By Staff Writer - February, 2nd 2014

It turns out that eating an apple a day actually might keep the doctor away – and could potentially save thousands of lives too.

Natural Health News — Prescribing an apple a day to all adults aged 50 and over would prevent or delay around 8,500 vascular deaths such as heart attacks and strokes every year in the UK.

The findings from a study published in the British Medical Journal show that this benefit is similar to giving statins to everyone over 50 years who is not already taking them.

The researchers from Oxford University and the British Heart Foundation conclude that the 150 year old public health message: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is able to match more widespread use of cholesterol-lowering drugs like statins, and is likely to have fewer side effects.

In the UK, lifestyle changes are the recommended first step to prevent heart disease. However, trial data suggest that statins can reduce the risk of vascular events, irrespective of a person’s underlying risk of cardiovascular disease. As such, calls …

If you're looking for an easy way to protect heart health, try eating an apple a day. Past studies have suggested the antioxidant rich fruit might also help prevent cancer, lower the chances of Alzheimer's disease and boost immunity to prevent infection. Besides thwarting heart disease and stroke and more, eating an apple a day also promotes dental health. Buy organic apples to avoid the pesticides in the skin that contains most of the nutrients.

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