Are hazelnuts good for you?

Written by Tena Moore (- if this post appears on any site other than Vitaminstuff.com it has been stolen)


Yes. The unsaturated fat, vitamins and minerals in hazelnuts make them a perfect, healthy snack. Unfortunately, nuts in general have received a bad rap over the years due to their high fat content. What most people don’t realize is that they must have fat in their diet, and the right type of fat is healthy, mono and polyunsaturated fat; the type of fat found in hazelnuts. The FDA reported in 2003 that eating 1.5 ounces of nuts, such as hazelnuts, per day may be able to reduce heart disease.

Hazelnuts offer so many vitamins and minerals; it’s challenging to list them all. You can find B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, potassium, folate, zinc, copper, manganese, thiamin, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin K, selenium, and plenty of fiber and protein in hazelnuts. They are high in antioxidants and low in sodium and cholesterol. They are also known to help boost the immune system, promote digestion, and are a heart healthy food. Many of the vitamins and minerals found in hazelnuts are known for their cardio-protective qualities.

A low-fat dieting culture contributes to the misconception about hazelnuts, and nuts in general. Fat is needed for energy. You can either get your fat from ‘bad’ sources like sugary pastries and high-fat meats, or ‘good’ sources like nuts.



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Keeping the Heart Healthy - exercise and nutrition

Written by Tena Moore


Regardless of the plethora of nutritional information available today, cardiovascular diseases still top the charts when it comes to deaths in the United States. The nutritional requirements for health haven’t changed that much over the years: fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, fish and lean meats, as well as exercise, are still the way to a healthy heart. If you are striving to keep your heart healthy there are a few things to keep in mind when you sit down to nourish yourself.

1)Your body needs soluble fiber not only to help lower cholesterol, but also for proper digestion. You can find this fiber in whole grains, nuts, and some vegetables and fruit. If you’re not getting enough fiber in your diet, think about adding ground flaxseed to your diet, or adding a daily drink of psyllium husks.

2) Plant stanols are healthy for the heart because they lower bad cholesterol. You can find them in vegetables and vegetable oils, fruits, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

3)Eat your Omega-3’s and eat them in abundance. They lower blood pressure, prevent clogged arteries, and lower your cholesterol. They are found in fatty fish, omega-3 enriched eggs, soy and flax.

Eating for a healthy heart is not about calories, it’s about nutrients. Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes and fish are packed with heart healthy vitamins and minerals that will keep you healthy for years to come.




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Study Finds Hibiscus Tea Lowers Blood Pressure

Written by Sandra Emmi


A recent study by Diane McKay, a nutrition scientist, showed that participants who drank three cups of hibiscus tea a day significantly lowered their blood pressure.

Participants in the study who drank the tea had blood pressure readings that were reduced by an average of 7.2%, compared to a reduction of only 1.3% in those who drank a placebo.

The results, which McKay revealed at the American Heart Association’s annual conference, indicate that those who are candidates for conditions associated with high blood pressure, such as heart disease, kidney disease or stroke, could benefit from drinking hibiscus tea. (High blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and is the cause of 60% of all strokes.)

It is thought that antioxidants in the tea, which is made from the hibiscus sabdariffa flower, help to lower blood pressure by destroying harmful free radicals in the body. Many other studies have shown that antioxidants can help
protect against heart disease and cancer.

However, a spokesman for the Blood Pressure Association urged caution, noting that it was a small study, and that further research would be necessary before a firm link between drinking hibiscus tea and sustaining low blood pressure could be established.


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Garlic for Heart Health and Cancer Protection

Available in every grocery store and easy to grow, garlic is a much more than a great seasoning or something to help support your immune system when you are feeling under the weather; garlic offers over 70 health-promoting natural chemicals and improves cardiovascular health.

Garlic can help lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure. It can be used to treat ear infections and other bacterial issues. It can decrease the risk of stroke and heart attack. It can help slow tumor growth and protect against certain cancers, such as stomach, colon, esophageal and breast cancers. It is even used to help people undergoing chemotherapy. The newest studies on garlic have shown it to decrease blood sugar levels and increase insulin release in laboratory animals.

Garlic

Ginkgo for Aging and Longevity

Did you know that ginkgo biloba is a tree? Not only is it a tree but it is the oldest tree on earth, called the maidenhair tree. No wonder ginkgo is a great treatment for aging disorders and helps promote longevity. Ginkgo helps aging by fighting against free radical damage and helps prevent against blood clotting and the buildup of cholesterol.

Ginkgo protects against atherosclerosis, increases blood circulation and improves brain function. It is used to treat macular degeneration, glaucoma, stroke, heart disease and even cancer. Due to ginkgo’s ability to increase blood circulation it is gaining popularity as a great treatment for sexual dysfunction and is now being studied for sexual dysfunction treatment caused by antidepressants.

Ginkgo Biloba

Can that Little Pot Belly Indicate That You’re More Likely to Develop Heart Disease?

Yes, even a small amount of abdominal fat may increase the likelihood of heart disease even in otherwise normal weight individuals. Recently, researchers from the University of Texas published a report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, which confirmed the fact that waist size rather than overall body weight was a better indicator of heart disease. Researchers in this study based their study on medical tests and imaging scans performed on over two thousand individuals. The results of the testing indicate that women with a waist of thirty-two or larger and men with a waist of thirty seven or greater had a significant risk of heart disease.

The study went on to state that body shape is important. Individuals with the largest waist to hip ratio’s (waist larger than hips) were twice as likely to have the calcium deposits that suggest the onset of Atherosclerosis than those with smaller hip to waist ratios. This body shape also linked with other diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. It appears that abdominal fat secretes inflammatory proteins that add to the atherosclerotic plaque accumulation. Still, other studies indicate that belly fat is more toxic than fat located on other areas of the body such as the hips. Although individuals who are overweight have an increased risk of heart disease, the risk increased if an individual has fat that concentrated around the abdomen. Previous studies have produced the same results as the study done at the University of Texas, consequently it is important for individuals to eat a healthy diet and exercise to prevent the accumulation of belly fat early in life in order to reduce their risks of morbid diseases such a heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension.

Does Juice Consumption Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

Researchers in the United States have published the results of a ten year study that involved nearly two thousand individuals in the American Journal of Medicine, which investigated the affect of vegetable and fruit juice upon an individual’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found that individuals who drank juice more than three times per week were more than seventy five percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Recent studies have linked Alzheimer’s disease to the build up of beta-amyloid protein in the brain. Some studies have suggested that polyphenols contained in fruits and vegetables may slow the process that creates beta-amyloid clumps in the brain. Researchers believe that the phenols contained in fruit and vegetables may somehow disrupt the process that creates clumps of beta-amyloid protein in the brain. While other scientists have put forth a theory that free radicals contained with in the body and brain may be associated with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants neutralize free radicals within in the body; consequently the findings of this study may strengthen the belief that free radicals cause the early brain cell changes that lead to the onset of Alzheimer disease.

No matter what theory you subscribe too, diet is key in every individual’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers hope that diet may become an inexpensive way to prevent the development of a disease that devastates individuals’ lives and costs the national health system more than stroke, heart disease and cancer combined.

Perhaps, the results of this study will encourage family doctors to pass on this information to their patients who are at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease.