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The power of a good diet in Texas
A series of recent studies seem to confirm that individuals food in Dallas, Houston and elsewhere in Texas put the mouth has an important impact on their health.
Oatmeal is for the heart.
It is not the first time oats have been touted as heart healthy, but a review of recent studies on oats and heart disease risk back some of those claims.
Studies failed to show a direct effect of eating oatmeal on reducing heart disease risk or heart-related death, but investigators said they found food oatmeal based on an overall effect was to reduce cholesterol.
People who consumed a diet rich in whole grains of oats oats and experienced decline in both total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein unhealthy (LDL) cholesterol. High cholesterol in general and LDL cholesterol levels are major Risk factors for heart disease.
In the 2007 study, published in the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews, researchers reviewed ten o'clock Studies on the effects of whole-grain foods to adults. Eight studies involved whole-grain oats and had a total of 914 adults at risk of heart disease.
When the researchers combined the results of the studies, they found people who ate whole-grain oatmeal had lower total cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol compared with those who ate refined grain foods. The average reduction in total cholesterol levels was 7.7 mg. / Dl and the average reduction in LDL cholesterol levels was 7 mg. / Dl.
Based on these findings, the researchers say there is evidence to suggest that whole oats professionals health could recommend oats as part of a cholesterol reduction program. But they say more studies are needed.
The American Heart Association recommends and whole grain foods for a heart-healthy diet. According to the association, "The fiber found in unrefined whole grain foods can help reduce blood cholesterol, which is important in preventing heart disease and stroke. "
The Mediterranean diet may help people Breath Easy
Researchers recently reported that a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables and olive oil can help reduce childhood respiratory allergies and asthma. The study of children living on the Greek island of Crete showed that diet may explain why allergies are so common skin as anywhere else, but wheezing and sneezing are less common.
Britain's Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung, as well as researchers in Greece and Spain, studied 690 children aged 7 to 18. Children who ate more fresh fruits and nuts were the least prone to respiratory allergies, and those who consumed the highest amount of margarine were the most likely a. The researchers found that 80 percent of the children ate fresh fruits (68 percent and vegetables) at least twice a day.
The grapes, oranges, apples and fresh tomatoes, the main local products in Crete had no effect on skin allergies but children who ate more of them were less likely to have wheezing or runny nose, the researchers found. A high intake of nuts was found to be inversely associated with wheezing, whereas margarine increased the risk of both wheezing and allergic rhinitis (sneezing and runny nose) the researchers wrote.
This diet may explain the relative lack of allergic symptoms in this population. The researchers found that the grapes never been shown to protect against allergies. Compounds found in grape skins, especially antioxidant substances, may be responsible.
Black chocolate can pump up your arteries.
It's dark, indulgent, and most individuals in Dallas, Houston and other parts of Texas have an insatiable craving it. But unfortunately, all were told that chocolate was bad for us. Well, the tables are turning on the chocolate, especially chocolate black. A new study made in USA delicious nibbles suggests that black chocolate can also boost the function of vital endothelial cells that line the inside of blood vessels.
Cocoa is rich in flavonoids, a group of antioxidant compounds also found in fruits and vegetables, wine and green tea. Research suggests consumption of foods rich in flavonoids may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The 2007 study, by researchers of prevention Yale Center for Research in Connecticut, included 45 healthy people with a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 35 kg/m2. The participants were divided into three groups who consumed eight ounces of cocoa without sugar, cocoa with sugar or a placebo.
BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. A reading of 25-29.9 BMI is an indicator of overweight, while a reading of 30 or more indicates obesity.
For six weeks, participants were subjected to function tests endothelial. This type of test, called flow-mediated dilation (FMD), is achieved by using high frequency ultrasound to measure the ability of the brachial artery (Ranging from shoulder to elbow) to relax and expand to accommodate increased blood flow.
The study found that FMD improved significantly, up 2.4 percent in the group that consumed cocoa without sugar, compared with 1.5 percent in the group that ate cocoa with sugar. There was a 0.8 percent decrease of FMD in the group that ate the placebo.
In the group of healthy adults with BMI between 25 and 35 kg/m2, black chocolate ingestion over a short period of time has been shown to significantly improve endothelial function. This led the research team to believe that greater benefits can be seen through a long-term randomized clinical trial.
The researchers also noted that while the results of this study do not suggest that people should start eating more chocolate as part of their daily routine, suggests there should be more attention to how black chocolate and other flavonoid-rich foods might offer cardiovascular benefits.
About the Author
Pat Carpenter writes for Precedent Insurance Company. Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at Precedent.com
Holiday Reviews: Crete by Tara