HEALTH NEWS.

OLIVE OIL. PREVENTING DIABETES DURING PREGNANCY.

A study conducted by researchers from the ‘Hospital Clínico San Carlos’ in Madrid, Spain and published in PloS One, have shown that if a pregnant woman consumes more than four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a handful of nuts per day, such as pistachios, the probability of developing diabetes during their pregnancy reduces by 30%. The study also showed that the dose of insulin was halved in the cases of pregnant women that we already suffering from diabetes.

Other benefits that were found were:

• A reduction of the number of urinary infections, which are so frequent during pregnancy.

• A reduction of perineal incidents in labour.

• An improvement of the postnatal period, for both the woman and the child.

The four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil would be used as salad dressing, as part of the Mediterranean ‘Sofrito’ (made with tomatoes, peppers, garlic and onion) as part of salsas, etc.

The reason as to why pistachios were used within this study, as opposed to any other type of nuts, was because they have a shell. The fact that you have to take the shell off the nut before eating it, meant that the feeling of satiety reached the brain quicker in comparison to the other types of nuts that didn’t have any.

The study also showed that pregnant women that followed this diet did not gain any weight whilst those that ate foods rich in trans fats, i.e. snacks, did. 

To conclude, this study showed that all the ingredients that compose the Mediterranean diet contributed to improving everyone’s overall state of health but that of pregnant women in particular. The Mediterranean diet has a range of health benefits that make it a real gem, which including its richness in antioxidants and its incredible anti-inflammatory qualities amongst others.

HEALTH NEWS

EATING TOMATOES HELPS TO PREVENT PROSTRATE CANCER.

According to studies conducted by the researchers David Neal and Vanesa Er from Cambridge and Bristol University (United Kingdom), eating 10 medium tomatoes every week reduces de risk of suffering of prostrate cancer by 20%. This is due to the large quantity of the antioxidant lycopene that can be found present within them.

Prostrate cancer is the second most common form of cancer in men and even though it emerges in men over the age of 50, the majority of cases are of men over the ages of 65.

Tomatoes can be consumed as part of a salad, in juices and in the typical ‘sofrito’, which is the base for numerous dishes of the Mediterranean diet.

HEALTH NEWS

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. SO THAT WE CAN LIVE LONGER AND HEALTHIER.

The World Health Organisation fell short when it promulgated a few years ago, that ingesting 400 grams of fruit and vegetables per day would keep us healthy. Recent studies conducted by the London Imperial College have shown that ingesting 800 grams of fruit and vegetables is actually better than 400.

Research has shown that:

• Ingesting 800 grams of fruit and vegetables reduces up to 28%, the probability of suffering from cardiovascular diseases (heart attacks, strokes, etc.).

• It also reduces up to 13% the risk of suffering cancer as well as the probability of dying from an early death, no matter the cause by up to 31%.

Its richness in vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants make fruit and vegetables the perfect basis for a diet that will keep us living longer and healthier.

This is an idea of what 800 grams of fruit and vegetables can amount to.

• A rich salad of mixed vegetables including lettuce, tomato, cucumber, etc. eaten as a starter prior to a main, easily adds up to 400 grams of vegetables, which would be added to those that form part of the main dish.

• A piece of fruit as a desert after every meal would easily cover the needed 400 grams of fruit.

It is an easy feat, let’s do it!!.

HEALTH NEWS

Benefits of Eating Dark Chocolate

According to ‘The American Heart Association’, regularly eating 2 ounces of dark chocolate, in other words, containing more than 75% of Cocoa, reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks, angina pectoris, thrombosis and blood pressure.

Other important benefits include:

• Facilitating digestion.

• Reducing mental fatigue.

• Reducing resistance to insulin, aiding in the prevention of diabetes. 

• Improving renal function, reducing the production of kidney stones.

• Improving intestinal function. 

• Aiding in the treatment of anaemia.

HEALTH NEWS

The Benefits of Laughter. Latest Developments.

Research reported during the last meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, showed the latest developments that have been conducted in this field. It was shown how laughing for ten minutes would have similar health benefits as that of doing exercise, eating vegetables or meditating. The findings could be feasible as laughing activates various areas of the brain. It was also proven that laughing gives you the same amount of strength that is provided through doing regular exercise such as walking, swimming, etc. due to how the heartbeat accelerates and because of how long it takes for it to rest.

These studies are added to those conducted by the University of Maryland (USA) which showed that a vasodilation takes place when we laugh, which increases blood flow to all organs by 22% and it reduces stress by up to 35%.

Laughing would also:

• Improve breathing.
• Relax all muscles.
• It would also activate the immune system as it increases the amount of defences in the body whilst also improving mental performance and the tolerance to pain.                 

These studies also show the benefits of its implementation in the areas of Oncology, Palliative Care and Rehabilitation, as well as Psychiatry.

Another conclusion that was reached from these studies was that we should watch films that made us laugh more regularly, go to comedy clubs and spend more time with people that are fun, meaning that we should put some more humour in our lives.

                                                                                                                                            

We do not want to forget to mention the health benefits experienced by hospitalised children; especially those that suffer from cancer, when clowns that make them laugh visit them. The striking improvement that they show after these visits have led to it being a common practice in many hospitals around the world.

HEALTH NEWS

Counting Moles. 

Studies conducted by researchers from King’s College London and published in the ‘British Journal of Dermatology’ have stated that having more than eleven moles on your right arm, would represent more than a hundred moles throughout your body and would therefore mean that you are five times more likely to develop a Melanoma or skin cancer.

How many moles do you have?