Take Care Of Your Heart, Have A Diet Of Cashew Nuts

Cashew is found almost everywhere in Nigeria, Africa and the world in general. Apart from the delicious fruit of the cashew, the nut is also a rich source of nutrients that the body needs to fight off diseases. The delicately flavored cashew nut is a favorite between meal snack that can be readily found in your local market year round. It also makes wonderful nut butter and a special addition to salads and stir-fry dishes.

Cashew nuts are actually the kidney-shaped seeds that adhere to the bottom of the cashew apple, the fruit of the cashew tree, which is native to the coastal areas of northeastern Brazil. Cashews are always sold shelled because the interior of the shells contains a caustic resin, known as cashew balm, which must be carefully removed before the nuts are fit for consumption. This caustic resin is actually used in industry to make varnishes and insecticides.

Not only do cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts, approximately 82% of their fat is unsaturated fatty acids, plus about 66% of this unsaturated fatty acid content are heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, similar to those found in olive oil. Studies of diabetic patients show that monounsaturated fat, when added to a low-fat diet, can help to reduce high triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a form in which fats are carried in the blood, and high triglyceride levels are associated with an increased risk for heart disease, so ensuring you have some monounsaturated fats in your diet by enjoying cashews is a good idea, especially for persons with diabetes.

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. Total death rates decreased 11% and 19% for nut/peanut butter intake once per week and 1-4 times per week, respectively.

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. Each additional serving of nuts per week was associated with an average 8.3% reduced risk of coronary heart disease.

Practical Tip: To lower your risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease, enjoy a handful of cashews or other nuts, or a tablespoon of nut butter, at least 4 times a week.

Read More

Heart Burn Drugs Could Cause Death - Experts

Almost everyone has had heartburn. Sometimes, it happens when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. Heartburn is a painful burning feeling in the chest or throat. If anyone experiences heartburn more than two times weekly, the person may have developed a more serious form of heartburn called GERD (Gastro esophegeal reflux) which is when the muscles at the end of the esophagus do not close tightly enough.

This allows contents of the stomach to back up or reflux which can damage the esophagus. GERD is a common chronic relapsing condition that is associated with a significant morbidity and can cause death from complications if not treated.

Many patients self-diagnose and self-treat and do not seek medical attention. Some of the risk factors may include certain medications, tobacco use, pregnancy, very hot spicy food. Other risk factors include drinking alcohol and consumption of fatty or acidic food.

Some of the classic symptoms may be chronic cough, hoarse voice, belching, bloating, wheezing mouth odour, and some signs might be yellow discoloration of the teeth from too much acid and recurrent sore throat.

Others are acid regurgitation provoked by lying flat on the back or leaning forward, and regurgitation of digested food or clear burning fluid. Undigested food regurgitation is not acid reflux.

There is no clear cut way to diagnose GERD but checking the acid content in your mouth over a 24 hour with a probe will help. Red flags that complications are developing include difficulty swallowing, weight loss, early fullness when eating and vomiting.

Complications could include persistent chest pain especially after eating, cough that will not go away even with cough medication, developing asthma and laryngeal cancer.

Drink eight ounce of water (1250ml), non-caffeinated fluid every day, decrease or eliminate caffeine, spicy food and milk products towards the end of the day. Also, avoid chocolate as well as fatty foods. Stop smoking; stop eating two to three hours before bedtime. Sit upright 45 minutes to one hour after meals.

Some people have resorted to self medication in the treatment of heart burns with dire consequences. Experts believe that over the counter medication could cause serious havoc for those suffering from heart burns and could lead to death. 

 

For effective natural cure for heart burns, call Dr E.E Humphrey, CEO, Save Soul Natural Clinic on +2348069223334, +2349092770089.

Read More

How Loneliness Affects Longevity

Being lonely can trigger cellular changes in your body that increase your chances of getting ill and not living as long as you could have, according to a new study. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, identified loneliness as a major health problem that could reduce quality of life among affected persons.

This is not the first time research would link loneliness with poor health.

The risk applies to older people, past research has suggested. A leading charity for people over 60 in the United Kingdom (UK) said the findings in the new study underline the importance of treating loneliness as a major health problem.

In the new study, researchers from the University of Chicago and the University of California found that loneliness can trigger the body’s fightor- flight response, which can affect the production of white blood cells and eventually undermine the immune system.

They based their research on 141 older people enrolled in a United States (U.S) study on ageing and social relations, and on an examination of lonely rhesus macaque monkeys, a highly social species of primates. Loneliness is a feeling of being cut off, disconnected, and/or alienated from other people, so that it feels difficult or even impossible to have any form of meaningful human contact. Lonely people often feel empty or hollow inside.

Loneliness typically includes anxious feelings about a lack of connectedness or communality with other beings, both in the present and extending into the future.

Read More

Walnut: Packed Full With Life Saving Nutrients

Oftentimes, the simplest foods are best for your health, and this is certainly the case for nuts, in which Mother Nature has crafted a nearly perfect package of protein, healthy fats, fiber, plant sterols, antioxidants, and many vitamins and minerals.

Among nuts, the case may be made that walnuts are king, as research shows they may boost your health in a number of ways at very easy-to-achieve "doses."

Eating just one ounce of walnuts a day (that's about seven shelled walnuts) may be all it takes to take advantage of their beneficial properties.

Walnuts belong to the tree nut family, along with Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, and pistachios. Each has its own unique nutritional profile.

One-quarter cup of walnuts, for instance, provides more than 100 percent of the daily recommended value of plant-based omega-3 fats, along with high amounts of copper, manganese, molybdenum, and biotin. Some of the most exciting research about walnuts includes:

Cancer-Fighting Properties
Walnuts may help reduce not only the risk of prostate cancer, but breast cancer as well. In one study, mice that ate the human equivalent of 2.4 ounces of whole walnuts for 18 weeks had significantly smaller and slower-growing prostate tumors compared to the control group that consumed the same amount of fat but from other sources. 

Overall the whole walnut diet reduced prostate cancer growth by 30 to 40 percent. According to another study on mice, the human equivalent of just two handfuls of walnuts a day cut breast cancer risk in half, and slowed tumor growth by 50 percent as well.¹

Heart Health
Walnuts contain the amino acid l-arginine, which offers multiple vascular benefits to people with heart disease, or those who have increased risk for heart disease due to multiple cardiac risk factors. 

If you struggle with herpes, you may want to avoid or limit walnuts, as high levels of arginine can deplete the amino acid lysine, which can trigger herpes recurrences. 

Walnuts also contain the plant-based omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is anti-inflammatory and may prevent the formation of pathological blood clots. Research shows that people who eat a diet high in ALA are less likely to have a fatal heart attack and have a nearly 50 percent lower risk of sudden cardiac death.

Eating just four walnuts a day has been shown to significantly raise blood levels of heart-healthy ALA, and walnut consumption supports healthful cholesterol levels.  

Separate research showed that eating just one ounce of walnuts a day may decrease cardiovascular risk, and among those at high cardiovascular risk, increased frequency of nut consumption significantly lowers the risk of death.

Rare and Powerful Antioxidants
Antioxidants are crucial to your health, as they are believed to help control how fast you age by combating free radicals, which are at the heart of age-related deterioration. 

Walnuts contain several unique and powerful antioxidants that are available in only a few commonly eaten foods. This includes the quinone juglone, the tannin tellimagrandin, and the flavonol morin.⁶ 

Walnuts contain antioxidants that are so powerful at free-radical scavenging that researchers called them "remarkable,"⁷ and research has shown that walnut polyphenols may help prevent chemically-induced liver damage.⁸  

In another study, researchers found that nuts, especially walnuts, have potent antioxidant powers. Walnut polyphenols had the best efficacy among the nuts tested and also the highest lipoprotein-bound antioxidant activity. The researchers concluded:⁹ 

"Nuts are high in polyphenol antioxidants which by binding to lipoproteins would inhibit oxidative processes that lead to atherosclerosis in vivo. In human supplementation studies nuts have been shown to improve the lipid profile, increase endothelial function and reduce inflammation, all without causing weight gain."

Weight Control

Adding healthful amounts of nuts such as walnuts to your diet can help you to maintain your ideal weight over time. In one review of 31 trials, those whose diets included extra nuts or nuts substituted for other foods lost about 1.4 extra pounds and half an inch from their waists.¹⁰ Eating walnuts is also associated with increased satiety after just three days.¹¹

Improved Reproductive Health in Men
One of the lesser-known benefits of walnuts is their impact on male fertility. Among men who consume a Western-style diet, adding 75 grams (a bit over one-half cup) of walnuts daily significantly improved sperm quality, including vitality, motility, and morphology.¹²

Brain Health
Walnuts contain a number of neuroprotective compounds, including vitamin E, folate, melatonin, omega-3 fats, and antioxidants. Research shows walnut consumption may support brain health, including increasing inferential reasoning in young adults.

One study also found that consuming high-antioxidant foods like walnuts "can decrease the enhanced vulnerability to oxidative stress that occurs in aging," "increase health span," and also "enhance cognitive and motor function in aging."¹⁴

Diabetes
The beneficial dietary fat in walnuts has been shown to improve metabolic parameters in people with type 2 diabetes. Overweight adults with type 2 diabetes who ate one-quarter cup of walnuts daily had significant reductions in fasting insulin levels compared to those who did not, and the benefit was achieved in the first three months.

The outermost layer of a shelled walnut – the whitish, flaky (or sometimes waxy) part – has a bitter flavor, but resist the urge to remove it. It's thought that up to 90 percent of the antioxidants in walnuts are found in the skin, making it one of the healthiest parts to consume.¹⁶ To increase the positive impacts on your health, look for nuts that are organic and raw, not irradiated or pasteurized.

Furthermore, be aware that walnuts are highly perishable and their healthful fats easily damaged. If you're purchasing shelled walnuts in bulk, avoid those that appear shriveled or smell rancid, or that you cannot verify are fresh. Walnuts should be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator or freezer, whether they are shelled or unshelled. Walnuts are great as a quick snack, but if you're not a fan of their flavor, you can still get their therapeutic benefits by blending them into smoothies. Or you can try one of the other healthful nuts available.

You can further improve the quality of walnuts by soaking them in water overnight, which will tend to lower some of the enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid. After soaking, you can dehydrate them at low temperature of around 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit until they are crispy again, as they are far more palatable when they are crunchy.

Read More

Prevent Cancer, Heart Disease And Others With Cucumber

Cucumbers belong to the same plant family as squash, pumpkin, and watermelon (the Cucurbitaceae family). Like watermelon, cucumbers are made up of mostly (95 percent) water, which means eating them on a hot day can help you stay hydrated.

However, there's reason to eat cucumbers all year long. With vitamin K, B vitamins, copper, potassium, vitamin C, and manganese, cucumbers can help you to avoid nutrient deficiencies that are widespread among those eating a typical diet.

Plus, cucumbers contain unique polyphenols and other compounds that may help reduce your risk of chronic diseases and much, much more.

Protect Your Brain
Cucumbers contain an anti-inflammatory flavonol called fisetin that appears to play an important role in brain health. In addition to improving your memory and protecting your nerve cells from age-related decline ^, fisetin has been found to prevent progressive memory and learning impairments in mice with Alzheimer's disease.

Reduce Your Risk of Cancer
Cucumbers contain polyphenols called lignans (pinoresinol, lariciresinol, and secoisolariciresinol), which may help to lower your risk of breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate cancers.They also contain phytonutrients called cucurbitacins, which also have anti-cancer properties. According to the George Mateljan Foundation:

"Scientists have already determined that several different signaling pathways (for example, the JAK-STAT and MAPK pathways) required for cancer cell development and survival can be blocked by activity of cucurbitacins."

Fight Inflammation
Cucumbers may help to "cool" the inflammatory response in your body, and animal studies suggest that cucumber extract helps reduce unwanted inflammation, in part by inhibiting the activity of pro-inflammatory enzymes (including cyclo-oxygenase 2, or COX-2).

Antioxidant Properties
Cucumbers contain numerous antioxidants, including the well-known vitamin C and beta-carotene. They also contain antioxidant flavonoids, such as quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, and kaempferol, which provide additional benefits.

For instance, quercetin is an antioxidant that many believe prevents histamine release—making quercetin-rich foods "natural antihistamines." Kaempferol, meanwhile, may help fight cancer and lower your risk of chronic diseases including heart disease.

Freshen Your Breath
Placing a cucumber slice on the roof of your mouth may help to rid your mouth of odor-causing bacteria. According to the principles of Ayurveda, eating cucumbers may also help to release excess heat in your stomach, which is said to be a primary cause of bad breath.

Manage Stress
Cucumbers contain multiple B vitamins, including vitamin B1, vitamin B5, and vitamin B7 (biotin). B vitamins are known to help ease feelings of anxiety and buffer some of the damaging effects of stress.

Support Your Digestive Health
Cucumbers are rich in two of the most basic elements needed for healthy digestion: water and fiber. If you struggle with acid reflux, you should know that drinking water can help suppress acute symptoms of acid reflux by temporarily raising stomach pH; it's possible that water-rich cucumbers may have a similar effect.

Cucumber skins contain insoluble fiber, which helps add bulk to your stool. This helps food to move through your digestive tract more quickly for healthy elimination.

Maintain a Healthy Weight
Cucumbers are very low in calories, yet they make a filling snack (one cup of sliced cucumber contains just 16 calories). The soluble fiber in cucumbers dissolves into a gel-like texture in your gut, helping to slow down your digestion. This helps you to feel full longer and is one reason why fiber-rich foods may help with weight control.

Support Heart Health
Cucumbers contain potassium, which is associated with lower blood pressure levels. A proper balance of potassium both inside and outside your cells is crucial for your body to function properly.

As an electrolyte, potassium is a positive charged ion that must maintain a certain concentration (about 30 times higher inside than outside your cells) in order to carry out its functions, which includes interacting with sodium to help control nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and heart function.

          Dr Mercola, who authored this piece, is an expert nutritionist.

Read More

Beware: Killer Chickens And Turkeys In Lagos Markets - NOA

Lagos State Government at the weekend raised the alarm over the danger of buying and consuming ex­humed contaminated poul­try produce like chicken and turkey meat presently in circulation in the state.

The state’s Commission­er for Agriculture, Mr. To­yin Suarau, who disclosed this while receiving offi­cials of the National Orien­tation Agency (NOA), who came on the directive of the Federal Government to ap­peal for support on how to sensitise Lagosians on the danger posed by this act noted that these exhumed poultry produce are poi­sonous and could lead to death if consumed.

Suarau added that the imported contaminated poultry produce were seized by men of the Ni­geria Customs Service in Badagry but were later exhumed - after being de­stroyed - by some unscrupu­lous individuals who now sell same to unsuspecting consumers.

“This visit by officials of National Orientation Agency was based on the circular received by the agency about the recently exhumed contaminated poultry produce being de­stroyed by officials of the Nigeria Customs Service somewhere in Badagry. The need for sensiti­sation on the dangers as­sociated with consuming these exhumed poisonous poultry produce cannot be overemphasised especially in view of the havoc it pos­es to the public,” he noted.

The commissioner pos­ited that the imported poultry produce were pre­served with chemicals like formalin which is poison­ous, adding that it could lead to slow death without the knowledge of the con­sumer.

Read More