The Top Eight Nuts for a Healthy Diet

As a health-conscious individual, incorporating nuts into your diet can significantly benefit your overall health and well-being. Consuming at least 5 ounces of nuts per week has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease and mortality.

Almonds

Almonds are a nutritional powerhouse, offering 6g of protein per serving along with essential nutrients such as vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium. With 164 calories per ounce, almonds are a great addition to salads, smoothies, or enjoyed as almond butter.

Cashews

Cashews are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, providing 5g of protein per serving. With 157 calories, cashews are an excellent source of magnesium and phosphorus, essential for bone health and energy production.

Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts, known for their buttery flavor, are high in healthy fats and calories. Despite their lower protein content, they offer essential vitamins and minerals such as fiber, vitamin A, and iron. Enjoy macadamia nuts in moderation to benefit from their nutritional value.

Hazelnuts

Hazelnuts are fiber-rich nuts with 178 calories per serving. Packed with monounsaturated fats and essential minerals like potassium and magnesium, hazelnuts support healthy blood pressure and energy metabolism. Be cautious of flavored hazelnuts to maximize their health benefits.

Peanuts

Peanuts are a good source of protein and fiber, with 161 calories per serving. Rich in potassium and magnesium, peanuts help regulate metabolism and hydration. Opt for natural peanut products to avoid added sugars and sodium.

Pistachios

Pistachios are a nutrient-dense nut with protein, healthy fats, and fiber. With the highest antioxidant levels among nuts, pistachios support heart health and lower blood pressure. Despite their calorie content, pistachios do not contribute to weight gain and can aid in reducing overall caloric intake.

Pecans

Pecans offer a variety of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, B, and E. With 196 calories per serving, pecans promote heart health through unsaturated fats and fiber. Incorporate pecans into your diet to benefit from their nutritional value.

Walnuts

Walnuts are renowned for their heart-healthy properties due to high monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. With 185 calories per serving, walnuts are an excellent source of manganese and protein. Enjoy walnuts as part of a balanced diet to support heart health and overall well-being.

In conclusion, nuts are a valuable addition to a healthy diet, providing essential nutrients and health benefits. Each nut offers a unique nutritional profile, so choose wisely based on your dietary needs and preferences.

Reference: Nut Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

The post The Eight Best Nuts for Your Diet appeared first on Alternative Medicine Magazine.

Frequently Asked Questions

How safe can holistic medicine be?

Holistic remedies are safe, as they are not dangerous drugs, but natural remedies for people who have used them for centuries.

Many illnesses have been treated with them, including arthritis, chronic pain and asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes (heart disease), obesity, depression anxiety, stress, insomnia, infertility, and sexual dysfunction.

Millions of people suffer from various illnesses use holistic medicines. These include homeopathy and acupuncture as well as chiropractic care, massage therapy, homeopathy, herbal treatments, biofeedback, yoga, meditation, hypnosis, nutrition counseling, physical exercise, and other complementary therapies. These therapies address the whole person, not just the symptoms.

Is holistic medical care the same as alternative medicines?

Holistic Health Care distinguishes itself from Alternative Medicine because Holistic Health Care focuses on the whole person instead of just treating symptoms.

Holistic Health Care addresses all aspects of an individual’s life: mental, physical, psychological, spiritual, occupational, cultural and family.

Alternative Medicine doesn’t address these problems. It focuses solely on the body, mind, emotions, etc.

What is the alternative to holistic medicine?

Holistic medicine is a way to approach health care that takes into account all aspects of the body, as well as its spiritual, emotional, and social dimensions. It is based on the concept that any illness must have multiple causes and requires a combination of treatments for maximum effectiveness.

Holistic medicine doctors believe that prevention is more effective than treatment. They work closely with their patients to help them achieve optimal wellness.

They identify the root causes of disease and help prevent it from happening again. Holistic doctors look at the whole body, not just the organs. They sometimes refer to “the whole body” as the entirety of their being.

This means that they look beyond the skin and treat the body holistically. The doctor may recommend changes in diet, exercise, or lifestyle. He may also recommend meditation or yoga exercises, herbal supplementation, massage or chiropractic treatment, as well as acupuncture and other forms of alternative medicine.

Statistics

An assessment of conventional treatments found that 41.3% concluded positive or possibly positive effects, 20% concluded no effect, 8.1% concluded net harmful effects, and 21.3% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
In 83% of the cases, the readers agreed. (en.wikipedia.org)
According to the World Health Organization, 80% of people use herbal medicine worldwide. (webmd.com)
category.[111]Edzard Ernst characterized the evidence for many alternative techniques as weak, nonexistent, or negative and in 2011, published his estimate that about 7.4% were based on “sound evidence.” However, he believes that may be an overestimate. (en.wikipedia.org)
A 15-year systematic review published in 2022 on the global acceptance and use of CAM among medical specialists found the overall acceptance of CAM at 52% and the overall use at 45%. (en.wikipedia.org)

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How To

What are the 4 types of complementary or alternative medicine?

The four main categories of CAM are mind-body medicine, natural products, manipulative therapies, and energy healing. Mind-body medicine encompasses yoga, Tai Chi, Reiki and massage therapy. It also includes homeopathy, homeopathy, aromatherapy (reflexology), naturopathy biofeedback, Hypnosis, hypnosis, and chiropractic care. Natural products are herbs, vitamins, minerals and dietary supplements. Manipulative therapies can include physical manipulations such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, and osteopathic/chiropractic care. Praying and visualization are two of the methods used to heal energy.

CAM refers to a variety of health practices that are not in line with Western medical models. These practices vary widely regarding how much scientific evidence supports them, whether they involve drugs or surgery, and which conditions they treat. Some CAM practitioners may also prescribe medication and perform diagnostic testing (e.g. blood tests). Others may do neither.

These four categories are not the only ones. There are many subcategories within each one. In mind-body medicine there are relaxation techniques. Natural products are nutritional supplements, botanical medicines, homeopathic remedies, essential oils, probiotics, nutraceuticals, herbal preparations, medicinal plants, and teas. Manipulative therapies include manual, movement, traction, electrotherapies, cupping, stretching, soft tissue mobilization, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, orthopedics, and neurostimulation. There are spiritual healing modalities such as prayer and faith healing within energy healing.

Many CAM remedies treat symptoms, but don’t address the cause. Some chronic diseases may be treated with CAM. If used properly, CAM can be combined with conventional treatments.

There are many reasons that people use CAM.

To improve their overall well-being.
To manage a specific condition.
To reduce pain or discomfort.
To prevent illness.
To promote wellness.
To address a personal belief system.

Some people use CAM to have more control over their own health than traditional medicine. Some people believe that CAM has less side effects. Others choose CAM to avoid taking prescription medications. Others prefer to avoid taking pharmaceuticals whenever possible. Many people also seek out CAM because of bad experiences with traditional medicine.

Some people who use CAM feel that they need to be certain about their work before trying new things. Many CAM users ask questions about the safety and effectiveness of CAM. Others rely upon word-of-mouth referrals from family and friends.

Although CAM is often viewed negatively by society, most users report positive feelings toward CAM. People who use CAM are more happy and healthier than those who do not. This holds true regardless your age, gender or race.

A majority of Americans have used some type of alternative or complementary medicine. Nearly all adults–95%–use one type of CAM at least once during their lifetime. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health(NCCIH), there were approximately 40 million visits to CAM providers between 2010 and 2010.

According to the NCCIH, 10 percent of Americans use chiropractors, massage therapists and acupuncturists.3 This compares with only 2 percent who use medical doctors.

The American Medical Association renewed its support for integrative medicines in 2013. It stated that doctors should incorporate scientifically validated complementary and alternative medicine into their clinical practice to meet patients’ expectations and needs.

The Institute of Medicine published a landmark study in 2007 titled “Releasing Constraints – Improving Access to Complementary and Alternative Healthcare” which concluded that “there is no credible evidence of any specific CAM intervention being effective in preventing, treating, and curing cancer.”

CAM continues to gain popularity despite this finding. 2008 saw a 8 percent increase in the number of CAM professionals compared to 2007.

Recent research found that nearly half of respondents used CAM in their primary healthcare routine.

CAM therapies encompass natural products, mind-body techniques, manipulative strategies, energy healing modalities and exercise.

Many CAM therapies are used primarily to relieve pain, but they also have many other benefits like relaxation, improved mood and better sleep.

Acupuncture can, for example help with chronic back pain, anxiety and depression, improve immune function as well as promote weight loss.

Many CAM therapies are rooted in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. They have been around for thousands of years.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), for example, was developed 5,000 years ago. It has been used in China since ancient times.

TCM is an important component of modern health care.

TCM has become a popular treatment option for more than 70% of the population in the United States.

Yoga is another popular CAM therapy. Yoga was first developed in India around 5000 B.C. It is now accepted all over the world.

Yoga has been gaining popularity with the general population because it provides many physical, mental, and spiritual benefits.

Yoga can reduce stress, increase flexibility, and improve strength. It also helps to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

Although there is limited scientific research, yoga seems to have positive effects on sleep33 and may be helpful for those suffering from insomnia.

Other CAM therapies are also gaining acceptance in mainstream medicine, including meditation, homeopathy, and aromatherapy.

Herbal medicine is one of the most popular types of CAM.

Herbal medicines contain herbs, spices, flowers, seeds, fruits, mushrooms, bark, leaves, roots, and stems.

They are often considered safer alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs and are widely used by consumers.

The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health estimates that about 90 million Americans use some form of complementary/alternative medicine.

According to the American Cancer Society 45% of adults with cancer used alternative medicine during their illness.

The National Institutes of Health estimates 60% of cancer patients use CAM. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports approximately 50% of all cancer survivors report using CAM.

In fact, according to a recent study, 51% of cancer survivors reported using at least one type of CAM.

Only 8% of these people discussed the use of this medication with their doctors.

This communication gap between conventional medical providers, CAM users and traditional doctors is a major problem in healthcare delivery.

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