Reach Wellness • Jennifer Allen Newton, Health Coach

08/30/2025

A 15-year study in JAMA Internal Medicine has found that added sugar may be a bigger threat to your heart than cholesterol—more than doubling the risk of dying from heart disease, even if you’re not overweight.

People who got 25% or more of their daily calories from added sugar were over twice as likely to die from heart disease as those consuming less than 10%. The danger increased with higher sugar intake, regardless of age, weight, activity level, or cholesterol numbers.

Top sources include sugary drinks (over a third of added sugar in U.S. diets), desserts, candy, sweetened cereals, and fruit drinks. Excess sugar may raise blood pressure and cause the liver to release harmful fats into the blood—both key heart disease risks.

The American Heart Association advises a daily limit of 6 teaspoons (100 calories) for women and 9 teaspoons (150 calories) for men. A single can of soda can exceed these limits. Experts recommend swapping soda for fruit-infused seltzer and opting for fruit-based or unsweetened desserts to protect your heart.

08/23/2025

The same is true for ecosystems. We are of the Earth!🌎

Your body is a symphony, not a solo. Each note — every choice, every intervention — ripples across the interconnected web of physiology. That’s the power of systems biology.⁣
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08/18/2025

From Pema's book "When Things Fall Apart", her best seller!
https://pemachodronfoundation.org/product/when-things-fall-apart-book/

08/13/2025

“I'd rather regret the risks that didn't work out than the chances I didn't take at all." - Simone Biles

08/04/2025

Is it possible we search too hard for meaning when it’s right here in front of us?

This resonates… Only you can live your life!

"The meaning of life is to live it, as wholly as we can, as abundantly as we can, as bravely as we can...sharing the experience with others, caring for others as we care for ourselves, and accepting our responsibility for leaving the world better than we found it." - James Hemming

VIA AHA

07/28/2025

I LOVE this concept!

I was with colleagues at dinner, and they asked me “how I ate.” They talked about themselves as following a vegan, vegetarian, and plant-based approach, with a few of them eating more fish and meat. I responded by saying, “I’m a diversitarian.” They looked at me quizzically. I said, “Because I travel so much, I want to experience the culture through their foods and their gut microbiome. I want to experience life through the varieties of foods.”

Unless I’m truly allergic or intolerant to something, I try to broaden and diversify my intake. The research on dietary diversity is extensive, indicating that it is associated with better nutritional status, gut microbiome adaptability, cognitive function, visual and auditory sustained attention, and less risk for mental health issues, allergic symptoms, and even fractures and falls.

Over the years, as I’ve worked with people and their food intake, I’ve seen that people get into food ruts. Sometimes, we need to shake things up. Aiming for at least 30-50 unique foods weekly is a general guideline, with the premise that everyone’s gut is different and may need a gradual increase.

Diversity is Nature’s principle. It can help people thrive and be more resilient in body and mind. 🌈✨

07/21/2025

“I'm trying to live every day as if it's my first. To wake up with that sense of pure, uninhibited, creative freedom. That sense of wonder and curiosity that a little kid might."
- Suleika Jaouad

07/18/2025

“Looking stupid does the spirit good." — John Updike

Embarrassment builds character (and great stories). Every stumble is proof you're moving. Keep going!

Via: AHA

06/30/2025

Dr. Bredesen’s ReCODE program has been doing this for a decade. His patients have experienced measurable positive results and it doesn’t require you to be a vegan (though you can be, with effort). But it’s good to see mainstream medicine finally admitting that diet and lifestyle can slow and even reverse cognitive decline!

If you want to learn more about ReCODE, please let me know!

In a “shocking” development, researchers at Harvard just discovered what we published more than a decade ago: you can prevent and, in some cases, even reverse Alzheimer’s. Welcome to the 21st century, Harvard. https://local12.com/news/nation-world/alzheimers-reversible-patients-new-study-disease-memory-mental-cognitive-brain-cognition-diet-lifestyle-healthy-health-healthier-fitness-exercise

06/30/2025

A recent article from Women's Health highlights concerns about antihistamines and dementia risk. Many commonly used medications, including some antihistamines, can negatively impact cognition by downregulating acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter vital for memory and learning.

We have long warned that anticholinergic medications correlate with an increased risk of dementia, as do benzodiazepines. This includes drugs like Benadryl, Tylenol PM, and Advil PM, as well as some sleep medications like Ambien. Newer drugs like Claritin and Zyrtec, which don’t cross the blood-brain barrier as much, are likely better. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a64804619/antihistamines-dementia-risk/

06/27/2025

“There is literally nothing in nature that blooms all year long, so do not expect yourself to do so."

— American Humanist Association

02/15/2025

Magnesium!

Research shows a high-magnesium diet could slow brain aging and lower dementia risk.

A study from the Australian National University shows that increased magnesium intake may help protect against age-related brain decline, particularly benefiting women.

Researchers analyzed data from over 6,000 participants aged 40–73, tracking their dietary magnesium consumption and its effects on brain volume and white matter lesions. Those consuming more than 550 mg of magnesium daily had brains appearing nearly a year younger by age 55 compared to those with lower intake.

The study also found that postmenopausal women experienced the greatest neuroprotective benefits, possibly due to magnesium’s anti-inflammatory properties.

Magnesium, found in foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains, has long been known for its health benefits, but this research highlights its potential role in dementia prevention. With no cure for dementia, experts stress the importance of dietary strategies for brain health.

Study co-author Dr. Erin Walsh emphasizes the need for further research to confirm these findings and inform public health recommendations. Given the rising global prevalence of dementia, this study underscores the importance of modifiable lifestyle factors in reducing cognitive decline and promoting long-term brain health.

Learn more: https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/can-a-magnesium-rich-diet-reduce-dementia-risk