Health for life

Studies confirm that almonds and walnuts promote heart health by regulating blood lipids and help to prevent diabetes by controlling blood glucose and factors which lead to metabolic syndrome. You can boost your health by adding these nuts to your regular diet and reap the many health benefits.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading killer of adults and there’s solid evidence that including a handful of nuts to your diet each day can have a significant impact on the health of your heart. The typical diet consists of excessive calories from sugars, ined carbohydrates and hydrogenated fats from fried foods. This type of diet negatively influences blood lipids, causing an uneven balance of LDL and HDL cholesterol. Problems arise when the LDL particles become very small and oxidized as a result of eating too much processed food.

Small LDL particles are known to lead to the formation of foamy plaque which is used by our body to pack the small micro cracks which occur in the delicate inner lining of the coronary arteries. Once the LDL cholesterol becomes oxidized, typically from a diet high in hydrogenated trans fats, the substance becomes sticky and quickly forms into dangerous plaque which can narrow the arteries. This sets the stage for a blockage and can lead to a heart attack.

According to a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating nuts on a regular basis can help to change the blood lipid chemistry to reduce the risk from coronary artery disease and death from a heart attack. Nuts are loaded with beneficial monounsaturated and Omega-3 fats which directly control the size of the LDL cholesterol particles as well as oxidation properties which make the particles less cohesive and less likely to form plaque.

It’s important to note that eating nuts is just one powerful tool in your dietary toolbox for fighting heart disease. To dramatically lower your risk of heart disease, you must cut out ined carbohydrates, wheat based foods and eliminate sugar as this type of diet fuels atherogenic blood fats and heart disease. Use nuts as a compliment to your healthy diet.

The continual blood sugar spikes seen in many people after eating are a sign of metabolic dysfunction which leads to diabetes. A diet high in sugar and processed carbs drives this condition which can lead to devastating complications including blindness, kidney failure and neuropathy. A study published in The Journal of Nutrition demonstrates that eating almonds before a meal helps to decrease the wild blood sugar swings from a high carb meal. This helps to lower the risk of developing diabetes and can even assist in the treatment of the disorder when used as part of a healthy diet.

Almonds and walnuts are nutritional super foods which have been shown to provide essential health benefits. These natural foods help regulate blood lipids and glucose to lower the risk of heart disease and help to prevent diabetes. In addition to eliminating sugar, wheat and processed carbs from your diet, try adding a handful of these nuts to your menu each day for optimal health benefits.