Higher Death Risk With Sleeping Pills

ΩPeople are relying on sleeping pills more than ever to get a good night's rest, but a new study by Scripps Clinic researchers links the medications to a 4.6 times higher risk of death and a significant increase in cancer cases among regular pill users.The results, published February 27 by the open-access online journal BMJ Open, cast a shadow over a growing segment of the pharmaceutical industry that expanded by 23 percent in the United States from 2006 to 2010 and generated about $2 billion in annual sales.The possible health hazards"What our study shows is that sleeping pills are hazardous to your health and might cause death by contributing to the occurrence of cancer, heart disease and other ailments," said author Daniel F. Kripke, MD, of the Viterbi Family Sleep Center at Scripps Health...

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Eat Your Broccoli: Sulforaphane Prevents Cancer

ΩResearchers in the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University have discovered yet another reason why the "sulforaphane"compound in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables is so good for you -- it provides not just one, but two ways to prevent cancer through the complex mechanism of epigenetics.Epigenetics, an increasing focus of research around the world, refers not just to our genetic code, but also to the way that diet, toxins and other forces can change which genes get activated, or "expressed." This can play a powerful role in everything from cancer to heart disease and other health issues.Sulforaphane was identified years ago...

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Excess Fat May Be "Protective" in Seniors Over 85

ΩSurprising TAU research finds obesity can decrease risk of mortality in people over 85 years of ageObesity is considered the leading preventable cause of death worldwide — until you reach old age, that is. Though obesity increases the risk of an early death, shaving an average of six to seven years off a person's lifespan, Tel Aviv University researchers have found that this trend may reverse itself after the age of 85. In these people, excess fat seems to have a "protective" effect, decreasing the risk of death when compared to those who are considered at a normal body weight.When we reach a very old age, some of the factors that affect mortality in younger people may no longer be significant, explain Prof. Jiska Cohen-Mansfield and Rotem Perach of the Herczeg Institute on Aging and the...

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Spirulina Health Benefit: Nutritional Supplement Dosage and Side Effects

Health enthusiasts have discovered that algae found in lakes and ponds are powerful food supplements; these contain several noteworthy beneficial substances that promise to enhance health. This article provides information about the ideal dosage, side effects and nutrition facts about spirulina and its health benefits including aiding in weight loss Spirulina Supplements for bad breathWhat is Spirulina?Spirulina or blue-green algae is a single celled microorganism that resembles a bacterium. Spirulina is loaded with chlorophyll, thus it turns the lakes and ponds where it grows a deep blue-green.Spirulina Nutrition FactsSpirulina is packed with...

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Low levels of omega-3 fatty acids may cause memory problems

ΩA diet lacking in omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients commonly found in fish, may cause your brain to age faster and lose some of its memory and thinking abilities, according to a study published in the February 28, 2012, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Omega-3 fatty acids include the nutrients called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)."People with lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids had lower brain volumes that were equivalent to about two years of structural brain aging," said study author Zaldy S. Tan, MD, MPH, of the Easton Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research and the Division of Geriatrics, University of California at Los Angeles.For the study, 1,575 people with an average age of 67 and free of dementia...

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Research offers insight to how fructose causes obesity and other illness

ΩA group of scientists from across the world have come together in a just-published study that provides new insights into how fructose causes obesity and metabolic syndrome, more commonly known as diabetes.In this study which was performed in lab animals, researchers found that fructose can be metabolized by an enzyme that exists in two forms. One form appears to be responsible for causing how fructose causes fatty liver, obesity, and insulin resistance. The other form may actually protect animals from developing these features in response to sugar. These studies may provide important insights into the cause of the prediabetic condition known as "metabolic syndrome", which currently affects more than one-quarter of adults in the United States.The study, "Opposing effects of fructokinase C...

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Citrus Fruits May Help Women Reduce Risk Of Stroke

ΩEating citrus fruits, especially oranges and grapefruit, because of the flavonone they contain, may lower women's risk of developing clot-associated or ischemic stroke, according to a new study led by Norwich Medical School of the University of East Anglia in the UK that was published online in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association on Thursday.The researchers wanted to examine more closely how consumption of foods containing different classes of flavonoids affected the risk of stroke.Flavonoids are a group of compounds found in fruits, vegetables, dark chocolate and red wine.Study lead author and professor of nutrition at Norwich Medical School, Dr Aedín Cassidy, told the press:"Studies have shown higher fruit, vegetable and specifically vitamin C intake is associated with reduced...

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World of Warcraft Boosts Cognitive Functioning In Some Older Adults

ΩFor some older adults, the online video game World of Warcraft (WoW) may provide more than just an opportunity for escapist adventure. Researchers from North Carolina State University have found that playing WoW actually boosted cognitive functioning for older adults – particularly those adults who had scored poorly on cognitive ability tests before playing the game.“We chose World of Warcraft because it has attributes we felt may produce benefits – it is a cognitively challenging game in a socially interactive environment that presents users with novel situations,” says Dr. Anne McLaughlin, an assistant professor of psychology at NC State and co-author of a paper on the study. “We found there were improvements, but it depended on each participant’s baseline cognitive functioning level.”Researchers...

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Are all carbs bad?

I eat a lot of carbs: fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains mostly. I need them to feel full. Some of my friends (and my wife) advocate a low carb, high protein diet, but I have chosen to eat very little meat, cheese and eggs for health reasons. If I give up carbs, that pretty much leaves only fish, of which I eat a lot, but that brings its own health issues. I 'm clearly not going to lose weight on my chosen regimen, but how bad are carbs really? The same article I quoted on the dangers of fructose was actually mostly about the dangers of carbs: Overconsumption of carbs is the primary driving factor for insulin resistance and type...

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Fruits and Fructose - Good or Bad?

ΩI eat a lot of fruit: raisins, grapes, blueberries, apples, strawberries, bananas, orange juice and tomatoes (yes, tomatoes are a fruit.) I always thought they were good for me (well orange juice in great moderation, only to enhance the benefits of green/white tea.) Lots of research highlights the benefits:Here are just a few examples:1. Apples2. Blueberries Blueberries Help Build Strong BonesBlueberries may inhibit development of fat cellsBlueberries: a Cup a Day May Keep Cancer AwayBlueberry’s positive effects on cholesterol3. StrawberriesStrawberries Boost Red Blood CellsStrawberries Fight Diabetes and Nervous System DiseasesStrawberries may slow precancerous growthStrawberries Protect the Stomach from AlcoholEven the government says fruits are good:Almost Everyone Needs to Eat More...

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Blueberries and Strawberries

Blueberries Help Build Strong BonesBlueberries may inhibit development of fat cellsBlueberries: a Cup a Day May Keep Cancer AwayBlueberry’s positive effects on cholesterolStrawberries Boost Red Blood CellsStrawberries Fight Diabetes and Nervous System DiseasesStrawberries may slow precancerous growthStrawberries Protect the Stomach from Alco...

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Apples

'Apple a day' advice rooted in scienceEveryone has heard the old adage, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." We all know we should eat more fruit. But why apples? Do they contain specific benefits?According to Dr. Bahram H. Arjmandi, PhD, RD, Margaret A. Sitton Professor and Chair, Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences at The Florida State University, apples are truly a "miracle fruit" that convey benefits beyond fiber content. Animal studies have shown that apple pectin and polyphenols in apple improve lipid metabolism and lower the production of pro-inflammatory molecules. Arjmandi's most recent research is the first to evaluate the long-term cardioprotective effects of daily consumption of apple in postmenopausal women. The results of this USDA-funded study will be presented...

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Vitamin B and omega-3 supplementation and cancer: New data

ΩResearchers from the Nutritional Epidemiology Joint Research Unit have just published a study showing that, in men with a previous history of cardiovascular pathologies, supplementation with B vitamins and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids did not significantly increase the occurrence of cancer. However, women with a previous history of cardiovascular pathologies seem to have a higher cancer risk after five years of supplementation. The research is published in detail in the Archives of Internal Medicine.Although some studies have suggested that supplementation with B vitamins has some benefits for protecting against cancer, the few randomised clinical trials conducted internationally in recent years remain equivocal.The results of studies of the influence of supplementation with polyunsaturated...

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Cranky today? Even mild dehydration can alter our moods

ΩMost people only think about drinking water when they are thirsty; but by then it may already be too late.Even mild dehydration can alter a person's mood, energy level, and ability to think clearly, according to two studies recently conducted at the University of Connecticut's Human Performance Laboratory.The tests showed that it didn't matter if a person had just walked for 40 minutes on a treadmill or was sitting at rest – the adverse effects from mild dehydration were the same. Mild dehydration is defined as an approximately 1.5 percent loss in normal water volume in the body.The test results affirm the importance of staying properly hydrated at all times and not just during exercise, extreme heat, or exertion, says Lawrence E. Armstrong, one of the studies' lead scientists and a professor...

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Trouble Sleeping? It May Affect Your Memory Later On

ΩThe amount and quality of sleep you get at night may affect your memory later in life, according to research that was recently released and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April 28, 2012."Disrupted sleep appears to be associated with the build-up of amyloid plaques, a hallmark marker of Alzheimer's disease, in the brains of people without memory problems," said study author Yo-El Ju, MD, with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "Further research is needed to determine why this is happening and whether sleep changes may predict cognitive decline."Researchers tested the sleep patterns of 100 people between the ages of 45 and 80 who were free of dementia....

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How Fast You Walk and Your Grip in Middle Age May Predict Dementia, Stroke Risk

ΩSimple tests such as walking speed and hand grip strength may help doctors determine how likely it is a middle-aged person will develop dementia or stroke. That’s according to new research that was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April 28, 2012.“These are basic office tests which can provide insight into risk of dementia and stroke and can be easily performed by a neurologist or general practitioner,” said Erica C. Camargo, MD, MSc, PhD, with Boston Medical Center.More than 2,400 men and women with an average age of 62 underwent tests for walking speed, hand grip strength and cognitive function. Brain scans were also performed. During the follow-up period of up to 11 years, 34 people developed dementia...

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Mediterranean Diet Good For Brain

ΩAccording to a study in the February issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, a Mediterranean-style diet (MeDi) may be healthier for the brain. Researchers have discovered that a MeDi diet is associated with reduced damage of small blood vessels in the brain.White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are markers of chronic small vessel damage and can be seen using brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).The researchers explain: "Although diet may be an important predictor of vascular disease, little is known about the possible association between dietary habits and WMHs. Studies have suggested that consumption of a MeDi [Mediterranean Diet] is associated with a reduced risk of the metabolic syndrome, coronary heart disease, stroke and cognitive disorders, but no studies...

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Omega-3 Slows Down Retinitis Pigmentosa Progression

A report published Online First by Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, reveals that adults with retinitis pigmentosa showed slower decline in annual rates of distance and retinal visual acuities by consuming a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Results from the study revealed that the mean (average) annual rate of decline in distance visual acuity was 40% slower among participants who consumed a diet high in long-chain _-3 fatty acids (≥0.20 g/d), compared with participants whose diet was low in omega-3 fatty acids. In a previous study, the team revealed that dietary omega-3 intake had an effect on retaining central visual field sensitivity. They found that individuals receiving _-3 intake of at least 0.20 g/d, in conjunction with vitamin A palmitate, 15,000 IU/d had...

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Overeating may double risk of memory loss

ΩNew research suggests that consuming between 2,100 and 6,000 calories per day may double the risk of memory loss, or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), among people age 70 and older. The study was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April 28, 2012. MCI is the stage between normal memory loss that comes with aging and early Alzheimer's disease."We observed a dose-response pattern which simply means; the higher the amount of calories consumed each day, the higher the risk of MCI," said study author Yonas E. Geda, MD, MSc, with the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.The study involved 1,233 people between the ages of 70 and 89 and free of dementia residing in...

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