Halting a runaway train
Many a House Calls I have written where studies have found there is one underlying culprit to multiple disease processes: inflammation. For starters, it has been implicated in:
1) Heart disease
2) Stroke
3) Cancer
4) Rheumatoid arthritis
5) High blood pressure
6) Alzheimer's disease
Some inflammation is necessary for the normal development of the immune system, according to other studies. Obviously there's a tipping point, and too much can lead you into territory you don't want to enter.
You can reduce this unseen killer, using natural means. I would recommend the absolute best anti-inflammation diet around: A Mediterranean-style plan. It has been emphasized as a heart-healthy diet, as well as capable of keeping inflammation in check.
A Mediterranean diet centers on fresh:
1) Fruits
2) Vegetables
3) Fish
4) Legumes
5) Whole grains
The reason this diet works so well in combating inflammation is because it's based on foods rich in antioxidants, which fight the damaging free radicals associated with it.
To load up on even more antioxidants, I recommend you pick up a green tea habit. In one recent Japanese study, researchers studied data collected between 1994 and 2005 from more than 40,000 healthy people ages 40 to 79. Participants answered a meticulous food survey, including questions focused on their green tea intake.
The researchers found that women who drink five or more 3.4-oz. cups of green tea every day can decrease their risk of heart disease by 31 percent. And men who drink similar amounts can decrease their risk by up to 22 percent.
Also, don't discount the benefits of chocolate. To have your chocolate and eat it too, you need to choose high-quality dark chocolate. Green and Black, Dagoba, Rapunzel, Scharffen-Berger and Dove all offer delicious high quality dark chocolate bars.
I've also told my readers about cocoa nibs—pieces of roasted cocoa beans— which are another great source of flavanoids, and important minerals like magnesium, zinc, iron and potassium. (You can find them in gourmet stores and on the Internet; I particularly like the Scharffen-Berger brand.) Either of these makes a good snack that can satisfy your cravings while boosting heart health.
Just don't go overboard - each ounce of dark chocolate still contains about 200 calories, so it's important to limit portion sizes.
