48 THE QUEENS COURIER • WELLNESS • SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
wellness
How sweet cherries can help with 5 common health concerns
According to a recent AAA Travel survey,
nearly 100 million Americans will
take a vacation in 2019. While vacations
are fun, traveling can be hectic, making
it that much more important to have
healthy on-the-go snacks to keep you
energized throughout your trip.
Sweet cherries are an ideal grab-andgo
snack, with high concentrations of
nutrients and bioactive components like
fi ber, polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamin
C and potassium. Th ey can help tackle
several chronic health issues, according
to a review of nearly 30 published studies.
Read on to learn how this snack can
help you manage fi ve common health
concerns.
1. Oxidative stress
Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals
and antioxidants are out of balance
in your body. Under normal conditions,
free radicals help the body by fi ghting
off pathogens that can lead to infection
or disease. But when antioxidants are far
outnumbered, free radicals can attack the
body’s fatty tissue, protein or even DNA.
Once compromised, the body becomes
more susceptible to various diseases over
time, such as heart disease, diabetes and
hypertension, to name a few.
Sweet cherries are rich in polyphenols
and vitamin C, which have powerful antioxidant
properties. Studies have shown
that eating them can increase antioxidant
capacity and reduce oxidative stress,
bringing the body back into a healthy balance.
2. Infl ammation
If you’re among the 54 million
Americans who suff er from arthritis or
another rheumatic disease, sweet cherries
may be able to provide some relief.
Research shows that their anti-infl ammatory
properties can have the same eff ect
as ibuprofen.
3. Gout
Gout is a form of arthritis, and suff erers
tend to experience severe pain, redness
and tenderness in their joints. Th e
condition is associated with elevated levels
of uric acid in the blood, levels that
have been reduced with a diet incorporating
sweet cherries. A recent study with
gout patients found a 35% lower risk of
gout attacks among those who consumed
the fruit over two days. When that was
combined with their prescribed medicine,
specifi cally allopurinol, the risk of a gout
attack was 75% lower.
4. Sleep
Vacation and travel can throw off
your sleep patterns, and a good night’s
sleep is essential in a great vacation.
With sweet cherries, you have a reliable
source of tryptophan, serotonin
and melatonin. Tryptophan is necessary
to the development of serotonin,
which, in turn, plays an important role
in regulating sleep, mood and appetite.
Adequate levels of serotonin can
contribute to feelings of well-being,
while depression has been linked to
low measures. Additionally, melatonin
helps maintain your body’s internal
clock, regulating your sleep and wakefulness
patterns.
Studies show that along with this
enhanced sleep quality and quantity,
mood and anxiety also display improvement.
Researchers say enjoying the fruit
about an hour before bedtime can help
stabilize your sleep cycle.
5. Blood pressure
Finally, studies point to a link between
the consumption of sweet cherries and
lower blood pressure, both systolic and
diastolic measures. Prolonged consumption
correlates with a decrease in a potent
vasoconstrictor, a compound that narrows
blood vessels and restricts blood fl ow. Th e
fruit is also associated with increased
eff ectiveness of vasodilators, which help
widen blood vessels and reduce blood
pressure.
Th e addition of sweet cherries to your
diet can reduce common health concerns
and minimize the risk for developing
illnesses such as cardiovascular disease
and diabetes. Best of all, they are
delicious.
Courtesy BPT
Are you getting enough protein in your diet?
You may have noticed protein bars and
shakes popping up at grocery stores or
gyms. Coverage of the benefi ts of protein
is all the rage. So it might be surprising to
learn that almost half of older adults are
not consuming enough protein, thus negatively
impacting their health, according
to a recent study published in the Journal
of Nutrition, Health & Aging.
What role should protein play in our
diet?
“Protein can be thought of as one of the
building blocks to our muscles, bones and
blood,” said Dr. James Metcalf, a medical
director with UnitedHealthcare Medicare
& Retirement. “Not only does protein
help keep our body strong, it helps promote
good balance and mobility - all
important factors to being able to live
independently as we age.”
Additionally, protein helps combat
common signs of aging, like declines
in muscle mass, strength and function,
which can put you at greater risk of falling
and fracturing bones.
But before you grab the nearest protein
bar, let’s discuss exactly how much protein
you should consume each day.
How much protein do I need?
Th e National Academy of Medicine’s
recommended dietary allowance for protein
is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body
weight per day. For an adult who weighs
195 pounds that’s 71 grams per day; for
someone who weighs 170 pounds that’s
62 grams per day.
While it is helpful to know how many
grams of protein you should aim to consume
each day, knowing the amount of
protein in the foods we eat can be a bit
of a mystery. Below are some sources of
high-quality protein and the corresponding
amount of protein in each, according
to the U.S. Department of Agriculture
FoodData Central database:
• Chicken breast (one): 54 grams of protein
• Salmon (0.5 fi llet): 40 grams of protein
• Lentils (one cup cooked): 18 grams of
protein
• Black beans (one cup cooked): 15 grams
of protein
• Greek yogurt (one container; plain,
nonfat): 10 grams of protein
• Egg (one): 6 grams of protein
Bottom line
If you feel you might benefi t from adding
some sources of protein into your diet,
be sure to talk with your doctor before
making any drastic changes.
Increasing your protein consumption
will not be a silver bullet to keeping your
body healthy as you age. Staying physically
active is also important to help
maintain your health and live your best
life.
Courtesy BPT
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