To those of us who remember Popeye the sailor man and his hearty spinach meals, spinach will forever be associated with his bulging muscles. Now it seems that spinach can give your heart extra strength as well.

Previous studies have shown that eating spinach regularly can reduce your risk of having a heart attack but the latest research reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, shows that it can also boost your chances of survival by up to a third if you do have an attack. The crucial healing ingredient it appears is nitrite – found in high quantities in green vegetables such as spinach and lettuce.

 

Researchers from the University of Texas who carried out the spinach study recommend eating five to nine ounces of nitrite-rich vegetables a day, three times as much as is typically consumed on current estimates.

 

They found that mice whose drinking water was spiked with nitrite for a week before having a heart attack had a 33 per cent higher survival rates than those whose water was not spiked. The chemical’s benefits come from its conversion to the gas nitric oxide when oxygen levels are low during a heart attack. Nitric oxide widens closed or clogged arteries, increasing the supply of oxygen to the heart.

 

Studies from the 1960s once linked nitrate and nitrite to an increased risk of cancer but this research shows that this early research may have been based on very weak data and that nitrate and nitrite found in green leafy vegetables and in our saliva is beneficial.

Not only are afternoon naps one of the best ways to fight fatigue recharge your batteries according to sleep experts, scientists have also discovered that a nap can help lower your blood pressure.

In a study at Liverpool’s John Moores University, volunteers had their blood pressure, heart rate and blood vessel dilation checked. They were then divided into three groups – some had to stand quietly for an hour; others lay down; while the remaining third went to sleep. The sleeping volunteers had a significant reduction in blood pressure and heart rate while the other two groups did not. It is thought that this blood pressure reduction may explain the lower rates of death from heart disease in Mediterranean and Latin American populations where siestas are common.

 

To get the full benefits of an afternoon nap; schedule your nap between 1 pm and 3 pm; any later and you will find it hard to get to sleep at night. Aim for around 20 minutes shut eye; as studies have shown this is the optimum napping time to improve your daytime performance and productivity.  

Fasting for one day a month cuts the risk of coronary artery disease by up to 40 per cent, compared with those who eat every day, according research presented at the recent American Heart Association conference in Orlando.

Experts believe the break from food could help ‘re-set’ the body’s metabolism, enabling it to work more efficiently as a result. The findings come from a study of Mormons, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which requires followers to fast once a month. It has been recognised since the 1970s that Mormons have lower rates of heart disease than other Americans.

 

The research suggests that people who fast seem to receive a heart-protective benefit and this appeared to also hold true in non-LDS (Latter Day Saints) people who fast as part of a health-conscious lifestyle. The study examined the records of patients who had had a coronary angiography – an X-ray examination of the blood vessels of the heart to look for blockages – between 1994 and 2002. Of 4,629 men and women whose arteries could be clearly examined, Mormons were less likely to have coronary artery disease.

 

Altogether, 61 per cent of Mormons had heart disease compared with 66 per cent of others.

 

A further study of 515 patients who had angiography between 2004 and 2006 found those who fasted were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with coronary artery disease than those who did not fast – 59 per cent compared with 67 per cent. >From these figured, the reduction in risk of coronary artery disease was extrapolated as 39 per cent. Although the researchers also found healthier arteries in diabetics who fasted, they insist it might be dangerous for those with diabetes to start fasting without medical supervision.

 

Time and time again I’ve warned against fasting as it can lead to swings in blood sugar and metabolism and resulting weight gain but a well controlled ‘fast,’ every few months for a maximum of 24 hours can be a great way to give your digestive system a boost. During your 24 hour ‘fast’ you should drink as much water as possible, rest as much as possible and eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and fresh juice to give your body plenty of nutrients to help it detox naturally.