Missing breakfast could be bad for your health
Skipping breakfast could increase the risk of heart problems by as much as 87%, according to researchers from the University of Iowa. The reasons? Breakfast skippers may be more likely to snack on unhealthy foods. What’s more breakfast may help balance blood glucose levels and control blood pressure. This study[i] supports the slew of recent research suggesting the importance of eating in sync with our body clock, say the experts.
Glucosamine could help protect against heart disease as well as arthritis
Taking glucosamine to relieve aching joints? Here’s some good news. It could help lower the risk of dying from heart disease by up to 20% suggests recent research[ii] reported in The British Medical Journal. The study of almost half a million adults found those who consumed glucosamine – which is used to protect against arthritis – had significantly lower rates of heart attacks and strokes.
Glucosamine is produced naturally by the body in cartilage between the joints but supplements are sometimes used by people looking to relieve joint pain. It’s thought glucosamine supplements may have anti-inflammatory effects, which could explain the suggested benefits, but more research is needed.
Eating nuts during pregnancy can improve your child’s cognitive functioning
Eating nuts in early pregnancy could boost the child’s intelligence according to a study carried out by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health[iii]. An analysis of 2,200 women and their children over eight years discovered that those whose mothers had eaten three or more servings of nuts a week during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy performed better in intelligence tests.
Their cognitive function, attention span and working memory were all better than those whose mothers consumed little or no nuts during the first trimester. It’s thought beneficial nutrients such as folic acid and essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 accumulate in the neural tissue of the developing foetus at a crucial early stage of development.
[i] Rong S, Snetselaar LG, Xu G, et al. Association of Skipping Breakfast With Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Published online April 22 2019
[ii] Ma H, Li X, Sun D, et al. Association of habitual glucosamine use with risk of cardiovascular disease: prospective study in UK BiobankThe BMJ. Published May 14 2019
[iii] Gignac, F., Romaguera, D., Fernández-Barrés, S. et al. Eur J Epidemiol (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-019-00521-6
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