Holistic Wellness for Life North of 50

Some more quick health tips I picked up from TRICARE Communications.

Something as simple and inexpensive as beans can help with diabetes control.

Beans digest slowly, resulting in only a small rise in blood glucose levels. Several studies have shown that eating 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 cups of cooked beans daily improves diabetes control.

Beans also are an excellent source of folate, which is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a common diabetes complication. Eating 1-3 cups of cooked beans a day will lower total cholesterol 5%-19%.

Put beans in soups and salads, or eat them as a side dish, but introduce them gradually into your diet, the American Diabetes Association says. Chew thoroughly, drink plenty of liquids to aid digestion and take enzyme products such as “Beano” to avoid gastrointestinal distress.

For convenience, go for canned beans, which require less preparation time and, although have higher salt content, are as healthy as dried.

Pistachios: This green nut is full of gamma-tocopherol, a potentially cancer-fighting type of vitamin E.

People who ate 2 ounces of pistachios a day showed higher blood levels of gamma-tocopherol than those who did not eat pistachios, according to a recent study by the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

But that’s not all: They’re also rich in phytosterols, which give a double boost with its anti-cancer and heart-health properties. Plus, they provide a hefty amount of fiber and blood pressure-loving potassium.

Don’t go nuts for them, though. Pistachios are high in calories, so account for that in your diet.

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