Daily Dose: Go Nuts, Live Longer!
Be nut-smart and get this recipe. Living health-smart and longevity-smart pays BIG dividends, according to the research!
Have you been avoiding nuts? The longest-lived people on the planet enjoy a diverse plant-based diet — that includes raw nuts and for some very good reasons.
~ The inclusion of nuts in the diet decreases the risk of coronary artery disease, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and visceral obesity (belly fat). Higher nut intake is also associated with reduced risk of cancer and all-cause mortality, and mortality from respiratory disease, diabetes, and infections.
The consumption of nuts and berries reduces oxidative damage (which is the same action that rusts your automobile and tools), inflammation, vascular reactivity, and platelet cohesion (blood clotting), and general improvement in immune functions.
But, that’s not all! The effects of nut and berry consumption on the brain, different neural systems, and cognition has also been studied. The synergy and interaction of all of the nutrients and other bioactive components in nuts and berries together have a beneficial effect on the brain and cognition. (Just don’t add dairy milk because it negates the beneficial effects of the berries.)
In a recent post of the Daily Dose: Berries on the Brain, I provided research that shows the regular consumption of berries improves cognitive ability. But, frequent consumption also seems to be associated with improved cardiovascular and cancer outcomes, improved immune function, and decreased recurrence of urinary tract infections.
The research continued to say that regular nut consumption, berry consumption, or both could possibly be used as an added therapeutic strategy in the treatment and prevention of several neurodegenerative diseases and age-related brain dysfunction. Research indicated that eating nuts, berries, or both combined is capable of altering cognitive performance in humans, perhaps forestalling or reversing the effects of neurodegeneration in aging.
Have you ever noticed a whole walnut resembles the human brain?
The ancient and intriguing theory of the Doctrine of Signatures is based on the idea that when you look at certain whole foods, you can see a pattern that resembles a specific body organ that it’s meant to benefit or heal. So, if this is true, then it’s not surprising that walnuts are good for the brain.
Where did the calories go?
Many people are concerned about gaining weight from consuming nuts - but, don’t be! This is the most natural form of dietary fats and your body loves it.
Nuts are packed with nutrition, but they’re also packed with calories. Why, then, don’t nuts seem to make people fat? There was a review published back in 2007, looking at about 20 clinical trials that had been done on nuts and weight. And, not a single one showed the weight gain one would expect. Part of the trick seemed to be that nuts boosted fat burning within the body, but how? Well, it could be the arginine, or the flavonoid phytonutrients, according to NutritionFacts.org. There is still so much we don’t understand about whole foods vs. isolated .
Nuts for Longevity
Eating nuts (raw with the skins on) is associated with a lower risk of dying prematurely. Remember the goal of longevity is to not to only live longer, but to stay robust throughout our lifetime. In a study of 84- to 107-year-olds, eating nuts every day was associated with life extension through a reduction in coronary heart disease (CHD). Although this group already had a healthy lifestyle, the inclusion of nuts did additionally lower their CHD risk factors.
The American College of Cardiology specifically stated: Eat Nuts, Live Longer. So, it seems that nuts may add years to your life, and if you combine them with berries you get an added boost in health. Eating nuts at least twice a week appears to halve mortality risk over those who rarely/never eat them.
So … Go Nuts, Live Longer!
Don’t make getting healthy complicated. Keep it simple and start the journey now into a new world of vitality … enjoy the simplicity of eating raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Dr. Robert Morse
Recipe: Raw Nut Ball Recipe - these are a delicious treat!
Resources:
Cognition: the new frontier for nuts and berries
Nut consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer, all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies
Can You Overdose on Nuts?
Risk factors for all-cause and coronary heart disease mortality in the oldest-old. The Adventist Health Study
Eat Nuts, Live Longer
Consumption of Nuts and Seeds and Health Outcomes Including Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Cancer, and Mortality: An Umbrella Review
Thank you for reading.