Coffee & Green Tea Found To Protect Against Stroke

 

 

Whether or not you reach for coffee or green tea, a new study finds that both can help cut the risk of suffering a stroke.

The 13-year study, published in the American Heart Association journal "Stroke," included 82,369 men and women in Japan.

In addition, the more green tea a person drank, the more it reduced the risk of stroke. People who drank at least one cup of coffee daily had about a 20 percent lower risk of stroke compared to those who rarely drank it.

Lead researcher Dr. Yoshihiro Kokubo, of the Department of Preventive Cardiology, National Cerebra and Cardiovascular Center in Osaka, Japan, credits green tea's catechins, which help regulate blood pressure and improve blood flow. Coffee's chlorogenic acid and quinides may reduce body weight and blood glucose tolerance.

Prior research has already shown caffeine may stimulate the central nervous system by increasing the activity of the brain chemical dopamine, which is linked with boosting creativity and impulsivity.

A study published last year also found that women who drink two or more cups of coffee a day are less likely to get depressed. While it's not clear why this happens, researchers say it may be linked to caffeine's effect on the brain's chemistry.

The findings, published in "Archives of Internal Medicine," come from a study of more than 50,000 US women.

Source: The Star

 

Sabah Seaweed News

 

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Sabah Seaweed Recipe - Jelly

Ingredients:

- 200g chopped Sabah / Sea Bird Nest (washed & soaked for 8 hours)

- Fresh lime juice

- Honey / lime cordial

- Rock sugar
- Pandan leaves (optional)

- Red dates (optional)

- 500ml water

Method:

1. Add rock sugar, red dates, honey and fresh lime juice into 500ml water and bring it to boil.

2. Stir in the seaweed and cook until the seaweed has completely melted.

3. Pour the liquid into any mould or container and let it cool down.

4. Put into the fridge and it will turn into firm jelly form by itself.

Tips: Sabah seaweed can also be used as thickening agent for cooking. It creates the same effect as corn starch but gives extra nutrients to your dish! Just cook the seaweed in plain water until it has completely melted and thicken (250g seaweed with 500ml water). Let it cool down and set into jelly form. Keep in the fridge for future cooking use.

Virgin Coconut Oil

Who would have thought that a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil a day could melt the pounds away? Yet research shows that it does exactly that plus boost our health is many other ways.

 

Virgin coconut oil is different from other cooking oils in that it has medium-chain fatty acids rather than long-chain fatty acids. It also contains caprylic acid, capric acid, and lauric acid, all good compounds that are beneficial to our health.

 

Immune System Support: Consuming coconut oil may help to fight off disease and illness thanks to its antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. If you're battling any kind of virus or infection, try taking coconut oil.

 

Cardiovascular Health: Although coconut oil is a saturated fat, several studies have found that eating virgin coconut oil does not have adverse effects upon the heart. On the contrary, it appears to reduce the risk of high cholesterol and heart attack. Earlier studies done on coconut oil that found it caused high cholesterol were done using partially hydrogenated coconut oil and not virgin coconut oil and the studies were done on animals, not humans.

 

Researchers found that Polynesians in the Cook Islands whose diet is extremely high in coconut oil have low cholesterol levels and a very low incidence of heart attack compared to people in the rest of New Zealand who do not consume as much coconut oil. In Sri Lanka, a study found that the incidence of heart attack has risen as the consumption of coconut oil has gone down.

 

Thyroid Support: Many people believe that consuming extra virgin coconut oil can help with the symptoms of hypothyroidism. While scientific evidence is conflicting in this regard, many people with hypothyroidism have successfully improved or even reversed their hypothyroidism and have been able to stop taking thyroid medication. Remember that it may not work for everyone and it is important to consult with your doctor before stopping any medications.

 

Weight Loss: Studies found that women who took virgin coconut oil every day had a significant reduction in abdominal fat. Even though coconut oil is a type of fat, it may actually help you to lose weight. Because it contains medium chain fatty acids rather than long chain fatty acids like some other commonly used oils, the body uses coconut oil for energy and does not store much of it as fat. In this way, it helps to boost the metabolism.

 

Staph Fighter: When applied to wounds and sores, virgin coconut oil may prevent further staph infection. One study found that virgin coconut oil was beneficial in the treatment of atopic dematitis that was colonized with Staphylococcus aureus.

 

Wound Healing: Studies on mice found that wounds treated with virgin coconut oil healed faster and showed higher collagen cross-linking than the control group.

 

Stretch Mark Prevention: In Asia, coconut oil is commonly used to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. Already have stretch marks? Women have also found that applying coconut oil to stretch marks after they have formed erases the stretch marks or greatly reduces their appearance.

 

Skin Benefits: Moisturizing your skin is the key to keeping it youthful and healthy and coconut oil can be used in place of lotion for a healthier moisturizer. When coconut oil is used, it also helps to fight bacteria and other skin problems including rashes, dermatitis, acne, wrinkles, eczema, and psoriasis. If you have an area of skin that is irritated, rub coconut oil on the skin to soothe the inflammation and reduce the symptoms.

 

Healthy Hair: Coconut oil can also be used to improve the health of your scalp and hair. One way it helps is by strengthening the strands and reducing protein loss during washing. Try applying a little bit of coconut oil on your hair to brush out tangles or massage a tiny bit on coconut oil on the scalp for a silky, strong, head of hair.

 

Digestive System: Coconut oil has been found by many people to be beneficial for digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, and indigestion. Coconut oil fights unhealthy bacteria in the digestive system and it also assists in nutrient absorption within the body.