Silvie+Maryl – Holistic Living, Plant-Based Diet, Recipes, Love & Relationship, Healthy LifestyleTips

Exercise: Want more efficient muscles? Eat your spinach, says a new study. According to research published in Cell Metabolism, nitrate, a compound found in vegetables and especially in green leaves, helps healthy people consume less oxygen while exercising. This happens because the nitrate in vegetables mixes with friendly bacteria in the mouth and forms nitric oxide, which in turn helps the cardiovascular system by opening up our blood vessels to lower blood pressure. The study says that, in addition to this benefit, the nitrates make mitochondria – the powerhouses of the cell -  more efficient. Interestingly, the researchers say that since the benefits of nitrates depend on friendly bacteria in the mouth, mouthwashes are not good if you want this system to work because they kill good and bad bacteria. Read More…

Exercise: According to a new study, yoga has a greater positive effect on a person’s mood and anxiety level than walking and other forms of exercise. Yoga increases the level of GABA, a chemical in the brain that helps to regulate nerve activity and that is reduced in people with mood and anxiety disorders. The study demonstrates increased GABA levels measured after a session of yoga postures are associated with improved mood and decreased anxiety. The findings establish a new link between yoga, higher levels of GABA in the thalamus, and improvements in mood and anxiety based on psychological assessments. The study was published in the the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Read More…