Five delicious health tips

As a family practice doctor, many of my patients ask me about recent health studies they see on the news or read about. After reviewing these studies I don’t always advise my patients to follow these tips, but here are five health findings that I do recommend to my patients. Some of these might surprise you. 

Increase your nut consumption.

One serving of any type of nut daily reduces mortality rates by 20 percent, as well as your chances of a heart attack, cancer and diabetes. Although peanuts are technically a legume, they were also found to be mildly beneficial.

Take a daily probiotic.

Whether you get your probiotics from a capsule or by eating yogurt, taking a probiotic daily was found to reduce the chances of getting a cold or needing antibiotics by 40-50 percent in both adults and children.

Chocolate is good! And healthy!

Despite the extra calories, eating a few servings of chocolate every week has been shown to reduce weight, blood pressure, heart attack risks and improve mood. Dark chocolate is more beneficial than milk chocolate and in this case more is not better; no more than the equivalent of 2-3 Dove squares is recommended.

Drink a cup of java.

Coffee drinkers who drink four to five cups per day, reduces mortality by 10 percent in men and 15 percent in women, and reduces stroke and diabetes risk. Decaf was found to be just as beneficial as regular coffee.

Drink a little wine.

If you drink red or white wine every day or two there’s a slight increase in the risk of your chances for breast and colon cancer, but reduced risk of other cancers such as esophageal and lymphoma. Drinking a glass a day also reduces the risk of heart attack, type two diabetes, dementia, stroke, high cholesterol and macular degeneration. More than one glass daily for women or two for men is not recommended. Note that most of the benefit of wine comes from the alcohol; a beer or mixed drink is almost as effective as wine.