Thursday, June 26, 2014

It’s no news that a healthy diet keeps us in better physical condition. But studies have shown that the cure for certain common health problems may be no further away than your refrigerator.

Before you reach for that bottle of pills, check out the benefits you may find in some of these proven food cures:

Prevent PMS with pork and beans – Both are rich in thiamine and riboflavin, B vitamins that could prevent you from developing PMS, according to research from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. A 3-ounce serving eaten regularly may make you up to 35% less susceptible to PMS cramps.

Stop a hangover with asparagus – The best way to avoid a hangover is not to overindulge. But Korean scientists have found that, eaten before or after hangover symptoms appear, asparagus spears provide enzymes that can break down alcohol after drinking and/or tame hangover miseries afterward.

Prevent kidney stones with lemonade – Doctors say lemon juice has the highest levels of citrate of any citrus juice – citrates that help dissolve calcium deposits that may eventually turn into kidney stones, one of the fastest-growing medical problems around.

Defeat depression with coffee – Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that women who drank an average of four cups of coffee per day were 20 percent less likely to develop depression than people who didn't drink coffee, or any other caffeinated drinks. It may be that caffeine protects the brain against certain neurotoxins that cause depression – and it’s cheaper than most prescribed antidepressants.

Ward off colds with yogurt – Studies have found that downing a cup of probiotic-rich yogurt every day can strengthen your immunity and have been associated with a 42 percent lower risk of getting upper respiratory infections.

Eat pomegranates to ward off sunburn – Pomegranates are a rich source of ellagic acid, which can help protect your skin from UVA- and UVB-induced cell damage, according to research from the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at Texas A&M University. Eating the whole fruit works better than juice.

Beat migraines with beef liver - Beef liver is one of the best dietary sources of the B vitamin riboflavin, which has shown some promise in reducing the frequency of migraine headaches. But you also need to eat other foods high in B, including dairy and vegetables.

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