All the talk and images of chocolate and chocolate-covered strawberries and other sweet edibles for Valentine’s Day got me thinking about sugar the past week. Sugar tastes good. Sweet foods make you feel good.  But sugar has acquired a bad reputation in recent times. The warning has gone out from leading health organizations to reduce the consumption of sugar. Sugar is identified as a major contributor of the global public health crisis in obesity and heart disease. Is sugar a danger to older adults then?
Sugar’s fall from grace
What happened! Sugar used to be king o…

Peppermint candies, gingerbread cookies, Christmas eggnog are some of the favorite foods of the holiday season. But do you know that these delectable treats also contain healthy ingredients that can counteract indigestion, gas, flatulence, bloating, queasiness, and just about any discomfort associated with overeating or feasting on rich decadent foods during this time of the year? Yes, the peppermint in the candies, the ginger and cardamom in the cookies, and the nutmeg in the eggnog provide potent healing powers when consumed in their pure state or as teas. The essential o…