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.

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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.