You would think that a comfortable retirement away from the working world would be every American’s dream, but with people living longer, healthier lives, many are adopting a different view. A survey last spring of almost 4,000 adults from four generations revealed that an astounding 71 percent of respondents who weren’t already retired indicated they wanted to continue working when they reach retirement age. More than half saw retirement as “an opportunity for a new, exciting chapter in life,” saying they might like to work less but not stop working, while many saw retirement as an opportunity for a second career. From a financial standpoint, this makes perfect sense; your retirement nest egg will continue to grow and you could receive a higher Social Security benefit when you do retire. But researchers say there may be another good reason to continue working beyond retirement—it could help ward off Alzheimer’s disease.

But other experts aren’t readily embracing the findings. “There could be a number of reasons why later retirement in men is linked with later onset of dementia,” said Dr. Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer’s Society. “Men who retire early often do so because of health conditions, such as hypertension or diabetes, which increase your risk of dementia.” She added: “The best way to reduce your risk of dementia is to combine keeping physically active, with eating a balanced diet and getting your blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly.”

The researchers acknowledge that more research is needed in order to understand ways to effectively delay or prevent dementia, but adds that “the possibility that the nature of retirement is changing must also be considered. It is at least plausible that retirement has become more stimulating over time. Our data suggests a continuing positive effect of cognitive activities into later life. This may give some encouragement to the increasing investigations into cognitive training in later life and adds weight to the notion of an active retirement.”

If you read my article about the health effects of ginger, you already know that I am an avid fan of sushi. Having grown up in California where sushi is commonplace and fresh fish is caught by the hour, the delicacy consisting of raw fish, rice, spices, and seaweed, is a luxury we often take for granted. While I usually drool over the ginger, fresh fish, and soy-sauce laden rice, science might be telling me to start appreciating the thin black “skin” of seaweed wrapped around them instead.

While many beachgoers and ocean swimmers get tied up or tangled in the slimy legs of seaweed, the term “seaweed” is actually a blanket word for any variety of algae formed in the sea. Algae comes in red, green, or brown and is harvested for a number of commercial uses. Besides being an additive in some products such as toothpaste, paint, or cosmetics, seaweed is also being developed as a weight-loss tool, fertilizer, as a potential biofuel, and it could be the next “superfood” if more uses are found.

“We can cure cancer with a shotgun, so curing cancer is not the problem…. Curing cancer without harming patients is a whole different thing that’s very difficult to figure out. Many compounds have been found to have a negative effect on cancer cells, but almost none of them have gone to market because of adverse side effects that make them unusable.”

While it may be awhile before we are able to take seaweed capsules to ward off cancer or those extra few inches around the middle, it looks like seaweed is a great source of nutrition and shouldn’t be shooed away from the table.

While I am not one to have a green thumb in the garden—I have on record accidentally killed three cactus plants, although in my defense, they were cheap and got some sort of disease—I do still believe that plants are good for morale. Since feng shui became popular, plants are part of the healing process helping to harmonize the living (you) with the earth (furniture, etc.) for perfect balance. Even though plants may wish to live anywhere but my place, plant therapy is now shown to have research to support it.

The patients who recovered in a room with a plant recorded less pain, anxiety, and fatigue whereas in the rooms without the plant more pain medication was needed. Blood pressure was lessened and the heart rates of those volunteers in the plant rooms were lowered and each patient said that having a plant increased the pleasantry of the room. Other signs that researchers kept track of were vital signs, hospitalization time, and whether or not they received drugs after their surgery.Throughout World War II, HT was spread worldwide and it is now shown to be great for adding wellness to people’s lives. Cultivating a garden gives people the job of taking care of something and nurturing it into existence. Taught throughout a variety of organizations and community groups from helping the elderly to young people and those with physical and mental disabilities, facilities like psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitation centers, prisons, training programs, and even substance abuse clinics have used this program with success.

By being able to release a patient’s emotions while helping them recover from a serious condition or mild problem they may be fighting with, research has shown that these little green, dirt-filled bundles of joy actually can make a difference.

New data shows that breastfeeding isn’t only good for the baby, but can also benefit the mother. Mothers who breastfeed may benefit from lower risks of heart attacks, heart disease, and stroke because of reduced fat stored in the body.

Though breastfeeding had been losing steam for many decades with the migration of more women in the workplace, it seems over the past several years the trend is actually gaining in popularity. Research has shown many positive effects of breastfeeding for a baby, such as lowering risks for infections in the gastrointestinal, urinary, and respiratory tracts, reducing instances of ear infections, diarrhea and the risk of SIDS (sudden-infant death syndrome). Breastfeeding has also shown to potentially ward off allergies, diabetes, and even obesity later in life for breastfed babies. According to Audrey Naylor, “Even if a mother breastfeeds for just a few weeks after giving birth, she is giving her baby an enormous health boost with positive effects that can be seen almost immediately, as well as long- term benefits that may help her child remain healthier clear into adulthood.” Now there is research emerging showing the benefits of breastfeeding on mothers who nurse.

This means that breastfeeding has some pretty significant benefits for the long-term health of mothers. According to Dr. Adam Aponte, chairman of pediatrics and ambulatory care at North General Hospital in New York City, “In the short term, breastfeeding increases the production of oxytocin, a hormone that not only encourages milk production, but also helps a mother feel more relaxed and calm.” Previous research has shown that breastfeeding for as little as a month may reduce a mother’s risks of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer, and can potentially lead to stronger bones. Breastfeeding helps a mother’s uterus to contract even after birth and return to its pre-pregnancy state and preventing postpartum hemorrhaging.

Based on research, breastfeeding seems to be a win-win situation, benefiting both mother and baby. The longer a mother nurses her baby the better for both of them. It is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics that mothers breastfeed their babies with no supplementation of other liquids, only mother’s milk, for six months, but to continue breastfeeding along with liquid supplementation if desired, throughout a baby’s first year of life and beyond.