Munch Those Nuts

A study conducted by researchers from Harvard University and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that eating a diet high in walnuts may decrease cholesterol and fight inflammation, two major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The authors of the study stated that, "Consumption of nuts has been associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease events and death," and that "Walnuts in particular have a unique profile: they are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which may improve blood lipids and other cardiovascular disease risk factors."

The researchers analyzed the results of 13 different studies conducted on a total of 365 participants who had obtained between 10 and 24 percent of their calories from walnuts for four to 24 weeks. They found that participants on a high-walnut diet underwent significant decreases in total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol. "When compared with control diets, diets supplemented with walnuts resulted in a significantly greater decrease in total cholesterol and in LDL-cholesterol concentrations," the researchers wrote.

The researchers also found other indicators that even though a high-walnut diet is high in fat, it seems to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease rather than raising it. In addition, "Other results reported in the trials indicated that walnuts provided significant benefits for certain antioxidant capacity and inflammatory markers and had no adverse effects on body weight," the researchers wrote.

Spice Up Your Life

You know you should eat well . . . I mean lots of fruits and veggies (organic if you can find and afford them). One frequently overlooked way to enhance and optimize your health is to use herbs and spices (again unprocessed and organic). One benefit of herb is that they’re very low in calories, while being dense in vitamins and minerals. Many herbs are also thermogenic. They naturally boost your metabolism to help you burn calories.

One of my favorite herb is Tumeric. It is so important that I take it every single day, first thing in the morning. No one is really sure when turmeric was first used as a healthy spice but it has been used for millennia. People in India and China used the spice thousands of years ago. In fact, some stories suggest usage dates back 10,000 years in India when they say Lord Rama walked the earth. The ancient Polynesians carried turmeric with them on their incredible voyage across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii. Today, Hawaiians still use this spice known to them as Olena.

One of the main healthful ingredients in turmeric is curcumin (a curcuminoid) which gives turmeric its yellow color. Curcumin makes turmeric a powerful antioxidant. These curcuminoids deliver antioxidants that may be:

• 5 to 8 times stronger than vitamin E -- and also stronger than vitamin C
• 3 times more powerful than grape seed or pine bark extract
• Strong enough to scavenge the hydroxyl radical -- considered by many to be the most reactive of all oxidants*

Curcumin, as an antioxidant, can potentially benefit you by:

• Promoting your immune system*
• Helping you maintain your healthy digestive system*
• Supporting your healthy bones, joints, and overall skeletal system*
• Helping you maintain cholesterol levels that are already within the normal range*
• Promoting your healthy blood and liver functions*
• Promoting radiant skin*

Ayurveda, the “Science of Life” is India’s ancient holistic health system. Turmeric has multiple uses within Ayurveda, including blood cleansing and maintaining healthy skin.* Turmeric has been used in Indian culture for thousands of years for a multitude of health-promoting reasons* and an estimated 500 million Indians still use the spice today.

In Ayurvedic terminology, turmeric includes the following:

• Verdana sthapana -- promotes your healthy nervous system and helps you with occasional discomfort*
• Sangrahani -- supports your absorption of vitamins and minerals*
• Anulomana -- helps you in purging out wastes and building healthy blood*
• Rakta stambhaka -- promotes the wellness of your circulatory system*

One more time, to summarize, here are thirteen ways that Turmeric can spice up your life:

1. Boosts your antioxidant protection against free radicals*
2. Helps promote your healthy skin*
3. Supports your overall eye health
4. Provides you immune system support*
5. Aids your skeletal system and joint health*
6. Encourages your healthy liver function*
7. Helps you maintain healthy cells with support against free radicals*
8. Balances the health of your digestive system*
9. Aids you in support of healthy blood and your circulatory system*
10. Helps you maintain normal cholesterol levels to support your cardiovascular system*
11. Assists your neurological system's healthy response to stress*
12. Promotes a healthy female reproductive system*
13. Helps you maintain blood sugar levels already within the normal range*

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Nobel Prize Winner's Breakthrough

You probably haven't heard of Dr. Louis Ignarro, a Nobel Prize winning scientist. His discoveries are important but there is no money in them for the pharaceutical industry so they haven't made big news.

Dr. Ignarro, Ph.D., a member of the faculty at the School of Medicine, won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1998 for his discovery of the effect of Nitrix oxide (NO) on heart health. His research shows that NO helps control blood pressure and inhibit the accumulation of arterial plaque. His research has shown that NO:

• Expandes blood vessels thus reducing blood pressure in hypertensive patients,
• Controls platelet function -- a vacular network that is enhanced by NO sheds platelets and inhibits the development of clots,
• Reduces alterial plaque by 50%,
• Lowers total cholesterol by 10% to 20%.

NO levels in the blood stream gradually decline with age, probably due to damage to the endothelial cells (inner lining) in the blood vessels. You can't take an NO supplement because its a gas. However, the following supplements increase NO production in the body. You can get them at your local health food store.

• L-arginine -- A Mayo clinic study demonstarted that people taking L-arginine (an amino acid) showed significant improvement in endothelial function and blood flow.
• L-citrulline -- This amino acid, found in mellons and cucumbers, is needed to get the L-arginine into the cells.

For good health you should also be taking a Vitamine E supplement and Vitamine C.

Other heart-healthy things that you can do include:

• Getting at least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week,
• Minimize your intake of saturated fats.
• Eat more fiber.

Foods to Help You Stay Young

You are what you eat, so why not eat foods that help you stay young. Here are some of my favorites:

Almonds -- An ounce of almonds (about 23) contains about 9 grams of heart-healthy oleic acid. A quarter of almond's calaories come from fiber and protein and so an almond snack will keep your tummy happy a lot longer than a rice cake. Best of all, almonds have been shown in laboratory studies to improve memory.

Eggs -- That's right. Eggs are healthy foods. A large egg contains 6.3 grams of high-quality protein and only 72 calories. An article in the International Journal of Obesity found that people who replace high carb breakfasts with eggs lost weight 65 percent faster. Egg eaters are half as likely as those who don't eat eggs to be deficient in vitamin B12, 24 percent less likely to be deficient in vitamin A and 36 percent less likely to be deficient in vitamin E. Worried about cholesterol? A study indicates that people who eat at least four eggs a week had significantly lower cholesterol levels than those who ate fewer than one egg.

Garlic -- Garlic should be considered a wonder drug. Allicin, found in high quantities in garlic, is a potent antibacterial and antifungal. This smelly but tasty herb fights cancer, strengthens your cardiovascular system, decreases fat storage and even fights acne inflammation. Don't over cook it, however, that will kills its nutritional value.

Green tea -- Green tea, like garlic, is a wonder food. Green tea is high in catechins, an antioxident concentrated in tea leaves. A 2006 AMA decade-long study of Japanese adults with a seven-year follow-up study found that those who drank five or more cups of green tea a day were 26 percent less likely to have died from any cause. A short term, 12 week study, found that green tea drinkers lost more weight than non-green-tea drinkers. This was believed to have been caused by the metabolic boost caused by green tea.

Grapefruit -- Want to lose weight? Try grapefruit. In a study of 100 obese people conducted by the Scripps Clinic in California those who ate half a grapefruit with each meal (yup, three serveings a day) lost an average of 3.6 pounds over 12 weeks and some lost as much as 10 pounds. The control group, those who didn't get to dine of the tangy fruit, only lost 1/2 pound. Ouch.

Bell Peppers -- I know that they cost a little more, but when you by Bell Peppers opt for the brightly colored ones, the yellow, orange and red ones. These peppers are highest in antioxidents (carotenoids) that will improve your immune function. Carotenoids also improve intercelluar communication, protect the body against sun damage and reduce the risk of some cancers. If you like it hot, cook with some chili peppers. In addition to carotenoids hot peppers contian capsaicins that have been shown to fight headaches, reduce arthritis pain, and boost metabolism.

Avocado -- Don't you just love slices of avocado on you salad? Keep enjoying them and every time you eat one remember that you are reducing your risk of heart disease at the same time. Some fat is good for you and more than half the calories in an avocado come from monounsaturated fat (also found in olive, canola, and peanut oils). Monounsaturated fats have been shown to improve cholesterol profiles and reduce triglyceride levels. Even better news . . . studies have shown that there is no link between monounsaturated fats and body fat.

More Concerns About Flu Vaccine

The following is a quote out of a recent news article published in Germany. The link to the full article is given below.

"The swine flu vaccine has been hit by new cancer fears after a German health expert gave a shock warning about its safety.

"Lung specialist Wolfgang Wodarg has said that there are many risks associated with the vaccine for the H1N1 virus.

"He has grave reservations about the firm Novartis who are developing the vaccine and testing it in Germany. The vaccination is injected “with a very hot needle”, Wodarg said.

"The nutrient solution for the vaccine consists of cancerous cells from animals and "we do not know if there could be an allergic reaction".

"But more importantly, some people fear that the risk of cancer could be increased by injecting the cells.

"The vaccine - as Johannes Löwer, president of the Paul Ehrlich Institute, has pointed out - can also cause worse side effects than the actual swine flu virus."

Read the rest of the article at: http://www.bild.de/BILD/news/bild-english/world-news/2009/08/07/swine-flu-health-expert-warning/does-virus-vaccine-increase-risk-of-cancer.html

You suggest that you also read the report, "Flu drugs inappropriate for healthy adults: study" published in Rueters last month: http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE57K54B20090822?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews.

Stay healthy!