Last week, I found a bag of carrots in my cutlery drawer and my stereo remote in the bathroom. No joke.

These things happen. Being absent-minded and misplacing items like keys or even putting something away in the wrong place is an occasional slip-up that everybody makes on occasion.

As you’ve been getting older, maybe you notice it’s been happening to you, and perhaps with a little more frequency.

Maybe you can’t remember your new neighbor’s name or some other piece of information you recently learned.

That stuff may make you feel concerned like you’re potentially heading down the stream to dementia. Thankfully, those kinds of memory slips are normal, particularly for the slightly more experienced and wiser.

Over time, your brain acquires a lot of information. Some of it, particularly the relatively unimportant, can struggle to find a piece of real estate, and you forget it.

There are other types of memory loss that may indicate that something is wrong. For example, if you find yourself lost while traveling to the grocery store you’ve been shopping at for years, you have difficulty following conversations, have trouble learning new things, or mood shifts, it could be time to see a doctor.

Also, if you notice that those little moments of forgetfulness or losing things are happening regularly, it could also be cause for concern, and a doctor’s visit is recommended.

There is no proven method to prevent dementia, but several lifestyle factors may help preserve memory, overall cognition, and delay the onset of dementia.

Research has shown that activity, like daily walking at a moderate/brisk pace, can slow the progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia. Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables and maintaining heart health can also help optimize brain health.

Did you know that the bacteria in your gut can seriously impact your chances of depression? A growing body of research suggests that changes in the gut microbiota – the trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in our intestines – may play a role in mental health, including depression and anxiety. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at how gut bacteria can affect mood and discuss some ways to help keep your microbiota healthy.

Although depression is a common mental health disorder, it is still not fully understood. Treatment typically involves medication and psychotherapy, but there are still many cases where these approaches are not effective. However, there is increasing evidence that the microbiome-gut-brain axis may be a promising target for treatment.

The microbiome is generally understood to mean all the microorganisms that live in or on the human body, such as the intestinal flora. These microorganisms have been shown to play a role in mood and behavior, and it is thought that they may be able to influence the development of depression. The exact mechanisms are still unknown, but the microbiome-gut-brain axis is a promising area of research with the potential to improve our understanding and treatment of depression.

A recent study from the University of Basel and the University Psychiatric Clinics Basel (UPK) has shown that probiotics can support treatment with antidepressants. It has previously been suggested that patients with depression show an above-average prevalence of intestinal and digestive problems. So, researchers applied this knowledge to investigate the effects of probiotics on patients with depression.

All participants in the study were given a probiotic or a placebo for 31 days, in addition to antidepressants. It was found that although depressive symptoms decreased in all participants due to the antidepressants, there was a greater improvement in the participants who took probiotics along with the antidepressants.

Another intriguing effect of taking probiotics was also noted in this study. In patients with depression, certain regions of the brain for emotional processing behave differently than in individuals with good mental health. However, after taking the probiotics, the brain activity normalized in the probiotic group. The same changes were not observed in the placebo group.

“Although the microbiome-gut-brain axis has been the subject of research for a number of years, the exact mechanisms are yet to be fully clarified,” explains Anna-Chiara Schaub, one of the lead authors of the study. “With additional knowledge of the specific effect of certain bacteria, it may be possible to optimize the selection of bacteria and use the best mix to support treatment for depression.”

Keeping Mind and Body Healthy

With major strides in research that show the importance of gut health for mental health, people should be taking steps to repair their microbiome and give the body the vitamins and minerals it needs.

Anxiety Rescue is a great way to help the body and mind get all the essential ingredients it needs to stay strong and healthy. It is designed to help reduce anxiety and help support an overall healthy mood balance. Its unique formula that includes magnesium, l-theanine, ginseng, and more can target multiple aspects of stress and anxiety while supporting mood. It can act quickly and begin to work to improve mood and support anxiety symptoms as the weeks go on.

When most people think of diabetes, they think of the health risks associated with high blood sugar levels. However, other health risks associated with diabetes are not as well known. One such risk is weakened teeth and tooth decay.

Studies have shown that people with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are more likely to experience tooth decay and other dental problems than those without diabetes.

Researchers from Rutger believe they found a possible reason why people with diabetes may be more at risk for poor dental health. For their study, mice who were induced with type 1 diabetes were tested for their tooth health. A Vickers microhardness tester compared their teeth with 35 healthy controls over 28 weeks.

The two groups started with comparable teeth, but through the study, those with diabetes had the enamel grow significantly softer. By week 28, there was a significant difference in dentin microhardness.

“We’ve long seen elevated rates of cavity formation and tooth loss in patients with diabetes, and we’ve long known that treatments such as fillings do not last as long in such patients, but we did not know exactly why,” said Mohammad Ali Saghiri, who was involved in the study.

This study confirmed the reduced strength and durability of enamel and dentin in those with diabetes. Researchers believe they have demonstrated that diabetes can interfere with the ongoing process of adding minerals to teeth as they wear from normal use.

Previous studies have also suggested that high blood sugar levels can create a hospitable environment for bacteria that leads to tooth decay.

Protecting Teeth

You can take steps to protect your teeth and prevent tooth decay if you have diabetes, including brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing regularly, and seeing your dentist for regular checkups.

Keeping diabetes in control and taking active lifestyle changes may also help to reduce symptoms associated with the disease. For example, Healthy Blood Sugar Support can help maintain healthy blood sugar levels using a number of ingredients that have been shown in clinical studies.

The health benefits of this unique formula include supporting blood sugar metabolism and promoting healthy cholesterol and glucose levels already within the normal range. Healthy Blood Sugar Support can also help to reduce excessive hunger or increased appetite, fatigue, and blood glucose spikes after meals.

It’s possible by now you’ve heard the phrase “food as medicine.” It’s a theory that food can cure or prevent disease and illness, particularly prevalent on social media.

But is there anything to it?

Of course, there is plenty of evidence that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains, and lean proteins, while being low in processed foods, can reduce the risk for a host of health conditions, including obesity, type-2 diabetes, heart disease, and more.

There is even evidence that certain antioxidant compounds and nutrients found in these items and foods like spices, tea, and coffee may help fight inflammation and, at times, promote a degree of healing.

Certain compounds in broccoli, for example, have been found to promote better liver health.

The concept of food as medicine is primarily based on prioritizing food and diet in a person’s health plan to either prevent, reduce symptoms of, or reverse disease.

There is enough evidence to suggest that food can help promote better health, prevent illness, and even potentially restore health.

But it is also essential to remember that food and nutrition are not a cure-all or a guarantee of immaculate health. Genetic factors, environmental factors, or autoimmune conditions or predispositions are factors in a person’s overall health profile and risk.

Further, using diet to treat a diagnosed condition is not necessarily going to work, either. Sometimes medicine is what’s needed. And although adopting a healthy diet is unlikely to hurt and likely to be beneficial, it is unlikely to restore health independently or medical treatment.

Using a healthy diet to complement treatment is probably a good idea, particularly because it can help establish good eating habits. If a condition is effectively treated with medicine, diet may help recurring flare-ups or future trouble.

A new study has found that men who drink more than two glasses of milk daily may be at greater risk of developing prostate cancer. The study, conducted by researchers from Loma Linda University in California, looked at the dietary habits of men and found that those who consumed high levels of dairy milk were up to twice as likely to develop prostate cancer as those who drank less.

Do Health Benefits Outweigh the Risks?

It’s no secret that consuming dairy milk is linked with a number of health benefits. But this recent study has found that drinking dairy milk may also increase your risk of prostate cancer.

Researchers analyzed the dietary intake of over 28,000 North American men who were initially free of cancer. Each participant was required to participate in food questionnaires about their diet and a baseline questionnaire that included demographics, physical activity, family history of prostate cancer, alcohol consumption, prostate cancer screening, and BMI.

Cancer state registries were used to follow up on the participants’ prostate cancer status over an eight-year period. By the end of the study period, the registries reported 1,254 new prostate cancer cases among the participants who consumed the most dairy.

The study found no associations between increased prostate cancer risk and intake of non-dairy calcium, suggesting substances other than calcium play a role in the risk dairy foods poses for prostate cancer. This study provides important information for men who are considering their dietary choices and underscores the need for further research into the link between non-dairy milk and prostate cancer risk.

Researchers believe one possible reason for these associations between dairy milk and prostate cancer might be the sex hormone content of dairy milk. Prostate cancer is a hormone-responsive type of cancer, and up to 75% of lactating dairy cows are pregnant. Prior reports have also reported an association between intake of dairy and other animal proteins with higher blood levels of a hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which is thought to promote certain cancers.

While the findings are significant, further research is needed to determine whether there is a direct causal link between dairy milk and prostate cancer. Nonetheless, this new information provides another reason to reduce or abstain from drinking dairy milk.

Prostate health is an important issue in aging men. It is estimated that 50% of all men will demonstrate swollen prostate symptoms by age 60. This number increases to 90% by the age of 85. Some symptoms include frequent or urgent need to urinate, difficulty starting urination, a weak urine stream, and an inability to empty the bladder completely.

Healthy Prostate offers a unique blend of ingredients that can help manage symptoms associated with a swollen prostate. Vitamin D, selenium, stinging nettle root and saw palmetto berry extract work together with other essential vitamins and nutrients to relieve prostate issues.

It can be more than annoying when your eyes feel scratchy and irritated. The pain and discomfort can make even the most relaxing activity feel like a struggle.

Itchy, scratchy, dry eyes can have several causes, from seasonal allergies to a dry environment. They could also be caused by dry eye syndrome, a problem caused by declining tear production.

If eyes cannot produce enough tears, they do not get the natural lubrication needed to stay moist. The result can be irritation, light sensitivity, or blurry vision. Dry eye may even result in a sticky feeling or fewer tears while crying.

Dry eye syndrome becomes more common with age and can also be caused by hormonal changes like the ones that occur during menopause. Certain medications like antihistamines or decongestants can also be contributing factors.

A few strategies and treatments may help to relieve the symptoms.

If you spend a lot of time in front of screens, try taking frequent breaks. The 20/20/20 rule may help: every 20 minutes, focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. You could also try minimizing screen time.

Keeping a humidifier running in your home can help reduce dryness and contribute to a more comfortable environment for your eyes.

Several drops and ointments are available that can either directly add lubrication or stimulate natural tear production. Although these products are not a cure, they have the potential to ease symptoms.

The first step is visiting a doctor to get to the root of why your eyes are dry. If they can determine why your eyes are dry, they will be able to set you up with the best treatment for your condition.

Everyone snacks. It’s even easy to argue that people need a little nibble between meals: it’s the perfect way to keep the energy up, fill in nutritional holes, and manage blood sugar.

But snacking gets a bad rep. Why? Generally, most people think of snack food as junk food. Don’t get me wrong, there is room for the occasional chocolate bar or bowl of chips, but those aren’t the kind of snacks you want to be picking.

Healthy snacks are tasty, versatile, and easy to eat on the go. Here are some of the best snacks to help keep you feeling good.

Crunchy Stuff: Texture is a big part of snacking, so here are some healthy foods that can offer some crunch while you munch:

• Carrots and celery
• Apples and pears
• Bell pepper slices
• Roasted chickpeas
• Zucchini/cucumber slices
• Popcorn
• Rice cakes
• Nuts and Seeds

Washing It Down: Enjoy your snack, and make it more filling with a drink. Get rid of high-sugar sodas and energy drinks and try replacing them with:

• Plain or sparkling water (add fruit or herbs for a little more)
• Milk
• Unsweetened coffee or tea – a little bit of sweetness may be ok
• A small glass of 100 percent fruit juice
• Low sodium tomato or mixed vegetable juice

Satiating Snacks: Here are some options that can help fill you up.

• Whole grain toast topped with peanut or almond butter
• Cherry tomatoes with hummus
• Low-fat cheese
• Plain low-fat yogurt (pair with some fruit, nuts, nut butter, or seeds)
• Fruit and veggie smoothie

Snacks to Satisfy A Sweet Tooth

• Canned fruit (in natural juice or light syrup)
• A thin slice of angel food cake or homemade banana nut bread
• Baked apple
• Raisins, dates, figs, and other unsweetened dried fruits
• Frozen grapes
• Fresh fruit salad
• Watermelon

You can play around with this stuff and combine flavors and textures, too. There are a lot more heart-healthy snack options than what’s listed here!

New research suggests that moving more may help to prevent a stroke.

It’s no secret that exercise is good for you – it can help keep your weight down, improve your mood, and protect your heart. But you may not know that staying active doesn’t just mean hitting the gym. Moving more throughout your day, even if it’s just taking a brisk walk or doing some light chores, can also reduce your risk of stroke. So, get up and get moving – your body will thank you for it.

A sedentary lifestyle can have a profound impact on your health. However, activity can help offset the negative effects of too much sitting, including an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, depression, and type 2 diabetes.

While meeting the recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise a week may seem daunting, even small changes can make a big difference. For example, standing up and taking a short walk every 30 minutes can help reduce the risk of stroke by up to 50 percent. Doing some simple chores around the home can also provide adequate exercise to reduce stroke risk. So, next time you find yourself sitting for long periods of time, remember to stand up and move around frequently to offset the harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

The Study

For this new study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers measured physical activity in 7,600 adults aged 45 and older. They then compared the data to the incidence of stroke over a seven-year period. All participants wore a hip-mounted accelerometer, a sensitive motion detector that records physical activity and the duration of sitting and inactivity.

The results found that those who were sedentary for 13 hours or more a day had a 44% increased risk of having a stroke. However, researchers stressed that if reaching 10,000 steps a day or doing intense aerobic exercises seems out of reach, doing some simple chores around the home, or taking short walks may be an effective strategy in reducing the likelihood of having a stroke.

Promoting Brain Function

Cognitive function and brain health are important issues as we age. As this study suggests, even doing simple chores around the home can help to reduce the risk of stroke.

But for brain function, The Smart Pill can be an excellent way to help with concentration, memory, and overall cognitive function. It offers a unique blend of nine ingredients that help support, nourish, and maximize brain health. These include ginkgo Biloba, huperzine A, bacopa extract, rosemary extract, and a B vitamin complex. This unique formula helps boost circulation, fight free radicals, and help to promote clear thinking.

At its best, hearing loss can be an inconvenience. At its worst, it’s a debilitating condition that can increase social isolation and contribute to memory issues and dementia.

But is hearing loss reversible?

It depends. Some forms of hearing loss can be treated with full hearing restored. In other cases, the damage is permanent, and hearing can only be restored with mechanical aid.

Let’s take a look at various forms of hearing loss and if you can expect to recover.

Ear Wax Buildup: Ear wax helps clean and protect your ears, and it normally clears away on its own. It can, however, either build up naturally or be pushed and compacted deep into the ear by using cotton swabs.

When wax gets pushed deeper into the ear and accumulates, it can cause some hearing loss.

This type of hearing loss is reversible and easily treatable. A few drops of baby or mineral oil can help the wax come out, or you can purchase drops from the store to help soften the wax.

Ear Infections: Ear infections can cause mild hearing loss, making things sound as if you were wearing ear plugs.

Infections are generally caused by fluid buildup in the ear, creating an environment for bacteria to grow. In most cases, these infections will get better on their own, and in other cases, you may need to have your ear flushed and run a course of antibiotics.

In any event, full hearing will likely be restored.

Sudden Hearing Loss: Sometimes, a person will suddenly lose part or all of their hearing. It is generally the result of a specific condition, and those who have it will usually regain full hearing within a week or two. There are also some treatments that help.

Age-Related Hearing Loss: Age-related hearing loss, unfortunately, is irreversible. It’s also a very common cause of hearing loss as ear hairs can become damaged over time and continued exposure to noise.

Hearing aids, however, can help. These devices – which have come a long way in recent years – can allow you to keep hearing, communicate, and stay socially engaged.

If you’re struggling with hearing, talk to your doctor about why and what your options are.

You’re probably familiar with COPD, but did you know that poor sleep is associated with a significantly increased risk of serious flare-ups? A recent study found that people who sleep poorly are at a 25% to 95% higher risk of developing sudden breathing problems than people who get good quality sleep. These findings suggest that poor sleep may be an even better predictor of flare-ups in patients than their smoking history.

COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is a progressive lung condition that affects more than 16 million adults in the United States. COPD makes breathing difficult and can lead to several other health problems, including sleep apnea, anxiety, and depression. COPD flare-ups, also known as exacerbations, can last for days or even weeks and are often triggered by cold and flu viruses, pollutants, and dust.

While there is no cure for COPD, treatments are available that can help improve quality of life and prevent exacerbations. These treatments include bronchodilators, corticosteroids, and oxygen therapy.

One of the most important things COPD patients can do to manage their condition is getting enough sleep. Sleep gives the body a chance to rest and repair, and it helps to boost immunity. COPD patients should aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night, and they may need to adjust their sleep schedule to accommodate their medications or airway clearance devices. COPD can be a debilitating disease, but patients can enjoy a good quality of life with proper management.

It was found that, in general, poor sleep quality was strongly associated with a higher total of COPD flare-ups. Compared to those with the best possible sleep, participants who had low levels of poor sleep had a 25% increased chance of having a COPD flare-up within the next year. Those with the worst sleep had a nearly 95% increased risk of having a serious COPD flare-up within the next year.

“Among those who already have COPD, knowing how they sleep at night will tell me much more about their risk of a flare-up than knowing whether they smoked for 40 versus 60 years,” said lead study author Aaron Baugh, M.D. “That is very surprising and is not necessarily what I expected going into this study. Smoking is such a central process to COPD that I would have predicted it would be the more important predictor in the case of exacerbations.”

This study demonstrates that poor sleep can have serious health consequences, so it’s important to ensure you’re getting enough rest each night. If you’re struggling with insomnia or constantly feel exhausted, talk to your doctor about ways to improve your sleep habits.

Promoting Quality Sleep

Sleep Sure Plus is an excellent way to help promote optimal sleep and restfulness. Through a variety of ingredients, you can enjoy a better quality of sleep. One of the most important ingredients included in this unique formula is melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that is essential for the regulation of the circadian rhythm (the internal clock of the body). Sleep Sure Plus also contains valerian, one of the best natural ingredients for promoting rest and relaxation. Along with 6 other ingredients, melatonin and valerian all work together to provide a better quality of sleep.

Pain in the hip can easily be diagnosed as bursitis, and most people think that’s what it is. Some experts, however, believe that it isn’t 90 percent of the time.

Hip bursitis is commonly diagnosed when patients have pain on the outside of their hip, when inflammation occurs between the thighbone and nearby tendons.

But several other issues can cause a similar type of pain and require different treatments. Further, they are often easier to treat, and future bouts of hip pain can be prevented.

Hip pain is likely most commonly the result of one of the following conditions:

Tendinitis: Tendinitis occurs when there’s inflammation in the tendons (fibrous bands of tissues) that connect the gluteal muscles in your buttocks and hip bone. It can develop from a muscle imbalance resulting from a lack of activity, crossing legs, or even sitting on a wallet.

Overuse: Walking or running with weak hip and buttock muscles can tighten and irritate a long ban of connective tissue that runs from the knee to the hip – the iliotibial (IT) band.

Tight Muscles: If gluteal muscles and IT bands are too tight, they pull at the thighbone where they attach, which can lead to pain on the other side.

Spine Problems: Sometimes, pain in a pinched nerve, spine arthritis, or bones in the spine rubbing together can lead to pain in the side of the hip.

To treat the pain, you may need to visit a doctor and a physical therapist. They may be able to diagnose the pain and offer the best treatments.

Thankfully, the pain almost always goes away with targeted exercise and stretching. Massage and a course of physical therapy is a very successful combination to loosen things up to make walking more comfortable.

Building core strength can also help by aligning muscles and taking pressure off of the hips.

Avoiding habits that can tighten muscles and add to pain can also help. Crossing legs or sitting too long are the main culprits of hip muscle tightness and pain.

The sudden urge to urinate can be debilitating. It can keep you from confidently leaving home and enjoying your life, with a potential accident always looming.

Sometimes an overactive bladder is called urge incontinence, creating the urge to go when your bladder isn’t full. It might be possible to use a bladder workout to strengthen the bladder and regain some control over urges and when you go to the bathroom.

Here is a bladder training technique for you to try:

Keep Track: Track the times you urinate or leak urine during the course of two days. Write it down in a journal.

Assess Patterns: Calculate how many hours you wait, on average, between visits to the bathroom.

Select an Interval: Based on your general bathroom trip timing, start your training by extending your regular interval by 15 minutes. For instance, if you generally go an hour between bathroom visits, extend it to one hour and fifteen minutes.

Don’t Rush: On the first day of training, empty your bladder first thing in the morning and don’t go again until your target interval time. If the time arrives before you have the urge, go anyways. If the urge hits first, remember that your bladder is not yet full and use whatever techniques you can to hold off. Pelvic floor exercises – Kegels – or trying to wait another five minutes through distraction may help.

Extend the Interval: Once you can easily meet your interval time, extend it by another 15 minutes and continue to do so. Over the course of weeks or months, you might find that you don’t have the same urge as before.

If you’ve noticed an improvement in the four-to-eight-week range, write down the new info in a journal and compare the progress.

As if living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) isn’t hard enough, a new study suggests that people with the condition are also more likely to develop dementia and depression. This included both Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of arthritis that affects the tissues around the joints. RA is an autoimmune disease, which means that the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues. It can cause inflammation, pain, and stiffness in the joints and affect other parts of the body, such as the heart and lungs.

The study, which used information from the filling of prescriptions for antidepressants, showed that depression was associated with more than 6-fold increased mortality risk in patients with RA. Researchers also found that clinically active RA is associated with an elevated risk of dementia. Every five years after the diagnosis of RA, the cumulative incidence of dementia increases by 2-3%.

It was noted that the presence of rheumatoid nodules, hypertension, joint swelling, heart failure, and depression during the first year after RA incidence was significantly associated with the risk of dementia. Cardiovascular disease or cerebrovascular disease (particularly ischemic stroke and heart failure), large joint swelling, anxiety, and depression were found to increase the risk of cognitive impairment, including dementia.

This study appears to go against other research findings on the link between dementia and RA because the incidence of dementia among RA patients has declined in recent years. More studies are needed to determine if this reflects broader trends of dementia incidence over time, treatment advances yielding better control of RA or other factors.

While the findings don’t prove that rheumatoid arthritis causes dementia or depression, they do suggest that there may be a link between the two conditions. If you’re struggling with rheumatoid arthritis, it’s important to be aware of the increased risk of developing other health problems and talk to your doctor about any concerns.

Taking Care of Bone Health and Brain Function

While some degree of cognitive decline is nearly inevitable as you age, this study shows how other factors can take a toll on the ability of the brain to function at peak potential. This can affect memory, concentration, and overall brain function. The Smart Pill can help enhance cognitive function and memory through 9 ingredients that help support, nourish, and maximize brain health. These include ginkgo Biloba, huperzine A, bacopa extract, rosemary extract, and a B vitamin complex. The formulation of these ingredients is an excellent way to help fight free radicals, boost circulation, and provide nutritional support to assist with cognitive function.

Whether you have rheumatoid arthritis or not, supporting bone health is essential as you age. Bone Rescue can help to support the maintenance and development of bones thanks to its unique formula, including strontium. Chemically similar to calcium, strontium can provide great support for aging bones. Bone Rescue contains 680 mg of strontium along with additional ingredients to help keep bones strong and healthy.

New research has shed a little light on one of the more interesting organs in your body. It’s found that regardless of how old you are, your liver is eternally about three years old.

The organ, which is responsible for clearing toxins from the body and metabolizing nutrients, has a unique ability to renew and replace its cells at a high rate. It regenerates from damage rather quickly and appears to be able to do so throughout life.

Findings from the German study suggest that the ability to regenerate itself does not diminish with age.

That’s not to say that some people won’t put their liver through so much that damage could be inescapable or that others may have a genetic problem with their liver, but it does suggest that keeping it in relatively good health will keep it from aging.

The study, which was published online in the journal Cell Systems, used a technique called retrospective radiocarbon birth dating to learn the age of the livers of several people who died between the ages of 20 and 84. In all of them, liver cells were generally the same age.

Of course, your liver still needs your help. As impressive as this organ is at regenerating, it is still at risk of disease.

You can help your liver maintain optimal health by limiting sugar and alcohol intake and doing your best to eat a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables. Some vegetables, like broccoli, may even have added benefits to help optimize liver health.

Sugar can take a heavy toll on your liver, so pay attention to how much you’re eating. It is the main culprit of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD because it is very easy to unknowingly consistently over-consume. Limiting processed foods is the best defense.