A handful or two of pistachio nuts a day could keep heart disease at bay, research suggests. They appear to lower cholesterol and keep arteries healthy.

Just three ounces of pistachios a day is enough to significantly lower the risk of heart disease. The nuts are thought to be rich in nutrients that reduce hardening of the arteries, one of the main causes of heart attacks and strokes. During a U.S. study, volunteers were asked to supplement a low fat diet with pistachios. Some ate 1.5 ounces of the nuts a day, while others had double that amount, either alone as a snack or incorporating them into cereal, muffins and pesto sauce. A third group did not eat any pistachios. After just a month, cholesterol levels were significantly lower among the pistachio-eaters. Those who ate the most nuts experienced the biggest decrease in cholesterol.

Pistachios are rich in an antioxidant called lutein, also found in green leafy vegetables and brightly coloured fruit. Present at higher levels in the pistachio than other nuts, lutein helps prevent cholesterol from clogging up arteries. It is best to eat unsalted rather than salted pistachios as too much salt can raise blood pressure. However, both types should have the same effect on cholesterol. Lutein is also known to keep eye’s healthy and helps to prevent age related macular degeneration.

A bowl of cereal for breakfast like porridge could help a woman conceive. Research has found that eating foods rich in vitamin B6 can more than double the chances of becoming pregnant.

Women who have plenty of B6 in their diet are also only half as likely to miscarry during those critical first 12 weeks of pregnancy. This study adds to the growing evidence of vitamin B6’s role in reproductive health as millions of women already taking vitamin B6 supplements to combat premenstrual syndrome and alleviate morning sickness.

It is thought that vitamin B6 plays a key role in the development of the placenta. The U.S. researchers looked at how levels of vitamin B6 affected the reproductive health of more than 300 healthy young women who were trying for a baby. Scientists measured levels of vitamin B6 in the women’s blood and checked their hormone levels every day for a year. The results revealed a clear link between vitamin B6 and fertility.

Those with the highest levels of the vitamin were 2.2 times more likely to conceive than those with the lowest levels. The women were also half as likely to miscarry in the first six weeks of pregnancy, the American Journal of Epidemiology reported. Earlier work by the same researchers showed that vitamin B6 appeared to ward off miscarriages later in pregnancy and halve the risk of premature birth.

For fertility, it is better to take additional vitamin B6 in supplements, the easiest way to do this is to take a multi-vitamin and mineral which contains B6 along with folic acid and other nutrients which are known to help fertility. The one I use in the clinic is called Fertility Plus for Women.

The risk of developing serious lung disease can be halved by eating a diet rich in Mediterranean foods. But a Western diet – full of refined foods, red meat, and deep fried foods like chips – can quadruple the risk of getting illnesses such as emphysema and bronchitis.

It has always been a puzzle that while lung disease is mainly caused by smoking, not all smokers develop it. So researchers have been examining how genetic and environmental factors, such as diet, play a role. Doctors have already claimed the Mediterranean diet – high in fruit, vegetables, fish and ‘healthy’ fats such as those in olive oil, while low in red meat and dairy products – can improve heart health and help stave off cancer.

Now a major study from the U.S. has found it can halve the risk of developing lung disease. The research from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston followed the health of 42,917 men taking part in the U.S. Health Professionals Follow-up Study. All were asked about their medical history, diet and lifestyle, including how much they smoked and exercised. The more closely the Mediterranean diet was followed, the lower the risk of developing lung disease over the 12-year study period.

Last month, researchers from the UK’s National Heart and Lung Institute, the University of Crete, Venezelio General Hospital in Crete, and the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona, found that the Mediterranean diet helped prevent the development of asthma and respiratory allergies in children.

Last year, U.S. researchers found that the Mediterranean could reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Other researchers have shown that those who follow the diet live longer. Researchers have suggested that the Mediterranean diet appears to improve the function of blood vessels by giving flexibility to the cells lining the walls of blood vessels, which also helps keep lungs healthy. In addition, antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, the body’s protection against cell damage, help the person to cope more effectively with inflammatory lung disease. Previous research from a team at St George’s Hospital Medical School in London found good lung function was linked to high intakes of vitamins C, E and beta-carotene, citrus fruits, apples and fruit juice. It is thought that high intake of salt and fatty acids – such as those found in margarine – could also increase the risk of lung problems.