A recent Science News Daily article reported on a study that tested whether eating fish high that were high in Omega 3 fatty acids would reduce the risk of stroke. The proven benefits of eating sardines, mackerel, salmon and other oily fish on heart health was the catalyst behind the idea that there may be other cardiovascular benefits to consuming these foods.

Researchers performed an in depth analysis of 38 different studies involving over 800,000 people who ate this kind of fish. Research showed that those who ate two to four fish meals a week had a 6% lower incidence of stroke than those who only had one or two meals of fish a week.

Those who only took fish oil supplements did not show any evidence of reduced risk. The researchers estimated that the differences could be due to the fact that eating the fish delivers other nutrients to the body that combine with the omega 3 oils to reduce the chance of having a stroke.

Eating more natural foods has long been suggested as a way to build a heart healthier diet.  One of our favorite all-natural foods, the almond, also has benefits for the cardiovascular system.  Almonds deliver healthy monounsaturated fats to your bloodstream and help to naturally reduce your “bad” cholesterol. Visit our website to order some delicious flavored almond snacks and get started on the course toward a more heart healthy diet today.

The Medical News Today has reviewed a study on mid-life habits and their influence on older heath. The researchers identified healthy behaviors that middle aged people followed such as not smoking, eating fruits and vegetables and getting exercise as those that helped them successfully age.

Successful aging was identified as being in overall good health with no chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer and/or heart disease. Those who aged successfully also showed good mobility, respiratory function and cognitive skills at the end of the 16 year study.

The study included 5100 people from the UK and France that had none of the chronic diseases mentioned earlier. When they were reevaluated sixteen years later 549 people had died and 953 were classified as successfully aging. This portion of the group was a little younger than the overall group but the researchers still believe that the healthy behaviors had an impact on successful aging.

The important lesson to take from this study is that paying attention to simple healthy lifestyle habits now can have a positive impact on your health in the future.   Start your journey to successful aging by making a concerted effort to get regular exercise and by replacing your favorite high fat, high sugar snacks with healthier, all natural snacks.  Stop by our website to pick up some delicious flavored almond snacks that can satisfy cravings and that fit in well into a heart healthier diet.

With all of the diet advice floating around on the internet it is fairly easy to get overwhelmed or confused about what moves to make to get healthier. The diets we like to talk about or review here at Awesome Natural Foods are of course those that promote health – not just weight loss at any cost.

It is good to know for instance that the heart healthy diets seem to dovetail with the brain healthy diets. These diets tend to recommend fish that is high in Omega 3 fats and they also rely on antioxidants for brain and heart health from natural foods like blueberries and other fruits and vegetables.

There are three foods beginning with the letter A (avocados, apples and almonds) that seem to be high on just about every healthy food list. Not only do all three contain antioxidants but avocados and almonds also contain healthy fats that promote good blood vessel maintenance.

Keeping arteries free of blockages by fatty deposits can help keep the heart and the brain both functioning at a higher level. Combining fresh apples with almonds and avocados in a salad can be a great way to get all three A’s in one all natural snack. Visit our website today to order some delicious flavored almonds to mix or stand alone for a snack that will serve as a perfect addition to a heart and brain healthy diet.