Whole Fruits Reduces the Risk of Developing Diabetes

Here's some sweet news for anyone at risk of developing diabetes: New research shows a diet rich in whole fruits — particularly blueberries, grapes, and apples — can help reduce the risk of developing the life-threatening metabolic disorder.

The findings, published in the British Medical Journal by an international team of scientists, are based on a review of the medical records of 187,382 men and women enrolled in three long-running health researcher projects involving nurses and health professionals.

Researchers from the U.S., U.K., and Singapore examined the association of individual fruit consumption in relation to Type 2 diabetes risk among the participants, none of whom had diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer at the start of the studies.

The result showed those who ate more whole fruits were far less likely to developing diabetes than those who did not, but that men and women who consumed high levels of fruit juice faced increased risks.

Ten individual fruits were used in the study: grapes or raisins; peaches, plums or apricots; prunes; bananas; cantaloupe; apples or pears; oranges; grapefruit; strawberries; blueberries. Fruit juice included apple; orange; grapefruit and other fruit juices.

The researchers found three servings per week of blueberries; grapes and raisins; apples and pears significantly reduced the risk of Type 2 diabetes. They also noted replacing three servings per week of fruit juice with individual whole fruits reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by an additional 7 percent.

The researchers concluded that greater consumption of specific whole fruits "particularly blueberries, grapes and apples was significantly associated with lower Type 2 diabetes risk whereas greater fruit juice consumption was associated with a higher risk."

They added that the results support recommendations to increase the consumption of a variety of whole fruits as a strategy for diabetes prevention.

Natural Ways to Improve our Mood & Health

Each year, more than 15 million American adults suffer from depression, and its effects are not to be taken lightly.

But there are eight simple things you can do to fight off the depressive blues and help restore a positive outlook:

1.    Eat plenty of raw fruits and vegetables to raise your complex carbohydrate levels. This will ensure a higher level of serotonin, which is known to help lift your spirits.

2.    Eat foods like salmon and turkey. They contain high levels of protein and tryptophan, which affect your nervous system.

3.    Get out in the sun at least 10 minutes each day, but be sure to avoid overexposure.

4.    Include St. John’s wort (herb), kava kava (herb) and SAMe (amino acid supplement) in your diet regimen. They are known to help with depression.

5.    Eliminate alcohol and caffeinated drinks.

6.    Avoid eating processed foods, refined sugar or refined flour.

7.    Don’t eat foods that are high in saturated fats, like fried foods or bacon. These can make you sluggish and promote fatigue.

8.    When negative or fearful thoughts begin, start a positive and uplifting affirmation. Do simple exercise & it can have amazing results.

Kiwi, To Reduce the Risk of Cancer

Just one kiwi will give you nearly 100 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C, and research shows that eating just two or three kiwis a day may help reduce your risk of cancer, thanks to their rich content of DNA-repairing antioxidants. Kiwi has also shown promise for improving symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, and offers natural laxative properties to promote healthy bowel function.

Broccoli, A Weapon against Arthritis

Our parents are right- at least the ones who tried to get us to eat all our green vegetables, according to new research.

But ONE green vegetable may be more powerful than all others when it comes to arthritis.

According to the study out of the United Kingdom’s University of East Anglia, a compound in this one vegie may mean the end of arthritis for those who eat it.

Research from the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom has shown that a little-known compound in broccoli has amazing healing powers for those who suffer from osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most commonly-diagnosed form of arthritis worldwide, with the most frequent places that it affects being the knees and lower back. For people who need their backs and their knees to work (which is almost everyone who wants to be able to pay bills), preventing and healing the condition is critical.

Unfortunately, the same compound that heals joint destruction is also partly responsible for the foul odor in flatulence that accompanies broccoli consumption- sulforaphane.

Sulphoraphane is released when eating cruciferous vegetables, and its cancer- and inflammation-fighting properties are already well-established. Broccoli is by far the greatest source of sulphoraphane, as opposed to cauliflower or Brussels sprouts.

The new study, though, is the first to establish evidence that sulphoraphane actively stops the destruction of cartilage in joints when it is consumed regularly.

Eating broccoli is, of course, just one piece of the puzzle to completely reverse arthritis. But the study proves that this can be done.

A Glass of Wine could lower the Risks of Developing Depression

While a mountain of research supports light drinking with protecting your heart, a new study finds that a glass of wine a day could lower your risks of developing depression.
 

Researchers from University of Navarra in Spain looked at data on 5,505 men and women ages 55 to 80 years old. Subjects had no history of depression or alcohol-related problems prior to the study, and over the course of seven years, researchers tracked their drinking habits, lifestyle, and mental health through repeated visits, medical exams, and interviews.

Findings showed that those who drank moderate amounts of alcohol, mostly wine, had similar protective effects on depression to those who have been observed for coronary heart disease. The lowest rates of depression were seen in subjects who drank two to seven small glasses of wine per week. These results remained significant even when the researchers adjusted for other lifestyle and social factors, such as smoking, diet, and marital status.

Findings were published online Friday, August 30, in the journal BMC Medicine.

"Lower amounts of alcohol intake might exert protection in a similar way to what has been observed for coronary heart disease," said senior author Miguel A. Martínez-González. "In fact, it is believed that depression and coronary heart disease share some common disease mechanisms."
 

Previous studies have indicated that non-alcoholic compounds in the wine, such as resveratrol and other phenolic compounds, may have protective effects on certain areas of the brain.