(06-05-12) Eating more citrus fruit can lower your risk of stroke

by Jonathan Benson, staff writer

(NaturalNews) The antioxidant flavonoid compounds found in citrus fruits like
oranges and grapefruits offer protective benefits against blood clot-related
strokes. These are the findings of a new study published in the American Heart
Association (AHA) journal Stroke, and ones that could help many people who
currently take heart drugs to get off them and instead integrate these and
other nutritional approaches to improve heart health.

A team of researchers from Boston's Harvard Medical School, Brigham and
Women's Hospital, and Norwich Medical School in the U.K. evaluated 14 years
worth of data from 70,000 female nurses that participated in a national study
on women's health. They found that women whose diets included the most citrus
fruits were 19 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than women whose diets
included the least citrus fruits.

"Our study supports the conclusion that flavonones are associated with a
modest reduction in stroke risk," said Kathryn M. Rexrode, M.D., M.P.H., who
helped head up the research. "This is very provocative research which suggests
that including citrus fruits in your diet could lower stroke risk."

Also known as "vitamin P," flavonoids are present in various quantities and
combinations in all sorts of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. These plant-based
antioxidants are known to dilate blood vessels and promote healthy circulation,
as well as promote a disease-preventing anti-inflammatory effect within the
body. Flavonoids are also linked to preventing the development and spread of
cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/030582_flavonoids_cancer.html).

A study published a few years ago in the journal Nutrition and Cancer, for
instance, found that people who consume the highest amounts of flavonoids and
proanthocyanidins, a subgroup of flavonoids, were 44 percent less likely to
develop oral cancer, 40 percent less likely to develop laryngeal cancer, and 30
percent less likely to develop colon cancer compared to others.

"The nutritional benefits of flavonoids include the increase of intracellular
vitamin C levels, a decrease in the leakiness and breakage of small blood
vessels, the prevention of easy bruising, and immune system support," writes
Gabriel Cousens in his book There Is a Cure for Diabetes: The Tree of Life 21-
Day+ Program.

And if you are looking for a higher and more concentrated dose of flavonoids
than what can typically be obtained just from eating fruits and vegetables,
flavonoid supplements are another option. Quercetin, citrus bioflavonoids,
mixed carotenoids, bilberry, and ginkgo biloba are a few types you may wish to
investigate further.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.cbsnews.com

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