WALNUT~SUPERNUT!

I've always believed nuts to be a healthy source of nutrition providing of course they form part of a balanced diet. Some people of course believe if something is good for you then more must be better, this however is not the case. All nuts are a rich source of protein however they do contain a high percentage of fat however the difference with walnuts as opposed to other nuts, walnuts are composed largely of polyunsaturated fatty acids, so this type of fat is healthier. Of all nuts the humble walnut is the most nutritious. There has been some interesting research that eating walnuts twice a week could slash the risk of type 2 diabetes by a quarter and are also thought to reduce inflammation and protect against cancer, heart disease and arthritis.

Nutritional value of Walnuts

Persian or English walnut, Juglans regia
Nutritional value per serving
Serving size	100 grams
Energy	2,738 kJ (654 kcal)
Carbohydrates	13.71
- Starch	0.06
- Sugars	2.61
- Lactose	0
- Dietary fiber	6.7
Fat	65.21
- saturated	6.126
- monounsaturated	8.933
- polyunsaturated	47.174
Protein	15.23
Water	4.07
Alcohol	0
Caffeine	0
Vitamin A equiv.	1 μg (0%)
Vitamin A	20 IU
- beta-carotene	12 μg (0%)
- lutein and zeaxanthin	9 μg
Thiamine (vit. B1)	0.341 mg (30%)
Riboflavin (vit. B2)	0.15 mg (13%)
Niacin (vit. B3)	1.125 mg (8%)
Pantothenic acid (B5)	0.570 mg (11%)
Vitamin B6	0.537 mg (41%)
Folate (vit. B9)	98 μg (25%)
Vitamin B12	0 μg (0%)
Vitamin C	1.3 mg (2%)
Vitamin D	0 μg (0%)
Vitamin D	0 IU (0%)
Vitamin E	0.7 mg (5%)
Vitamin K	2.7 μg (3%)
Calcium	98 mg (10%)
Iron	2.91 mg (22%)
Magnesium	158 mg (45%)
Manganese	3.414 mg (163%)
Phosphorus	346 mg (49%)
Potassium	441 mg (9%)
Sodium	2 mg (0%)
Zinc	3.09 mg (33%)
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Walnuts are a nutrient-dense food: 100 grams of walnuts contain 15.2 grams of protein, 65.2 grams of fat, and 6.7 grams of dietary fiber. The protein in walnuts provides many essential amino acids.

While English walnut is the predominant commercially distributed nut because of the ease of its processing, its nutrient density and profile is significantly different from black walnut. 

The table below compares some of the major nutrients between English and Black walnuts.

Comparison of nutrient profile of English and Black walnuts

Nutrient (per 100 gram)	English walnut seed	Black walnut seed
Carbohydrates (g)	13.7	9.9
Protein (g)	15.2	24.1
Unsaturated fatty acids (g)	56.1	50.1
Poly to mono unsaturated fatty acids ratio	47:9	35:15
Fiber (g)	6.7	6.8
Calcium (mg)	98	61
Iron (mg)	2.9	3.1
Zinc (mg)	3.1	3.4
Vitamin B-6 (mg)	0.54	0.58

Unlike most nuts that are high in monounsaturated fatty acids, walnuts are composed largely of polyunsaturated fatty acids (47.2 grams), particularly alpha-linolenic acid (18:3n - 3; 9.1 gram) and linoleic acid(18:2n - 6; 38.1 gram). The beneficial effects of this unique fatty acid profile have been a subject of many studies and discussions.

Benefits and claims

Raw walnuts contain glycerol triacylates of the n-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is not as effective in humans as long-chain n-3 fatty acids,and (mostly insoluble)antioxidants. Roasting reduces antioxidant quality.In 2010, a report published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition said that walnuts and walnut oil improve reaction to stress. 

A study has suggested that consumption of walnuts increases fat oxidation and reduces carbohydrate oxidation without affecting total consumption, suggesting that walnut consumption may improve the use of body fat in overweight adults. Walnuts have been shown to decrease the associated with a high-fat meal. Aged rats fed diets containing 2% to 6% walnuts showed reversal of age-associated motor and cognitive function, but a 9% walnut diet impaired performance, 

A 2012 study showed that eating walnuts improved sperm quality in healthy young men. 

Scientists are not yet certain whether walnuts act as a cancer chemopreventive agent, an effect which may be a result of the fruit's high phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and potent in vitro antiproliferative activity. 

Compared to certain other nuts, such as almonds, peanuts and hazelnuts, walnuts (especially in their raw form) contain the highest total level of antioxidants, including both free antioxidants and antioxidants bound to fiber. 

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ARTICLE BELOW FROM THE DAILY MAIL

Eating walnuts twice a week could slash the risk of type 2 diabetes by a quarter 

• Women who eat a 28g bag of walnuts twice a week are 24 per cent less likely to develop the condition 
• The nuts  are also thought to reduce inflammation and protect against cancer, heart disease and arthritis

Eating walnuts just two or three times a week can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by almost a quarter, according to new research.

A study of nearly 140,000 women in the U.S. showed that regular helpings of a small portion of nuts can have a powerful protective effect against a disease that is threatening to become a global epidemic.

Women who consumed a 28 gram packet of walnuts at least twice a week were 24 per cent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who rarely or never ate them.

Eating walnuts just two or three times a week can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by almost a quarter

The latest findings, published in the Journal of Nutrition, are not the first to highlight the anti-diabetic effects of walnuts, with earlier research showing similar benefits.

However, this is thought to be one of the largest studies to find regularly snacking on them can help prevent the condition.

Although the latest research was carried out on female nurses, it's likely that the same benefits apply to men.

 

According to the charity Diabetes UK, at the current rate of increase, the numbers affected by type 2 diabetes in the UK will rise from around 2.5 million currently to four million by 2025 and five million by 2030.

Left untreated, it can raise the risk of heart attacks, blindness and amputation. 

Being overweight, physically inactive and having a poor diet are major risk factors for the disease.

Scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, U.S., tracked 137,893 nurses aged from 35 to 77 over a ten year period to see how many developed type 2 diabetes.

Eating walnuts once a week cut diabetes risk by 13 per cent - and 24 per cent if eaten twice a week

Their dietary habits were closely monitored, including details on how often they ate nuts, particularly walnuts.

After allowing for body fat and weight, the researchers found eating walnuts one to three times a month curbed the risk by four per cent, once a week by 13 per cent and at least twice a week by 24 per cent.

In a report on the findings the researchers said: 'These results suggest higher walnut consumption is associated with a significantly lower risk of type 2 diabetes in women.'

Walnuts are rich in healthy fatty acids which have been shown to reduce inflammation in the body and protect against heart disease, cancer and arthritis.

Last year, experts at the University of California Los Angeles also found young men in their twenties and thirties who ate walnuts every day increased their sperm count and boosted their fertility.

The research comes just after a Louisiana State University study which showed that eating nuts can reduce people’s risk of obesity.

The study found that those who consumed varieties such as almonds, cashews and pistachios demonstrated a lower body weight, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference compared to non-consumers.

They were also at lower risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome

THE RISKS OF MISMANAGED DIABETES

I've posted this article from the Daily Mail below as a warning to the risks diabetics take if they don't take care to manage their diabetes. It's often a problem with diabetics in their teens who feel isolated and want to be part of the crowd and be able to eat when they like, they just want to be the same as any other teenager. However diabetics aren't like normal teens as much as they would like to be and they think, "It won't happen to me that happens to other diabetics!" Diabetes is a serious condition so hopefully this article will raise awareness to the risks of not taking care.

Diabetic, 30, who skipped insulin jabs to lose weight fears she has been left infertile after having to terminate her pregnancy or risk death

• Jeorgia Wood, from Hampshire, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes aged 11 
  
• Needed several insulin injections a day to control her blood sugar levels
• But they caused her to gain 4stone in weight and she began skipping them
• Is now suffering a series of health problems as a result - including infertility
• Also faces going blind, losing a limb and undergoing a pancreas transplant
• Said she wishes she could turn back the clock as being thin 'wasn't worth it'

A diet-obsessed diabetic who stopped taking her insulin to lose weight has suffered tragic consequences after having to terminate her pregnancy - or risk death.

Jeorgia Wood, 30, spent her teenage years and twenties dieting while battling diabetes because of her obsession to be thin. 

Like a growing number of young women with diabetes, she skipped vital insulin injections because they caused her to gain weight - a condition called diabulemia. 

But she is now suffering a number of serious health problems as a result.  As well as potentially destroying her chances of being a mother, she now faces going blind, losing a limb and undergoing a pancreas transplant.

Diabetic Jeorgia Wood, 30, withheld her insulin injections for years to avoid weight gain. She is now battling several serious health problems as a result

Dangerous: As well as potentially destroying her chances of being a mother, she now faces going blind, losing a limb and undergoing a pancreas transplant. Pictured here having laser surgery to try and preserve her sight

Jeorgia, a reiki practitioner from Odiham, Hampshire, said: 'I would much rather be fat and have a baby than be skinny, blind and childless. If I could go back to being 16, I'd tell myself that being thin isn't important.

'I've realised the hard way that being thin is just not worth it.'

Jeorgia and her fiance Ross Fowler, 28, were told the devastating news that she would have to terminate her pregnancy at 10 weeks last November.

 

Her battered body had reacted so negatively to being pregnant, she developed a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum, or unrelenting morning sickness. 

Causing her to be sick every 10 to 30 minutes, doctors said she wouldn't survive the pregnancy, nor would her baby. They added that her diabulimia was to blame. 

The condition describes the process of insulin-dependent diabetics skipping injections to make themselves thinner. 

It is usually linked to type 1 diabetes, where the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, rather than type 2 diabetes, which is associated with obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.

Insulin is a hormone that promotes fat storage, so avoiding taking it, or manipulating doses, can lead to weight loss.

Jeorgia, pictured on her 12th birthday, shortly after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.  As she began using insulin, she gained four stone in weight and began to worry about her diet 

Worried: By the time she was 17, she was a size 18 and 5ft 6in. She started skipping insulin injections to lose weight

The condition means Jeorgia may never be able to have a baby, but the couple have not completely ruled it out.

She said: 'It was incredibly distressing for us both. It's a risk and my doctors don't know for sure if I can carry a baby.'

Jeorgia, who was always a plump child, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile onset diabetes, when she was 11 after she started losing weight, developed a raging thirst and suffered constant fatigue.

She was told she would have to monitor everything she ate and regularly check her blood sugar levels and needed to inject insulin four to five times a day to mop up excess sugar from her bloodstream. 

WHAT IS DIABULEMIA? 

Diabulemia is not yet officially recognised as a medical condition but it is predicted that it affects as many as one third of young female diabetics. 

It occurs when insulin-dependent type 1 diabetics skip insulin injections as a way of losing weight.

Insulin is a hormone that promotes fat storage, so avoiding taking it, or manipulating doses, can lead to weight loss.

It can cause blood sugar levels to surge causing fatigue, dehydration and the wearing of muscle tissue.

In the longer term, the symptoms are the same as for poorly managed diabetes and include kidney disease and sight problems.

Her diet was controlled as a child by her parents Charlotte, 63, and Peter, 68.

But when her weight ballooned and she gained four stone on insulin, she started to skip her injections and began to obsess over every morsel of food. She also wouldn't eat in front of anyone.

She said: 'From the age of about 13, I felt very unattractive. I hated the way I looked. I hated being different. If I dropped out of PE my classmates would say I was using it as an excuse, but I'd have done anything to be normal.

'By the time I was 17, I was a size 18 and 5ft 6in. If someone walked past me while I was eating a sandwich I would throw it in the nearest bin and pretend I was done with it. I thought people would judge me for my size.

'I started skipping my injections, losing weight very quickly, sometimes half a stone in a few days.'

Jeorgia shrunk to a size 10-12 and started to enjoy her new slimmer frame and relished on the compliments people would give her.

But cutting her insulin injections down to one a day left her constantly teetering on the brink of collapse. 

She had to drink copious amounts of water to combat her unquenchable thirst while trying to hide her problems from her family and friends.

Then, when she was 18, she collapsed on a night out with friends and was rushed to hospital, where she was diagnosed with ketoacidosis, a condition where the body's insulin levels are too low to convert blood glucose into energy. Left untreated, it can cause a coma and even death.

Stark implications: Even aged 25 (left), Jeorgia was still restricting her insulin injections. The damage she has caused herself meant she had to have part of her foot amputated last year (right)

 

But even then, she did not stop obsessing and instead was even more careful to hide her diabulimia from doctors.

'No one noticed what I was doing for ages,' she said. 'I was missing three or four injections a day and just doing one before bed to tide me over.

'I felt like I had flu every day of the week. But the more compliments I got the more paranoid I became about putting the weight back on.'

By the time she was 20, having noticed her monthly blood sugar tests were extremely high, Jeorgia's doctor warned her she would be blind and in a wheelchair by the time she was 30. But she still didn't start using insulin properly.

'I know it sounds crazy, but being thin mattered more. I told myself I'd only do it for a few more months but I just carried on and on and on,' she continued.

The turning point eventually came when she was 27 when, suffering from a stabbing pain in her hands and feet, she finally decided to seek help.

Warning: Jeorgia, who now weighs 13st and is a size 14, hopes her poor health will be a warning to other diabetics

'I went into rehab and it was there that it hit home how much I was hurting my family,' said Jeorgia. 'I was so wrapped up in my diabulimia that I'd failed to see anything outside myself. I knew I needed help.'

But the damage had been done and Jeorgia needed morphine to manage the pain and has since had to have an operation to remove dead flesh from her heel after catching an infection.

She's also been diagnosed with gastroparesis, paralysis of the stomach, and has had to have two vitrectomies to remove fluid from the inside of her eyeballs. Jeorgia also underwent a round of laser treatment to try to preserve her sight.

Furthermore, she has had to endure injections in her eyes for macular edema caused by protein which has been deposited on the eye and doctors are still not sure they will be able to save what is left of her sight.

The dangerous dieting has left her with permanent problems and Jeorgia now doesn't drive and needs Ross for even the simplest of tasks. 

A condition called autonomic neuropathy causes her heart to race at random and affects her blood pressure.

Now, aged 29 and weighing 13st and a size 14, Jeorgia is finally working to put her life right.

Together with Ross, a businessman, she has decided to delay a pancreas transplant to give her more time to try and start a family and find out what her options would be for an IVF surrogate to help them.

The transplant won't cure Jeorgia's diabetes, but will give her body a rest from the condition for eight to 10 years.

She added: 'After the transplant, my body will have been through a massive trauma and the chances of carrying a baby would be incredibly slim, as well as dangerous. So we want to see what our options are before we go down that road.

'I want to have a baby. I only hope I can hang on to the eyesight I have left in order to do that.

'There have been times where I've tried to push Ross away because I don't think I deserve his love.

'But he's asked me to marry him and all we can do is hope that one day we will have a child of our own.

Looking back, Jeorgia said that her need to feel loved and accepted was a major driving force behind her diabulimia.

'I felt worthless because I was overweight but I wasn't enormous, I should have seen that. Even when I tried to stop, the temptation to do it to lose a few pounds for the weekend was too strong.'

She hopes her experience is a warning to other young diabetes sufferers not to go down the same path she did.

Although not yet an officially recognised medical condition in the UK, diabulimia is a serious emerging problem that experts predict around a third of young female diabetics could be suffering from.

Deepa Khatri, a clinical advisor at Diabetes UK, said: 'People need to know that abusing insulin out of a fear of weight gain is very dangerous.

'Skipping insulin can lead to high blood glucose levels and devastating health complications like blindness, amputations and in some cases strokes.'

RESEARCH FINDS CHOCOLATE CUTS THE RISK OF STROKE

Being a lover of chocolate myself this is further welcome news to endulge in something I enjoy. I've posted articles before on chocolate and the active ingredient again is flavonoids. So it's Easter Egg time of year again so go for it, it's good for you! Just remember not to go overboard though it's still high in fat and sugar. 

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ARTICLE BELOW FROM THE DAILY MAIL

Sweet! Just in time for Easter, scientists find chocolate cuts risk of stroke

New research shows that eating just a single chocolate bar has a direct effect on the brain and may cut the risk of stroke.

Previous research has shown eating dark chocolate in moderation could be good for you. But the latest study, in the journal Neurology, shows for the first time how chocolate affects blood vessels.




Research from Glasgow University shows that eating just a single chocolate bar has a direct effect on the brain and may cut the risk of stroke


Researchers at Glasgow University measured the speed of blood flowing through the biggest artery in the brain while subjects ate chocolate lying down.

They found that the chocolate had an effect on carbon dioxide levels which affected blood vessels, improved blood flow and, in turn, impacted on brain cells.


Professor Matthew Walters, who led the study, told The Mail on Sunday: 'Consumption of a normal chocolate bar was associated with a change in stiffness of the blood vessels.

'Our data is consistent with a direct effect of chocolate on the brain blood vessels.

'It raises the possibility that there is a direct effect of some component of the chocolate on blood vessels. This is plausible because of the flavonoid molecules contained in chocolate.



The study found that the chocolate had an effect on carbon dioxide levels which affected blood vessels, improved blood flow and, in turn, impacted on brain cells



'We think a reduction in stroke risk may be caused by chocolate changing how brain blood vessels behave.'

The beneficial flavonoids, found in the cacao plant and others, are antioxidants that contribute to the prevention of heart disease.

However, chocolate also has a high sugar and fat content which can cause obesity – a definite risk factor for strokes.

Tom Solomon, professor of neurology at Liverpool University, said: 'We have to take the findings with caution.'

WORK STRESS IS NOW THE BIGGEST 'STRESSOR' IN OUR LIVES

I have written many times about stress on this blog and what happens to the body when we are stressed so I won't repeat this again as my last article explained this. We don't have the stresses we once had as we evolved as our ancestors did and the body's reactions to stressors aided our survival but by far the biggest stressor in our life is work related. Stress evokes the sympathetic nervous system into action, blood pressure is raised senses heightened etc, short term as it was originally designed is fine, for in fact some degree of stress does motivate us, but it was not designed to be long term and when stress continues that is where it begins to affect or health.

So what can we do to alleviated stress? we evoke the opposite to the sympathetic nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system, this reverses the increased blood pressure, lowers levels of adrenaline and makes us feel relaxed. One of the best ways to do this is by Holistic Therapies, there are many to choose from. aromatherapy, reflexology, indian head massage, any kind of massage in fact, reiki and one of the easiest, and it costs nothing and you don't need to visit a therapist is 'Meditation'.

There are various methods to induce a meditative state, some like to focus on something, such as the breathing or candle flame, but no matter which method is used, it is beneficial as it has be proven to reduce blood pressure, and reduce activity in the nervous system, namely by invoking the parasympathetic nervous system. Breathing slows and becomes deeper and more efficient, the heart rate slows down and as regards the brain it has been researched that even a small course of meditation strengthens connections between regions of the brain that regulate our emotional responses. In effect meditation has the opposite effect on the body as does Stress.

To find out more about solutions to stress and other holistic therapies click here there you will find a guided meditation you can read and record it and play it back with some music or see the tabs at the top of this page.

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ARTICLE BELOW HERE IS FROM THE DAILY MAIL

Work stress is now the biggest factor driving harassed Britons to drink, drugs and depression

• A third of adults say their job is the most stressful part of their lives, according to a study carried out for Mind
• 57% of adults admit to drinking after work and 14% say they even drink DURING the day 
• 7% of adults say they have suicidal thoughts because of work-related stress

Work stress is now the biggest factor in driving Britons to drink, drugs and depression, according to mental health experts.

More than a third of adults say their job is the most stressful aspect of their lives – more so than money or health worries.

Six in ten (57 per cent) of these hit the bottle after work – with one in seven (14 per cent) even drinking during the day, a survey for mental health charity Mind found.

More than a third of adults say their job is the most stressful aspect of their lives

The organisation also reported that workplace stress caused 7 per cent to have suicidal thoughts, rising to a worrying 10 per cent of those aged 18 to 24.

Companies themselves are also affected, said Mind, as 19 per cent of workers have thrown a sickie because they could not face going in to work that day.

 

Around one in 11 (9 per cent) have resigned from a job because of stress while a quarter (25 per cent) admit they have thought about quitting but have yet to do so, it was found. 

Workers rarely feel they can talk to their bosses about being stressed, even though most employers say they would like to do more to help improve the mental wellbeing of staff, said the charity.

Work is now the biggest factor driving Britons to drink, drugs and depression, experts have warned

Mind’s chief executive, Paul Farmer, said: ‘Work-related mental health problems are an issue too important for businesses to ignore

‘We know that right now, one in six workers is experiencing depression, stress or anxiety and yet our survey tells us that most managers don’t feel they have had enough training or guidance to support them.’

While 34 per cent say work is the biggest cause of stress, 30 per cent say it is financial problems. And 17 per cent of the 2,000 adults surveyed said health worries were causing them stress or anxiety.

Other ways of coping include using sleeping tablets or anti-depressants, or smoking.