Improving your health with a serving of nuts?

Written by Tena Moore



You can definitely improve your health with a serving of nuts. Studies have shown they can help decrease risk of diabetes and heart disease, and they are chocked full of healthy vitamins and minerals. They are also fiber rich, helping to reduce cholesterol. The reason many people shy away from these nutritional powerhouses is because of their fat content. Many dismiss the notion that high-fat could be good for you, but the heart-healthy fats in nuts are the very reason they are heart-healthy. One study showed that eating an ounce of nuts a day could reduce the risk of heart disease by nearly 30 percent.

The key to nuts is portion control. Think of nuts the way you think of chocolate. Dark chocolate, in small amounts, is very healthy and high in antioxidants. It’s healthy to have an ounce or two of chocolate and some people do so every day. Nuts are the same; it’s great to have one or two ounces a day. Unfortunately, many people think of nuts more like potato chips and want to eat the whole bag. Nuts, wine, and dark chocolate are all healthy in small amounts.

Nuts, although each one is different in content, are rich in phytochemicals, fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, copper, folic acid and antioxidants; some nuts even offer Omega-3 fatty acids. If you’re worried about the fat content, lower your intake of calories or unhealthy fats to make some extra room for nuts as a nutritious snack.


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Why (and how) To Get Your Omega-3s

Written by Tena Moore



You’ve probably heard quite a bit about omega-3s and how great they are for your health, but do you know why omega-3s are getting so much attention from the medical community? The main reason that you need your omega-3s is because they act as a natural anti-inflammatory. Many diseases and unhealthy conditions are caused by - or are agitated and made worse by - inflammation in the body. Eating or taking supplements of omega-3s can help reduce this inflammation and decrease the chance of many diseases and conditions, from diabetes, coronary heart disease, and cancers, to hardening of the arteries, chest pain and even depression.

If you are not a vegetarian, the best way to get omega-3s is by eating coldwater fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, sardines, cod, and herring. If you are vegetarian or do not like fish you can still get your omega-3s by adding flaxseed to your diet. Flaxseed has a nutty flavor and can be eaten ground or as an oil. Ground flaxseed is great on hot cereals, in soups, and even sprinkled on salads. Flaxseed oil can be also be added to hot cereals, and can replace butter on your toast. You can also simply take a spoonful of flaxseed oil a day, or buy supplements at your local health food store.




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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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Lowering Cholesterol With Food and Statins

A new 1.9 year study involving 18,000 healthy subjects found that Crestor, a statin produced by Astra-Zeneca, may be able to help prevent strokes, heart attack and cardiovascular deaths in those with normal cholesterol, but high levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) – a heart risk marker.

A handful of other unrelated studies took a look at alternative choices to help reduce cardiovascular events, and found that Omega-3s and rest yeast rice were of use as well. One study was conducted in Malaysia, involving 2,000 people over a two-year span, another was conducted in Japan and involved over 18,000 people.

The following article outlines the details of these studies and looks at the fact that nearly half of those who experience stroke and heart attack are at the normal cholesterol level, but tend to have high levels of hsCRP. Read this enlightening article to find out the newest research on cardiovascular health.

Statins lower cholesterol, so do omega-3 and red yeast rice

Omega 3s raise good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol

Omega-3s can be found naturally in foods such as nuts, seeds and flaxseed oil, but is most commonly found in herring, salmon, halibut and other cold water fish. Regardless of omega-3s being found in these foods, most people don’t receive a great amount of omega-3 fatty acids from their diet. If you feel you may be lacking Omega 3s in your diet, fish oil supplementation can be essential.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids are vital for healthy functioning digestive systems, kidneys and heart. They raise good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol, while prevent hardening of the arteries, stroke and heart attack. Studies have also found fish oil supplements can help with the pain of rheumatoid arthritis and slow down tumor growth.

Omega 3 fatty acids