My eating habits consist of consuming the following foods. Although not a comprehensive list, it covers most of the basics. I tend to eat these things for health reasons (on advice). Compare the list with your own favourites……….

Potatoes Often Boiled Jacketed
Sprouts Often
Cabbage Often
Peas Often
Broccoli Often
Cauliflower Sometimes
Green Bean Often
Broad Bean Often
Baked Bean Often
Carrots Often
Turnips Sometimes
Beetroot Often In vinegar
Capsicums Often
Onions Often Spanish Spring Red
Garlic Often
Tomatoes Often
Lettuce Often
Radish Rarely
Cucumber Often
Celery Rarely
Apples Sometimes
Pears Sometimes
Oranges Sometimes
Bananas Sometimes
Plums Sometimes
Grapes Often
Tangerines Often
Pastry Very Rarely Savoury
Bread Less often White Whole Grain.
Muesli Often
Oats Often
Cereals Often Wheat Corn No Sugar
Rice Often Boiled
Cakes Rarely
Fish Oily Often Sardines Salmon Kippers
Fish White Often Cod/Coley
Salt Rarely Non Added
Liver Rarely
Beefsteak Sometimes

Eggs Sometimes
Margarine Often
Butter Sometimes
Cheeses Sometimes
Milk Often S- Skimmed
Red Wine Often 4-8 units Per week
White Wine Rarely
Soft Drinks Often Sugar Free
Fruit Juices Often Sugar Free

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Include these everyday foods in your diet and you’ll soon notice the benefits, without putting a dent in your bank balance…

Cinnamon
Cinnamon can help to control blood sugar and reduce sugar cravings, so sprinkle it on your coffee, porridge or stewed fruit – it’s a great low-calorie substitute for sugar.

Cabbage
Shred cabbage and add to stir-fries and salads. It’s packed with antioxidants, has cancer-fighting properties – and it’s cheap and cheerful, too.

Beetroot
Pickled beetroot isn’t the best choice, but fresh beetroot is packed with iron, magnesium and folic acid. Try it grated on salads or roasted in olive oil.

Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are packed with magnesium and can help to control sugar cravings. Try them toasted and sprinkled on salads or stirred into rice or couscous.

Turmeric
Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties and can help to ease joint and muscle pain. It also contains iron and vitamin B6 – so add to curry or sprinkle on scrambled eggs for an extra kick.

Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a great low-calorie substitute for potato and it’s full of fibre and immune-boosting vitamin A. Roast it in olive oil, or mash with butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Dark Chocolate
Studies show that chocolate can lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Look for dark chocolate with a high cocoa content and treat yourself to two or three squares.

Sardines
Tinned sardines are cheap and cheerful – and they’re packed with calcium and heart-healthy omega-3s. Try them mashed on toast or stirred through pasta.

Kiwi
A single kiwi contains more vitamin C than an orange – and it’s a good source of potassium, too. Cut it in half and eat with a spoon or add slices to cereal or salads.

Apples
An apple a day really can keep the doctor away. Apples contain lots of vitamin C along with the soluble fibre pectin, which can help to lower cholesterol.

Baked Beans
Baked beans are one of the healthiest convenience foods. The insoluble fibre in the beans can help to protect against colon cancer, and the tomato sauce contains lycopene, which protects against heart disease and prostate cancer.

Tea
Studies show that just one cup of tea each day can protect against heart disease. That’s because tea contains catechins, which protect the artery walls and prevent the formation of blood clots.

Eggs
Eggs have had a bad press in the last few years, but they’re a great source of protein, iron and selenium, which can protect against Alzheimer’s disease. Better still, they’re the ultimate fast food and take just minutes to prepare.

Oats
A bowl of porridge is the perfect way to start the day. Oats are high in protein, essential fats, zinc, calcium, magnesium and iron. The soluble fibre can help to lower cholesterol and as they’re a low GI food, they can also help to stabilise blood sugar.

Check out the links in my ‘Healthy Food’ page to the right.

Energy boosters
by Helen Henwood
Lack of energy is a common problem as winter ends. We check out the various supplements, foods and remedies that can help boost your energy levels for spring.

Your diet and lifestyle can have a major impact on you energy levels. Everything from lack of micronutrients to inadequate fluid intake, overwork, stress and lack of sleep can zap energy. Assuming medical conditions such as anaemia, hypo-thyroidism and cardiac problems are ruled out, the following supplements, foods and remedies can help boost your energy levels:

Oats
Oats contain more protein than any other cereal. They are a good source of soluble fibre, B group vitamins and also contain minerals such as calcium and iron. Oats are an excellent source of complex carbohydrate which helps to sustain blood sugar levels. Research in Australia has found that athletes who followed an oat-based diet for 3 weeks showed a 4% increase in stamina. As oats quickly help to satisfy the appetite they are useful for maintaining a healthy weight.

Oats have a soothing effect on the central nervous system, and have a reputation for boosting sexual energy levels, hence the popular saying about sowing one’s wild oats. A study involving 40 adults found that a supplement containing oats helped to increase sexual desire and performance.

Jerusalem artichokes
Jerusalem artichokes are a good source of carbohydrate. They contain the enzyme, inulase, and an indigestible complex sugar, inulin, which is made up of units of the sugar, fructose. As the artichoke matures, its starches are converted into digestible sugars so it becomes increasingly sweet and its usable energy content increases.

Its inulin and inulase content helps to stabilise glucose levels. Jerusalem artichokes are also a rich source of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) that have a prebiotic action in the body. Prebiotics promote the growth of friendly digestive bacteria such as Lactobacilli, to improve digestion and reduce the risk of intestinal problems such as gastroenteritis. Jerusalem artichokes are a good source of potassium and also contains useful amounts of calcium, magnesium and iron.

Jerusalem artichokes may be eaten plain boiled, with a little sauce, cut in half, brushed with olive oil and grilled, or made into a delicious soup.

Spinach
Spinach was Popeye’s favourite energising food. It contains high amounts of carotenoids and folate, and good amounts of potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin E and vitamin C. Spinach is one of the richest sources of the B vitamin, folate, which is involved in a wide number of metabolic reactions including protein and sugar metabolism. When folate is in short supply, a form of anaemia can develop which quickly leads to tiredness and lack of energy. In one study of 60 people with chronic fatigue syndrome, 50% had low levels of folic acid. A regular intake of spinach may help a significant number of people with chronic fatigue.

Avocado is a fruit, not a vegetable. Some varieties provide as much as 80% of their energy content in the form of oils of which most is monounsaturated and has beneficial effects on blood fat levels and the circulation. Avocado also contains a sugar known as manopheptulose, which helps to satisfy sensations of hunger.

Avocado has one of the highest protein contents of any fruit, and is highly nutritious as it contains useful amounts of vitamin B6, antioxidant vitamins C and E, alpha-carotene, potassium, copper and magnesium. Unlike most fruits, avocadoes only start to ripen and fulfil their nutritional potential once cut from the tree. Store at room temperature until the flesh softens sufficiently to eat.

Banana
Ripe bananas contain fruit sugars that give a rapid yet sustained boost to blood glucose levels. As bananas ripen, more starch is converted into sugar, and a very ripe banana may contains as much as 23g sugar. They are an ideal energy-rich snack for people who are physically active, especially after exercise, as they are readily portable and easily digested.

As well as boosting energy levels, Bananas have a beneficial effect on mental and sexual energy levels. They are a source of two biogenic amines, serotonin and dopamine which, although partially inactivated by an enzyme in the gut lining, provides building blocks for the production of these important neurotransmitters in the brain. Serotonin is a feel-good, mood lifting substance that peps you up, while dopamine is also important for emotional balance.

Bananas are also one of the few foods with real potential as an aphrodisiac to boost sexual energy levels. They contain an alkaloid (bufotenine) that acts on the brain to increase mood, self-confidence and increase sex drive. It is found in greatest quantity just beneath the skin, and is best obtained by cutting whole bananas lengthways and baking them. The flesh should then be scraped away from the skin before eating.

Guarana
Guarana is known in its native Brazil as the Food of the Gods. Its dried seeds contain a complex of natural stimulants, including guaranine – similar to caffeine – and saponins similar to those found in Korean ginseng. Guarana increases physical, mental and sexual energy levels and relieves fatigue. It is less likely to produce the irritability, poor sleep and tremor linked with excess caffeine and, although it acts as a stimulant, it also has a calming effect which does not usually interfere with sleep or make stress-related symptoms worse. Some people are sensitive to it however, and respond in the same way as they do to the caffeine found in coffee. Research in Denmark has found that after taking guarana extracts for three months, volunteers had a significant increase in energy levels and reacted better to stress. Guarana is useful for preventing jet lag, when taken before during and after a long distance flight.
NB: Guarana is a restricted substance for some sports.

Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a vitamin-like substance needed to process oxygen and produce energy in our cells. Without CoQ10, the energy hidden in food molecules could not be converted into a form of energy in muscle cells. A study involving 15 middle-aged males found that taking oral supplements of CoQ10 increased exercise tolerance and general vigour. When CoQ10 was studied in 25 Finnish top-level cross-country skiers, those taking supplements showed significant improvement in all measured indexes of physical performance. 94% of the athletes felt CoQ10 had improved their performance and recovery time compared with only 33% of those taking an inactive placebo.

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Siberian ginseng
Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) helps the body to adapt and cope during times of stress. It is used extensively to improve stamina and strength, particularly during or after illness and when suffering from other forms of stress and fatigue. Siberian ginseng is widely used as a tonic for invigoration and fortification during times of fatigue and debility; for declining work capacity and concentration, as well as during convalescence.

Aromatherapy oils
Many aromatherapy essential oils have a beneficial effect on the mind, helping to clarify thoughts and improve alertness. Choose bergamot to revive, lemongrass to counter sluggishness, orange to lighten mood and rose to increase alertness, black pepper to overcome emotional blocks and mental exhaustion and peppermint for physical and mental uplifting. You can also make your own blends by adding five drops of essential oil to 10ml sweet almond carrier oil. Place a few drops on a hanky and inhale as often as necessary.

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GARLIC

Garcinia | Gentian
Botanical: Allium sativum
Family: Alliaceae (onion)
Other common names: Stinking Rose, Lucifer’s Tulip, Poor Man’s Treacle, Russian Penicillin, Rashona, Billy Goat’s Cologne, Clove Garlic, Devil’s Posey, Devil’s Rose, Dragon’s Perfume,

Hell’s Passion Flower

How can you not eat it?

Discover Nature’s time-honored “cure-all” with Garlic! When it comes to fighting infections, Garlic enjoys the reputation as nature’s most potent weapon against germs. Garlic is said to pulverize viruses, bacteria and fungi. If you want to detoxify your body, lower blood pressure, promote healthy serum cholesterol and blood sugar levels and enhance your immune system, give Garlic a try; you won’t be sorry!

History:
Garlic has been prized for at least five thousand years, and so, it is difficult to trace its exact origin. One early botanist considered it to be indigenous to the southwest of Siberia, later spreading to southern Europe. Others claim that it came from Central Asia, where it was considered the most important herb in Persian herbal medicine. It is widely cultivated in the Latin countries bordering the Mediterranean, even growing wild in Sicily. Garlic has been described through the ages in almost spiritual terms and has been called the wonder drug of the herbal world. It is a bulbous perennial with a single stalk that may grow to three feet. Ancient Egyptians not only worshipped Garlic but also fed it to their slaves to keep them healthy, and a 3,500-year-old Egyptian scroll tells us that healers at that time believed Garlic could help a person fight cancer. Hippocrates (460 B.C.) is believed to have used Garlic to treat uterine cancer. In 1722, Garlic was used to protect against plague in Marseilles, and in London, in the early 1800s, where there was an outbreak of infectious fever in certain poor quarters, the Garlic-eating French priests who treated the sick did not die, but the English clergy, who did not eat Garlic, succumbed to the disease. Garlic contains a sulphide of the radical allil, which is rich in sulphur but contains no oxygen, thus giving Garlic its peculiar, penetrating odor. It also includes enzymes, linalool, oleanolic acid, quercetin, rutin, saponin, stigmasterol, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3 and C, calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc and essential oil. Garlic is known as a natural antibiotic without the deleterious effects of the drugs that kill all life within the body. Today’s orthodox medicine recognizes that the plant is a stimulant for the immune system and a natural antibiotic.

Beneficial Uses:
Garlic helps to detoxify the body. It is said to stimulate the lymphatic system to throw off waste materials. This powerful natural detoxifier helps to strengthen blood vessels, providing protection against pollutants and heavy metal toxicity. It also works to cleanse the kidneys and increase urine flow.

Garlic appears to help promote healthy heart function by maintaining normal blood pressure and blood lipid levels. Scientific studies reported in the German Commission E Monographs support the use of Garlic in lowering excessive serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood. It is said that long-term use of Garlic helps to lower low-density lipoproteins (LDLs or” bad” cholesterol), while increasing high-density lipoproteins (HDLs or “good” cholesterol). This activity reduces the tendency of the blood to clot, thereby increasing circulation and reducing blood pressure and the risk of arteriosclerosis, stroke and heart attacks. Moreover, Garlic also helps to dilate peripheral blood vessels, thus also helping to balance blood pressure levels. Other studies have indicated that people who suffered heart attacks, and then were given Garlic, had a lower incidence of a second attack.

Garlic is considered a powerful anticoagulant that normalizes blood platelet adhesion by reducing the stickiness of the blood and stimulating fibrinolysis, a process in which blood clots are dissolved. This action also helps to improve blood circulation and combat arteriosclerosis. According to the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, Garlic is recognized officially by the Japanese FDA as a treatment for hypertension.

Garlic is called a powerful antibiotic that destroys harmful bacteria and leaves behind beneficial bacteria for the body to utilize as an infection fighter. Garlic has been thought to be beneficial in ridding the bowel of parasites. It has also been shown to inhibit the growth of Helcobacter pylori, the bacterium implicated in the formation of ulcers in the digestive system (peptic ulcer). Moreover it is thought to enhance good digestion by increasing bile production and reducing stomach gases. Its antibacterial properties are also believed to relieve bladder infection, strep throat and vaginosis.

Garlic is considered to be an antioxidant that helps to promote healthy immune system function and inhibit destructive, free radical or oxidative damage to tissues or cells. Garlic includes germanium, a mineral that is said to strengthen the immune system and build the body’s defense against harmful infectious invasion. It is believed to activate germ-eating macrophages, cells that are produced by the immune system, and it is thought that chemicals in Garlic reduce the production of toxic, free radicals in liver and lung tissue. Some researchers claim that Garlic use may retard proliferation of unhealthy cells, including hormone-sensitive breast and prostate cells, among others.

Garlic is regarded as an antiviral and antifungal. The activity of the parasitic fungus that is associated with AIDS is said to be inhibited by the presence of Garlic, and the growth of the yeast organism, Candida albicans, is also said to be reduced by Garlic. Applied directly to the ear canal, Garlic is a traditional remedy for earaches; it retards the growth of aspergillus and Candida, two fungi that sometimes cause ear inflammation.

In supporting healthy blood-sugar levels in late-onset diabetes, Garlic is thought to help regulate blood-sugar levels by tying up the chemical receptors that would otherwise deactivate insulin, the hormone that controls sugar usage and also stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin. It is said to accomplish this without stimulating weight gain (a common side effect with certain prescription medications). In a 1976 report from the British medical journal, Lancet, it was noted that Garlic
(and onion) is very hypoglycemic in nature and can lower blood sugar levels in diabetics, and it should be mentioned that people with high or low blood sugar levels should always consult their physicians before using.

Garlic is said to be an effective expectorant that helps to loosen and rid the respiratory tract of phlegm.

Contraindications:
Taking therapeutic doses of Garlic during pregnancy and lactation may cause indigestion. Because of Garlic’s anti-clotting properties, people taking anticoagulant drugs (Coumadin, aspirin, etc.) should check with their physicians before taking Garlic. Those scheduled for surgery should inform their surgeons if they are taking Garlic. Because Garlic is hypoglycemic in nature, diabetics and people with low blood sugar levels should always consult their physicians before using.

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Reddy for anything … tomatoes

TOMATOES: Can protect skin against sun damage and premature ageing.

They contain a powerful antioxidant called lycopene, which helps skin protect itself against harmful UV rays by neutralising the molecules that damage skin structure.

They also have a good anti-inflammatory response to sunburn.

Boffins at Newcastle and Manchester universities found people who ate a tomato-rich diet over 12 weeks upped their UV defences by 33 per cent.

BANANAS: These are the masters when it comes to getting rid of puffy eyes or a puffy face.

Bananas are packed full of potassium, which helps regulate fluid balance in the cells and so combats the fluid retention that creates puffiness and bloating.

Potassium also protects against dry skin and blemishes because it helps maintain the body’s acid levels.

And it aids in the removal of waste, which helps keep skin looking clear.

The best for anti-ageing … blueberries

BLUEBERRIES: These are the best anti-ageing fruit.

They’re rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which zap wrinkle- causing free radicals cells.

Vitamin C is also essential for the production of collagen, the connective tissue that holds cells together and keeps skin looking smooth.

Get juicy … with mangoes

Eat them raw, when vitamin C content is at its highest, sprinkled on your cereal — and start zapping those fine lines.

MANGOES: Rich in vitamin A, which helps repair damaged skin cells and connective tissue.

Vitamin A plays an active role in the metabolism of cells, getting rid of dry, damaged ones and keeping skin soft and smooth.

One expert, nutritionist Dr George Wolf at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, believes it can help the skin fight infection by strengthening cell walls and making them less susceptible to penetration by damaging microorganisms.

Back to black … berries to make you merry

BLACKBERRIES: Not many fruits are high in vitamin E, but blackberries contain more than most. Vitamin E is essential for increasing the oxygen intake of skin cells, which encourages faster healing and regeneration.

Further down the body, vitamin E also helps to prevent varicose veins.

KIWIS: High in vitamin C, which is also found in high quantities in apples and citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and grapefruit.

Vitamin C is also important for maintaining the skin’s blood capillaries. These carry vital oxygen to all skin cells.

Fruits high in vitamin C are spot on for flushing out the skin and ridding it of any little nasties.

Kiwi … full of vitamin C

AVOCADOS: Rich in complex B vitamins, which are vital for keeping the skin nourished.

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) helps prevent skin becoming dull or oily, while vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is essential for the production of collagen and elastin, which helps skin maintain its elasticity.

B6 also helps protect against skin complaints such an eczema and dandruff.

WATERMELON: Our skin loses around a pint of water every day, so it’s vital to keep it hydrated.

A 200g slice contains as much liquid as a glass of water, which goes a long way towards helping to replenish lost moisture.

But it’s also high in carotene, vitamin C and antioxidants, which zap freeradicals that contribute to skin-ageing.

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The words of Linus Pauling enforces the seriousness of this article on Magnesium and high blood pressure. Twice a Nobel Prize winner, he once said, “You can trace every sickness, every disease and every ailment to a mineral deficiency.”

How often have you read that statement? 10 times, 50 times, 100 times? But who’s taking it to” heart”!

Do we think as time moves on, somehow, somewhere, someone will invent a synthetic substance compatible with the make-up and wonderful design of the living cell, or replenish the soils around the globe with all the minerals that our bodies need?

Linus Pauling uttered those words years ago. Has anything changed? This article is a reminder that it hasn’t and that there is a link between low magnesium and high blood pressure.

You may find the information timely in your case because the Western World is suffering a crisis and the rest of the nations are catching up. High blood pressure, coronary heart disease and heart attack are almost reaching epidemic proportions. Some would argue that they have already.

Am I exaggerating? Certainly not! This is a real problem that touches almost everyone and its high time we sat up and took notice. Contrary to popular believe we need as much as 420mg of magnesium a day for men and 320mg for women, but some of us are not even getting half that amount.

Taking charge of your own health will serve as a protection, if you are careful not be distracted by all the misleading noise out there that gives high blood pressure a twist to its label “the silent killer”. What will it cost us to stop and listen to that wee, small voice trying to be heard amongst all the clatter, understand what’s being said and take action? A little of our time and the price of a few hamburgers each month compared to the rising cost of medical treatment or our very lives if we fail to act soon enough.

Magnesium and High Blood Pressure – The Missing Link?

People with hypertension should be familiar with sodium and potassium, the two most talked about minerals in connection with the condition. They interact with each other, helping regulate, several systems in our bodies which include blood pressure and hydration. If we get the balance wrong then a chain reaction of events can throw our systems into chaos. The irony is, we are not juggling with all the balls needed in this nutritional balancing act.

Magnesium is also a very important component, but the fact is, its importance has been dampened down. A few dedicated scientists and doctors are totally frustrated by the sheer apathy they receive when trying to convince not only the individual, but whole nations to pay attention to this most important but ignored nutrient. Paul Mason is a fine example. He has shown over and over again with the proof of many scientific trials that magnesium is a, if not the missing link to heart disease and control of high blood pressure.

Magnesium and High Blood Pressure – Examples of how Magnesium Affects Blood Pressure Syndrome X is a complication of several symptoms all related to one another. Magnesium is essential for calcium and potassium assimilation. Muscles in the arterial walls will contract If the calcium level within the cell is too high, whereas magnesium causes these muscles to dilate. Doctors call it “Nature’s Calcium blocker” because it does the same job that Calcium channel antagonists do, modulate vascular tone. It also stimulates nitric oxide, a mechanism at work when we exercise, helping to relax and dilate blood vessels.

High levels of calcium but low levels of magnesium can cause persons to become obese especially concentrating most of the weight gain around the stomach. These people are highly likely to develop high blood pressure, diabetes and insulin secretion, known factors contributing to heart attack.

Magnesium and High Blood pressure – Other Causes of Magnesium Deficiency There is evidence to suggest that the lack of Vitamin D may be a root cause of magnesium deficiency. As we smear on the uv sun block we are in effect hampering the production of vitamin D which is manufactured from sunlight. Most foods contain very little apart from fish. Fish oil capsules are a popular way of making sure we get our vitamin d as well as other nutrients like omega 3.

The continued use of diuretics is another factor causing depletion starting with the wasting of potassium which leads to the loss of magnesium. Adding to the chaos, too much calcium and age related factors involving absorption of minerals are known to cause low magnesium levels.

Magnesium and High Blood Pressure – Finding a Source

Magnesium is missing or almost missing from bottled water which health-conscious people are habitually drinking to avoid the risk of contaminants such as heavy metals and chlorine. At the most you will only find about 30% of magnesium RDA in bottled water, making it a less than adequate source. The question is, from where do we get the other 70%.

There are a few food sources, like pumpkin seed, soy beans, oat bran or spinach, however it can be rather tiring and frustrating having to continuously work out which minerals and how much each food item contains. Apart from that, as I noted previously, the soils are depleted of these vital nutrients, so the chances of getting enough from these foods will vary depending where the produce is coming from.

A wise and easier choice would be to supplement the diet with a balanced mineral, trace mineral and vitamin solution, because although there is an abundance of good quality potassium, calcium, vitamin d, and magnesium supplements on the market, caution must be exercised when deciding how much to take of each one in conjunction to the effect on the others. And remember, they have to be easily absorbed into the intestines to bring maximum benefits.

Whether you suffer from cardiovascular disease, or desire to stay healthy and guard against these death dealing illnesses, give your body all the nutrients it needs to work efficiently. This rule of nature not only applies to magnesium and high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease or heart disease but, as Linus Paulus said, “….every sickness, every disease and every ailment….”

Here’s something for the diabetic amongst us……..

University of Montreal researchers indicate us a great way cashew extract may treat diabetes
New information published inside the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research shows cashew seed extract may play an important role in preventing and treating type two diabetes.
The cashew is a tree in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The plant is native to northeastern Brazil.
Scientists at the School of Montreal and the College of Yaoundé in Cameroon studied how cashew products affected the responses of rat liver cells to insulin.
In Canada, more than 3 million Canadians have diabetes and this number is expected to reach 3.7 million by 2020, based on the Canadian Diabetes Association.

In U.S.A, according to the American Diabetes Association, from the 2007 National Diabetes Fact Sheet, there are total 23.6 million children and adults in the United States – 7.8% of the population – have diabetes. 1.6 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in people aged 20 years and older each year.
Scientists researched cashew tree leaves, bark, seeds and apples. They found that exactly the cashew seed extract increased the absorption of blood sugar by the cells.
Extracts of other plant parts had no such effect, indicating that cashew seed extract likely contains active compounds, which might have potential anti-diabetic properties.

In certain people with diabetes, a common condition called insulin resistance prevents the body from processing the hormone, which regulates energy and the processing of sugars in the body.
Deficiency of insulin can cause heart or kidney diseases over time.

The cashew nut is a popular snack, and its rich flavor means it’s often eaten on its own, lightly salted or sugared.
Cashews are a staple in vegan diets. They are utilized as a base in sauces and gravies, and can take on sweet properties for frostings and cookies.
They’re high in protein and a raw, natural source of energy.
The fats and oils in cashew nuts are 54percent monounsaturated fat, 18per cent polyunsaturated fat, and 16percent saturated fats (9% palmitic acid and 7% stearic acid).
Without having cholesterol cashew nuts are a healthy fat food for heart patients too. And because of their high amounts of monounsaturated essential fatty acids, in addition, they help support healthy numbers of good (HDL) cholesterol.

Here below a 4 servings recipe “The Cashew Curry” cooked in 45 min’s having a wok or frying pan, a wooden spoon an the following ingredients:

* ½ pound whole cashews
* 2 T extra virgin olive oil
* 5 shallots, thinly sliced
* 5 curry leaves
* 2-in little bit of lemongrass or zest of 1 lemon
* 1 T coriander
* ½ t turmeric
* ½ t salt
* 2 chiles, thinly sliced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 slices ginger
* 15 oz unsweetened coconut milk
* 2 T cilantro, chopped

Directions
Sauté the shallots in the oil, stirring occasionally, until golden, about ten minutes.
Add the curry, lemon, turmeric, chiles, garlic, ginger, and salt, and cook until fragrant, 5-10 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened, another 5-10 minutes. Remove curry leaves and serve, with diabetic rice or brown rice.

About the author – Linda Miller writes for diabetic cook books , her personal hobby blog focussed on cooking ideas to help individuals eat healthy to keep or deal with diabetes.

Medical references:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2010/Jul/cashew-seeds-can-help-fight-against-diabetes-94654599.html

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/117935711/grouphome/home.html