Seaweed is a familiar component in traditional Asian diets. Historical accounts indicate that the use of seaweeds such as gim (Porphyra sp.), kombu (Laminaria japonica) and miyeok (Undaria pinnatifida) in Japanese and Korean recipes have both a culinary and medicinal rationale. In recent years, scientists in the U.S. and abroad have begun to investigate the Related posts: Preventing Breast Cancer Breast Cancer Protection Breast Cancer and Iron Grapefruit and Breast Cancer Breast and Prostate Cancer News

If you’ve got a cookie craving, you’re in luck: FitSugar readers Pure2raw recently shared this gluten-free chocolate chip cookie cake with us in our Healthy Recipe group . Everyone loves cookie cake, right? We have a chocolate chip cookie cake that is not only gluten-free but egg- and dairy-free, too. It is full of flavor with a great soft, cakelike texture. Plus the three-ingredient coconut frosting is too good not to try. Get the recipe after the break!

The list of reasons to quit smoking just got longer. A new study published today on the website of the Archives of General Psychiatry has found that smoking appears to accelerate the pace of age-related cognitive decline in middle-aged men. The mental function of the average 50-year-old male smoker can be expected to decline as quickly as that of a 60-year-old who has never smoked, the researchers estimate, even after factors such as educational level and overall health are taken into account. "While we were aware that smoking is a risk factor for lung diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, this study shows also its detrimental effect on cognitive aging," says lead author Séverine Sabia, Ph.D., an epidemiologist at University College in London. "This detrimental effect is evident as soon as [age] 45." And it's not just the pack-a-day crowd that needs to worry. So-called social smokers also put their brains at risk whenever they light up, the study suggests. "Intermittent smokers showed the same cognitive decline as persistent smokers, showing the importance of definitive smoking cessation," Sabia says. Female smokers did not display similar declines. Researchers say this unexpected finding may reflect gender differences in smoking and health patterns, rather than differences in how the brain responds to smoking. "That is new and surprising," says Joseph Quinn, M.D., a neurologist at Oregon Health and Science University, in Portland, who was not involved in the new research. "While there are lots of possible explanations, all are speculative. But women are not off the hook." Health.com: The 10 states most addicted to smoking Sabia and her colleagues analyzed data on 7,236 British civil servants who participated in a long-running health study known as Whitehall II. Over a 25-year period, the men and women periodically answered questions about their smoking habits: how old they were when they started to smoke; how much they smoked each day; and, if they'd quit, how long it had been since they kicked the habit. Three times in 10 years, the same group also underwent a battery of tests designed to measure their short-term memory and their capacity to plan, organize, and pay attention (known as executive function). On average, the workers were 56 years old when they first took the brain tests. Male smokers "showed a cognitive decline as fast as non-smokers 10 years older than them," Sabia says. Health.com: Crazy ways smokers finally kicked the habit There was some good news. Former smokers who had been off cigarettes for at least ten years showed no increase in cognitive decline compared to men who had never smoked. "Anyone who stops smoking reduces their risk," Quinn says. One question the study can't answer is whether the cognitive decline the researchers measured can be linked to Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, says David Teplow, Ph.D., interim director of the Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer's Research at UCLA, in Los Angeles. "Are these people going to get diseases? That's what we want to know," Teplow says, adding that he hopes the researchers will continue to follow the study participants into old age, when a potential link between smoking and dementia would become apparent. Health.com: 25 signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease Previous research has identified smoking as a risk factor for dementia, but the extent of the association remains unclear, Sabia and her colleagues note. In the meantime, the study's message for smokers is clear: Quit now. "It is just that simple," Teplow says. "Live a healthy life, exercise, and eat a good diet. And a good diet means not inhaling cigarette smoke." Filed under: Health , Health.com , Men’s Health , Smoking Tagged: Matt McMillen – Health.com

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on FitSugar. By Su Reid-St. John If you’ve just eked your millionth sun salutation out of that thin, raggedy rectangle you call a mat, it might be time to spring for a new one. But what to do with the old? Certainly, you could recycle it or even donate it if it isn’t too far gone, or you could tap your inner Martha and try a little creative repurposing: 1. Hang it horizontally in your garage to keep car doors from scraping the walls. 2. Use it as a kitchen mat in front of the stove or sink. 3. Lay it under your sleeping bag on your next camping trip; it won’t provide much in the way of cushioning, but at least you won’t feel every rock and stick. 4. Scrub the heck out of it, then cut it up as liners for shelves and drawers. 5. Make it into floor covers for the backseat area so your kids’ muddy shoes and cleats won’t ruin your mats. 6. Carpet the tree house! Health.com: Blast It Off With Yoga 7. Cut it into small circles and use them under furniture legs to protect the floor. 8. Wrap it around that attic beam or basement pole you keep running into. 9. Put it under the litter box so the cat won’t track stuff all over the floor. 10. Cut it to fit under slippery rugs to keep them in place. There are 16 more things to do with that old mat, so keep reading.

Your yoga studio might offer Friday night kirtan, but have you ever heard of a yoga studio transforming into a nightclub on the weekend? Shiva Rae’s Yoga Trance Dance and Aarona’s Yoga Soundscape fuse yoga with dance elements, but these days yogis are rolling up their mats and raving after class (sans the alcohol, of course). Get Your Dance On has popularized the trend of combining a challenging yoga class followed by a liberating dance party, complete with live DJs, funky, local musicians, and a smoke machine. After a detoxing and purifying class, yogis can continue to socialize by dancing in a noncompetitive, nonalcoholic, and all-inclusive environment. The energy stays high as guests sip on kombucha and coconut water and eat raw, vegan noshes. While most events occur in NYC at Judson Church, Urban Zen, and YogaWorks SoHo, the dance party has ventured to the West Coast in LA and San Francisco. I’m hoping to bring this dance revolution to my local studio. We’re gonna tell that yogi to pass the kombucha tea! Source: Aria Isadora Photography Would You Go to a Yoga Studio-Turned-Nightclub? Yes! Bare feet and no inhibitions . . . that sounds great! No. The room would be too hot and sweaty. No. I like my mojitos and high heels, thank you! Maybe. It would have to depend on the energy of the class.

I love push-ups . Dropping and doing 20 makes me feel strong and tough. But as Lauren my Equinox trainer reminded me, it’s important to offset all the pushing with some pulling. Although the glorious push-up feels like a full body exercise (it certainly works your core), it primarily works your chest and arms. When the pecs get too tight, they pull your shoulders forward, which is not only unattractive but puts the shoulder joint in a compromised position and can lead to injury. Ouch. To maintain balance in your upper body, be sure to mix it up. Here are a few push-to-pull workout combinations to add to your fitness life: Push-ups followed with sprints on a rowing machine. Be sure to read up on proper rowing technique if you’re unfamiliar with the machine. Chest press with bent over rows , or go more full body with a tipping row to challenge your balance and work your lower body too. The versatility of the cable pulley machine means you can combine pushing and pulling into one fluid move. Start facing the machine, and begin with a standing row. When you have pulled your hand to your chest, rotate away from the machine and push your arm out. It feels a bit like you’re drawing a sword (pull) and then thrusting it out (push). In my experience the muscles on the front of the body, the ones that pull you into the fetal position, are much stronger than the muscles on your back. Be sure to work that pulling motion to strengthen your upper back, especially the rhomboids . Remember, if it’s an exercise you tend to avoid , it’s probably one your body needs the most.

The Acai palm has gained in popularity for its health benefits that come from eating the palm fruit. This tree grows predominantly in swamps and flood plains and is a member of the palm tree family. There are many native species of this tree in regions of South America and some have been cultivated for commercial uses as demand for its fruit has grown. Acai berries have been used as a nutritional supplement and food staple in regions where it grows locally. The berries can be eaten as food or made into a juice that is then consumed. This juice is often combined with other superfruits to make a potent health drink that can provide a number of health benefits for the entire body. Health benefits for Acai berries include weight loss and immune and metabolism boosts. Acai berries help create weight loss by helping those who use it feel less hungry and curbing appetite. This can lead to weight loss as it is easier to adhere to a reduced calorie diet. The antioxidants and nutrients in Acai berries from the Acai palm can also help to fight off illness when taken regularly. This can be very beneficial during flu seasons or for those who work in areas where they might be regularly exposed to germs or other contaminants. The berries are typically sold frozen or in juice form though other methods of preserving them have been used. This is due to the rapid spoiling nature of the berries, which must be used very shortly after harvesting to preserve the nutrients. Palm hearts are considered a delicacy for many and eaten like a vegetable. In addition to the benefits provided by the Acai palm fruit, the leaves of this palm may be used to create a number of products such as wearable goods, baskets and roof thatching. The trunk of this tree features wood that is naturally resistant to pests and may be used in home or other forms of construction. The oil from the tree is also to treat a number of conditions such as stomach ailments or ulcers within the body.

Rap, techno, and pop hits are often at the top of most gym playlists as they tend to provide a good base beat and rhythm to kick your cardio into high gear. But after watching the Country Music Awards last night, I’ve gone country. While I usually rely on one of the aforementioned music classifications to get me going, I may be leaning on Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker (yes, that’s Hootie!), Taylor Swift, and Dierks Bentley to get the job done on occasion, and I’m thinking you should give ‘em a try, too. And remember, you don’t have to have a twang to enjoy some good ol’ country music. Ready to sample and see the playlist spelled out?

The OnSugar blog Fit Dish From Ask Fitness Coach posted this poll about exercising at the office . If you’ve got a question that needs answering, start an OnSugar blog . Your post might end up on our homepage! Forget ergonomic office furniture and breezy walks at lunch: workplace wellness is turning into total body workouts in the cube . Are you into it? A Reader Asks: Would You Exercise in Your Office? I prefer to work up a sweat at the gym. Maybe inconspicuous activities like stretching. I might go for a run at lunch, but wouldn’t exercise IN my office. Totally. I’d do cardio in the cube. Who wants to be stuck in a chair all day?

We all know that unhealthy living or having an illness can make you feel down, but a new report from the Centers for Disease Control says these issues lead to clinical depression in a large number of Americans . The organization underscored chronic conditions like obesity , heart disease, and diabetes as well as unhealthy lifestyle choices like smoking, physical inactivity , or binge drinking as causes of depressive disorder, which it says currently affects almost 10 percent of Americans. In addition, the CDC reported that about three percent of Americans experience major depression, meaning that for more than half the time they met eight criteria for depression, including “feeling down, depressed, or hopeless” or having “little interest or pleasure in doing things.” With the incidence of depression increasing, it is not surprising that the American Psychiatric Association on Friday released the first update to its physician guidelines on treating major depression in a decade. Some of its recommendations are pretty unexpected. To see some highlights on how to treat depression , including the organization’s beliefs on exercise and shock therapy, read more. Shock therapy by passing electric current through the brain can be very effective for extreme cases of depression. The organization also offered magnetic therapy on nerves in the brain as a potential option for those with recurring major episodes. Maintenance treatment by staying on antidepressants “indefinitely” can benefit those who have recurring episodes of depression. Exercise such as aerobics or resistance training can provide modest improvements in mood. Talking therapy works best for those with mild or moderate depression, but in serious cases may not be as effective as medication. Depression during pregnancy can lead to preterm delivery, so pregnant patients should discuss whether or not to remain on medication or whether to use talking therapy with their doctors. The APA said the report was based on published research and reviewed by an independent panel for any industry bias.