Eating fish reduces risk of Alzheimer's disease

ΩPeople who eat baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis may be improving their brain health and reducing their risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)."This is the first study to establish a direct relationship between fish consumption, brain structure and Alzheimer's risk," said Cyrus Raji, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "The results showed that people who consumed baked or broiled fish at least one time per week had better preservation of gray matter volume on MRI in brain areas at risk for Alzheimer's disease."Alzheimer's disease is an incurable, progressive brain...

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Anti-inflammatory polyphenols in apple peels

ΩHere's another reason why "an apple a day keeps the doctor away"—according to new research findings published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, oral ingestion of apple polyphenols (antioxidants found in apple peels) can suppress T cell activation to prevent colitis in mice. This study is the first to show a role for T cells in polyphenol-mediated protection against an autoimmune disease and could lead to new therapies and treatments for people with disorders related to bowel inflammation, such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and colitis-associated colorectal cancer."Many people with colitis use some form of dietary supplement to complement conventional therapies, but most of the information on the health effects of complementary medicine remains anecdotal. Also, little is known...

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Frequent 'heading' in soccer can lead to brain injury and cognitive impairment

ΩUsing advanced imaging techniques and cognitive tests, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center , the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, have shown that repeatedly heading a soccer ball increases the risk for brain injury and cognitive impairment. The imaging portion of the findings was presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago.The researchers used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), an advanced MRI-based imaging technique, on 38 amateur soccer players (average age: 30.8 years) who had all played the sport since childhood. They were asked to recall the number of times they headed the ball during the past year. (Heading is when players deliberately...

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Mediterranean Diet and Exercise Can Reduce Sleep Apnea Symptoms

ΩEating a Mediterranean diet combined with physical activity can help to improve some of the symptoms of sleep apnea, according to new research. The study, which is published online in the European Respiratory Journal, looked at the impact a Mediterranean diet can have on obese people with sleep apnea, compared to those on a prudent diet.Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) causes frequent pauses of breathing to occur during sleep, which disrupts a person's normal sleeping pattern. It is one of the most prevalent sleep-related breathing disorders with approximately 2-4% of the adult population experiencing the condition. This percentage increases up to 20-40% with obesity, and weight loss is often an essential part of the recommended treatment plan.The researchers, from the University of...

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Exercise helps us to eat a healthy diet

ΩA healthy diet and the right amount of exercise are key players in treating and preventing obesity but we still know little about the relationship both factors have with each other. A new study now reveals that an increase in physical activity is linked to an improvement in diet quality.Many questions arise when trying to lose weight. Would it be better to start on a diet and then do exercise, or the other way around? And how much does one compensate the other?The data from epidemiological studies suggest that tendencies towards a healthy diet and the right amount of physical exercise often come hand in hand. Furthermore, an increase in physical activity is usually linked to a parallel improvement in diet quality.Exercise also brings benefits such as an increase in sensitivity to physiological...

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The scoop on the dangers of snow shoveling

ΩUrban legend warns shoveling snow causes heart attacks, and the legend seems all too accurate, especially for male wintery excavators with a family history of premature cardiovascular disease. However, until recently this warning was based on anecdotal reports. Two of the most important cardiology associations in the US include snow -shoveling on their websites as a high risk physical activity, but all the citation references indicate that this warning was based one or two incidents.“We thought that this evidence should not be enough to convince us that snow -shoveling is potentially dangerous, ” says Adrian Baranchuk, a professor in Queen’s School of Medicine and a cardiologist at Kingston General Hospital.Dr. Baranchuk and his team retrospectively reviewed KGH patient records from the two...

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Thanksgiving: BPA for Families Using Canned Foods

ΩPlus, Myths and Facts about BPA in Canned Foods and Recipes for a BPA-Free Thanksgiving at www.breastcancerfund.org/thanksgivingA new report released today by the Breast Cancer Fund documents the presence of the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in canned foods used to prepare a typical Thanksgiving meal. The report, "BPA in Thanksgiving Canned Food," tested Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup, Campbell's Turkey Gravy, Carnation Evaporated Milk (by Nestle), Del Monte Fresh Cut Sweet Corn (Cream Style), Green Giant Cut Green Beans (by General Mills), Libby's Pumpkin (by Nestle), and Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce. Single servings of almost half of the products tested had levels of BPA comparable to levels that laboratory studies have linked to adverse health effects. "Preparing your Thanksgiving...

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Coffee may protect against endometrial cancer

ΩLong-term coffee consumption may be associated with a reduced risk for endometrial cancer, according to a recent study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.Edward Giovannucci, M.D., Sc.D., professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, said coffee is emerging as a protective agent in cancers that are linked to obesity, estrogen and insulin."Coffee has already been shown to be protective against diabetes due to its effect on insulin," said Giovannucci, a senior researcher on the study. "So we hypothesized that we'd see a reduction in some cancers as well."Giovannucci, along with Youjin Je, a doctoral candidate in his lab, and colleagues observed cumulative coffee intake in relation to...

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Consuming canned soup linked to greatly elevated levels of the chemical BPA

ΩBPA, found in soup can lining, associated with adverse health effects in humansA new study from researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) has found that a group of volunteers who consumed a serving of canned soup each day for five days had a more than 1,000% increase in urinary bisphenol A (BPA) concentrations compared with when the same individuals consumed fresh soup daily for five days. The study is one of the first to quantify BPA levels in humans after ingestion of canned foods.The findings were published online November 22, 2011, in the Journal of the Medical Association (JAMA) and will appear in the November 23/30 print issue."Previous studies have linked elevated BPA levels with adverse health effects. The next step was to figure out how people are getting exposed...

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Low salt intake as bad as high

ΩFor years doctors have warned that too much salt is bad for your heart. Now a new McMaster University study suggests that both high and low levels of salt intake may put people with heart disease or diabetes at increased risk of cardiovascular complications.The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) today, found that moderate salt intake was associated with the lowest risk of cardiovascular events, while a higher intake of sodium was associated with an increased risk of stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular events and a low intake was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for congestive heart failure.The research, conducted by investigators in the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University...

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L-arginine: fit, young, athletic men - no advantage

ΩPopular supplement goes under the microscope, reveals no metabolic or hormonal enhancement for athletes at restOne of the most recent, popular supplements for athletes looking to boost performance comes in the form of a naturally-occurring amino acid called L-arginine.The reason for its popularity is twofold says Scott Forbes, a doctoral student in exercise physiology. "First, L-arginine is a precursor for nitric oxide that is known to improve blood flow, which in turn may aid the delivery of important nutrients to working muscles and assist with metabolic waste product removal. Secondly, L-arginine has been shown to increase growth hormone levels in the blood."The benefits of growth hormone are diverse, including increasing the use of fat as a fuel as well as insulin and insulin-growth factor-1...

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PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IMPACTS OVERALL QUALITY OF SLEEP

ΩPeople sleep significantly better and feel more alert during the day if they get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, a new study concludes.A nationally representative sample of more than 2,600 men and women, ages 18-85, found that 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a week, which is the national guideline, provided a 65 percent improvement in sleep quality. People also said they felt less sleepy during the day, compared to those with less physical activity.The study, out in the December issue of the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity, lends more evidence to mounting research showing the importance of exercise to a number of health factors. Among adults in the United States, about 35 to 40 percent of the population has problems with falling asleep or with daytime sleepiness.“We...

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Taking Supplements = Taking Risks

ΩThe lack of evidence on multivitamin health benefits is no impediment to their widespread popularity, with over half the U.S. population popping such pills. This translates into a $27 billion industry, which lures consumers with the illusory promise of better health. But shocking new research suggests taking multivitamins might have the opposite effect -- not simply on the metabolic level, but on a metaphysical one: promoting a false sense of invulnerability that actually leads users to engage in riskier behaviors.Taiwanese researchers conducted an experiment in which they gave placebos to 82 adults (45 women, 37 men, average age 31). Half of this group was led to believe that the placebo they were taking was a multivitamin. After one week, all participants took surveys regarding their inclinations...

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Study Affirms ‘Mediterranean Diet’ Improves Heart Health

ΩA team of Johns Hopkins researchers has uncovered further evidence of the benefits of a balanced diet that replaces white bread and pasta carbohydrates with unsaturated fat from avocados, olive oil and nuts — foods typical of the so-called “Mediterranean diet.”In a report prepared for the American Heart Association’s scientific sessions in Orlando next week, the Johns Hopkins investigators say swapping out certain foods can improve heart health in those at risk for cardiovascular disease, even if the dietary changes aren’t coupled with weight loss.“The introduction of the right kind of fat into a healthy diet is another tool to reduce the risk of future heart disease,” says Meghana Gadgil, M.D., M.P.H., a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the Johns Hopkins...

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Moderate drinking and cardiovascular health: beer

ΩA study conducted by research laboratories at Fondazione 'Giovanni Paolo II' in Italy shows that beer, like wine, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseaseBeer could stand up alongside wine regarding positive effects on cardiovascular health. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by Research Laboratories at the Fondazione di Ricerca e Cura "Giovanni Paolo II", in Campobasso, Italy. Both for wine and beer the key is moderate and regular drinking.The research, published today on line by the European Journal of Epidemiology, using the statistic approach of meta-analysis, pooled different scientific studies conducted worldwide in previous years to achieve a general result. This way it has been possible to examine data concerning over 200,000 people, for whom alcohol drinking habits...

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Sugar-sweetened beverages may increase cardiovascular risk in women

ΩDrinking two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day may expand a woman's waistline and increase her risk of heart disease and diabetes, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2011.In this study, researchers compared middle-aged and older women who drank two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day, such as carbonated sodas or flavored waters with added sugar, to women who drank one or less daily. Women consuming two or more beverages per day were nearly four times as likely to develop high triglycerides, and were significantly more likely to increase their waist sizes and to develop impaired fasting glucose levels. The same associations were not observed in men."Women who drank more than two sugar-sweetened drinks a day had increasing waist...

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Aerobic Fitness May Reduce Brain Aging

ΩNew findings suggest exercise may help maintain cognitive abilities of seniorsPhysically fit seniors show fewer age-related changes in their brains, according to new research presented at Neuroscience 2011, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health. The findings underscore the importance of exercise for maintaining brain health throughout life."Our findings suggest that a high level of aerobic fitness may help diminish the changes in brain structure that occur as we get older," said senior author Gene Alexander, PhD, of the University of Arizona.As people age, some regions of the brain — including those responsible for attention and memory functions — begin to lose volume or shrink. To see how physical...

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Adolescent alcohol consumption and breast cancer

ΩAlcohol consumption by adolescents may increase breast cancer risk in those with a family history of the diseaseBreast cancer patients often wonder what their daughters might do to reduce their risk of also developing cancer. Are there dietary intakes or behaviors that can be modified by their daughters to lower their own chances of getting the disease? A new study published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, sought information relevant to this question.Dr. Catherine Berkey, a biostatistician at Brigham & Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, led a team that investigated childhood and adolescent risk factors for benign breast disease among girls with a family history of breast cancer. Benign breast disease, a large class of...

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Jon's Health Tips - Latest Health Research

Recent reports discuss the benefits of:Pomegranate juice (lowers cholesterol and blood pressure}Fish (reduces the risk of diabetes)Omega 3 (Reduces Anxiety And Inflammation)Slow eating (reduces food intake)Vitamin D (Light-skinned people who avoid the sun are twice as likely to suffer from vitamin D deficiency as those who do not)More on Vitamin D (fights chronic digestive conditions)Vegetarian diet, physical activity (protect against diabetes)Physical activity (lower risk of depression in old age)Nuts (decreases feelings of hunger, makes people feel happier and improves heart health)Mediterranean diet and exercise (can reduce sleep apnea symptoms)Resveratrol (metabolisms change for the better. In fact, the effects appear to be as as severe calorie restriction)Probiotics (effective in combating...

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Health Effects of Green and White Tea

ΩIn doing research on the above, I came across this Wikipedia article. I immediately1. Wrote this note2. Went off to brew more white tea, which I will drink with some orange juice.Read the artic...

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Pomegranate juice lowers kidney disease patients' cholesterol, blood pressure, and the need for blood pressure medications

ΩLilach Shema, PhD (Western Galilee Medical Center in Israel) and colleagues investigated the long-term effects of drinking pomegranate juice on heart disease risk factors -- such as high cholesterol and blood pressure -- in kidney disease patients. Pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants and has been touted as having a variety of health benefits.The researchers randomized 101 dialysis patients to receive about three-and-a-half ounces of pomegranate juice or placebo, three times a week. After one year, the number of blood pressure drugs patients took decreased in 22% of patients drinking pomegranate juice compared to 7.7% in the placebo group, while an increase was documented in 12.2% of patients drinking pomegranate juice compared to 34.6% in the placebo group. Patients who drank pomegranate...

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Eating fish can reduce the risk of diabetes

ΩA study analyzes the dietary patterns of the adult Spanish population with high cardiovascular risk. The results reveal a high consumption of both red meat and fish. However, whilst eating lots of cured meats is associated with greater weight gain and a higher obesity rate, the consumption of fish is linked to lower glucose concentrations and a smaller risk of developing diabet...

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More Fiber, but Not Necessarily Less Fat, Good for Teen Diets

ΩA diet high in fiber -- but not necessarily one low in saturated fat or cholesterol -- is tied to a lower risk of heart disease and type-2 diabetes in teenagers, according to new findings from Michigan State University.A study led by Joseph Carlson of MSU's Division of Sports and Cardiovascular Nutrition suggests to reduce metabolic syndrome -- a collection of risk factors including high blood pressure and a large waistline -- it is more important to emphasize diets including fiber-rich, nutrient-dense, plant-based foods than focus on restricting foods high in cholesterol or saturated fat.The research is published in Journal of the American Dietetic Association."What we found is that as fiber intake increases, the risk for metabolic syndrome decreases," said Carlson, a registered dietitian...

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Reduction in risk of coronary heart disease from alcohol consumption

ΩIn a prospective, observational study of approximately 150,000 Norwegians, the investigators found that alcohol consumption was associated with a large decrease in the risk of death from coronary artery disease. For men, the fully adjusted hazard ratio for cardiac death was 0.52 (in other words, only about 1/2 the risk of dying) when comparing subjects reporting more than one drink/week in comparison with those reporting never or rarely drinking; for women, it was 0.62 (only about 3/5 the risk of dying). There was little change in the hazard ratio when HDL-cholesterol (HDL) was added to the model, suggesting that very little of the lower risk of heart disease was due to an increase in HDL from alcohol consumption.Forum members considered this a well-done analysis. They were surprised at the...

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OMEGA-3 Reduces Anxiety And Inflammation

Ω A recent study gauging the impact of consuming more fish oil showed a marked reduction both in inflammation and, surprisingly, in anxiety among a cohort of healthy young people.The research, supported by the Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), was conducted by a team of scientists that has spent more than three decades investigating links between psychological stress and immunity.“The findings suggest that if young people can get improvements from dietary supplements, then the elderly and people at high risk for certain diseases might benefit even more,” said Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, professor of psychiatry and author of the study, which was published this month in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity.“The more we understand about the complex interplay...

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Slow eating reduces food intake

ΩTwo new studies by researchers at the University of Rhode Island are providing additional insights into the role that eating rate plays in the amount of food one consumes. The studies found that men eat significantly faster than women, heavier people eat faster than slimmer people, and refined grains are consumed faster than whole grains, among other findings.Kathleen Melanson, URI associate professor of nutrition, along with graduate students Emily Ponte and Amanda Petty, presented their research at the annual meeting of The Obesity Society in Orlando this month.In one laboratory study, which validated that self-reported eating rates reflect an individual's actual eating rate, Melanson and her lab team found that fast eaters consumed about 3.1 ounces of food per minute, medium-speed eaters...

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Uses of Phosphorous in the Daily Diet: Phosphorus Health Benefits and Food Sources

Phosphorus is one of the most essential mineral in the body and is ranked second to calcium. Estimates suggest that about 80% of all phosphorus is present in the form of calcium phosphate in the teeth and bones. Though the deficiency of phosphorous is relatively rare, the condition can often be associated with a host of problems. Phosphorus Supplements: Phosphorus Dietary SupplementPhosphorus is available as potassium phosphate or sodium phosphate. Potassium phosphate exists as monobasic, dibasic, and tribasic potassium phosphate; whilst, sodium phosphate exists as monobasic, dibasic, and tribasic sodium phosphate. Some preparations blend together...

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Alcohol Pluses and Minuses

Reports in the last two weeks have focused on some negative aspects of alcohol consumption (click on links in each paragraph for more details.)According to one report: "Just one drink per day for women -- two for men -- could lead to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and subsequently cause gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating, gas, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea."Another report: Consumption of 3 to 6 alcoholic drinks per week is associated with a small increase in the risk of breast cancer...However, an individual will need to weigh the modest risks of light to moderate alcohol use on breast cancer development against the beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease to make the best personal choice regarding alcohol consumption."I thought it might be useful in light...

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