Dear Healthy Friend,

Let me start by saying Happy Valentine's Day... I hope it brings you everything your heart desires! And speaking of your heart... I'd like to share some research that could keep it safe! No, I'm not going to get all mushy on you... I don't have the answers for a broken heart, I'm afraid! I'm talking about the actual protection of your heart! And how Health Bytes could help you keep it healthy...

In the name of good health,

Taryn Strugnell
Managing Editor of Nutrition & Healing

P.S. Staying with healthy hearts, keep reading to find out about a heart-healthy snack that you can munch anytime, anywhere...

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Have you heard the news?

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Saving your heart is easier than you think...
Christine O'Brien
Editor, Nutrition & Healing

Your doctor is a little concerned. He wants to cut your risk of heart disease - let's say through lowering your cholesterol.

So he writes a prescription for a statin drug. Sure, it might lower your cholesterol - but at what cost?

Why go for the dangerous drugs when there's a much safer and much easier way to lower your risk of heart disease. And I'm not just talking about a small reduction in risk, either.

People who followed this method for a study published in the European Heart Journal had a whopping 22% lower risk of dying from heart disease than those who didn't.

It might take a little adjustment to your daily routine, but if you ask me a 22% reduction in your risk of dying from heart disease is well worth it.

And did I mention this method is, well, pretty tasty?

I know, you just want to know what it is already. Well, this simple, cheap, and effective way of lowering your risk of heart disease is simply...

Eating eight portions of fruit and vegetables a day. That's right. No tricks, no supplements - just delicious food. (And by the way, a portion is 80g - think a small banana or a medium-sized apple.) The 22% risk reduction was as compared to people who ate only three portions a day.

Yes, it really is that easy - a few extra servings of fruits and vegetables a day and you'll be dramatically cutting heart disease risk. And just think of all the other benefits in those foods - the vitamins, the fibre - it really is a no-brainer.

For the study, 313,074 men and women were followed for over eight years. The research team isn't exactly sure what it is about eating eight portions of fruits and vegetables per day that offers so much heart protection. It may have something to do with antioxidants - scientists think they may reduce atherosclerosis caused by oxidative damage. They do say that antioxidant supplements don't seem to have the same effect as increasing fruit and vegetable intake because there are other heart-healthy components in fruits and vegetables.

Only 18% of the participants in the study ate enough produce to get the major reduction in heart disease risk. So, are you up to it? Are you ready to join that 18%?

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I think you'll like this...

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The crunchy snack that could save your heart...

Around 3:00 every afternoon, the same thing happens - the dreaded "snack" attack.

You know the feeling - it's a few hours until dinnertime, but you find yourself craving something, anything, to get you through the rest of the afternoon.

A few years ago, I learned a lesson that's kept me away from vending machines, fast food and bags of chips - I throw a small container of almonds into my bag. That way, no matter where I am when the attack strikes, I'm good to go with a healthy and satisfying snack.

Now, what I didn't know is just HOW healthy my go-to snack is.

Turns out, though, that I could be doing a lot to reduce my risk of type II diabetes and heart disease just by munching regularly on almonds.

A 16-week study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition had pre-diabetic participants consuming 20% of their daily calories from almonds.

They showed significant improvement in LDL-cholesterol levels and measures of insulin sensitivity. Almonds are packed with fibre and contain unsaturated fat, both of which are beneficial to cholesterol levels and increase insulin sensitivity.

This is good news, to be sure, but it's definitely news that comes a little late for some. In the past year, I've had several friends tell me their doctors have put them on statin drugs to get their cholesterol under control. That's supposed to be a step that's taken after exercise and diet don't work, but that doesn't seem to be the course that was followed in these cases. (And even when it is taken as the "last resort", there are just too many scary risks that come along with the prescription.)

Of course, it's not like this news about almonds will change anything about writing out a prescription at the first sign of trouble. I don't think the mainstream will ever get out of that habit. But it could help change the way individuals approach their health.

I'm thinking about ways to take better care of myself naturally and I'm sure you're doing the same. Why not start by picking up a bag of almonds and help take care of your heart with every bite!

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