Study confirms heart benefits of whole grains - Yahoo! News

Study confirms heart benefits of whole grains - Yahoo! News:

"In a review of seven major studies, the researchers found that higher whole grain intake was consistently linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. On average, adults who ate 2.5 servings of whole grains per day were nearly one-quarter less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than their peers who rarely consumed whole grains."

Study: More households forbid smoking - Yahoo! News

Study: More households forbid smoking - Yahoo! News

: "Smoking is forbidden in nearly three out of four U.S. households, a dramatic increase from the 43 percent of homes that prohibited smoking a decade ago, the federal government reported Thursday."

YEAH!!!

Do Microwave Ovens Kill Bacteria? - New York Times

Do Microwave Ovens Kill Bacteria? - New York Times:

"...microwaves heat food from the outside in, not from the inside out. That can result in those all too familiar cold spots, which act as small pockets where bacteria can thrive. A number of studies have linked this phenomenon to small outbreaks of food poisoning."

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

Wow, who knew?

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich:

"Next time you have one you'll reduce your carbon footprint by saving the equivalent of 2.5 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions over an average animal-based lunch like a hamburger, a tuna sandwich, grilled cheese, or chicken nuggets.

That's about forty percent of what you'd save driving around for the day in a hybrid instead of a standard sedan.

If you were going to have a ham sandwich or a hamburger, you save the equivalent almost 3.5 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions."

WHFoods: Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

WHFoods: Garbanzo beans (chickpeas):

"Garbanzos' contribution to heart health lies not just in their fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate and magnesium these beans supply. Folate helps lower levels of homocysteine....Garbanzos' supply of magnesium puts yet another plus in the column of its beneficial cardiovascular effects. Magnesium is Nature's own calcium channel blocker. When enough magnesium is around, veins and arteries breathe a sigh of relief and relax, which lessens resistance and improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body."

FWIW: Try the Shurfine Organic Garbanzo beans. They are really good and lower in sodium than most other varieties. Also why not give hummus a chance? Makes great sandwiches or a dip!

Whole Grains Get Hearty Support

Whole Grains Get Hearty Support:

"May 11, 2007 -- ....People who eat 2.5 daily servings of whole grains are about one-fifth less likely to have heart disease than those who skimp on whole grains, a new research review shows."

Study: Tomatoes no defense against prostate cancer

Anyone else wondering if we know anything at all?

Study: Tomatoes no defense against prostate cancer:

"The FDA-approved and popularly held notion that antioxidants in tomatoes can prevent prostate cancer appears to be false, according to a large study done by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and National Cancer Institute.

'It was an hypothesis based on observational studies and the fact that cancer can be caused by oxidative damage to DNA,' said Ulrike Peters, a Fred Hutchinson scientist and lead author on the report published in the current journal of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention."

BBC NEWS | Health | Aspirin 'cuts pre-eclampsia risk'

Wow, Colon cancer, heart attacks, head aches, and now MAYBE reducing pregnancy problems. This thing called aspirin really might be a wonder drug ;)

BBC NEWS | Health | Aspirin 'cuts pre-eclampsia risk':

"Taking aspirin throughout pregnancy could reduce the risk of the potentially dangerous condition pre-eclampsia, a major study suggests.

A University of Sydney team analysed data on more than 32,000 women for a study published in The Lancet."

A Bit of Exercise Improves Fitness For Sedentary Heavy Women - CME Teaching Brief® - MedPage Today

A little is better than none!

A Bit of Exercise Improves Fitness For Sedentary Heavy Women - CME Teaching Brief® - MedPage Today:

"For postmenopausal women who are sedentary, overweight, or obese, peddling an exercise bike for just a few minutes a week can improve cardiorespiratory fitness, found researchers here.

But although riding the bike for 75 minutes a week, spread over three days, improved cardiorespiratory fitness, most other cardiovascular risk factors held firm"

Mega Multivitamin Use Risks Prostate Cancer - CME Teaching Brief® - MedPage Today

Mega Multivitamin Use Risks Prostate Cancer - CME Teaching Brief® - MedPage Today:

"Men who take multi-vitamin supplements more than once a day are twice as likely to die of prostate cancer as men who never take supplements, researchers confirmed."

This is just another study drawing into question the use of antioxidant vitamins. Why? No one knows for sure but one suggested reason in the medpage article:

""Reactive oxygen species in moderate concentrations are essential mediators of reactions by which the body gets rid of unwanted cells. Thus, if administration of antioxidant supplements decreases free radicals, it may interfere with essential defensive mechanisms for ridding the organism of damaged cells, including those that are precancerous and cancerous.""

Very interesting. Stay tuned.

Long walks in the country thought to help depression

Long walks in the country thought to help depression:

"A new study by a leading mental health charity in England and Wales has found that taking long walks in the country could help alleviate symptoms of depression. The study, by Mind, said that the findings proved 'ecotherapy' was helpful in mental health problems."

Daily Aspirin May Reduce Colon Cancer Risk - Forbes.com

Daily Aspirin May Reduce Colon Cancer Risk - Forbes.com:

"A daily dose of 300 milligrams of aspirin taken for 10 years can cut colon cancer risk by as much as 74 percent, a new British study suggests.

But the risks associated with taking that large a dose of the pill might not be worth it for most people, the researchers warn. For that reason, aspirin may only prove helpful for those at high risk for the disease. The report is published in the May 12 issue of The Lancet."

FTC says milk ads under fire are ending - Yahoo! News

FTC says milk ads under fire are ending - Yahoo! News:

"WASHINGTON - An ad campaign that suggested milk can help people lose weight is ending, the Federal Trade Commission told a doctors' group that had complained."

DIET: Thin people may be fat inside - Yahoo! News

DIET: Thin people may be fat inside - Yahoo! News:

"'Being thin doesn't automatically mean you're not fat,' said Dr. Jimmy Bell, a professor of molecular imaging at Imperial College, London. Since 1994, Bell and his team have scanned nearly 800 people with MRI machines to create 'fat maps' showing where people store fat.

According to the data, people who maintain their weight through diet rather than exercise are likely to have major deposits of internal fat, even if they are otherwise slim. 'The whole concept of being fat needs to be redefined,' said Bell, whose research is funded by Britain's Medical Research Council"

Tea drinkers may have lower skin cancer risk - Yahoo! News

Tea drinkers may have lower skin cancer risk - Yahoo! News:

"In a study of nearly 2,200 adults, researchers found that tea drinkers had a lower risk of developing squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma, the two most common forms of skin cancer.

Men and women who had ever been regular tea drinkers -- having one or more cups a day -- were 20 percent to 30 percent less likely to develop the cancers than those who didn't drink tea"