Happy Lunar New Year

Seasons greetings usually include good health besides the call to properity, in typical Chinese custom. The recent findings in Lancet, exhorting us to eat 5 portions of vegetables and fruits, to lower the incidence of strokes, especially in those >50years old, merits re-emphasis.

Almost 10years to date, an earlier study also found that eating a diet based on fruits and vegetables can reduce blood pressure almost by a score of 10mmHg. Perhaps it is the potassium found in the fruits that brings about these good effects. With two big studies (the recent one in Lancet had almost 250,000 subjects) with basically the same findings, perhaps we should all consider 5 portions of fruits per day.

I am sure that the minister of health will be more than happy to have us eat more local vegetables and fruits (with perhaps durians being the exception).