeled but diced

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

3 eggs

Optional: 1 package of vanilla sugar (or substitute 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract)

Directions:

1) Toss each ingredient one by one into a mixing bowl and
incorporate.

2) Grease a 7" cake pan. I use butter. Pour the mixture into it and distribute evenly.

3) Bake at 360 degrees F for 50 - 60 minutes.

4) After it bakes but is still warm, remove from the baking pan and cut into pieces.

Packed with protein and fiber, vitamin A, some vitamin C, and minerals, eat a serving for breakfast or a snack. Delish!

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5 Tips For Graceful Aging

Photos 1 and 2 Shutterstock, Photo 3 Dreamtime

Every so often I read a magazine called "Natural Awakenings," free at health food stores. The November 2024 issue has a good advice article I'll paraphrase ... 

5 Tips for Graceful Aging (By Dr. Jillian Finker - Finker Wellness) are:

1) Stay Active - Find an exercise you enjoy and do it regularly. Keeping active reduces the risk of needing a nursing home later in life.

2) Prioritize Nutrition - A balanced diet and proper hydration prevent strokes and overall aging. Eat real unprocessed food: whole grains and a variety of vegetables and lean meats and fish.

3) Take Supplements - Consult your doctor. Supplementing with vitamins, herbs, and minerals can help with deficiencies as we age. My note: My mother takes 5,000 iu daily of Vitamin D and my doctor said I should take 2,000 iu daily of Vitamin D. With our doctors' knowledge we also began taking a One A Day multi-vitamin again. Doesn't hurt, no proof we need it either. That's why we prefer an inexpensive over-the-counter multivitamin. No need to overdose or overspend.

4)  Get Outside And Connect - Social interaction extends life expectancy. "Soak up the sun" and spend time with family and friends.

5) Release Your Fears - Make peace with your mortality and seek guidance from therapists and pastors to ease end-of-life fears.

My two cents:

It's inevitable that as we age, our lives get smaller, but it doesn't have to mean meaningless. Many people must slow down after the age of 85. It's a perfect time for hobbies to replace work and to be grateful for family and friends. 

Tree of Life - Carla Bank

My German immigrant mom was always a businesswoman, and daily I see how much more difficult her life is without hobbies. What's more, she no longer has the dexterity in her fingers to resume skills she learned as a girl like knitting, sewing, and crocheting. Once I'm her age, I hope my intellectual curiosity and a healthy pair of eyes keep me stimulated to save me from hours of boredom. Life can indeed throw us a cure. Worsening eyesight makes reading more difficult for some seniors. 

Still, let's commit to doing as much as we can for as long as we can!

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b. fresh Deodorant Smells Great

Scents - Grapefruity Good, Roses All Day, Coconutty Vanilla, Lush Lavender

If you've been following THE SAVVY SHOPPER for a length of time, you may remember our discussion about underarm personal care products. Sweating is the body's natural way of cooling itself, and as it turns out, eliminating this necessary function with antiperspirants may not be desirable according to some recent medical studies.

Let's review why: Antiperspirants stop wetness by clogging sweat glands, while underarm deodorants prevent odor (not wetness) with bacteria-fighting ingredients. But what antiperspirants also do is make you sweat more so you may be better off using deodorants. Going 1 - 4 weeks (because everybody's body chemistry is different) without using antiperspirants lets your body rebalance itself, and surprisingly you should end up sweating less. What's more, the ingredients in traditional antiperspirants are also raising enough concern to pay attention.

B. Fresh deodorant is a T.J. Maxx find that smells fantastic! Aluminum-free, it is made with a blend of natural plant and mineral odor-eliminating ingredients including rose flower extract, bergamot leaf oil, zinc ricinoleate, lavender oil, orange peel oil, and lysmeral. 

I bought the Roses All Day scent to pamper my senior mother after her bath. She does smell like roses all day! It's a good, clean scent ... strong, yet not artificial or overwhelming.

I also like the shea butter and hyaluronic acid in the product for a smooth application, especially restorative after a shave.

Photo: Getty

IMHO, once you pay for a product and walk out of a store, ain't nobody's business how you use it! In our family, we may end up using it as a perfume on our arms, neck, behind our ears, etc, etc. to smell awesome like roses all day long!🌹

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Happiness Hormones And How To Get Them

This chart came to me by way of Facebook. One of my savvy classmates uploaded it. The graph is a reminder of the importance of friendships to your well-being. You'll be in good mental health, your most productive self, and have the energy to give of yourself to other people. In fact, healthy relationships with family, friends, and neighbors give you an abundance of happy hormones, namely dopamine, oxytocin, endorphin, and serotonin to keep you mentally balanced and active. Decades of studies show that people who have "social ties" live longer lives.

Several things might also put a bounce in your step like reading a good book, wearing the clothes in your closet that make you feel like a million bucks, or filling a vase with pretty flowers. Eat a treat too, whether you're in the mood for an ice cream cone, a bowl of guacamole, or a glass of wine. Your choice is ____?

Enjoy your 3-day weekend by spending time with the folks and things you value! See you on the other side.

❤️📘🌹🌻📚❤️👗🌹🌻📚💎❤️

Protein Cookies For Breakfast

Today I'll share two recipes, one for a senior and another for everyone else. First up: For breakfast some mornings I make a hot bowl of cereal for my senior mother. In her cereal, she gets 1/4 cup of 1-minute oatmeal, an overflowing tablespoon of crunchy peanut butter, about 1/4 cup of milk, and sometimes 1/2 banana. Microwave it for 2 minutes and after it cools but is still warm, I dice a Pure Protein Chocolate Chip bar and mix it in. She gets protein vitamins, and fiber but is none the wiser that she's eating a healthy breakfast as it tastes and smells like a cookie! According to her, she doesn't eat breakfast.🙂

Here's how you can turn it into a real protein cookie to eat for breakfast, or anytime you need a cookie. If you're not a senior who's a picky eater, you don't need the Pure Protein bar 😉 --

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies (a complete protein)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups oatmeal flakes

1 cup of crunchy peanut butter

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla

a pinch of salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

a sprinkle of nutmeg

1/4 cup honey

2/3 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Options: (1) 1/4 cup of raisins - I add raisins to keep the cookies moist longer. You could puree them before adding. (2) Although we're not dried fruit in cookie fans, you could use other dried fruit if you like. (3) If you wish to chop 1/2 cup of nuts like walnuts, pecans, or almonds, feel free to toss them into the batter. (4) A couple teaspoons of flax seeds is another healthy choice.

Directions:

1) In a mixing bowl, mix all your ingredients, one by one, together.

(2) Refrigerate the batter for 1/2 hour or more.

3) Drop a tablespoon size of batter onto a buttered foil-lined cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Flatten the top if you wish.

4) Bake at 375 degrees F for 12 - 14 minutes or until they are slightly golden brown.

5) Remove and let cool before serving.

Protein cookies are for people who don't eat breakfast.🙂

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