In the current economic downturn, employers are more wary of sickness rates than ever and even school effectiveness is, in part, measured by the rates of absence amongst pupils.

With the current swine flu scare, which has been heightened by media reports that the disease cannot be treated with antibiotics, and with coughs, colds and winter bugs appearing more severe year on year, it seems increasingly important for us to take good care of our immune systems. We really need the natural defences necessary to avoid getting sick.

Research shows that a healthy diet helps maintain and boost the immune system. But even fruit and vegetables are not as good for us as they used to be! A revealing study by the University of Texas showed a marked decline in the nutrient content in fruit and vegetables over a period from 1950 to 1999.

Modern farming methods are thought to be to blame, with nutrient content being sacrificed for the faster growth rate of newer varieties of fruits and vegetables.

While the Government can claim the credit for investing in the “Five a Day” campaign to promote the consumption of five portions of fruit and vegetables daily for the associated health benefits, there is still the issue of the large list of artificial additives that are present in most of our everyday foodstuffs.

Many of these additives, known as E numbers, are present in the products we purchase from our local supermarkets as a matter of routine. Scientific research has shown artificial additives are allergens and toxins which can potentially weaken the immune system. As a result a great many of them are banned in other countries while they are still allowed in the UK.

Furthermore, we mustn’t forget about the real risk that officials will clamp down on the sales of natural remedies and supplements, perhaps forcing the public into a corner where choice is limited. Perhaps they think we will turn to the controversial solution of mass vaccination in an effort to safeguard our health.

If you look beyond the media hype, swine flu possibly poses less of a risk to the whole population than we’ve been led to believe. It could be more useful to turn our concerns to what’s in our food, where it comes from and who says it’s safe to eat.

It amounts to what sensible people have been saying for years: if we really want to keep ourselves out of the doctor’s surgery with minor ailments, there is a strong case for eating locally produced, seasonal, organic food, brushing up on our cooking skills rather than relying on pre-packed convenience foods, whatever the latest publicly-funded report has to say.

A study by Harvard Medical School suggests that eating peanuts or peanut butter at least five days a week can nearly halve the risk of a heart attack.

Peanuts appear to lower bad cholesterol, reduce inflammation in the body and boost the health of blood vessels around the heart.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School analysed the diets of more than 6,000 women who had type 2 diabetes, which can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

They found that those regularly eating peanuts had the greatest protection against heart attack and stroke. A report published in the Journal of Nutrition, claimed the risk was reduced by up to 44pc.

“Consumption of at least five servings a week of one ounce of nuts or one tablespoon of peanut butter was significantly associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.”

In Britain, it’s well known that poor diet and lifestyle has led to a surge in cases of type 2 diabetes, from 1.5 million five years ago to 2.2 5million now.

Ellen Mason of the British Heart Foundation said, “It is beneficial to include nuts in our diets as they are low in the saturated fats that raise our cholesterol. However peanut products can be full of added sugar or salt so check the label first. Also don’t forget that nuts are high in overall calories. Eating more of one food in isolation will not make a dramatic difference to your health if you are inactive and don’t have a balanced diet.”

Of course, peanuts are not really nuts but part of the legume family, which includes peas and beans. But it seems they have similar properties to nuts in general.

It would be interesting to compare these findings with results from other types of nut.