Micro or macro — greens stabilize weight

Google the phrase “search for the secret” and you’ll get websites dedicated to everything from hidden treasures to extraterrestrial mysteries. And while these intriguing secrets may seem hard to get your hands on, finding the secret to preventing weight gain is even more elusive for many inhabitants of planet Earth.

New lab research may have located one solution: eating microgreens and fully grown cruciferous veggies. Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the University of Maryland first compared the differences in the nutritional content of microgreens and their fully grown counterparts: They found that microgreens of kale, broccoli and red cabbage had a high dose of health-promoting nutrients. For example, in kale there were five times more cancer-fighting compounds in micros than in mature plants of the same weight.

The researchers then wanted to see what benefit could come from eating micro- and mature greens if they were fed to mice on a high-fat diet. It turns out that both young sprouts and older kale were effective in limiting weight gain — possibly because of their positive effect on the gut biome.

Open your heart

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Getting exercise, plus adopting healthful nutrition and smart stress management, are key to avoiding heart attack and stroke. But did you know that embracing those heart-healthy habits does more than protect your heart? According to a study of over 1 million men, cardiovascular fitness reduces your risk for cancer of the head and neck, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, colon, rectum, kidney and lung by 40 percent.

Longevityplaybook.com helps you determine your Actualage (as opposed to your calendar age), identify risk factors and then take steps to make your future healthier and your Actualage younger. Three of my favorite steps:

■ If you get 10,000 steps a day (or the equivalent), as a woman, you can become 9 years younger than you chronological age, as a man, 8.1 years younger.

■ If you limit sugar, syrups and simple carbs to 20 grams a day, with no more than 4 grams in any hour, you’ll be up to 20 actual years younger at age 75.

■ Most folks can cut heart-damaging stress, anxiety and depression by about 50 percent and risk of dementia by over 20 percent in a matter of months through daily meditation.

Email questions for Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@ sharecare.com.