Health & Nutritions

Search Results: 201 Matches found

Articles (100)

Pyramid Modified for Older Adults’ Needs

MARCH 2008

IF YOU’RE AGE 70 or older, your nutritional needs—and the best ways to meet them—aren’t the same as somebody who’s 25, or even 50. So Tufts experts have developed a food pyramid especially for you. The Modified Food Guide Pyramid for Older Adults, an update to a resource originally introduced in 1999, reflects changes to correspond with the new USDA food pyramid, MyPyramid. That Internet-based program, debuted in 2005, customizes dietary guidance based on sex, age, height, weight and exercise habits.…


Healthy Aging? Yes, You Can MARCH 2006 THERE’S HOPE for healthy aging, at least based on an in-depth look at seniors in one Utah county. Since 1995, Duke University’s Cache County Memory Study has been following nearly everybody age 65 or older in this Utah county, which has one of the US’ highest conditional life expectancies at age 65. The latest findings, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, analyzed 10 different dimensions of healthy aging.… Read>>
An Apple a Day Might Help MARCH 2005 THAT OLD SAW about an apple a day keeping the doctor away may need an addendum: In tests on rats, researchers at Cornell University have found that an antioxidant, quercetin, naturally occurring in apples and other foods, could also help protect against brain-cell damage.… Read>>
Cancer Deaths Show Small But Historic Drop APRIL 2006 FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS on cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the US recorded its first annual drop in cancer deaths in 70 years.… Read>>
McDonald’s Fries Found Trans-Fattier APRIL 2006 YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNEW that McDonald’s French fries aren’t health food. But until recently, not even the fastfood giant knew just how much trans fat was in its fries. Citing the results of an improved testing method, … Read>>
Older Americans Living Longer, Less Disabled—But F MAY 2006 ANEW GOVERNMENT REPORT on aging has good news for Americans who’ll be turning 65 in the next few years. “Today’s older Americans are very different from their grandparents,” says Louis Kincannon, director of the US Census Bureau, which prepared the report with the National Institute on Aging. “They’re living longer with lower rates of disability.” Older Americans’ disability rates dropped from 26% in 1982 to 19.7% by 1999. Death rates for heart disease also declined among those 65-plus.… Read>>
Gotta Go? Your Bladder’s AUGUST 2005 IF YOU FIND YOURSELF suddenly taking an interest in all those TV commercials about people who’ve “gotta go right now,” don’t blame a shrinking bladder. A study from the University of Pittsburgh, presented recently at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association, found that the bladder does not actually shrink with age—contrary to popular belief. The researchers tested women ranging in age from 22 to 90, and concluded that their bladders could hold approximately the same amount of fluid regardless of age.… Read>>
Does Vitamin D Put the Bite on Gum Disease? DECEMBER 2005 VITAMIN D, ALREADY known for boosting calcium absorption and bone health, may also help keep your gums healthy.… Read>>
Healthy Foods in Fashion APRIL 2008 IF YOU’RE TRYING to buy healthier foods in 2008, consider yourself a trendsetter.… Read>>
Grains Entiers? Oui! APRIL 2008 The popular Whole Grain Stamp is going bilingual as it’s launched on food products in Canada.… Read>>
Complex Jobs Keep Your Brain Fit NOVEMBER 2005 SURE, YOUR job is complicated, but there may be an upside: reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease someday.… Read>>
Exercise and Aerobic Capacity OCTOBER 2005 EXERCISE CAN HELP improve your chances of maintaining an independent lifestyle as you grow older, according to new research conducted by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.… Read>>
Convenience Foods Don’t Save Time NOVEMBER 2007 PACKAGED AND processed “convenience” foods don’t really help you get dinner on the table any faster. But convenience foods do put plenty more sugar, fat and salt on your plate,… Read>>
Drinking Your Calories AUGUST 2005 THE LEADING SOURCE of calories in the average American diet used to be white bread. But Tufts researchers recently reported that now Americans are drinking their calories instead—in the form of soda pop and sweetened beverages.… Read>>
Benefits Brighten Dark-Chocolate Sales JULY 2007 THE MUCHpublicized health benefits of dark chocolate have had a sweet effect on the candy’s sales, which soared 49% from 2003 to 2006. Accord - ing to a report by market research firm Mintel International, dark-chocolate sales reached a record $1.88 billion last year.… Read>>
House and Garden Work Benefit Mental Health JULY 2008 Feeling frazzled? Try a little work around the house or in the garden. As little as 20 minutes of physical activity—even just routine housework or gardening—can help relieve mental distress, according to a new study. Researchers at University College London, studying data on nearly 20,000 adults in the Scottish Health Surveys, report that engaging in domestic activity for 20 minutes one to three times a week reduced the odds of psychological distress by 24%.… Read>>
Fiber Facts Buck Labeling Trend OCTOBER 2008 What are consumers looking for on Nutrition Facts labels? Fiber facts, according to a new USDA study, designed to help prepare for the next revision of food label rules. The report found that dietary fiber information is the only labeling component to have seen an increase in use by US consumers from 1995-96 to 2005-06.… Read>>
Sleep Capacity May Decline with Age NOVEMBER 2008 CAN’T SLEEP? Instead of insomnia, you may simply have less capacity to sleep. … Read>>
As Thermometer Drops, Blood Pressure Rises APRIL 2009 Spring may be arriving just in time for your blood pressure. A new French study suggests that winter can boost your blood pressure—and not just from the aggravation of battling snow and cold. In the study of 8,801 patients age 65 or older, French research ers found that both systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements rose as temperatures fell. With a roughly 25-degree drop in temperature from summer to winter, average systolic pressure increased 5.0 mm/Hg—a consequence the scientists called “not negligible.” Overall rates of hypertension rose as well. The effect of cold temperatures was more pronounced among those age 80 and older, suggesting that aging may increase susceptibility to temperature-related variations in blood pressure. … Read>>
UV Light Boosts Lettuce Carotenoids Exposing greenhouse-grown lettuces to supplemental ultraviolet light can turn everyday salad fixings into powerhouses of carotenoids such as lutein, thought to protect aging eyes. Scientists from the USDA’sAgri cultural Research Service (ARS) are testing the theory that plants express certain chemical compounds as a means of protection from UV light.… Read>>
UV Light Boosts Lettuce Carotenoids MAY 2009 Exposing greenhouse-grown lettuces to supplemental ultraviolet light can turn everyday salad fixings into powerhouses of carotenoids such as lutein, thought to protect aging eyes. Scientists from the USDA’sAgri cultural Research Service (ARS) are testing the theory that plants express certain chemical compounds as a means of protection from UV light.… Read>>
NY Nutritionists Pick 5 Favorite Foods JULY 2009 Rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, salmon swam into first place in a new survey of New York nutritionists asked to name foods they’d recommend as not only nutritious but offering distinct health benefits and good value. The poll of members in the New York State Dietetic Association ranked oats number-two because of high fiber, “a powerhouse nutrient, known for aiding with digestion [and which] also helps fight disease,… Read>>
New Exercise Guide for Seniors AUGUST 2009 The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has updated its popular exercise guide for Americans age 55 and up, based on advice from a 12- member expert panel. While the original guide, with more than 1 million copies in print since 1998, focused on healthy seniors, the completely revised version offers practical advice for all older adults. “We’ve expanded the target audience for the guide to include people who might not think they can be physically active,” says Chhanda Dutta, PhD, chief of the NIA’s Clinical Geron - tology Branch, who co-chaired the panel. This broader focus reflects recent research showing exercise is an effective treatment for some chronic conditions as well as for preventing falls.… Read>>
Calorie-Cutting Linked to Longevity SEPTEMBER 2009 Scientists have known for 70 years that lifelong calorie reduction slows aging in rodents. Now, for the first time, they’ve demonstrated a similar benefit in primates, suggesting that the principle could also apply to humans. In a study reported in Science, researchers divided 76 rhesus macaques into a control group and a group fed 30% fewer calories from birth. To date, 37% of the control macaques have died from age-related causes,… Read>>
FDA Eyeing Front-of-Package Nutrition Claims JANUARY 2010 The US Food and Drug Administra - tion (FDA) is going after misleading nutrition claims on the front of food packages—an effort that may ultimately lead to a single official symbol giving consumers an at-a-glance guide to healthy choices. As the agency sent a warning letter to food companies, Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said the FDA will investigate whether any packaging claims violate its labeling rules and “will take enforcement action against any egregious examples.”… Read>>
Dehydration Affects Your Mood MARCH 2010 Dehydration has long been known to compromise physical performance. Now, a new Tufts study provides insight into the effects of mild dehydration on young athletes, and possibly into the lives of people too busy to consume enough water daily. About 30 male and female Tufts students were assigned to either a “dehydration group” not given fluids during athletics, or a control group that was given water. Participants weighed in before and after athletics to assess body water loss. After athletic activity, participants underwent cognitive tests, which included short-term memory and mood scales.… Read>>
US Switching to Sugary Drinks APRIL 2010 Remember when the standard beverage at mealtime was milk? That “Father Knows Best” image is as dated as black-and-white TV, according to a study of changing beverage consumption. Using data from four national surveys, the study found a steady decline in milk drinking, with only a partial shift towards reducedfat milk. Children ages 2 to 18 are averaging 91 fewer calories daily from milk than in 1977- 78.… Read>>


From the Lab to Your Lifestyle: 8 Ways to Be Healthier in 2006 $ 1.95 \| JANUARY 2006 SOMETIMES IT SEEMS science moves in zigzags, taking a step backwards for every two steps forward. What once appeared a promising breakthrough turns out to be a disappointment—or worse. This past year, for instance, was filled with news dashing scientists’ once-high hopes for vitamin E as a weapon against an array of ailments.… Buy>>
New Food for Thought Against Alzheimer’s $ 1.95 \| JANUARY 2007 WHILE A CURE for Alzheimer’s disease remains frustratingly elusive, a flurry of recent research suggests ways you may be able to improve your odds of preventing Alzheimer’s and other age-related cognitive decline through diet and lifestyle. Though these hopeful findings are preliminary, there’s little downside to following their leads in your own life: Increasingly, scientists are discovering the same healthy habits that benefit your heart and waistline—eating fish, consuming more vegetables, hewing to the so-called “Mediterranean diet”— also keep your brain sharp as you age.… Buy>>
10 Determinants of Aging You Can Control … Read>>
Vitamin A: “Magic Bullet” That Can Backfire $ 1.95 \| FEBRUARY 2005 Centuries before scientists even coined the word “vitamin,” the ancient Egyptians knew that liver—the body’s repository for vitamin A—could cure night blindness, the inability to see in low light. Hippocrates (460-377 BC) prescribed liver soaked in honey for blindness in malnourished children.… Buy>>
Can “Functional Foods” Deliver on Healthy Promises? $ 1.95 \| FEBRUARY 2007 THE BUZZ at last fall’s SupplySide West, a new-product showcase that drew 7,200 foodindustry professionals to Las Vegas, was all about “functional” foods. That’s a term—along with “nutraceuticals,” another catchprase for such food products—you’ll be hearing a lot more about this year.… Buy>>
Uncle Sam’s Diet Book MARCH 2005 THE FLURRY OF NEWS reports about the new federal dietary guidelines and updating of the “food pyramid” has left some Americans in a dither about following this latest word from Uncle Sam. Nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables may sound like a prescription for crunching carrots pretty much from morning till night. Just exactly how much is “at least three ounces” of whole grains and how can you tell if you’re getting enough? And that call to exercise up to 90 minutes a day—who has time?… Read>>
For Most, Health Benefits Outweigh Risks of Eating $ 1.95 \| MARCH 2006 IS CONCERN over mercury in fish causing you to cut back on consuming seafood? If so, you could be missing out on the healthy effects of fish on everything from your cardiovascular system to your brain.… Buy>>
25 Years of Health & Nutrition Breakthroughs $ 1.95 \| MARCH 2008 THIS ISSUE marks the completion of the 25th year of publishing for the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter—a quarter-century that’s seen nutrition science not only make repeated breakthroughs but also take firm hold in the public’s mind.… Buy>>
Getting Smart About Alzheimer’s $ 1.95 \| MAY 2005 Association showed that brain and memory health ranked second only to heart health among the greatest medical worries of those ages 55 to 64. Recent research may provide the best hope for treating and possibly even preventing the disease since it first came to medical attention in November 1906, when Alois Alzheimer first blamed a patient’s dementia on organic changes in the brain.… Buy>>
The Whole-Grain Story $ 1.95 \| JULY 2005 Why whole grains are better for your health—and how to identify them at the grocery and add them to your diet. IT’S TIME FOR AMERICANS to stop going against the grain. The government’s latest recommended dietary guidelines and recent research show that eating more whole grains in place of refined grains is better for all of us. Yet, it’s estimated the average consumer today eats less than a third of the recommended amount of whole grains—and 40 percent of us never eat whole grains at all.… Buy>>
Research Helps Keep Seniors Steady on Their Feet $ 1.95 \| MAY 2007 AS YOU AGE, your tendency to fall increases, often with serious consequences. But two recent studies offer some encouraging news: Exercise and vitamins may not only protect your bones, but also help keep you from falling in the first place.… Buy>>
Should You Give Eggs a Second Chance? $ 1.95 \| MAY 2006 IT’S NO WONDER Americans are at a loss when it comes to deciding whether to eat eggs, once touted as “nature’s perfect food.” Low-carb eating plans that feature high-protein eggs for breakfast clash with wellpublicized concerns over elevated cholesterol levels and increased risk of heart disease.… Buy>>
Vitamin D Gets Its Day in the Sun AUGUST 2005 FOR YEARS, dermatologists have taught us to view the sun as a big, bright cancer-causing machine. We’ve been taught to slather on sunscreen at everhigher SPF levels, don hats and dodge those deadly solar rays. In case that message has been lost on anyone, earlier this year the American Academy of Dermatology launched a “Don’t Seek the Sun” campaign, reminding us of the grim statistics: 1 million cases of skin cancer annually associated with the sun, including some 7,700 deaths from melanoma.… Read>>
Brewing Up Health Benefits for Coffee JANUARY 2008 MOST OF US heard the dire warnings about coffee when we were growing up: Drinking coffee would “stunt your growth,” mom lectured, her tone darkly hinting this was perhaps the least of coffee’s health hazards.… Read>>
Magic Soybeans? Testing the Promise of Soy Protein $ 1.95 \| DECEMBER 2005 Despite claims, soy’s benefits against heart disease, cancer and the effects of menopause remain a question mark. Here’s what you need to know.… Buy>>
Antioxidant Supplements—Now What? $ 1.95 \| JUNE 2007 GIVEN THAT millions of Americans take some sort of supplement containing antioxidants, the scary headlines probably caught some people in mid-swallow as they popped their daily pills over the morning paper:… Buy>>
Studying Research Studies: 10 Questions You Need t $ 1.95 \| JUNE 2006 AWIRE STORY in your local newspaper reports that a new study says flavonoids—antioxidants found in plants, tea, coffee and even chocolate—reduce postmenopausal women’s risk of breast cancer by 45%.… Buy>>
Making the Most of Nutrition Facts Labels $ 1.95 \| DECEMBER 2006 New studies say many Americans are stumped by nutrition labels. How about you?… Buy>>
Getting Fit, One Step at a Time $ 1.95 \| APRIL 2008 THERE’S EXCITEMENT in the air in Boston as the town—- along with Tufts’ 6th Annual President’s Marathon Challenge team (see box)—gears up for the 112th Boston Marathon this month.… Buy>>
Studies Find New Omega-3 Benefits $ 1.95 \| JULY 2007 WHEN it comes to healthy fats, Americans need to get into the swim of things. Most of us consume 10 times as much omega-6 fatty acids—typically from vegetable oils—as we do omega-3 fatty acids, most importantly found in fish. When researchers at the Tufts-New England Medical Center Evidence-based Practice Center reviewed National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data on US dietary habits, they found that on any given day only a quarter of the population reported consuming any DHA or EPA, the omega-3s in fish, at all.… Buy>>
Solving Metabolic Syndrome’s Addition Problem $ 1.95 \| NOVEMBER 2005 Scientists are debating whether this syndrome’s parts really add up to a greater combined health worry as whole. Here’s what you can do now to reduce your risk, regardless.… Buy>>
Long-Term Weight Loss: Six Keys to Keeping It Off $ 1.95 \| JULY 2006 IT’S A FAMILIAR PROBLEM: Following this or that diet program, you manage to lose those unwanted 10 pounds. Just months later, though, the scale and your favorite jeans tell you that those 10 pounds are back, maybe with an additional five more. Called “yo-yo dieting” or “weight cycling,” it’s a common frustration for dieters.… Buy>>
Everybody’s Going Organic—Should You? $ 1.95 \| OCTOBER 2006 IF YOU’VE BEEN down the aisles of your local grocery store recently, chances are you’ve noticed the addition or expansion of “organic” items.… Buy>>
9 Easy Ways to Add Exercise to Every Day $ 1.95 \| AUGUST 2006 RESEARCH HAS SHOWN that exercise can add not only years to your life, but life to your years, improving flexibility and balance while combating conditions ranging from diabetes to maybe even Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have shown that exercise and diet combined are more effective in helping reach weight-loss goals than diet alone, and that there’s nothing as effective as regular exercise to keep weight off. So why do so many of us find it so hard to get off the couch and onto the treadmill?… Buy>>
Keys to Healthy Bones $ 1.95 \| JANUARY 2005 A new surgeon general’s report warns of a coming osteoporosis crisis. Simple lifestyle changes you make now can help keep you from becoming part of the problem.… Buy>>
Exercising your bones $ 1.95 \| JANUARY 2005 The third key to osteoporosis pre v e ntion is weight-bearing exerc i s e . “Weight bearing,” Dr. Dawson- Hughes explains, means any activity done in a full standing-upright position.… Buy>>
Solving the Portion Puzzle DECEMBER 2007 TUFTS PSYCHOLOGY professor Robin Kanarek, PhD, laughs at the memory of a visiting family from Finland’s encounter with American portion sizes.… Read>>
Chocolate’s Health Benefits—Trick or Treat? OCTOBER 2007 IS THERE a health benefit to that Halloween chocolate treat? Mount - ing evidence has indicated so, linking certain forms of chocolate to improved cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure, enhanced glucose tolerance, even stronger teeth. Candy-makers as well as “health-oriented” companies have even developed chocolate products they claim are good for us.… Read>>
Smarter—and Healthier—Supermarket Shopping Made Si $ 1.95 \| SEPTEMBER 2006 WITH ALL the health claims on packaged goods these days and the countless news stories about “super foods,” it would be easy to start thinking of your local supermarket as a sort of annex to your doctor’s office. Just fill up your cart with “100% Whole Grain Goodness” and “Cholesterol-Fighting Power!” and you can skip that trip to the drugstore, right?… Buy>>
Midlife Exercise May Reduce Later Dementia Risk $ 1.95 IF YOU’RE A MIDDLE-AGED couch potato, here’s yet another reason to get off your duff: Regular exercise now may help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease later. Researchers at the Aging Research Center of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have found that exercising at least twice weekly in midlife reduces the risk of dementia by more than 50% and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by more than 60%.… Buy>>
Getting Started with Strength Training FEBRUARY 2005 Getting older does not mean inevitable loss of strength, energy and vigor. The frailty we associate with aging is largely due to muscle loss, which results mainly from inactivity. Here are seven exercises designed to get you started on your journey to greater strength, balance and coordination.… Read>>
51 Healthy Foods You Can Say Yes To MAY 2006 Aging does not have to be synonymous with illness or disability. The onset of most chronic degenerative conditions we associate with old age is governed by your genetic heritage – which you’re stuck with – and your lifestyle, which you can do something about. Understanding these ten “biomarkers” is a crucial first step towards making the changes essential to extending your life span.… Read>>
Can You Afford to Eat Right? MAY 2008 Following nearly two decades of relatively low increases in the price of basic grocery staples, Americans have recently seen their grocery bills for everyday items—like milk, bread and eggs— surge. A recent story in the Boston Globe noted that between 2006 and 2008, the price of a loaf of white bread has risen nearly 25 cents, red delicious apples are up 20 cents a pound, from 96 cents to $1.16, and eggs have jumped from around $1.45 to $2.18— up 73 cents a dozen, enough to make shoppers cluck with dismay.… Read>>
Broccoli and Beyond! $ 1.95 \| JUNE 2008 Fresh ideas about cruciferous vegetables and their health benefits. If you close your eyes and think of the word “vegetable,” what image springs to mind? Odds are, it’s broccoli. When nutrition experts and moms tell us to eat more vegetables, the archetypal example on the ideal dinner plate is usually broccoli. … Buy>>
“Fountain of Youth” Fact and Fantasy $ 1.95 \| MAY 2008 Are antioxidants the new “fountain of youth’? Media reports and nutritional products promote the idea these vitamins and nutrients can reduce or even reverse the damage caused to the body by “free radicals,” combating chronic disease and the ravages of aging. In this excerpt from the book, Understanding the Antioxidant Controversy: Scrutinzing the Fountain of Youth authors Paul Milbury PhD and Alice Richer, RD look at the bottom line on antioxidants and what the latest research finding mean to you and your health.… Buy>>
Exploring the Alternatives $ 1.95 \| SEPTEMBER 2008 How the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine looks for treatments on the cutting edge. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is one of the 27 institutes and centers of the federal government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH). NCCAM employs rigorous science to explore the possible benefits of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices, such as herbal supplements, acupuncture, tai chi and the like.… Buy>>
Why “Natural” Labels Don’t Necessarily Mean “Healthy” $ 1.95 \| AUGUST 2008 The term “natural” is one of the most popular on new food packaging. With the “natural foods” market hitting $13 billion a year—and growing 4-5% annually, outpacing groceries as a whole—it’s a label many manufacturers want to plaster on their products. According to Mintel’s Global New Products Database, “all natural” was the third most popular claim on new US food products in 2007. Consumers assume a product labeled “natural” must be good for them, better than competing products, maybe even worth paying extra for.… Buy>>
New Answers to the Calcium Question OCTOBER 2008 If you’re concerned about calcium, you may be worrying about the wrong thing. Everywhere you turn these days, marketers and medical experts alike seem to be pushing calcium. Especially as you get older, you’re constantly reminded to get enough calcium. Store shelves teem with calcium supplements, and even antacid makers promote their benefits for bones as well as tummies.… Read>>
Recipe for Maximum Nutrition $ 1.95 \| DECEMBER 2008 How you prepare foods makes a difference in what vitamins and nutrients they deliver. WITH THE fresh bounty of the warm-weather months behind us and seemingly endless food-price hikes ahead, winter sharpens the need to squeeze every bit of nutrition out of that pricey produce. How you cook your food, especially vegetables, can make a big difference in the nutritional dividends for your diet.… Buy>>
22 Essentials for Quick, Healthy, Cheaper Meals $ 1.95 \| JANUARY 2009 WITH THE ECONOMY in a tailspin, penny-pinching consumers are eating in instead of out, packing their pantries with budgetsmart staples. In the four weeks ending Nov. 2, US sales of dried beans and vegetables were up 1%, to $27 million—beans are a great source of cheap protein and other nutrients.… Buy>>


Choose Other Proteins Over Red Meat to Lower Heart Risk August 2010 Substituting fish, poultry, nuts or low-fat dairy for one serving of red meat daily could lower your risk of heart disease by 13%-30%. That's the takeaway from a large observational study comparing protein choices to heart disease incidence over 26 years. Although the subjects were all women — 84,136 healthy participants in the Nurses' Health Study, ages 30 to 55 — researchers said the findings would likely apply also to men. After adjusting for other risk factors, averaging two daily servings of red meat (beef, pork or lamb) or processed meat was associated with a 29% greater risk of heart disease than eating no red or processed meat. Even just one daily serving was linked to a 19% higher risk. Substituting one serving a day of nuts for red or processed meat was associated with a 30% risk reduction; fish, 24%; chicken or turkey, 19%; and low-fat dairy, 13%. Scientists suggested that the saturated fat and heme iron in meat contributed to the increased risk, along with the heterocycline amines and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) produced in cooking meat. — Circulation… Read>>
Really Break a Sweat to Help Avoid Dementia August 2010 How hard do you have to work out to protect your brain? Pretty intensely, appears to be the answer — perhaps more vigorously than you'd have to exercise to protect your heart. In an analysis of data on 1,211 patients from the long-running Framingham Heart Study, those who reported regularly engaging in moderate to heavy physical activity were 45% less likely to develop any kind of dementia than those reporting only light exercise. Similar figures were seen when looking only at risk of Alzheimer's disease. Over two decades of follow-up, 244 total participants developed either Alzheimer's or another form of dementia. It's not necessarily only heavy physical activity that can reduce risk of dementia, researchers commented, "but we can fairly say that at least moderate exercise can be protective." — International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease… Read>>
To Protect Your Aging Brain, Get Enough Vitamin D July 2010 Vitamin D, which recent research has linked to everything from preventing fractures to delaying death, may also play a role in keeping your brain sharp as you age. In new research following 858 Italian seniors for six years, those with the lowest levels of vitamin D were at greater risk for declines in thinking, learning and memory abilities. Researchers took blood samples, then administered a battery of standard cognitive tests at the study's start and after three and six years. Participants who were severely deficient in vitamin D were 60% more likely to suffer substantial overall cognitive decline than those with adequate levels and 31% more prone to decline in tests of executive function (the ability to plan, organize and prioritize). No significant difference was seen for tests measuring attention. Researchers suggested that vitamin D may help prevent the degeneration of brain tissue by having a role in formation of nervous tissue, maintaining levels of calcium in the body, or clearing of beta-amyloid (the substance that forms the brain plaques and tangles associated with Alzheimer's disease). — Archives of Internal Medicine … Read>>
Two Studies Link Vitamin E to Alzheimer's Protection July 2010 Vitamin E, the subject of dashed hopes for a variety of health benefits a few years ago, is back in the spotlight. This time the focus is dementia and Alzheimer's disease, with two new studies suggesting that vitamin E — especially from dietary sources — may help stave off mental decline with aging. In results from a study tracing 5,395 people ages 55 and up for nearly a decade, Dutch researchers report that those with the highest intake of vitamin E from food were 25% less likely to develop dementia than those consuming the least vitamin E. Similar results were seen for Alzheimer's disease. Dietary sources of the vitamin were primarily vegetable oils, margarine, butter and mayonnaise; the group consuming the most vitamin E averaged 18.5 mg daily, a little less than that found in a quarter-cup of sunflower oil. A second study, from Sweden, compared blood levels of eight different forms of vitamin E with risk of developing Alzheimer's among 232 elderly people over 6 years. Those with the highest vitamin E levels were 45%-54% less likely to develop the disease. Scientists speculated that vitamin E's antioxidant properties might counter the oxidative stress thought to play a role in the development of Alzheimer's. — Archives of Neurology and Journal of Alzheimer's Disease … Read>>
Workout Now, Stay Mentally Sharp Later? July 2010 The jury's still out on mental "exercises" to protect your aging brain, but evidence keeps mounting that physical activity does help prevent cognitive decline. A new Canadian study suggests that the earlier in life you get off the couch and get moving, the better for your brain in later years. Researchers analyzed data on 9,344 women, average age 71.6, participating in an osteoporosis study who were also assessed using a standard test for cognitive ability. Women who reported that they were physically active in their teens — even if they slacked off later in life — were the least likely to have developed cognitive impairment. But if you started your workout routine late, don't despair: Women who were inactive as teens but began exercising at age 30 or age 50 also had lower odds of cognitive impairment compared to lifelong couch potatoes, although not to the degree seen among those active as teens. Researchers cautioned that the study wasn't designed to show cause and effect. Given the proven health benefits of exercise, however, knowing your brain might also benefit is more motivation to break a sweat. — Journal of the American Geriatrics Society… Read>>
Got Milk? Not Anymore — Americans Switching to Sugary Drinks February 2010 Remember when the standard beverage at mealtime was milk? That "Father Knows Best" image is as dated as black-and-white TV, according to a study of beverage consumption over more than a quarter-century. The look at four national food-intake surveys found a steady decline in milk consumption, with only a partial shift towards reduced-fat milk. Children ages 2 to 18 are averaging 91 fewer calories daily from milk than in 1977-78. What are Americans drinking instead? Sugar-sweetened beverages, going from 87 to 154 calories a day for kids and more than doubling for adults, from 64 to 142 daily calories. Juice consumption is also up for children, adding 21 calories a day. And adults are downing more alcohol, going from 45 to 155 boozy calories daily. Researcher Barry Popkin of the University of North Carolina warned, "The consumer shift toward increased levels of sugar-sweetened beverages and alcohol, limited amounts of reduced-fat milk along with a continued consumption of whole milk, and increased juice intake represent issues to address from a public health perspective." Also of potential concern is an overall decrease in beverage intake after age 60, when the body's natural ability to signal thirst and possible dehydration is weaker. — Physiology and Behavior … Read>>
Fish Oil May Slow Cellular Aging January 2010 The omega-3 fats in fish oil, touted for their power to improve cholesterol levels, may have a bonus benefit for heart patients: slowing biological aging at the cellular level. A study of 608 California patients with stable coronary artery disease reports that those with the highest blood levels of omega-3s also showed the least shortening of telomeres, a sign of biological rather than chronological aging. Patients with the lowest omega-3 levels, on the other hand, had the fastest rate of telomere shortening when researchers compared measurements from the start of the study to five years later. Telomeres, thought to reveal how biological stresses have aged a person, are the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. The study wasn't designed to prove cause and effect, but researchers speculated that omega-3s may protect against oxidative stress or may increase the activity of an enzyme key to telomere duplication. — JAMA …

Search Results: 201 Matches found

Articles (100)

MARCH 2008

FEBRUARY 2008

JANUARY 2008

FEBRUARY 2007

JANUARY 2007

$ 1.95 | FEBRUARY 2005

JANUARY 2007

$ 1.95 | JANUARY 2006

$ 1.95 | JANUARY 2007

$ 1.95 | FEBRUARY 2005

JANUARY 2007

$ 1.95 | MARCH 2005

$ 1.95 | FEBRUARY 2006

MARCH 2008

FEBRUARY 2007

$ 1.95 | MARCH 2006

FEBRUARY 2007

MARCH 2007

$ 1.95 | MARCH 2005

$ 1.95 | MARCH 2006

$ 1.95 | MARCH 2005

MARCH 2008

MARCH 2008

$ 1.95 | MARCH 2007

FEBRUARY 2008

FEBRUARY 2008

APRIL 2007

$ 1.95 | APRIL 2005

$ 1.95 | APRIL 2005

$ 1.95 | MAY 2005

$ 1.95 | APRIL 2006

MAY 2007

$ 1.95 | APRIL 2006

$ 1.95 | JULY 2005

$ 1.95 | MAY 2006

AUGUST 2005

JANUARY 2008

AUGUST 2005

MAY 2007

MAY 2007

$ 1.95 | MAY 2006

$ 1.95 | DECEMBER 2005

$ 1.95 | DECEMBER 2006

$ 1.95 | MAY 2006

$ 1.95 | DECEMBER 2006

JANUARY 2008

$ 1.95 | DECEMBER 2006

JANUARY 2008

$ 1.95 | DECEMBER 2005

$ 1.95 | DECEMBER 2005

$ 1.95 | JUNE 2007

$ 1.95 | DECEMBER 2006

JUNE 2007

JUNE 2007

APRIL 2008

APRIL 2008

JULY 2007

$ 1.95 | NOVEMBER 2005

$ 1.95 | JUNE 2006

$ 1.95 | NOVEMBER 2005

JULY 2006

APRIL 2008

JULY 2007

AUGUST 2007

$ 1.95 | OCTOBER 2005

$ 1.95 | OCTOBER 2006

$ 1.95 | OCTOBER 2005

$ 1.95 | AUGUST 2007

AUGUST 2007

SEPTEMBER 2007

SEPTEMBER 2007

$ 1.95 | JANUARY 2005

SEPTEMBER 2007

$ 1.95 | JANUARY 2005

$ 1.95 | OCTOBER 2006

OCTOBER 2007

$ 1.95 | AUGUST 2006

OCTOBER 2007