Nutrition Archive

Wondering how many grams of protein to have per day? The answer may surprise you. Discover the recommended daily protein intake and how to calculate it here.

GERD, or acid reflux, can lead to heartburn, a bad taste in your mouth, and other unpleasant symptoms. Here are some treatments you can try at home.

I'm 79 years old and have been taking 3,000 mg of vitamin C a day for years. I'm now uneasy about taking this amount and plan to cut back to 1,000 mg daily. Is this the right dose? Will my body be startled by the abrupt change?

While the focus is often on avoiding unhealthy foods, adding in nutritious options can be a means of protecting and improving your heart health. Olive oil, mixed nuts, multicolored fruits and vegetables, fatty fish, and sources of soluble fiber are options to try.

People with elevated LDL cholesterol values may be able to reduce their LDL levels by eating more foods that are rich in fiber and lower in saturated fats. High-fiber foods include whole grains, beans, nuts, vegetables, and fruits. Saturated fats are found mainly in meat, cheese, and other high-fat dairy products such as butter, half and half, and ice cream.

Intermittent fasting means that people avoid food for a designated amount of time each day. One of the most popular approaches is called 16/8. People eat during an eight-hour period—for example from noon to 8 p.m.— followed by 16 hours of fasting, in this case from 8 p.m. until noon the next day, when the pattern repeats. While science does not yet know the long-term benefits of intermittent fasting, initial short-term research has suggested the practice may help lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and weight, among other health benefits.

During his lifetime, a man loses about 30% of his muscle mass. Older men can maintain and even regain muscle by combining regular weight training and a proper diet, including adequate amounts of protein. Research suggests that to help counter lost muscle mass, healthy older adults need 1.2 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day. This is calculated by dividing a person's weight in pounds by 2.2 and then multiplying by 1.2.

Intermittent fasting—a diet that focuses on when rather than what a person eats—may be a good way to lose weight and improve cardiovascular health. One version, time-restricted feeding, involves eating only during a certain time window (usually eight hours) over a single day; another approach limits a person to just 400 to 600 calories daily for several days over the course of a week. The diet may reduce risk factors linked to heart disease, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, unhealthy blood lipid levels, and inflammation.

Some research says taking a daily fish oil supplement can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, while other studies say the evidence remains thin. While fish oil is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids (essential nutrients that the body cannot make on its own),  taking an over-the-counter fish oil supplement probably provides no extra heart benefit beyond a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of omega-3-rich fatty fish, nuts, and seeds.