Power Couples
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Science & Health
Power Couples
Some classic food pairings go well together based on flavor, texture, or even color. Think brie and strawberries, steak and potatoes, or even peanut butter and jelly. But other, equally delicious combos work a biochemical magic together to boost each ingredient’s natural nutrients. Rice and beans, for instance, not only have a rich history in ancient culinary practices, but they are also complementary proteins. When rice and beans eaten together, they provide all nine essential…
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Science & Health
Reprogramming Your Body
This year’s National Nutrition Month theme is “Put Your Best Fork Forward,” which is the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’s way to remind us that each bite counts. Food, after all, is more than fuel—it is information. The bioactive substances of food—along with physical activity, toxins, and stress—can modify our “gene expression,” that is, how our bodies function. While food cannot change our genetic predispositions (such as, for instance, to heart disease), it can affect…
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Science & Health
Getting Enough Zzzzs
We all need a good night’s rest. Sleep refreshes and energizes us, and enables us to take on the day. Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night, yet the average American usually manages just six-and-half hours. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes sleep insufficiency as a public health problem. More than a quarter of all Americans report not getting enough sleep, and 10 percent experience chronic insomnia. Many of…