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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Yucca Treats Many Conditions

When reading about the yucca plant, found mainly in the deserts of the United States, it is almost overwhelming to read the long list of ailments this plant is used to treat.

Similar looking to the aloe plant, yucca roots can be eaten directly or found in many health food stores as an extract or in capsules. As an extract, use topically, directly on the skin. Consume capsules with water. Yucca contains the active phytochemical saponins and if too much is consumed it can cause diarrhea in some people.

The yucca plant has been used to treat gout, premenstrual syndrome, chronic headache, and even skin cancer. In addition, yucca has been found to lower blood pressure, improve circulation, and lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Yucca can also help heal wounds and relieve joint stiffness and pain; some use the plant to treat muscle soreness associated with arthritis. Others use yucca to help improve liver function and improve digestion. It is quite amazing how many uses the plant has.