Strawberries: Pick a Pint to Reduce Inflammation

by Kelley Herring

In another Healing Gourmet article, you learned hou how fiber can help slash CRP- a marker of inflammation and a predictor of future heart disease and diabetes. Now new research shows that enjoying juicy, delicious strawberries can do the same thing.

In the Women’s Health Study, researchers examined the relationship between eating strawberries and the risk of cardiovascular disease and CRP. They found that women who ate two or more servings of strawberries per week had a 14 percent lower risk of elevated CRP (3 mg/L or higher) than women who ate none.

Remember, strawberries are one of the crops most contaminated by pesticides, so be sure the ones you eat are organic. Just one cup of fresh or frozen organic strawberries - tossed on a salad, whirled into a smoothie, or enjoyed fresh from the carton - will give you those two inflammation-slashing servings.

Is Your Meal Packed with Endocrine Disruptors?

Many foods – from farm-raised fish and conventional meats, to fruits and veggies grown with chemicals– contain potent molecules that harm your endocrine system: the interconnected network of hormones.

Many of these stealthy chemicals promote weight gain and cancer, affect fertility and can even strongly promote the development of breasts in men.

Learn which foods to eat (and which to avoid) to preserve your hormonal harmony. See Organics: Beyond Green.

Click here to learn more...

Crack Down on CRP with Walnuts

by Kelley Herring

New research suggests walnuts' ability to reduce cholesterol may only be one of the many ways these nuts help to protect the heart.

A recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition included overweight men and menopausal women ranging in age from 30 to 65 with elevated cholesterol levels. Each participant was assigned to one of the three diets: the average American diet (control diet), a linoleic acid (LA) diet including one ounce of walnuts and a teaspoon of walnut oil daily, and an alpha- linoleic acid diet (ALA), which added a teaspoon of flaxseed oil (another source of ALA) to the linoleic diet.

Both diets including walnuts resulted in positive effects on the particpants health, with the ALA diet providing the most benefit. In addition to lowering LDL cholesterol, the walnut-rich ALA diet:

• Reduced levels of C-reactive protein - a marker of inflammation strongly associated with atherosclerosis and heart disease
• Increased levels of protective omega- 3 fatty acids including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
• Decreased levels of factors involved with cholesterol's ability to adhere to the lining of the arteries

Go ahead and crack into walnuts and crunch to your heart's content. Their rich flavor balances and boosts mild or fruity salads and fish dishes.

Cut Your Risk of a Deadly Heart Attack by 59%

With Just 7 Ounces of These Foods Each Week!

A Chinese study followed 18,000 men for 10 years and found that those eating just 7 ounces per week of a certain food had a risk of fatal heart attack 59% lower than men eating 2 ounces or less each week.

See p. 19 of Fats That Heal, Fats That Harm to learn more and then find hundreds of recipes with this heart-healthy ingredient on our website.

Click here to learn more...

Reduce Inflammation with a Low GI Diet

by Kelley Herring

Need another reason to choose low glycemic foods? How about reducing inflammation - a cornerstone of chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes and cancer?

The Nurses' Health Study evaluated the diets of 732 healthy women using a food frequency questionnaire. The study compared women consuming a “Prudent” pattern diet- higher intakes of fruit, vegetables, legumes, fish, poultry, and whole grains, with those consuming a “Western” pattern diet, characterized by higher intakes of red and processed meats, sweets, desserts, French fries, and refined grains.

Researchers found the "Prudent" pattern was inversely associated with levels of CRP, while the Western pattern showed a positive relation with CRP, interleukin 6 and other factors of inflammation.

Reduce inflammation and keep your blood sugar in check by centering your meals around antioxidant and fiber-rich beans and veggies complimented by organic proteins.

Cut CRP with Fiber

by Kelley Herring

A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical a Nutrition examined the relationship between c-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation and a predictor of future heart disease and diabetes, with dietary fiber.

The study evaluated the body composition, CRP, diet and physical activity of 524 people. The researchers found that CRP was inversely associated with total fiber in the diet.

Fit fiber into your diet by eating more whole grains, fruits and vegetables and try these filling fiber-full fixes.

Do You Know Your CRP?

by Kelley Herring

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a tiny inflammatory factor that plays a big role in your risk of heart disease. Because CRP is stimulated by blood sugar, keeping your blood sugar low is important in preventing heart-harming events. In fact, the higher your blood sugar level, the more C-reactive protein produced in the body and the greater the risk of cardiovascular complications.

A recent report published by the American Heart Association/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (AHA/CDC) duo indicates that CRP measurements may provide important information for assessing heart disease beyond that which may be obtained from established risk factors.

The good news is that what you eat plays a big role in keeping yor CRP levels low. Learn about how a low glycemic diet, packed with fruits, veggies and healthy fats can help keep CRP levels in check.

High Homocysteine Levels

Double Heart Attack... and Triple Stroke Risk!

Homocysteine (Hcy) is a dangerous protein by-product that’s associated with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, depression and even deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

The good news is that you can get your body to convert this dangerous substance into a harmless amino acid… just by getting enough of these threevitamins.

Learn which vitamins you need to keep your homocysteine low, the ideal level of Hcy you should have in your blood and how to get tested in 20 Lifesaving Tests Your Doctor Hasn’t Performed (And Should!) and Smart Cooks Age Better.

Click here to learn more...

Cherries: A Sweet Way to Reduce Inflammation

by Kelley Herring

Inflammation is (or should be) a serious concern. It is the cornerstone of cellular aging and the root of chronic disease, which now affects more than 100 million people in the U.S. alone.

But new research shows that eating many of your favorite foods, including cherries, may help quell inflammation and forestall the ravages of aging.

A recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition evaluated the effect of cherries on inflammation. Eighteen healthy men and women supplemented their diets with bing cherries (280 grams/day, or just less than two cups of pitted cherries) for 28 days. Blood samples were drawn and analyzed before and during the cherry noshing, as well as 28 days afterward.

After 28 days, the subjects’ plasma concentrations of c-reactive protein (CRP), a primary marker of inflammation, decreased by 25%. Then, after the subjects abstained from cherries for 28 days, their circulating concentrations of CRP increased by approximately 10%.

Choose cherries for a sweet treat with real health benefits. Try our delicious cherry recipes here at Healing Gourmet or whip up a Chocolate Covered Cherry Smoothie. Just blend one cup of organic milk, one scoop of Jay Robb’s Chocolate Whey (all-natural, pasture-grazed, grass-fed whey protein isolate made from cows not treated with the synthetic bovine growth hormone rBGH), and one cup of frozen organic cherries. In minutes, you’ll have an antioxidant-rich dessert for breakfast that will keep you full till lunch and keep inflammation at bay.

High Homocysteine Levels

Double Heart Attack... and Triple Stroke Risk!

Homocysteine (Hcy) is a dangerous protein by-product that’s associated with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, depression and even deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

The good news is that you can get your body to convert this dangerous substance into a harmless amino acid… just by getting enough of these threevitamins.

Learn which vitamins you need to keep your homocysteine low, the ideal level of Hcy you should have in your blood and how to get tested in 20 Lifesaving Tests Your Doctor Hasn’t Performed (And Should!) and Smart Cooks Age Better.

Click here to learn more...

Bulk Up to Lower Inflammation

You’ve likely heard (and seen) quite a bit lately on a “miracle” substance that is proven to foster weight loss, improve gastrointestinal health, protect the heart, and even guard against
cancer.

Food manufacturers are boosting it in their products (and proudly displaying it on the labels), TV commercials exposing taut tummies urge you to get more by whirling it into juice or water, and a recent book suggests getting 35 grams every day is the key to losing weight and staying healthy for life.

What is this miracle substance? Fiber!

Although devoid of calories, this “non-nutritional vital nutrient”, is anything but lacking when it comes to your health. And new research shows yet another way roughage (as mom calls it) can help prevent one of the major causes of chronic disease—inflammation.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation and a predictor of future heart disease and diabetes, with dietary fiber. The study evaluated the body composition, CRP, diet and physical activity of 524 people. At the end of the study, researchers found CRP levels in the body were inversely associated with the total fiber in the diet.

Bulk up to keep inflammation down. For maximum benefit, get a variety of plant-based foods that provide both soluble and insoluble fiber like these:

• Black beans, ½ cup: 7.5 grams
  
• Chickpeas, 1/2 cup: 6.2 grams
  
• Kidney beans, 1/2 cup, cooked: 5.8 grams
  
• Navy beans, 1/2 cup, cooked: 5.8 grams
  
• Northern beans, 1/2 cup, cooked: 5.6 grams
  
• Pinto beans, 1/2 cup, cooked: 7.4 grams
  
• Brussels sprouts, 1 cup: 6.4 grams
  
• Apple: 5.7 grams
  
• Pear: 5.1 grams
  
• Whole wheat spaghetti, 1 cup: 6.3 grams
  

You can also use our Personalized Recipe Search to find recipes highest in fiber.

Are You Getting Enough of This Anti-Inflammatory Elixir?

This essential fat dramatically reduces inflammation. Some studies show it can slash the markers of inflammation by up to 30%.

But close to 90% of us don’t get enough!

Learn what it is and how much you need every day in Fats That Heal, Fats That Harm (p. 14) and the test you should take to find out if your oil is low in 20 Tests Your Doctor Hasn’t Performed, And Should! (p. 13)

Click here to learn more...