Lime: Naturally Fortified Against A Variety Of Ailments

The health benefits of lime include weight loss, skin care, improved digestion, relief from constipation, eye care, and treatment of scurvy, piles, peptic ulcer, respiratory disorders, gout, gums, urinary disorders, etc. The first fruit that comes to mind in terms of medicinal uses is the reliable lime. This sour citrus fruit can do what many advanced medicines cannot. Lime, bearing the scientific name Citrus Aurantifolia, has been used for ages in the treatment of various ailments.

Lime is consumed throughout the world in the form of sorbet, beverages, refreshing cocktails, pickles, jams, jellies, snacks, candies, sugar boiled confections and in cooking.  The oil extracted from its peel or skin is extensively used in soft drink concentrates, body oils, cosmetic products, hair oils, toothpastes, toilet and beauty soaps, disinfectants, mouth washes, deodorants and innumerable other products. There are many varieties of lime found all over the world, particularly in the tropical and the Mediterranean climates. 

Lime is very well-known as a cure for scurvy, the disease which is caused from a deficiency of vitamin-C. It is characterized by frequent infections that show as normal cold symptoms, cracked lips and lip corners, ulcers on the tongue and in the mouth. You can also spot scurvy from spongy, swollen and bleeding gums. Since its cause is a deficiency of vitamin-C, its remedy is none other than vitamin-C, and lime is full of this essential vitamin.

Lime juice and its natural oils are very beneficial for skin when consumed orally or applied externally. It rejuvenates the skin, keeps it shining, protects it from infections and reduces body odor due to the presence of a large amount of vitamin-C and Flavonoids. Those are both class-1 anti oxidants, and have antibiotic and disinfectant properties. When applied externally on skin, its acids scrub out the dead cells, cures dandruff, rashes, and bruises. It can also be used to create a refreshing bathing experience if its juice or oil is mixed into your bathing water.

Lime has an irresistible scent which causes your mouth to water and this actually aids primary digestion (the digestive saliva floods your mouth even before you taste it). The natural acidity in lime does the rest. While they break down of the macro molecules of the food, the Flavonoids, the compounds found in the fragrant oils extracted from lime, stimulate the digestive system and increase secretion of digestive juices, bile and acids. This flood of flavonoids also stimulate the peristaltic motion.  

Primarily, the ample amount of acids present in lime helps clear the excretory system by washing and cleaning off the tracts, just as some acids are used to clean floors and toilets. The roughage in lime is also helpful in easing constipation, but the most beneficial element is the high acidity. An overdose of lime juice with salt also acts as an excellent purgative without any side effects, thereby providing relief from constipation. 

According to the American Diabetes Association, limes and other citrus fruits are considered a diabetes super food for a number of reasons. Mainly, the high levels of soluble fiber found in limes make it an ideal dietary aid to help regulate the body’s absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, reducing the occurrence of blood sugar spikes that are a serious risk to diabetic patients. Also, limes and other citrus fruits have a low glycemic index, which means that they will not cause unexpected spikes in glucose levels, in addition to the benefits of soluble fiber’s effect.

That same soluble fiber which can help diabetics maintain their blood sugar levels can also lower blood pressure and eliminate the presence of LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol). Furthermore, soluble fiber can cut down on inflammation of the blood vessels, which is a known preventative measure against heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. 

One of the many causes of arthritis is an excess of uric acid that builds up in the body. Uric acid is one of the waste products that normal urination will clear out of the body, but unfortunately, when too much builds up, it can make the pain and inflammation from arthritis even worse. The citric acid found in citrus fruits like limes is a solvent in which uric acid can dissolve, increasing the amounts that are eliminated in the urine. Citrus fruits in general have anti-inflammatory properties, and can be used for a number of inflammation issues.

In addition to vitamin-C, lime contains special compounds called Flavonoids (Limonoids such as Limonin Glucoside) which have antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, antibiotic and detoxifying properties that stimulate the healing process of peptic and oral ulcers. The flavonoid-rich oil that is extracted from limes is extensively used in anti-congestive medicines such as balms, vaporizers, and inhalers due to the presence of Kaempferol. Just scratching the peel of a lime and inhaling it gives immediate relief for congestion and nausea.

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How Best to Handle Wine Hangover

Unlike Taio Cruz, most of us don’t wake up from a hangover eager to jump into a song, but rather have an unpleasant feeling of dizziness, with just a pinch of self-loathing. While the exact physiological reasons for a hangover are hard to understand even for experienced medical scholars, the causal reasons are very well known to almost every adult. The wine was too tasty, the company too interesting, and the night too long.

While it should be important to know the processes that are happening in our body as to understand why we feel as we do, most people are more interested in how to solve the problem at hand. And for this reason, there are hangover cures that are as old as wine itself, and the earliest written remedies are as old as writing.

The first written record for a hangover cure was found in the remains of the library of Ashurbanipal, the king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire who lived in the 6^th century BC, where an unknown physician recommends to mix ground bird beaks and myrrh and to chew on that. Knowing what we know now, this is a bad idea, but it shows that the ancients shared the same troubles as modern people when it comes to overindulgence in wine.

A hangover is a result of alcohol poisoning, ethanol poisoning to be specific. This is why different people have different experiences with hangovers, as the severity of the poisoning can vary depending on the person’s metabolism, their size, and their prior drinking experience.

For one, ethanol, which is the primary alcohol in wine, is a mild diuretic, meaning that it will make you ‘’excrete” more fluids than you normally would. Frequent bathroom breaks are typical for a night out, and this will lead you to become dehydrated, with all the effects dehydration has on the body. The secondary effect is also the reason why ethanol is a diuretic, and that is because it enlarges the blood vessels in our body. This widening is what makes us feel tipsy or drunk, and on the rebound, when the vessels start shrinking, we start feeling the pain that comes from an increase in blood pressure.

This increase in pressure, combined with the lack of fluids, makes for the main effect of a hangover. Additionally, depending on the acidity, sweetness, and the sulfuric content of the wine, we can feel these effects as well.

There are many official rules, actual good advice, and significant misconceptions when it comes to alcohol toxicity, but as always it is much easier to prevent a hangover than to cure it. Once your liver feels the punch, there is little you can do to deal with it immediately, and the best thing you can hope for is to stay functional during a hangover.

As there are people who will have a hangover even if they have had only two glasses of wine, prevention advice of ‘’not drinking too much” is not really applicable. The best way to ameliorate the effects is to consume food alongside your favorite wine. It is important to know that while in most cases the best choice of wine and food pairing is also the one that will prevent a hangover; this is not universally the case. One of the most prominent examples that don’t follow this are dessert wines that might taste best with a side of something sweet, but this added sugar will only increase the impact of the alcohol and make the hangover worse. Because of this, sweet wines should be drunk with additional care, and maybe a savory snack in advance.

Albeit that Taio Cruz, ancient Romans, and Ernest Hemingway concur that the best cure for alcohol is just to keep drinking, this might be the worst advice ever given. While additional drinking will slow down the shrinking of your blood vessels and alleviate some of the pain, it will just be an extra punch to your dehydration, and make the end result much, much worse.

The second great misconception is that you can cure a hangover with any big breakfast, as this evolved from the time when people woke up early and had bacon and vegetables, and not pancakes and syrup. Any sugar will be detrimental for your recovery, as you will place even more strain on your liver to filter out all of the toxins. A light breakfast is much better, with chicken soup being probably the best option.

There are other traditional remedies, some of which have more effect than others, and some being a step in the wrong direction. Whichever you choose, stay away from carbon-hydrates in any form, be that sugar, pastry, or alcohol.

Tips On Handling Hangover

1. Your best friend during a hangover is water. In more forms than one.

Once you wake up, drag yourself to the nearest drinking water source and start injecting. For an average person, you should drink about a hundred ounces of water to combat dehydration. When you have enough water on the inside, put some on you from the outside. If you can have a cold shower that would be perfect, and if not, try not to make the water too hot. This will lower your blood pressure and get rid of the headache. Probably you will not feel exactly fresh as a daisy, but you will feel much better than before.

2. Exercise

It doesn’t really matter which kind, but any physical activity that will increase your endorphin will be very beneficial. If you are into running, take a quick lap, yoga is also acceptable. If you don’t really have an exercise routine, just do a dozen push-ups, and that will be enough.

3. Take your coffee

Your coffee should resemble a Kardashian ex-boyfriend: tall, black, and bitter. No sugar, no cream, nothing that can worsen your affliction, just pure caffeine. After having your coffee it would be best to take a small nap while it works its magic and you will wake up replenished, but if this is not an option, you will still feel much better after a nice cup of black gold.

Finally, the best advice you can get about hangovers is the one you have told yourself after each bout, and that is to stop drinking that much. To paraphrase the Buddha himself, the path of enlightenment comes with moderation, and this is true for enlightenment through wine drinking as well.  If you are having a long and fun night, break the wine with a cup of sparkling water every now and then. Make sure that you are eating something while you drink, and more than everything else, make sure that you are drinking good quality wine. A truly good wine will make you fulfilled with just a couple of sips, which is something that you will never be able to get from boxed wine.

A hangover should steer you off drinking, as that is also an extreme, but should inform you that there is such a thing as too much of a good time and that you should be more careful in the future.

This article is from IloveWine, an organization that aspires to share insight and experiences with wine lovers of all kinds.

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How To Achieve A Beautiful Glowing Skin Naturally

Believe it or not, having beautiful glowing skin is a sign of radiant health. While certain creams and product can be used to clean and moisten the skin on the 'outside,' what goes 'inside' is what creates truly healthy skin. If you follow a natural guy, you will be well on your way to having age defying, radiant skin. Follow these steps daily and when you don’t, your skin will tell you in form of blemishes, break outs, redness, and other skin misnormals.

Many people think that if they drink 'lots of water' out of the tap, they've got this covered.  Wrong. You must drink at least 12 cups of filtered  (reverse osmosis is recommended), re-mineralized water daily, preferably away from food for optimal absorption. Tap water, while safe for cleaning and use in your toilet, is not ideal for cleansing the body internally. Despite endless claims that it is all you need as a water source, the fact remains that studies show hundreds of chemical residues remain in most tap water sources after treatment. 

If you can move your body for a minimum of 20 minutes a day (at an intensity high enough to break a mild sweat), you are well on your way to achieving a 'glow'. Your blood is your body's transporter of nutrients to your skin so the more you circulate your blood and lymphatic system, the better delivery of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants to your skin.   These vital nutrients can then help slow aging, boost firmness and help repair skin cells. 

Your diet plays a huge role in achieving beautiful skin. If you can manage to eat small meals through the day balanced with protein, good fats (vegetable fats, non-hydrogenated) and low glycemic carbohydrates (whole grain, colorful, non-processed), you will supply your body what it needs to build and maintain beautiful skin.  

If you have dull skin, cold hands and feet, bags under your eyes that don’t go away no matter how much sleep you are getting, weight gain that won’t budge, wake up in a pile of sweat or feel lethargic most of the time, then it might be a good idea to get your thyroid checked out. Ask your doctor to test your THS and ask for your number. If the number is above 5, they may put you on medication, but if it is above 2 and under (in Canada) they will tell you that you are fine.   

Be sure to take a good multi-vitamin along with bee pollen everyday.  This combination will feed your skin the vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants what it needs to glow but also support overall health and longevity as well. You’ve likely heard of calcium. Calcium is mostly considered to be a mineral for bones, but there are many other functions it serves. When it comes to your skin, calcium plays a large role, primarily protective, in the overall health and strength of the skin. 

You likely already know that you should never go to bed without cleaning your skin. If we don’t clean our skin, our pores can clog which leads to acne, blackheads and breakouts.  If you wear makeup, it is especially important to clean the skin daily.  There are thousands of cleansers on the market but simply applying raw, unpasteurized honey to your face and leaving it on for a few minutes before washing it off with warm water will have anti-bacterial and powerful cleansing and healing results. Honey is highly anti-bacterial and anti-septic. 

Just like cleaning the skin, hydrating the skin is also important.  Most of the creams on the market contain numerous chemicals, preservatives and hormone disruptors.  Avoid these. It is recommended that you use the So-Ho-Mish Miracle Cream (or its equivalent) as your day cream. This cream is alive with raw, natural ingredients like royal jelly, raw honey and bee pollen. When it is applied to the face, the skin literally tingles. It is suitable as a night cream as well and does not contain any chemical preservatives, parabens, or fragrances.  

Poor functioning, slow moving or constipated bowels can cause a toxic buildup in the body.  You can re-absorb toxins back into the blood stream which leads to dull, dry, irritated skin (among many other symptoms such as lethargy and headaches).  You may also want to consider doing a cleanse and increasing fiber intake along with magnesium, vitamin c and lots of extra filtered water intake to improve your bowel function. 

Stress is a huge factor in how our skin looks. High cortisol (the stress hormone) has been linked to a number of health issues including poor skin. Laughter, breathing, sleeping and other stress reducing techniques will do wonders. When they talk about getting your “beauty rest” they really mean it!  Sleep balances your nervous system and allows for healing to occur that you will not get during waking hours. You should get 7-8 hours every night for healthy skin.

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Lose Weight Naturally With Regular Diets Of Garden Egg

People who want to lose weight can achieve it now by consuming plenty of garden eggs. According to Jummai Hassan, a nutritionist with Wuse General Hospital, Abuja, garden egg also known as eggplant “has low calorie, low sodium, low protein and is very high in dietary fibre and potassium. It’s a fruit that is classified under vegetables and anyone who really want to lose weight should eat fresh garden egg. When you take garden egg, it fills the tummy because of its fibre content which reduces the food you consume, thereby reducing the calories and body weight.” 

The high fibre content in eggplant helps to reduce bad cholesterol in the body, thereby protecting the heart. Garden eggs help to regulate the blood pressure, maintain and regulate the function of the heart. Because of the high fibre and low soluble carbohydrate content of the eggplant, it controls glucose absorption and reduces the risk of hypertension and is very low in calorie content, such that when a diabetic person consumes it, it suppresses the sugar level and brings the blood pressure down. 

The fiber, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B-6, and phytonutrient content in eggplants all support heart health. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating foods containing flavonoids is affiliated with a lower risk of mortality from heart disease. Consuming even small quantities of flavonoid-rich foods such as garden eggs may benefit human health. Several studies show that consumption of the flavonoids known as anthocyanins has played a major role in lowering risk of cardiovascular disease. 

One particular study revealed that those who consumed more than three servings of fruits and vegetables per week containing anthocyanins had 34% less risk of heart disease than those who consumed less. In another clinical study, researchers found that increased intake of  anthocyanins in garden egg was associated with significantly lower blood pressure. Research on the effects of eggplant consumption in animal studies has shown that rabbits with high cholesterol that consumed eggplant juice displayed a significant decrease in weight and blood cholesterol levels.

Polyphenols in eggplant have been found to exhibit anti-cancer effects. Anthocyanins and chlorogenic acid function as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. They protect body cells from damage caused by free radicals and in turn prevent tumor growth and invasion and spread of cancer cells. They also stimulate detoxifying enzymes within cells and promote cancer cell death.

Findings from animal studies suggest that nasunin, an anthocyanin within eggplant skin, is a powerful antioxidant that protects the lipids comprising cell membranes in brain cells from free radical damage. It has also been proven to help facilitate the transport of nutrients into the cell and wastes out. Research has also shown that anthocyanins inhibit neuroinflammation and facilitate blood flow to the brain. This helps prevent age-related mental disorders and also improves memory.

Dietary fibers are commonly recognized as important factors in weight management and loss by functioning as "bulking agents" in the digestive system. These compounds increase satiety and reduce appetite, making you feel fuller for longer and thereby lowering your overall calorie intake. Since eggplant is already low in calories, it makes a great part of a healthy, low-calorie diet. 

One cup of raw eggplant contains 20 calories, 0.8 grams of protein, 4.82 grams of carbohydrate, 0.15 grams of fat and 2.5 grams of dietary fiber. A one-cup serving meets 10% of daily fiber needs, 5% potassium, 3% vitamin C, 5% vitamin B-6, 1% iron and 2% magnesium. Eggplants also contain anthocyanins, compounds that belong to a class of naturally occurring phytochemicals known as flavonoids. Flavonoids are present in many plant foods and in addition to providing health benefits - they also contribute to the distinguishable coloration of many fruits and vegetables.

Many of the nutritional benefits gained from consuming eggplants are obtained from the skin of the vegetable. Eggplant skin is full of fiber, potassium and magnesium and antioxidants. In fact, its phenolic content makes it such a potent free radical scavenger that the eggplant is ranked among the top 10 vegetables in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity.

When buying eggplants choose ones that are firm and somewhat heavy for their size. Avoid eggplants that appear withered, bruised, or discolored. Research suggests that the polyphenols found in eggplants contribute to their bitter flavor, which means that the eggplants with the highest levels of antioxidants are also the most bitter and unpleasant to eat. However, scientists are hoping to be able to genetically improve eggplants so that they contain high levels of beneficial nutrients and remain palatable.

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The Earliest Signs Of Fibroid

Uterine fibroid is said to be amongst the commonest benign tumors of the female reproductive system. It originates from the womb (uterus) and the exact cause(s) are unknown. However, many risk factors have been attributed to fibroids. Fibroids may sometimes be asymptomatic and most patients are not aware that they have fibroid(s) but it can cause different types of symptoms depending on factors like its size, location in the uterus and its closeness to important pelvic organs like the rectum, the bladder, veins and lymphatics of the pelvis.

In this article, we will be looking at the risk factors and 10 warning signs that you may have fibroids. Such signs are usually ignored by women.

Risk Factors

Age: age is an important risk factor. In blacks and Africans, fibroids may develop at a much younger age and symptoms may be seen in these women in their early twenties. However, most fibroids shrink after menopause.

Nulliparity: women who have never been pregnant have an increased risk of developing uterine fibroids.

Family history: fibroids tend to run in families and women with their mothers or first-degree relatives who had fibroids are more likely to develop uterine fibroids than women with no such history.

Race: fibroid is more common in African women than in Asians and Caucasians.

Obesity: women who are obese have a higher risk of developing uterine fibroids

Having looked at the risk factors of fibroids, let's now look at the warning signs which indicates its possibilities..

1. Heavy vaginal bleeding
Most women suffering from fibroid usually have heavy vaginal bleeding which may be related to menstruation or occur before the onset of the next menses (Intermenstrual bleeding). In fact, it is one of the most troubling sign of fibroid which can interfere significantly with quality of life. If your menstruation is excessively heavy or prolonged and it comes out with blood clots and you are using more sanitary pads than usual, then it is advisable to consult your physician who will evaluate you adequately. Heavy vaginal bleeding is an important cause of anemia in women because of blood loss and iron depletion. Symptoms of anemia include; pallor, generalized body weakness, fatigue and shortness of breath.

2. Infertility
In this part of the world, nothing strains marriage like infertility. Although the role of fibroid and infertility is controversial numerous researches and clinical evidences have shown that fibroids are a leading cause of infertility. Fibroids can obstruct the passage of the fertilized egg from the fallopian tubes into the uterus where implantation occurs and also distorts the normal anatomy of the uterus. If you have been married and having frequent unprotected sexual intercourse with your husband without any pregnancy, you should be evaluated for uterine fibroids.

3. Recurrent Miscarriages
Miscarriages also known as spontaneous pregnancy loss occurs frequently in women with fibroid. Fibroids in the uterine cavity occupy space meant for the developing fetus. It affects the growth of the fetus and may induce miscarriage. Several conditions can cause recurrent miscarriages, but it is a sign that you may be having a fibroid.

4. Lower Abdominal Swelling/ Mass
I have heard women complaining of swelling/ mass located in the lower part of their abdomen. Some women have mistaken such swelling for a growing baby. Funny enough, such growth never results in pregnancy and may persist for years. Only large fibroids present as an abdominal mass. Any abdominal swelling/ mass are abnormal and you must consult your physician without any delay.

5. Frequent and Painful urination
The uterus and the bladder lie in close proximity and the presence of fibroids in the uterus often irritates the bladder prompting painful and frequent urination. This symptom is commonly attributed to urinary tract infection (UTI) with antibiotics as the first line of treatment. However, if you have been treated repeatedly with antibiotics without any improvement in symptoms, then further evaluation is needed as fibroids can also cause such discomforting symptoms.

6. Constipation
This may sound untrue, but many women with trivial complaint of recurrent constipation despite adequate treatment are later diagnosed with fibroid after extensive evaluation and investigation. Large fibroids in the womb may compress on the rectum causing constipation.

7. Abdominal/ Low back pains
Abdominal and low back pain is a usual but important key sign that you may have fibroid. It is usually described as a dull aching pain that may be persistent in nature. Pain is a significant symptom caused by the compression of nerves and organs by the fibroids. Severe abdominal pain can also occur when the size of the fibroid exceeds in blood supply leading to degeneration of the fibroid.

8. Swelling of the legs
Although a rare sign of fibroids, swelling of the legs is caused by the compression of the lymphatic vessels that drains the legs. When this occurs, lymph accumulates in the tissues of the legs causing edema. It is usually accompanied by pain from the distension of the tissues of the legs.

9. Varicose veins
Varicose veins may also be a sign that you have fibroid. This is the distension of the superficial veins of the legs caused by the compression of pelvic veins by uterine fibroids.

10. Painful sexual intercourse
Sex should be pleasurable to the woman, but the presence of uterine fibroid can make sex painful and discomforting. Large fibroids located in the lower segment of the uterus may impede sexual intercourse from severe lower abdominal pain. Women suffering from protracted painful sexual intercourse should have an abdominal ultrasound scan to ascertain the presence of uterine fibroids.

Women with fibroids can present with different symptoms, but proper diagnosis is only possible after an evaluation by the doctor. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, then it is important that you consult your physician.

Treatment of fibroid has defied orthodox medicine but the good news is that fibroid can now be treated using natural/herbal medicine. In fact, the rate of success recorded by herbal medicine in the treatment of fibroid, has grown quite high over the years and even medical doctors are now recommending it for their patients.

Do you have fibroid? has the doctor told you that you cannot conceive unless you undergo surgery? you don't need to worry. You can be cured of fibroid with natural medicine. To get NAFDAC approved herbal medicines for fibroid, call +2347031040178.

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Peanuts: Natures Defence Against Heart Disease

Peanuts are rich in monounsaturated fats, the type of fat that is emphasized in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. Studies of diets with a special emphasis on peanuts have shown that this little legume is a big ally for a healthy heart. In one such randomized, double-blind, cross-over study involving 22 subjects, a high monounsaturated diet that emphasized peanuts and peanut butter decreased cardiovascular disease risk by an estimated 21% compared to the average diet.

In addition to their monounsaturated fat content, peanuts feature an array of other nutrients that, in numerous studies, have been shown to promote heart health. Peanuts are good sources of vitamin E, niacin, folate, protein and manganese. In addition, peanuts provide resveratrol, the phenolic antioxidant also found in red grapes and red wine that is thought to be responsible for the French paradox: the fact that in France, people consume a diet that is not low in fat, but have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Not only do peanuts contain oleic acid, the healthful fat found in olive oil, but new research shows these tasty legumes are also as rich in antioxidants as many fruits. While unable to boast an antioxidant content that can compare with the fruits highest in antioxidants, such as pomegranate, roasted peanuts do rival the antioxidant content of blackberries and strawberries, and are far richer in antioxidants than apples, carrots or beets.

Research published in the British Journal of Nutrition (Blomhoff R, Carlsen MH), which identified several nuts among plant foods with the highest total antioxidant content, suggests nut's high antioxidant content may be key to their cardio-protective benefits. Nuts' high antioxidant content helps explain results seen in the Iowa Women's Health Study in which risk of death from cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases showed strong and consistent reductions with increasing nut/peanut butter consumption.

Even more impressive were the results of a review study of the evidence linking nuts and lower risk of coronary heart disease, also published in the British Journal of Nutrition. (Kelly JH, Sabate J.) In this study, researchers looked at four large prospective epidemiological studies—the Adventist Health Study, Iowa Women's Study, Nurses' Health Study and the Physician's Health Study. When evidence from all four studies was combined, subjects consuming nuts at least 4 times a week showed a 37% reduced risk of coronary heart disease compared to those who never or seldom ate nuts.

Resveratrol is a flavonoid first studied in red grapes and red wine, but now also found to be present in peanuts. In animal studies on resveratrol itself (the purified nutrient given in intravenous form, not the food form), this phytonutrient has been determined to improve blood flow in the brain by as much as 30%, thus greatly reducing the risk of stroke, according to the results of a laboratory animal study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

The jury is still out on peanuts however, since they contain far less resveratrol than the amounts used in the above study, and also less than the amount provided by red wine. An ounce of red wine can provide as much as 1,000 micrograms of resveratrol, and it almost always provides over 75 micrograms. The same ounce of peanut butter can only provide about 50 micrograms of resveratrol. Still, routine consumption of peanuts or peanut butter might turn out to be significant in terms of the resveratrol provided by this food.

A number of studies have shown that nutrients found in peanuts, including folic acid, phytosterols, phytic acid (inositol hexaphosphate) and resveratrol, may have anti-cancer effects. A rich source all these nutrients—including the phytosterol beta-sisterol, which has demonstrated anti-cancer actions—peanuts have long been considered a likely candidate as a colon cancer-preventive food.

Colorectal cancer is the second most fatal malignancy in developed countries and the third most frequent cancer worldwide. In Taiwan, not only has incidence of colon cancer increased, but the likelihood of dying from the disease rose 74% from 1993 to 2002. Taiwanese researchers decided to examine peanuts' anti-colon cancer potential and conducted a 10-year study involving 12,026 men and 11,917 women to see if eating peanuts might affect risk of colon cancer. Risk of colon cancer was found to be highly correlated with both peanuts, which greatly lessened risk, and pickled foods, which greatly increased risk, particularly in women.

Twenty years of dietary data collected on over 80,000 women from the Nurses' Health Study shows that women who eat at least 1 ounce of nuts, peanuts or peanut butter each week have a 25% lower risk of developing gallstones. Since 1 ounce is only 28.6 nuts or about 2 tablespoons of nut butter, preventing gallbladder disease may be as easy as packing one peanut butter and jelly sandwich (be sure to use whole wheat bread for its fiber, vitamins and minerals) for lunch each week, having a handful of peanuts as an afternoon pick me up, or tossing some peanuts on your oatmeal or salad.

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