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Will Red Meat Really Kill You?

Will Red Meat Really Kill You?

When Harvard School of Public Health declared eating red meat is associated with higher death rates, a chill went through the Paleo community.

Their study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, was reported with headlines like "Scientists Warn Red Meat Can Be Lethal."

Cutting Salt May Increase Your Risk of Fatal Heart Disease

Cutting Salt May Increase Your Risk of Fatal Heart Disease

February is the federally declared "American Heart Month."  With that comes a barrage of advice about how to prevent heart disease, including putting down the salt shaker.  But where is the science supporting that recommendation?

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association argues that, contrary to all the advice you've heard, lower sodium is actually associated with an INCREASED risk of cardiovascular death. In addition, the study concludes higher sodium levels do not correspond with increased hypertension or cardiovascular disease complications.

Researchers at the University of Leuven, Belgium examined the incidence of death, illness and hypertension in relation to the amounts of sodium excreted in urine. Participants included 3,681 people without cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the study.

According to the article, the risk of death from heart disease was significantly higher in those with the lowest sodium (a death rate of 4.1%) compared to those with the highest sodium levels (less than 1%). The authors found baseline sodium levels did not predict total mortality or either fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular events.

And with respect to high blood pressure, there was no association between urinary sodium levels and hypertension.

What they found is the opposite of the American Heart Association advice.  The AHA claims 1 of every 10 Americans dies from eating too much salt.  That's based on a Harvard study using computer modeling to also estimate that 2.3 million people worldwide died of too much salt in 2010.  The study recommended that dietary sodium be cut to 1,000 milligrams per day. 

According to the authors of the JAMA study their findings "refute the estimates of computer models of lives saved and health care costs reduced with lower salt intake. They do also not support the current recommendations of a generalized and indiscriminate reduction of salt intake at the population level."

The Belgian results are consistent with a meta analysis by the Cochrane Collaboration finding that reductions in the amount of salt people eat doesn't reduce their likelihood of dying or experiencing cardiovascular disease.

The Salt Institute, an industry trade association, pointed out that the Belgian study results indicate there is an increased rate of death for sodium intakes at the levels recommended by the U.S. government's Dietary Guidelines.  They called on government agencies like the FDA to stop "their population-wide sodium reduction agenda and amend the Dietary Guidelines on sodium."

An Apple A Day Helps Prevent Heart Disease In Just One Month

An Apple A Day Helps Prevent Heart Disease In Just One Month

Folklore has always claimed an apple a day keeps the doctor away.  Now we also know apples are fast-acting.  Eating just one a day for a month can get you significant cardiovascular benefits. 

Researchers at Ohio State University found eating one apple every day for just four weeks can lower blood levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein - commonly called the "bad" LDL cholesterol – by 40% in healthy, middle aged people.  According to the often challenged "lipid hypothesis" – also known as the "cholesterol myth" - cholesterol is a cause of heart disease.  But oxidation is the real culprit.   

Are Coffee Drinkers Happier?

Are Coffee Drinkers Happier?

Does your world appear completely unbearable until you've had that first cup of coffee in the morning? Do you need a java jolt just to deal with your day?

Science now indicates you may actually need caffeine to ward off the blues. Researchers are finding that drinking caffeinated coffee decreases the risk of depression in women.  And the more coffee you drink, the better.   

Is Your Diet Soda Making You Fat?

Is Your Diet Soda Making You Fat?

Despite all the warnings about the risks of chemicals in diet sodas, many people still rely on their daily Coke Zero.  They take the risk because their greater concern is weight control.  Parents are even feeding diet sodas to their children in the belief that it will avert obesity.

The sad irony is that artificial sweeteners in diet sodas may be having the exact opposite effect.  Two studies presented at a meeting of the American Diabetes Association suggest that drinking diet sodas might be a self-defeating behavior for dieters.  They may be adding inches to their waistlines.

Tangerine Compounds Protect Against Long List of Chronic Diseases

Tangerine Compounds Protect Against Long List of Chronic Diseases

All oranges have amazing health benefits. Tangerines are a particularly popular orange and a handy treat. Research shows tangerines may also have potent health effects in a wide range of chronic conditions from obesity to cancer. 

Wild Blueberry Polyphenols Improve Vascular Function

Wild Blueberry Polyphenols Improve Vascular Function

The more easily blood flows through your arteries and veins, the less your heart has to work.  Now researchers from England and Germany have proven that less than a cup of wild blueberries can have an almost immediate and long lasting effect on how well your vascular system is circulating blood. 

Researchers from the University of Reading and the University of Dusseldorf conducted two randomized, controlled, double-blind crossover studies in 21 healthy men between 18 and 40 years old.[1]  They wanted to determine the impact of various amounts of wild blueberries on cardiovascular function.  

In the first study, some of the men drank varying amounts of blueberry polyphenols, ranging from the equivalent of 240 grams (3/4 cup) to 560 grams (1¼ cups) of wild blueberries.  Others were given a drink with the same macro and micronutrients but no blueberry polyphenols

The researchers then measured changes in the men's "flow-mediated dilation."  FMD is the gold-standard technique to measure endothelial function.  The endothelium is the lining of the blood vessels.  FMD is considered a good predictor of cardiovascular disease risk.

Ring In The New Year With a Healthy Dose of Asparagus

Ring In The New Year With a Healthy Dose of Asparagus

If you're planning to ring in the New Year with a few celebratory drinks, here's a tip for protecting yourself from paying the hangover price on New Year's Day.

A study in the Journal of Food Science suggests you should eat some asparagus to ward off the effects of a New Year's Day hangover.

According to researchers at the Institute of Medical Science and Jeju National University in Korea, an extract of asparagus contains amino acids and minerals that may protect your liver cells against toxins from alcohol. With a better functioning liver, you just may be able to avoid the dreaded New Year's Day hangover.

The Korean scientists tested an extract of young asparagus leaves and shoots on human and rat liver cells. They found that the asparagus extract significantly alleviated cellular toxicity usually associated with the oxidative stress caused by chronic alcohol use.

Their results, they believe, provide evidence of asparagus's ability to protect liver cells and alleviate the hangover effects of too much alcohol.

A member of the Lily family, asparagus has been used as a natural remedy in Europe and Asia for centuries. Promising research at Rutgers University is studying the effect of two phytochemicals abundant in asparagus that are believed to inhibit the growth of cancer cells in leukemia and colon cancer.

A Daily Handful of Nuts Linked to 20% Lower Death Risk

A Daily Handfull of Nuts Linked to 20% Lower Death Risk

According to a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, eating a daily handful of nuts may just reduce your risk of death by 20%. 

Researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Harvard School of Public Health examined 30 years of data from over 118,000 people.  They found that people who ate a handful of nuts every day were 20% less likely to die from any cause over a 30-year period compared to those who didn't eat nuts.

In addition, researchers found: 

  • Heart disease deaths were reduced by 29%
  • Cancer deaths were reduced by 11%

Because nuts are high in fat and calories many people try to avoid them. But the researchers found that the nut eaters were more slender than those who abstained.  The results are consistent with a 2009 Harvard study finding higher nut consumption was associated with a significantly lower risk of weight gain and obesity.

The researchers found those eating nuts were also more likely to:

  • be non-smokers
  • exercise
  • take multivitamins
  • eat more fruits and vegetables
  • drink more alcohol   

The report was supported by a grant from the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research & Education Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. 

The investigators used data from food questionnaires collected in the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals' Follow-up Study from 1986 to 2010. Participants in the studies were asked how often they ate a one ounce serving of nuts.  

Researchers determined that the protective effects were similar for both peanuts – which are really legumes – and tree nuts.

And more is better when it comes to eating nuts.  More nuts equaled more protection against death.  Here's how the numbers worked out for those who ate nuts

  • Less than once a week = 7% reduced mortality
  • Once a week = 11% reduction
  • Two to four times per week = 13% reduction
  • Five to six times per week = 15% reduction
  • Seven or more times a week = 20% percent reduction in death rate.

Nuts Support Heart Health

An earlier study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found eating more nuts is associated with improved blood lipid levels.  Researchers from Loma Linda University in California gathered data from 25 nut studies conducted in seven countries.  They concluded that nuts have the potential to lower coronary heart disease risk. 

Nuts support heart health because they are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, as well as omega-3 fatty acids.  In addition they provide high quality protein, fiber and vitamin E which may help stop the development of plaque in the arteries.   

While the most recent Harvard study did not specify which nuts were most beneficial, other studies have found benefits in all types of nuts.  However, an analysis of different types of nuts at the University of Scranton found walnuts are number one in antioxidants.    The study analyzed nine different types of nuts: walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamias, and pecans.  

Walnuts have been associated with better cognitive function, as well as anti-inflammatory effects that are beneficial in relieving asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, eczema and psoriasis. In addition, they contain an antioxidant that supports the immune system and appears to have several anticancer properties.

A handful of walnuts has also been shown to help relieve the effects of stress.  In a Penn State University study, healthy adults following a diet that included walnuts and walnut oil had lower blood pressure and stress responses when subjected to stress.  It takes only 7-9 walnuts a day to get the stress benefits.   

View additional walnut health benefit research on GreenMedInfo.com.

Nuts Help Control Type 2 Diabetes

Research from the University of Toronto found consuming two ounces of nuts daily as a replacement for carbohydrates proved effective at glycemic and serum lipid control for people with Type 2 diabetes.

The study, published online by the journal Diabetes Care, reported that mixed, unsalted, raw, or dry-roasted nuts may be used as part of a strategy to improve diabetes control without weight gain.

Researchers divided diabetic patients into three groups. One group was given muffins; one was provided with a mixture of nuts including raw almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews, and macadamias; and one group was given a mixture of both muffins and nuts.

The patients who received only nuts saw the greatest improvement in blood glucose control. They also experienced a reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (known as LDL, or "bad cholesterol").

French “Paradox” Solved: It’s Not The Red Wine

French

In 1993 French researcher Serge Renaud coined the phrase "the French paradox."  He was referring to the mysterious heart health enjoyed by the French despite their high saturated fat diet.  Ever since then, people all over the world have been guzzling red wine and popping resveratrol pills in an effort to duplicate the effect.

Some 20 years later, researchers are now suggesting that rather than red wine, the secret to the French paradox may be the protective effect of their aged cheeses.

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