May 16, 2017

Vitamin B Helps Protect The Heart From Pollution

On April 3, 2017, Scientific Reports published the findings of researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health of an association between B vitamin supplementation and protection against the effects of fine particulate matter pollution on the cardiovascular and immune systems. “Ambient PM2.5 pollution is one of the most common air pollutants and has a negative effect on cardiac function and the immune system,” explained lead investigator Jia Zhong, PhD, who is a postdoctoral research officer in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia’s Mailman School. “For the first time, our trial provides evidence that B vitamin supplementation might […]
May 9, 2017

Six Foods To Eat For A Mood Boost

Evidence shows that the Mediterranean diet can help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. It is also associated with improved mood and a reduced risk of depression and cognitive decline. The eating plan emphasises vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, wholegrains, olive oil and lean protein. An offshoot is the Mind Diet (Mediterranean-Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay), based on the same foods but adds berries, leafy greens and nuts. Researchers found it improved cognitive ability and lowered their risk of Alzheimer’s. Foods to consider : Salmon People who eat omega-3-rich fish tend to have a lower risk of depression. […]
April 18, 2017

Antioxidants And Lung Cancer Connection

A study reported on February 28, 2017 in  Frontiers in Oncology reveals an association between increased intake of carotenoids and vitamin C and a lower risk of lung cancer. Martine Shareck and colleagues utilized data from a study that involved 1,105 cases of lung cancer and 1,449 subjects without the disease. Subjects were queried concerning the intake of 49 fruits and vegetables during the two years prior to cancer diagnosis or the date of the interview, and responses were analyzed for the intake of alpha carotene, beta carotene, beta cryptoxanthin, lycopene and vitamin C. Among those whose intake of alpha carotene […]
April 18, 2017

A Healthy Thyroid Is Important

You probably don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the butterfly-shaped gland in your neck that helps regulate metabolism, heart rate, energy levels and body temperature. But thyroid disorders are very common. It’s estimated that 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease, and as many as 60 percent of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition. Thyroid disorders can mimic several other health conditions, making them more difficult to diagnose. If you even suspect you might have a thyroid problem, consult with your primary care physician or endocrinologist as soon as possible. The most common […]
April 11, 2017

High Calcium Foods Protect Against Bone Loss

A study reported on March 1, 2017 in the Journal of Nutrition found that older men and women who had a greater intake of dairy products, which are high in calcium, had a lower risk of bone loss than those who consume less of these foods, but only if they were supplementing with vitamin D. Shivani Sahni, PhD, and colleagues at Hebrew SeniorLife’s Institute for Aging Research and Harvard Medical School in Boston evaluated data from men and women between the ages of 67 to 93 years who were in enrolled in the long-term Framingham Study. Bone mineral density was […]