Health & Wellness Boosters

Healthy Air Fryer Parmesan Chicken with Broccoli


Ingredients:

1/3 cup panko

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

4 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)

1 1/2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 cups small broccoli florets (about 5 ounces)

1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
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Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:

Special equipment: a 3.5-quart air fryer

1- Stir together the panko, Parmesan, 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, the oregano, pinch of salt and a couple grinds of pepper in a shallow bowl or small baking dish until thoroughly combined.

2- Pat the chicken dry between a couple paper towels, then sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the chicken with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the Dijon, then press into the panko-Parmesan mixture, making sure both sides are evenly coated.

3- Toss the broccoli, remaining 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, a good pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper in a medium bowl until evenly coated.

4- Preheat a 3.5-quart air fryer to 375 degrees F. Add the chicken to the air-fryer basket and cook until it’s starting to brown and crisp on the top, about 6 minutes. Flip the chicken over with tongs and position in the center of the basket, then scatter the broccoli around the perimeter. Continue air-frying until the chicken is crisp all over and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the middle registers 160 degrees F, and the broccoli is tender and charred, about 8 minutes more.
Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt, lemon zest and juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon Dijon, a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper in a small bowl. Serve alongside the chicken and broccoli for dipping

12 Health Benefits of Magnesium Supplements

Magnesium helps over 300 enzymes perform critical functions throughout the body, resulting in a range of biological benefits—and unfortunately, research shows that most people do not get enough of it from their diet.
Part of this is because of soil quality. Due to fertilization practices in the last 60-70 years, magnesium in wheat has declined by 19.6%. In addition, in many locations, drinking water may be processed in a way that depletes its mineral content.
It’s for these reasons that it’s imperative that we supplement with magnesium. There’s so much magnesium can do for your health; here we will describe the top 12 science-based benefits.

1. Keep the beat on a healthy heart

Magnesium benefits your health in many ways—most notably, this mineral is involved in the electrical stimulation that maintains our heartbeats. Because of this, research has also found that supplementation can help support a healthy degree of variations in sequences of heartbeats, otherwise referred to as our “heart rate variability.” You might be thinking you shouldn’t have any variations in your heartbeat. People mistakenly assume your heart should beat like a metronome (i.e., steady and consistent), but in fact, a healthy heart will have some amount of variation.

2. Maintain already-healthy blood pressure.

Much like a slight counterclockwise turn on a spigot attached to a hose with too much water pressure, magnesium helps your blood vessels relax, supporting your body’s ability to maintain blood pressure within already-healthy ranges. This relationship between magnesium and healthy blood pressure was confirmed by a meta-analysis, which calculated combined results from 34 clinical trials totaling more than 2,000 subjects.

3. Sharpen your brain.

Magnesium helps support neuroplasticity, which includes the ability to form new connections related to learning and memory. The predicament is that most forms of magnesium are not readily utilized by the brain. It is for these reasons that scientists at MIT developed a specific form of magnesium called magnesium L-threonate, which has a higher brain magnesium loading ability.
In a randomized-controlled trial 12 weeks of magnesium-L-threonate supplementation was associated with a 20% increased speed in tests of executive function (reasoning, problem-solving, and planning), whereas the placebo group was unchanged.

4. Head off head cavity discomfort

Occasional head discomfort can be a drag—it’s hard to focus and be productive when you’re dealing with those discomforts we can all get from time to time. Fortunately, getting adequate levels of magnesium can “head off” these problems. Taking 500 mg of magnesium every 12 hours for 8 weeks resulted in less days and hours with head cavity discomfort compared to baseline.

5. Promote bone health

Many people only think of calcium when it comes to bone health; however, one half to two-thirds of the body’s total magnesium content is stored in the bones. Getting enough magnesium is highly correlated with strong, dense bones. Without magnesium, supplementing with calcium alone won’t do much good as magnesium plays a role in both absorption and metabolism of calcium.

6. Maintain glucose levels already within the normal range

Magnesium has a well-established relationship with glucose and insulin. Results from a clinical trial on 40 participants show that 250 mg of magnesium daily was enough to promote already-healthy levels of hemoglobin A1C compared to the placebo group. Hemoglobin A1c is an important biomarker that reflects a three-month average of glucose levels.

7. Promotes pancreatic health

It’s not surprising that magnesium supports the health of the pancreas. After all, it is the organ that secretes insulin and research shows magnesium supports a healthy insulin response.

8. Get an edge on your esophageal health

Minerals in their carbonate forms (magnesium/calcium/potassium carbonate) are commonly used to help protect your esophageal tissue from harsh stomach acids. Life Extension® offers an esophageal health supplement containing carbonate minerals such as magnesium carbonate in addition to a licorice extract (DGL), to support a comfortable, healthy esophagus.

9. Shrug off stress

Having adequate levels of magnesium is correlated with better stress management, according to research—and multiple studies have found that magnesium can modulate the activity of the body’s stress response. One interesting study that stimulated a stress response found that when subjects’ adrenaline increased, plasma magnesium concentrations were found to decrease significantly.

10. Dream of a better night’s sleep

Magnesium can be supportive of quality sleep and complement the effects of other supplements such as melatonin..Some evidence also suggests that magnesium plays a role in maintaining your 24-hour sleep wake cycle called your circadian rhythm or your “internal clock.” A good circadian rhythm will help you get to sleep and awake at a regular and healthy rate.

11. Magnesium can support your mood

Magnesium works on several neurotransmitter pathways associated with mood such as supporting healthy levels of serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter. In a randomized clinical trial, 500 mg of magnesium taken daily for 6 weeks supported a healthy mood compared to placebo.

12. Powerful connection with vitamin D

Vitamin D obtained from supplements, food, or sunlight is inactive. To reach its active form, so that it can best benefit we need specific enzymes which are dependent on magnesium. Not only that, but magnesium also enables vitamin D to bind to carrier proteins so that it can be transported throughout the blood.

FAQs about magnesium supplements

Here are some of the more common questions we get about magnesium—and the answers from Life Extension's very own Director of Education, Michael A. Smith, M.D

Q. How much magnesium should I take?
A. The best way to make sure is by taking a magnesium RBC test, however, most people just need 500-1,500 mg per day.

Q. When is it best to take magnesium supplements?
A. Magnesium can be taken at any time of the day. Take magnesium close to bedtime if your goal is to support your sleep.

Q. Types of magnesium supplements… which one is best?
A. Magnesium is available in variety of different forms such as magnesium oxide, citrate, or succinate. There is a lot of debate on the internet as to which form of magnesium is more bioavailable, especially between magnesium oxide and magnesium citrate many claim citrate is superior because of urinary excretion studies, which show more magnesium is present in the urine when magnesium citrate is taken. That being said, we believe it’s more important to assess magnesium concentrations in red blood cells (or epithelial cells), and studies that look at these concentrations conclude that the different forms of magnesium are largely irrelevant.
The type of magnesium matters when you have a specific health goal in mind. Magnesium-L-threonate is more bioavailable in the brain. Forms like magnesium glycinate may be better for stress and sleep since the magnesium is bound to the amino acid glycine which is also a calming neurotransmitter.

Q. What are the benefits of time-released magnesium supplements?
A. Magnesium comes in quick release and extended-release forms. An extended-release magnesium is released more slowly and has a greater effect at raising peripheral magnesium levels. For those who wish to achieve greater benefits from magnesium, utilizing a supplement that has immediate and extended release delivery is the way to go!
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Q. What are common side effects of magnesium supplements?
A. Magnesium is generally well tolerated; however, it may have a laxative effect at high dosages. If this happens to you, you can try dividing your doses throughout the day, taking less, or trying different forms.

About the Author: Chancellor Faloon is a graduate of Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences. He is dedicated to disseminating guidance on achieving better health and wellness. He has had various roles in the company, but scientific writing has always been his top priority. Chance has also raced in multiple full and half marathons.

How to make healthy vegetable chips

A good idea for those who feel very hungry between meals or at night is to prepare a mix of healthy chips that are alternatives to fried or processed snacks that are harmful to health and hinder weight loss. MIX: 1 eggplant, 1 sweet potato, and 1 zucchini sliced thinly, for example. You'll have a large portion to chew on and satisfy hunger, with only 191 calories, considering the olive oil used. The preparation of zucchini and eggplant chips does not require the use of olive oil, but it is essential to brush a thin layer if you prefer sweet potato, parsnip, yam, or beet chips.

How to make healthy chips
Ingredients
2 medium-sized units of your preferred vegetable (carrot, beetroot, yam, eggplant, zucchini, sweet potato, radish, pumpkin, parsnip) thinly sliced ​​(about 1mm) Olive oil to taste
Grated ginger to taste or rosemary
Salt to taste
Pepper (whichever you prefer)

Preparation method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC for 15 minutes. Slice into approximately 1mm slices.
Mix the olive oil with salt and brush a thin layer on all the chips. Place the healthy chips on a lightly greased baking sheet or parchment paper, sprinkle with your preferred pepper, grated ginger, or rosemary to taste.
Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes (depending on the oven) on each side. Since each oven has different power, it's worth checking them from time to time to see if they are done. Remove from the oven when they are golden brown and crispy.
If not eating immediately, let them cool and store in a tightly closed container to maintain crispiness.

Extra tips: in the case of sweet potato and eggplant, try soaking them before putting them in the oven. Dry well with a paper towel before baking. The sweet potato becomes crispier, and the eggplant less bitter.

AVOCADO TOAST:
Ingredients:
1 slice of bread – preferably whole grain or multigrain;
1/2 avocado;
1 tablespoon of ricotta cheese;
Salt, pepper, and lemon to taste;
1 egg.

Instructions:
Heat the bread in the oven, on the stovetop, or in a toaster and spread the ricotta cheese on top to add creaminess and flavor;

Place the sliced avocado on top, already seasoned with salt, black pepper, and lemon;

Prepare the egg as desired – fried, scrambled, or poached – and serve alongside.

Did you like the tip?

Here's the recipe for Sweet Potato Bread:

Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup of cooked and mashed sweet potato (or pumpkin)
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup of warm water
- 1 cup of nutritious flour (such as almond flour, oat bran, chickpea flour, or a mix of these)
- Salt and spices to taste
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder

Instructions:
1. In a blender, mix eggs, warm water, olive oil, sweet potato, salt, and spices until smooth.
2. In a separate bowl, place the flour and add the mixture from the blender. Stir well. Add the baking powder.
3. Pour the batter into a greased pan, sprinkle seeds on top, and bake in a preheated oven at medium heat (170-200°C / 340-390°F) for 30-35 minutes, depending on your oven.

Enjoy your delicious Sweet Potato Bread!