Once again I am looking at the effect of food on the body. Never forget what Hippocrates said: “Let food be your medicine.”
Eating nuts is good for us. Forget the issue that they could increase your weight. I never met anyone who found themselves obese from eating nuts. Researchers have recently revealed that nuts appear to reduce the levels of inflammation in the body. Inflammation is a problem associated with a range of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes and arthritis, as well as some cancers.
People who eat nuts five or more times a week have lower markers of inflammation, compared with those who never eat nuts. Magnesium, fibre, L-arginine, antioxidants and unsaturated fatty acids are all contained in nuts. However, researchers cannot be sure which of these are anti-inflammatory or whether they work in synergy.
The findings were made by researchers from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, who assessed the health and diets of more than 5,000 participants of the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
Eating red meat is controversial, but there is no doubt that if your lifestyle includes red meat, smoking and too much alcohol, your life expectancy will be shortened considerably. Add to that a lack of exercise and people with a weight problem and you have real issues. Interestingly, if your lifestyle is healthy, then eating red meat, in moderation, does not shorten your life.
The problem is that most people who eat a diet of mostly processed and red meats, eggs and dairy, don’t take good care of their health. Researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital have stated that it is better to eat a diet of vegetables, fish and white meats, such as chicken. People who already do this are also more likely to have a healthier lifestyle.
On the face of it, the link between premature death and a diet of red and processed meats is actually ‘weak’, say the researchers. However, that is amplified when other bad habits (general inactivity, smoking and drinking) become part of the mix of that person’s lifestyle. Then, the risk is very strong.
People who eat nuts five or more times a week have lower markers of inflammation
The researchers explored the health and diets of more than 130,000 study participants for 36 years. During that time, more than 36,000 died of heart disease, cancer or other causes. The researchers summarised that if you do have a lifestyle of smoking and drinking, then eating more vegetables and fish just might save your life.
Sugar cravings could be the bane of your life. Imagine sitting watching television and just feeling the urge for chocolate or something sweet to feed the craving. Researchers have discovered that “it’s all on the brain”. In fact, cells in the brain actively seek out sugar in the blood.
Although the brain uses up more sugar than any other organ in the body, it was always thought the process of glucose (blood sugar) entering the brain was passive. However, researchers at the Technical University of Munich have found that brain cells actively seek out and feed off glucose.
Astrocytes are the most prevalent cells in the brain; they help maintain the blood/brain barrier and control hormones such as insulin and leptin, which become ‘sugar switches’ that help feed the brain with glucose.
The researchers say their discovery is a ‘paradigm shift’ that could explain why currently available drugs for diabetes and obesity haven’t been very effective. However, it also means that new research now has to be carried out to better understand the crucial role that astrocytes play in sugar addiction (Cell, 2016)
Finally, can we influence our genes to enable us to stay well? A major new study which tested the positive effects of emotional freedom technique (EFT) suggests we can. EFT is a simple therapy that unblocks ‘trapped’ emotions by tapping areas of the body.
Although our genes may be fixed by a DNA code, their expression can be affected by our mood, stress levels, tiredness and even hunger, says EFT expert Dawson Church. It is how our genes are expressed that determines a range of chronic health problems, including cancer, diabetes and insulin resistance, as well as the strength of our immune system.
In the study at the Akamai University in Hawaii, the change in gene expression was tested before and after an hour-long session of EFT. The genetic expression was monitored by saliva tests.
The results showed that 72 genes were affected by EFT, they can influence the suppression, or growth, of cancer tumours, our body’s ability to protect itself against ultraviolet radiation from the sun’s rays, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, immunity against infections and brain health, among many others.
As Church explained: “Levels of gene expression are like the gradations of a light that is controlled by a dimmer switch; the expression of many genes can be dialled up or down.” (Energy Phycology, 2016)
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