How to Tell if You’re Getting Enough Protein

Protein is essential for life. It energizes us, helps our bodies heal from injury, and keeps us satisfied throughout the day. Proteins are also the building blocks of muscle. ”Protein is the building block of DNA, and every single part of us has DNA,” says Monica Auslander, founder of Essence Nutrition.

Unfortunately, many vegetarians do not get the protein (and subsequently the amino acids) that they need to stay healthy and strong. Wondering if you’re protein deficient? Here are some of the most common symptoms.

7 SIGNS OF PROTEIN DEFICIENCY

1. Muscle weakness + joint pain

When your body does not get enough protein from food it goes into starvation mode, cannibalizing muscle to supplement calorie deficiency when it should be enjoying your meal instead. When your muscles don’t have fuel, neither do you.

2. Constant cravings

Do you often need snacks in between meals? Chances are, you aren’t getting enough protein to sustain you throughout the day. Proteins even out blood sugar fluctuations, ensuring you don’t get that afternoon crash before dinner. 

3. Lackluster hair, skin and nails

Your hair and nails are made from a tough protein called keratin. If your hair is brittle and thinning or you’re seeing ridges or breaks in your fingernails, it’s possible you may not have enough protein in your system.

 

4. Fluid retention

Edema, a condition in which your body retains water in tissue (often your feet and ankles), is partly caused by protein deficiency.

5. Slow recovery from injury

In order for your body to recover from injury, it needs the substance to do so. Protein plays a huge part in rebuilding new cells and tissue, and also assists in building immunity against viruses.

6. Lack of mental energy

Do you often feel as though you’re in a fog, lacking enough mental energy to stay productive? Short bursts of energy followed by a mental fog may be related to fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin caused by a lack of protein.

7. Getting sick often

If you are frequently ill, you may have a weak immune system due to protein deficiency. Remember, immune cells are made from scaffold proteins!

HOW MUCH PROTEIN SHOULD YOU BE EATING?

Most people need 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight to maintain muscle mass (that’s approximately 65 grams for a 180-pound person). If you’re trying to gain muscle or are working out frequently, you should aim for closer to 0.5-0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight, alongside adequate caloric intake for your body type.

That said, protein does not solely come from eating meat or animal products. You can obtain plenty of protein from plants such as nuts, seeds, beans and leafy greens, as they are packed with amino acids. In fact, a person eating a 100 percent whole, plant-based diet will likely enjoy more high-quality protein than someone eating a standard American diet of animal proteins and processed foods.

12 Essential Oils for Arthritis Pain

Arthritis pain can have a profound effect on a person’s quality of life, affecting the ability to fall and stay asleep, having a slow start in the morning and the ability to complete everyday tasks. Fortunately, essential oils can help. Here are my top picks for essential oils to address arthritis pain:

Black pepper oil (Piper nigrum)

Black pepper essential oil is a powerful oil that has warming properties when diluted and applied to arthritic joints. Its natural analgesic compounds immediately start working to reduce pain levels. Use diluted in small amounts topically for healing joint pain.

Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora)

The oil of the camphor tree has been used for centuries as a traditional remedy against pain and inflammation. It has been found to have antiseptic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic and anti-infective properties, all of which make it an excellent choice in the treatment of arthritis pain. Most over-the-counter pain-relieving products that contain camphor usually contain a synthetic version that does not have the therapeutic properties of real camphor and are best avoided altogether. Because it is a potent oil, always dilute camphor and conduct a 48-hour skin patch test.

Clove oil (Eugenia carophyllata, Eugenia aromatic or Syzygium aromaticum)

Great for rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, clove oil is a potent anti-pain oil. As a result, it should be used sparingly and heavily diluted. Avoid use if you have extremely sensitive skin.

Copaiba (Copaifera reticulata, officinalis, coriacea, or langsdorffi)

This little-known rainforest tree produces one of the best pain relievers I’ve ever come across, particularly when it is in essential oil form. It contains cannabinoids that are similar to those in marijuana but do not have any mind-altering effects. Some varieties on the marketplace are minimally effective so you’ll want to make sure you’re getting a high-quality brand. Also, most companies cut the trees down to extract the oil when that is entirely unnecessary and a tragedy for the rainforests and planet as a whole. Choose a copaiba product that is harvested by tapping the trees similarly to how maple trees are tapped. 

Ginger oil (Zingiber officinalis)

As an essential oil applied topically to the skin, ginger stimulates circulation in the joints, alleviates stiffness, warms the joints and helps reduce pain levels. Do not use if you have highly sensitive skin.

Lavender oil (Lavandula angustifolia or Lavandula officinalis)

While lavender can help with joint stiffness, it really shines when pain is keeping you up at night. You can apply it directly to the joints or diffuse into the air for up to an hour before bed to help relax your nervous system and help you sleep. Avoid use during pregnancy particularly if you have a history of miscarriage.

Lemongrass oil (Cymbopogon citratus or Cymbopogon flexuosus)

Lemongrass helps tone the connective tissues and can be helpful when the tendons no longer hold the joints with precision, which can cause excessive friction and arthritis pain. Be sure to conduct a skin test first as this oil can irritate those with highly sensitive skin.

Marjoram oil (Origanum majorana or Majorana hortensis)

Applied to affected joints, marjoram helps to cleanse the joints of the byproducts of inflammation. Avoid use during pregnancy or if you suffer from epilepsy.

Peppermint oil (Mentha piperita)

A powerful anti-inflammatory with natural anagesic properties, peppermint is a great addition to the natural healing toolkit of arthritis sufferers. Unlike most oils, it can be used “neat” which means undiluted. You won’t need much—just a drop or two applied to the affected joints will leave a cooling sensation that helps alleviate pain. Wash hands immediately after applying and avoid eye contact.

Rosemary oil (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Not just good for cooking, the oil extracted from the herb, rosemary, has anti-pain properties, is a relaxant and is useful for joint pain. It also calms the nervous system, which is the route by which pain signals travel to and from the brain. Relaxing the nervous system is an important process to improve pain both in the short- and long-term. Regular use of rosemary oil on the affected joints but also through inhalation can be helpful for arthritis sufferers. Avoid during pregnancy and if you suffer from epilepsy.

Tansy oil (Tanacetum annum)

This naturally blue essential oil contains the active component thujone which is toxic when ingested but has potent anti-pain properties for topical use.

Wintergreen oil (Gaultheria procumbens)

Wintergreen is an excellent oil to alleviate pain due to its methyl salicylate content, which is similar in composition to aspirin. Few plants contain this potent analgesic compound.

Essential oils are best diluted for topical use. Dilute 2 drops in about 1 teaspoon of carrier oil like apricot kernel, almond or coconut. If you have sensitive skin, be sure to conduct a 48-hour skin test first after heavily diluting the essential oils. Don’t skimp on price. Most of the cheap oils on the market contain cheap, and sometimes toxic, ingredients. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to essential oils. You don’t need all of them.  

Study Reveals New Ways Coffee Can Protect Your Brain

If you’re like millions of people around the world, you have to have your coffee each day. And that cup of Joe is doing much more than adding a little pep to your step. Here are some ways coffee affects your body, including new research on how it can protect your brain from disease.

COFFEE AND THE BRAIN

Coffee’s caffeine content has the most obvious effect on your brain, though new research is finding benefits from its other components. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, according to Healthline. This, in turn, can improve attention, alertness, comprehension, reaction time and even mood.

Researchers also are investigating how caffeine affects memory. “While some studies have found that caffeine may improve short-term memory, others have found no effect,” Healthline says. Likewise, one study saw improvement in long-term memory after caffeine consumption, but more research still must be done on that topic. 

And now a new study has gone beyond caffeine, correlating certain compounds in coffee to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

COFFEE MAY PROTECT AGAINST ALZHEIMER’S, PARKINSON’S

There already has been research on coffee and its protection against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. For instance, one study found drinking three to five cups of coffee each day reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia by 65 percent, but it didn’t determine exactly which properties of coffee — caffeine, antioxidants, etc. — factored into that protection. And another study found drinking about three cups of coffee per day lowered participants’ risk of Parkinson’s, though that research pointed toward caffeine as the contributing factor.

But a new study from the Krembil Brain Institute has found that coffee itself may protect a person from developing both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. The study tested three types of coffee: light roast, dark roast and decaffeinated dark roast. In the initial tests, both dark roasts — caffeinated and decaf — showed protective effects against the diseases.

The researchers “identified a group of compounds known as phenylindanes, which emerge as a result of the roasting process for coffee beans,” according to the University Health Network. The phenylindanes were able to inhibit proteins that are responsible for both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. And because roasting increases their numbers, that explains why the darker roast coffees offered more protection.

Dr. Donald Weaver, co-director of the Krembil Brain Institute, told the University Health Network it’s a “major advantage” to find a natural compound that interacts with these disease-causing proteins. “Mother Nature is a much better chemist than we are,” he said. “… If you have a complicated compound, it’s nicer to grow it in a crop, harvest the crop, grind the crop out and extract it than try to make it.” But plenty more research must be done before these findings can be incorporated into disease treatment.

MORE HEALTH BENEFITS OF COFFEE

Besides the positive effects on the brain, coffee offers several other health benefits.

• It contains important nutrients and antioxidants: A cup of coffee is primarily water. But it does contain 11 percent of your daily value of riboflavin (vitamin B2); 6 percent of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5); 3 percent of potassium and manganese; and 2 percent of niacin (vitamin B3), thiamine (vitamin B1) and magnesium. Plus, research has shown “coffee provides more antioxidants in the diet than any food group,” according to Healthline.
• It reduces your risk of Type 2 diabetes: According to the American Chemical Society, drinking three to four cups of coffee per day might prevent a person from developing Type 2 diabetes. There are two compounds in coffee that can promote insulin secretion, and one even boosts glucose uptake in muscle cells.
• It protects your liver: A study from the National Cancer Institute linked coffee to lower levels of abnormal liver enzymes. The researchers found people drinking three or more cups of coffee a day — caffeinated or decaf — showed better liver health.
• It might reduce your cancer risk: Drinking coffee seems to protect against certain types of cancer, including colorectal and liver. One study found people who drank four or more cups of coffee per day had a lower risk of colon and rectal cancers. And separate research found drinking coffee reduced participants’ risk of liver cancer by 43 percent.
•  It might help you live longer: A study on around 500,000 participants found coffee drinkers had a lower risk of death versus non-coffee drinkers. This was true regardless of the type of coffee (caffeinated, decaf, instant, ground, etc.). In fact, even those who drank eight or more cups had a 14 percent lower risk of mortality versus non-drinkers.

But to be fair, coffee isn’t all good. Its caffeine content can disrupt your sleep, especially if you consume it later in the day. It also may cause jitteriness, exacerbate anxiety, upset your stomach and slightly raise blood pressure. And caffeine has addictive properties that can trigger withdrawal symptoms if you go without it. Plus, many people consume their coffee with unhealthy amounts of sugar.

Still, if you don’t experience any of the negative effects when you drink coffee, its benefits could be worth it for your health.

10 Foods that Prevent Muscle Cramps

Don’t assume you’re safe from muscle cramps just because you don’t do strenuous exercises. You can suffer them even while sleeping.

Luckily, you don’t have to live in fear of muscle cramps all the time. Eating (and drinking) the right nutrients can prevent or reduce the occurrence of muscle cramps. The foods that prevent muscle cramps below are rich in these nutrients.

FOODS THAT PREVENT MUSCLE CRAMPS

Eat these foods to prevent muscle cramps. Note that you can also use these foods to prevent cramps during menstruation.

1. Bananas

Bananas are a good pre-workout snack to boost your energy and prevent cramps. They contain potassium, magnesium and calcium, all which help prevent cramps.

2. Water

You’re more likely to get muscle cramps if you do intense workouts without proper hydration. Drink water before and during your workouts. Aim for at least 1.5 to two liters of water a day, depending on how active you are. 

Feel free to drink flavored water, since it contains electrolytes. Alternatively, you can drink water infused with fruits such as oranges, watermelon or strawberries.

3. Avocado

Avocado is one of those foods you should eat every day, due to its numerous health benefits. It’s perfect for preventing muscle cramps, since it contains a good amount of potassium.

Add it to your salads, smoothies, or eat it by itself. Remember to eat it in moderation since one large avocado can contain 400 calories.

4. Pickle Juice

Research shows that pickle juice can inhibit electrically-induced muscle cramps. The duration of the cramps was 49 seconds shorter when participants drank pickle juice instead of water.

Researchers don’t seem to agree on why pickle juice eases cramps. Some say it’s due to sodium, while others credit the benefits to the acetic acid in vinegar.

5. Watermelon

Eating watermelon will give you plenty of potassium and keep you hydrated. It may also interest you to know that watermelon is an excellent source of antioxidants that fight inflammation and oxidative stress. 

6. Fortified Orange Juice

Those looking to drop pounds know that juice is high in sugar and calories, but you don’t have to avoid it completely. In fact, drinking fortified orange juice occasionally can prevent cramps, since it contains magnesium and calcium.

7. Sweet Potatoes

There are many ways to cook sweet potatoes, but if you’re trying to lower your calorie intake stick to roasting and boiling. A medium-size sweet potato will give you 12 percent of the potassium you need in a day.

8. Beans

Beans are not exactly the kind of food you want to eat right before a workout, but eating them at any other time will prevent the occurrence of cramps, thanks to their potassium and magnesium content.

9. Spinach

Did you know that spinach is one of the best sources of magnesium? It’s also a good source of calcium. Other dark leafy greens, such as broccoli and kale, may also be beneficial foods for preventing cramps.

10. Celery

Your body needs sodium for the normal flow of fluids and muscle contraction. Not only will celery give you this nutrient, but it’ll also keep you feeling full.

9 Things Your Body Is Telling You When You Wake Up In The Middle Of The Night

It's important to get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep per night, but if you're waking up frequently, it means your sleep quality is suffering. If you're someone who finds themselves tossing and turning, you might be wondering what it means when you wake up in the middle of the night. Everything from your daytime habits to your emotional state can affect how well you sleep through the night, and it might be time to start listening to your bodily signals to help you get better rest.


"Everybody wakes a few times during the night, and this is not abnormal as long as the wakefulness period is brief," Nate Watson, MD, SleepScore Labs advisory board member, tells Bustle. "Also, everyone has a bad night of sleep now and then for a variety of reasons [... However, frequent nocturnal awakenings can be a sign of a number of sleep and medical disorders."

If frequent awakenings at night are typical, then a conversation with a sleep specialist is warranted to get to the root cause of the problem, especially if all your sleep habits are healthy. Here are nine things your body is trying to tell you when you wake up in the middle of the night, according to experts.

1 You Drank Too Much Water Close To Bedtime

It's great to stay hydrated, but you don't want to drink too much water close to bedtime, or you might find that you wake up more frequently than you'd like to. "If you wake up to use the bathroom, keep the lights low," Beautyrest Sleep Expert Dr. Rebecca Robbins, tells Bustle. "Use the bathroom and return to bed promptly. Monitor your water consumption at night if awakenings for the bathroom persist."


2 Your Bedroom Is Too Hot

Waking up frequently might indicate that your bedroom isn't set to the right temperature. "A bedroom environment that is too hot can promote middle of the night awakenings," Dr. Robbins says. "The optimal temperature for sleep is between 60 and 67 degrees. Turn down your thermostat for best rest."

3 You're Stressed

Stress is another major reason people wake up at night. "We all have a bad night here and there, particularly if you have a major event the next day," behavioral psychologist and sleep expert Dr. Sara Nowakowski, tells Bustle. "For example, you have an early flight to catch, and you are worried you are going to oversleep, or you have an exam or work presentation the next day. In this case, increasing stress coping like practicing relaxation or meditation may help alleviate stress as well as sleep disruption."


4 You're Drinking Too Much Caffeine

That afternoon cup of coffee may have seemed necessary at the time, but it can lead to nighttime awakenings. "Your body clears about half of the caffeine in your system every four to seven hours," Dr. Sujay Kansagra, Mattress Firm’s sleep health expert, tells Bustle. "Although most of the coffee from your day is out of your system by bedtime, some caffeine may still be present at night, even if you drink caffeine in the morning."


5 Your Medication Is Interfering With Your Sleep

"Medication is another contributor to sleep disruption," Dr. Nowakowski says. "Certain heart, blood pressure, asthma, and antidepressant medication, as well as over-the-counter medications for colds and allergies are known to disrupt sleep." If you are unsure if a medicine affects you, keep track of your symptoms, dosage, and timing of when you take your medicine, and speak with your doctor. "Sometimes just altering the time you take a medication can alleviate or minimize sleep disruption," Dr. Nowakowski says.

6 You're Using Electronics Too Close To Bedtime

If you're in the habit of playing with your phone or streaming TV shows before bed, you may want to put the electronics away. "When we are exposed to bright lights at night, our brain is tricked into thinking it is still daytime outside," Dr. Kansagra says. "This leads to a suppression of the brain’s natural sleep hormone known as melatonin. Shutting off your devices at least 30 minutes prior to bedtime and keeping all devices out of your bedroom is the best solution."



7 You Worked Out Too Close To Bedtime

Regular exercise can help with sleep, but you want to make sure you don't go too hard too close to bedtime. "Our bodies like to be cool when we transition from an awake state to a sleep state," Dr. Kansagra says. "Vigorous exercise can raise the body temperature long after you’ve finished working out. If you exercise late and have difficulty falling and staying asleep, consider moving your workout to earlier in your day."



8 You Drank Before Bed

Although alcohol may initially help you fall asleep faster, ultimately it can negatively interfere with your sleep cycle. "High doses of alcohol are followed later in the night by withdrawal, which causes frequent arousals and lighter sleep in the second half of the night, and may result in an early morning awakening without sufficient rest," Dr. Kansagra says. "Alcohol can also worsen existing sleep disorders and may even cause new disorders, such as sleep apnea."

9 You May Have Sleep Apnea

Your frequent night awakenings may be an indication that you have a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea. "Bed partners may observe snoring or pauses in breathing," psychiatrist and sleep medicine doctor Alex Dimitriu, MD, tells Bustle. "I often ask my patient to use an app called 'SnoreLab' which records audio all night. This way you can see how much you snore, or what noises etc., happened right before you woke up."


There are many reasons you could be waking up at night, but try to track your habits and see what could possibly be going on in your body that would disrupt your sleep.

7 Foods That May be the Reason You’re Waking Up In The Middle Of The Night

Waking up often during the night is frustrating, but it also can be difficult to pinpoint the source of your poor-quality sleep. However, you may want to start looking at your diet, as what you eat before bed can play a role in how well you're sleeping. There are a number of foods that can wake you up in the middle of the night, and eliminating them from your diet — or just trying to eat them earlier in the day — may be able to help improve your quality of sleep.


"The quality of your diet plays a huge role in supporting optimal sleep," Cynthia Sass, RD, CSSD tells. "Whole, nutrient-rich, easy-to-digest foods are generally best for falling asleep more easily, settling into deep, restorative sleep, and preventing overnight wakefulness."

Most of the time, the foods that cause disruptions at night tend to be the ones that are more difficult to digest or that are common culprits of heartburn and acid reflux. Cutting down on these foods that make your body work hard close to bedtime may be able to help resolve your sleep issues. Here are seven foods that could the reason you keep waking up in the middle of the night, according to experts.

1 Fried Foods

Although we all love a good donut here and there, too much fried food or food high in fat before bed can have you waking up during the night. "High fat foods, like fried chicken and french fries, can relax the lower esophageal sphincter and also delay the emptying of the stomach," Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN tells. "This can lead to reflux, which is most uncomfortable when you are laying in bed trying to sleep."


2 Carbonated Beverages

Anything from soda to beer can cause digestive distress and lead to night time awakenings. "Carbonated beverages cause bloating, which increases pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, which can lead to acid reflux," says Amidor. "This isn't very pleasant when sleeping and can wake you up in the middle of the night."

3 Juice

Juices such as grapefruit, orange, and pineapple have a high acid content, which can cause reflux or indigestion, making it tough to sleep comfortably. "If you find yourself sensitive to juice before bed, consume at least 30 minutes before you sleep and prop yourself up a little on a pillow before bed," says Amidor.


4 Chocolate

Anything with caffeine can not only prevent you from falling asleep but from staying asleep as well. "Most people realize that drinking caffeinated coffee or tea close to bedtime may cause insomnia, Brenda Braslow, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE tells . "However, many people forget that the chocolate in their dessert may be enough of a stimulant to prevent quality sleep."


5 Alcohol

Most people believe that a glass of wine before bed can help you get some quality sleep, but the opposite is actually true. "It actually can help you fall asleep more quickly, but then it can prevent deep and continuous sleep throughout the night," says Braslow.

6 Red Meat

Anything that requires the body to work hard in digestion can cause disruptions in sleep. "In addition to being high in saturated fat, which in research has been shown to disrupt sleep, red meat is difficult to digest," says Sass. "This diverts more blood flow to your digestive system, which can lead to sluggishness and all-night restlessness."


7 Sugar

It's hard to resist topping off your dinner with a sweet treat, but your sleep may suffer as a result. "[Sugary foods] can wreak havoc with blood sugar levels and wind up disrupting sleep," says Sass. "Excess sugar is known to cause waking up in the middle of the night, or it can pull you out of a deep sleep, which leads to waking up feeling unrested."

While there may be many factors contributing to your restless nights, take note of what you're eating just before bed. If it's any of these foods, try cutting back and see if your sleep improves as a result.

7 Health Benefits Of Spicy Foods You Probably Didn’t Know About

If you love eating food so hot that your eyes run, your nose streams, and you're still feeling it several days later, there's good news for you: spicy foods have some health benefits you probably didn't know about. Evidence suggests humans have been adding spice to their food for many centuries. That love for the tingle in our lips has been passed down through generations, and for good reason. While it may seem contradictory that a type of foodstuff that gives us pain while eating it could also have health benefits, science is increasingly revealing that indulging in chili peppers and other eye-wateringly hot spices is a good thing for our hearts, our brains, and our lifespan in general.

Studies on spiciness generally focus on one thing in particular: capsaicin, which is one of the compounds that causes that burning feeling in your mouth when you eat something hot. It's been used in trials to treat pain disorders like fibromyalgia and arthritis because it interferes with the body's pain transmitters — but even in less concentrated form, as part of a tasty meal, it can still have an effect on your health. However, it's always important to eat it in moderation. Here are seven benefits of spicy foods all spicy food-lovers want to know about.

1They Make You Less Likely To Crave Salt

Oddly enough, having a diet high in spice means you'll be more likely to keep your food low in sodium, which is good for your heart health. That's the conclusion of a study in 2017 by the American Heart Association, which showed that the more spicy you enjoy your food, the more you can detect salt in general. And sensitivity to salt means that you're satisfied with a lot less in your dishes — which leads to less of a reliance on the salt shaker, and lower blood pressure.

2They Help Can Promote Longevity

If you have a diet where you eat quite a lot of red chili peppers, you're also likely to enjoy a longer lifespan, according to 2017 data from Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. The scientists looked at 16,000 Americans over 23 years,and found that people who ate a lot of chili peppers saw a 13 percent drop in their likelihood of early death.

Mostly, eating lots of peppers seemed to be protective against heart attacks and stroke. But the scientists behind the study said in a press release that capsaicin "also possesses antimicrobial properties that may indirectly affect the host by altering the gut microbiota." So there are a lot of ways in which chili peppers might be helping us live longer lives.

3They Could Protect Your Liver

Work in 2017 by the European Association for the Study of the Liver found that, in mice, diets including capsaicin appeared to help slow liver damage or stop it from beginning, depending on what was causing the damage in the first place. However, it's not clear whether this would work in the same way in humans. A study in 2011, for instance, found that mice who'd had capsaicin introduced into their diets were more likely to develop cancers of the liver than those who hadn't. So this needs to be explored more before it can be declared as a universal health benefit.

4They May Inhibit The Growth Of Gut Tumors

One area where capsaicin has been the focus of a lot of attention is the gut. It turns out, according to a 2014 study from the University of California San Diego, that spicy food may have long-term benefits for our gut health. The study used capsaicin in the diets of mice, and found that it meant that the cells in the walls of the intestine became highly stimulated when they were exposed to capsaicin. And those cells fought off the development of tumors in the colon and rectum more successfully than in the guts of mice who hadn't had any spice. Does this hold true in humans? More research needs to be done, but it's an impressive idea.

5They Relax Your Blood Vessels

One of the reasons that capsaicin may be so good for overall lifespans when ingested as part of a balanced diet is that it seems to be good for blood flow. In 2010, Cell Press published work that indicated that capsaicin in chili peppers reduces blood pressure, because it makes blood vessels more "relaxed" by blocking genes that tend to make our blood vessels more contracted, stopping their effects, and so widen the vessels to allow better blood flow. Result? Lower blood pressure and better blood supply to your cells.

6They Also Fight Off Bad Cholesterol

Scientists in 2012 found that capsaicin breaks down "bad" cholesterol in blood while leaving "good" cholesterol intact, which has a knock-on effect on blood pressure levels and your overall health. The American Chemical Society explained in 2012 that capsaicin and its relatives "lower cholesterol levels by reducing accumulation of cholesterol in the body and increasing its breakdown and excretion in the feces." Couple that with the blood vessel relaxation, and it's a pretty comprehensive combination for helping your heart.

7They Can Help Sinus Pain

Got bad sinus inflammation? According to a study from 2011, a nasal spray including capsaicin might be one of the best ways to clear it up. This sounds absurd and possibly painful, but the results of the small study, which used a mix of placebo and capsaicin sprays on 44 people who had long histories of nasal problems not linked to allergies.

It was one of the first chemical trials of the idea, and it worked; people felt relief within a minute when they used the capsaicin spray, and the effects lasted longer than an hour. It's important that you don't do this without a physician's advice, though, because the study was for a specific kind of rhinitis and not for every time you have a sniffle.

Many of these studies emphasize that capsaicin needs to be part of a nutritional, balanced diet and active lifestyle to have the proper effects. But it's certainly a revelation that the much-feared chili is actually a pretty healthy friend to have.