It is usually overlooked in preference for the larger, more flavoursome white variety.
But the humble red onion could help prevent heart disease, researchers claim.
They have discovered that the vegetable - commonly used in Mediterranean and Indian cuisine - helps remove bad cholesterol from the body, which can cause heart attacks and strokes.
Researchers found that after eight weeks levels of bad cholesterol, or low density lipoprotein (LDL) in hamsters had dropped by an average of 20 per cent
At the same time red onions retain the body's good cholesterol, which help protect against heart disease
Scientists in Hong Kong fed crushed-up red onions to hamsters who had all been put on a high-cholesterol diet.
They found that after eight weeks levels of bad cholesterol, or low density lipoprotein (LDL), had dropped by an average of 20 per cent.
But over the same time period there was no reduction in the hamsters' high cholesterol levels, also known as high density lipoprotein (HDL).
Zhen Yu Chen, who was in charge of the research carried out at the Chinese University of Hong Kong said: 'Despite extensive research on onions, little is known of how their consumption interacts with human genes and proteins involved in cholesterol metabolism within the body.
'Our study was therefore undertaken to characterise the interaction of onions with enzymes in an attempt to explore the underlying cholesterol-lowering mechanism.
'This study is the first of its kind to investigate the interaction of red onions with biological functions.
'This results support the claim that the regular consumption of onion reduces the risk of coronary heart disease.'
Although white onions are by far the most popular type in Britain, red onions are widely used in India, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
They are far sweeter than the white variety, and are often used raw in salads.
Red onion marmalade, made by cooking onions with vingegar and sugar, has recently become popular in Britain an alternative to chutney served with cheese or cold meat.
Onions have long been known to have many health benefits including preventing cancer, heart disease and common coughs and colds.
Some parts of the world where onion consumption is high have even been shown to have much lower cancer rates.
For example in Georgia, the US, where the small, sweet Videlia onion is grown the number of stomach cancer diagnoses are a half the average for the rest of the cancer.
In China, where people eat more onions and garlic than anywhere else in the world, the risk of stomach cancer is 40 per cent lower than average.
= = = = = = = = = = =8 Health Warnings Your Fingernails May Be Sending.
Fingernails and disease dont go together in most minds but they should. Your fingernails can give you valuable health warnings and signal the presence of serious disease.
Take a good long look at your nails. Hold a hand level with your nose about a foot out from your face and scrutinize each one.
Look at the curves, dips, ridges, and grooves. Check out how thick or thin they are and if your nails are chipped or broken. Make a note of the color of the nail itself, the skin under it, and the skin around the nail.
Check your memory have your nails always looked like this? Changes to your fingernails and disease onset are linked, so note any new developments. With this fresh view, compare what you see with this list of eight potential fingernail health warnings.
1. Discolored nails
A healthy fingernail should be pink with a touch of pinkish white (moons) near the base. If your nails are a dull color or streaked with other colors, you may have a serious hidden health problem.
2. Thick nails3. Split nails4.Concave (Spoon) nails
Spoon fingernails signal a number of internal issues. To be considered full spoons, nails will be soft and curve up, forming a dip that is often big enough to hold water. Spoon nails signal:
Your fingernail and health challenges go hand in hand for many people, clearing up their health issue results in their spoon nails returning back to normal.
5. Pitted nails
Small dips or holes in your nails can be a result of banging up your hands or they could be a sign that you need to look more closely at your health. Nail pitting can signal:
Watch your hand to separate natural dents and dings from real, lasting pits. The first will clear up quickly, but pits linked to disease linger.
6. Ridges
Nails should have smooth surfaces with almost imperceptible lines. Obvious ridge lines are a signal that something is up with your body. Some of the most common conditions associated with heavy ridge lines are:
7. Dry, brittle nails
8. Clubbed nails
Youll Be Amazed By These 6 Blood Tests That May Save Your Life
REMOVING GALLSTONES NATURALLY
by Dr Lai Chiu-Nan
It has worked for many. If it works for you please
pass on the good news. Chiu Nan is not charging for it, so we should make it
free for everyone. Your reward is when someone, through your word of mouth,
benefits from the regimen. Gallstones may not be everyone's concern. But they
should be because we all have them. Moreover, gallstones may lead to cancer.
"Cancer is never the first illness," Chiu Nan points out.
"Usually, there are a lot of other problems leading to cancer in my
research in China , I came across some material which say that people with
cancer usually have stones. We all have gallstones. It's a matter of big or
small, many or few. One of the symptoms of gallstones is a feeling of
bloatedness after a heavy meal. You feel like you can't digest the food. If it
gets more serious, you feel pain in the liver area." So if you think you
have gallstones, Chiu Nan offers the following method to remove them naturally.
The treatment is also good for those with a weak liver, because the liver and
gallbladder are closely linked.
Regimen:
1. For the first five days, take four glasses of
apple juice every day. Or eat four or five apples, whichever you prefer. Apple
juice softens the gallstones. During
the five days, eat normally.
2. On the sixth day, take no dinner.
3. At 6 pm, take a teaspoon of Epsom salt (magnesium
sulphate) with a glass of warm water.
4. At 8 pm, repeat the same. Magnesium sulphate
opens the gallbladder ducts.
5. At 10 pm, take half cup olive oil (or sesame oil)
with half cup fresh lemon juice. Mix it well and drink it. The oil lubricates
the stones to ease their
passage.
The next morning, you will find green stones in your
stools. "Usually they float," Chiu Nan notes. "You might want to
count them. I have had people who passes 40, 50 or up to 100 stones. Very many.
"Even if you don't have any symptoms of gallstones, you still might have
some. It's always good to give your gall bladder clean up now and then.
This is a very good article. Not only about the warm water after your meal, but about heart attacks. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals, not cold water, maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating.
 For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal. A serious note about heart attacks - You should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive. A cardiologist says if everyone who reads this message sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life. Read this & Send to a friend. It could save a life. So, please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends you care about.
Keep to a nutritionally dense diet.
Control Sugar & Salt intake.
Nap in the afternoon
Doctors say the ideal nap time is 1 pm to 3 pm in the afternoon since this is when our bodies are most in need of rest. While the number and effectiveness of disease-fighting immune cells increase with more sleep, a lack of it has been found to promote health attack-causing calcium build up in the Heart arteries, and restrict the production of the human growth hormone, which limits the body's ability to repair itself. Drink moderately As opposed to popular perception, sipping a spirit or two increases longevity and decreases the risk of heart disease by 20 to 50 per cent. According to a study conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, people who drink moderately do not get frequently hospitalised and have fewer disabilities than the general population. Eat yoghurt A diet devoid of dahi or yoghurt is incomplete. The pro biotic, or good, living bacteria present in yogurt have a favourable impact on many gastrointestinal conditions. It also helps to lower blood pressure, decrease cholesterol and strengthen the immune system. Eat at least one serving of yogurt daily to reap its benefits. Consume less A recent study claims a calorie-restricted diet in which participants ate up to 25 per cent less than they did normally, reduced overall cholesterol, triglyceride levels and blood pressure. But this doesn't mean you go into a starvation mode. To avoid vitamin deficiencies, make sure that whatever you are eating is nutritionally dense. Avoid simple sugars, make sure your protein intake is sufficient and don't forget to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Steer clear of supplements, packaged and canned food; they do nothing to contribute to your health. Turn to yoga For time immemorial, Ayurveda has stressed the need for yoga in our daily lives. Yoga's mind body-breathing exercises strengthen and balance the immune system, stimulate it and effectively destroy sickness-causing microbes. Practising yoga regularly can reverse several risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure and sugar. Strengthen friendships People who have a strong social support system have a healthy immune system and are less likely to succumb to inflammatory disease. Having no close friends increases the risk of having a first-time heart attack by about 50 per cent. To maximise the benefits of your social network, meet them over lunch or go shopping together, or chat with them over the phone. But avoid e-mail or Facebook unless your folks stay in a different country or city. Up your garlic intake The benefits of the benign spice — garlic — are known to be abundant. It reduces blood pressure and cholesterol levels, fights off staph infections and acts as a powerful antioxidant. Recently, a study found that people who regularly consume garlic cut their number of sick days in half. Eat it raw or cooked, but avoid garlic supplements. Take a cold shower While taking a warm water bath ensures a relaxed sleep, research shows turning the shower nozzle cold can improve blood circulation, strengthen skin, boost your immune system, improve your mood and rejuvenate your body. The ideal length of a Cold shower is five minutes, and its best to enter and exit the cold stream in 30-second intervals. In fact, a study of swimmers in Berlin suggested that exposure to ice-cold water elevated levels of glutathione, one of the body's natural, stay-well antioxidants. Zing's the thing: Heat and spice combine in a beautiful bowlful
Malaysian spiced soup with roast duck and Asian greens
Goan-spiced chicken
hot pot
Madras lentil soup with ham and parsley
Curried root vegetable soup with apple chutney
CLICK ON SELECTED ITEM BELOW FOR RECIPE |
HEALTH 2
