7 Surprising Health Facts

#1. Drink Your Veggies

Mom said to eat your broccoli, but a recent study shows drinking it can be just as good. A broccoli beverage can clear your system of benzene, a carcinogen found in cigarette smoke. The phytochemical sulforaphane, found in the cruciferous veggie, promotes the production of detoxifying enzymes.

– Cancer Prevention Research

#2. Five Minutes...

That’s how long it takes for an aspirin to thin your blood, if you’ve chewed it. Popping a pill at the first sign of a heart attack can dramatically increase your odds of survival. Just a reminder: Common symptoms include shortness of breath, severe chest pressure and pain in the arms, back, stomach, neck or jaw.

– American Heart association

#3. Cuff ’Em

The only way to get a truly accurate blood pressure reading is to cuff both arms. When a person’s systolic pressure varies by 10 or more points between arms, the risk of heart attack or stroke increases 38 percent. Plus, a big difference between arms could be a sign of peripheral artery disease, or clogged arteries.

– American Journal of Medicine

#4. Messy Desk, Messy Mind?

Apparently not! Actually, people with messy desks were likely to be more creative than their neatnik peers, according to a recent study. And, those with clutter atop their desks were likely to produce new, fresh ideas. Of course, if you think you’d be more productive with a neater desk, then by all means plan to declutter once a week or so.

– Psychological Science

#5. Add Avocados to Your Diet

40 percent – that’s the percentage by which appetite was decreased for three hours among adults who added half an avocado to their lunch, be it in a salad, a sandwich or a smoothie.

– Nutrition Journal

#6. Cancer Craves Sugar 

Don't give cancer what it wants – and that’s sugar! Turns out tumors have a sweet tooth. A recent study suggests that high blood sugar may raise your chances of cancer. Researchers noted that folks with prediabetes were 55 percent more likely to get stomach or colon cancer than people with normal glucose levels.

– Diabetologia

#7. The Best Hue for You

People who get more of their nutrients in red, orange and yellow have smaller waists. The reason: brightly colored fruits and veggies are chock full of vitamin c, which reduces cortisol. So top your fish with mango salsa or add red pepper to your turkey burger.

– The Journal of Nutrition