Do You Want The Good News Or The Bad News?

You know what I hate?

I hate the fact that the emails I write where the headline features bad news or negative news are the emails that get opened most.

For example, if I share a headline stating there's bad news about "X," versus one mentioning the good news about "X," the bad news emails always get opened more often. 

So that's why I wrote my headline the way I did - to trick you into reading some good news!

Fortunately, this email's pretty much all about good news...well, it's good news if you like spicy food.

 

Hot Red Chili Peppers Might Help You Live Longer! 

Building on a previous study from 2015, a new study has helped further establish the connection between eating hot red chili peppers and the chance of living a longer, healthier life.

So that crazy friend of yours who's always eating the spiciest wings might be onto something...

 

In the study (which centered itself around 16,000 people), researchers saw a decreased chance of death for people who ate hot red chili peppers from all causes, as compared to the death rates of people who didn't eat the peppers.

This study analysis was conducted over an 18-year period, so this is pretty significant. 

Curious what might contribute to this lowered decrease of death?

While the research on this is by no means conclusive, study co-authors Mustafa Chopan and Benjamin Littenberg think it might have to do with the ingredient that gives these peppers their distinct heat.

It's called "capsaicin," and it might be one of the most powerful plant-based chemicals on the planet. 

Previous studies on capsaicin have linked it to powerful anti-cancer properties.

For example, Medical News Today reported on a study which indicated capsaicin has the potential to stop the growth of breast cancer; another study showed capsaicin might result in a reduced risk of colorectal cancer.

And it was those studies (along with a few others) which led Chopan and Littenberg to see how capsaicin could affect mortality. 

What they did was ask the 16,000+ participants to tell them about their eating habits.  

Their findings were published in the medical journal Plos One.

" At the point of survey, participants' consumption of hot red chili peppers over the past month was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire.

The all-cause and cause-specific mortality of participants were monitored over a median follow-up period of 18.9 years using the National Death Index. During follow-up, 4,946 deaths occurred.

Compared with participants who did not consume hot red chili peppers, those who did were found to be at a 13 percent reduced risk of all-cause mortality.

The available data suggested that hot red chili pepper consumption was most strongly associated with a reduced risk of death from vascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke."

The researchers did mention their sample size for the survey wasn't large enough (nor was the methodology sound enough) to make absolute conclusions from their research.

Now does this mean hot red chili peppers are going to help you live longer?

I can't guarantee that at all.

However, I do know if you build a diet around healthy foods - and make hot red chili peppers one of them - it'll certainly help improve your health.

Besides, eating spicy foods will at least make you feel more alive in the moment...

So why not eat them? 

 

Talk soon,

Dr. Wiggy
www.HealthAsItOughtToBe.com