10 Reasons to Quit Smoking: Cost, Smell, Wrinkles, and More

10 Reasons to Quit Smoking: Cost, Smell, Wrinkles, and More:

"As many as 75%-80% of smokers say they'd like to quit. But it takes the average smoker five to 10 attempts before successfully quitting.

For some smokers, it's the little things that motivate quitting. Things like the smell it leaves on your clothes, the way people react when they find out you're a smoker, the stains it leaves on your teeth -- everyday aggravations that can add up to a tipping point to kick the habit.

Here are 10 common daily side effects of smoking that often create the incentive to quit."

No matter what spurs you to quit, please do quit.

A Worldwide Day's Worth of Food

A Worldwide Day's Worth of Food

Time has a really cool photo essay of a day's food for people around the world.  Really interesting.  

Day's Worth of Food

BBC News - Chinese archaeologists unearth 2,400-year-old 'soup'

BBC News - Chinese archaeologists unearth 2,400-year-old 'soup':

"Chinese archaeologists have unearthed what they believe is a 2,400-year-old pot of soup, state media report.

The liquid and bones were in a sealed bronze cooking vessel dug up near the ancient capital of Xian - home to the country's famed terracotta warriors."

Quitting smoking improves mood - The Times of India

Quitting smoking improves mood - The Times of India:

" But a new study has shown that quitting makes people happier.

In the new study, researchers tracked the symptoms of depression in people who were trying to quit and found that they were never happier than when they were being successful, for however long that was."

Yet another reason to quit!

Art Smith, Elmo Team up to Cook up Good Nutrition - ABC News

Art Smith, Elmo Team up to Cook up Good Nutrition - ABC News:

"The program provides families with an educational outreach kit which includes a video featuring four new Muppets, the 'Super foods' — banana, cheese, whole-grain roll and broccoli. The video also features Elmo and friends, plus real families, as they try new foods, learn about healthy snacks and discover the importance of sharing a meal together.

And, of course, the broccoli knows how to boogie.

Soy Isoflavones May Modify Risk of Breast Cancer

Soy Isoflavones May Modify Risk of Breast Cancer: "Those women with the highest isoflavone intake had an approximately 30 percent decreased risk of having an invasive breast tumor, and an approximately 60 percent decreased risk of having a grade 1 tumor."

No link seen between high-carb diet, colon cancer | Reuters

No link seen between high-carb diet, colon cancer | Reuters:

"For the new study, researchers followed 73,000 middle-aged and older Chinese women over a decade, looking at the association between reported diet habits and the risk of developing colon cancer.

The women...completed detailed diet questionnaires that allowed the researchers to estimate the total glycemic load of their diets.

...When the researchers divided the study participants into five groups based on dietary glycemic load, they found no evidence that the women's risk of colorectal cancer increased along with glycemic load."

Eating Peanuts While Pregnant May Up Allergy Risk

From WebMD: Eating Peanuts While Pregnant May Up Allergy Risk:

"The children were 3- to 15-months old, and none had been diagnosed with peanut allergies. Blood testing revealed that 140 had a strong sensitivity to peanuts.
....But not everyone with high IgE levels is allergic, Sicherer says.

Maternal consumption of peanuts during pregnancy was strongly predictive for this sensitivity, the researchers reported.

The study appears in the November issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology"

Green Tea Likely To Have No Effect On Breast Cancer Risk

Green Tea Likely To Have No Effect On Breast Cancer Risk:

"A new study published in the current edition of the journal Breast Cancer Research suggests that drinking green tea does not significantly decrease the risk for developing breast cancer. The study, performed by researchers from the National Cancer Center in Tokyo, Japan, calls an age-old belief into question"

and later

""Although in vitro and animal-based studies have suggested that green tea may have beneficial protective effects against breast cancer, results from human studies have been inconclusive, our large-scale, population-based prospective cohort study is one of the first to include a wide range of tea intakes; women who drank green tea less than one cup per week to those who drank 10 or more cups per day," Iwasaki says in a statement."

Study: Alzheimer's risk spikes 157% with heavy smoking - USATODAY.com

Study: Alzheimer's risk spikes 157% with heavy smoking - USATODAY.com:

"The study is the first to examine the long-term consequences of heavy smoking on Alzheimer's and vascular dementia, says the study's principal investigator, Rachel Whitmer, a research scientist with Kaiser Permanente in Oakland.
.... Compared with non-smokers, those who had smoked two packs of cigarettes a day increased their risk of developing Alzheimer's by more than 157% and had a 172% higher risk of developing vascular dementia — the second-most-common form of dementia after Alzheimer's. The research is published online in the Archives of Internal Medicine."

foodconsumer.org - Drinking green tea helps prevent breast cancer

foodconsumer.org - Drinking green tea helps prevent breast cancer:

"Adeyemi A. Ogunleye at Harvard School of Public Health and colleagues reviewed previous studies and found there was an inverse association between drinking green tea and risk of breast cancer recurrence.....

The current study is a review based on two studies of breast cancer recurrence and seven studies of breast cancer incidence associated with drinking green tea published between 1998 and 2009.

Drinking more than 3 cups of green tea a day was correlated with 27 percent reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence, the review study showed. The risk reduction was statistically significant.

Told to Eat Its Vegetables, America Orders Fries - NYTimes.com

Told to Eat Its Vegetables, America Orders Fries - NYTimes.com:

"Despite two decades of public health initiatives, stricter government dietary guidelines, record growth of farmers’ markets and the ease of products like salad in a bag, Americans still aren’t eating enough vegetables.

This month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a comprehensive nationwide behavioral study of fruit and vegetable consumption. Only 26 percent of the nation’s adults eat vegetables three or more times a day, it concluded. (And no, that does not include French fries.)

These results fell far short of health objectives set by the federal government a decade ago. The amount of vegetables Americans eat is less than half of what public health officials had hoped. Worse, it has barely budged since 2000.

Let's make the change today. Do what the government has been able to do. Join our movement: eat your veggies!

BBC News - Drinking water before meals helps dieting, says study

Drinking water before meals may be a way to lower calorie intake.

From the BBC:

"A previous study found that middle-aged and older people who drank two glasses of water before eating a meal ate between 75 and 90 fewer calories during that meal.

Professor Brenda Davy, senior author of the study, from Virginia Tech, said it was the first randomised controlled trial looking at water consumption and dieting.
She said the reason water may be so effective is because it fills up the stomach with a liquid that has no calories.

"People should drink more water and less sugary, high-calorie drinks. It's a simple way to facilitate weight management," Professor Davy said."

Study Finds Even a Little Cigarette Smoke Harms Airway - US News and World Report

Study Finds Even a Little Cigarette Smoke Harms Airway - US News and World Report:

"according to a new study that finds even low levels of smoke exposure can cause irreparable damage...

The damage occurred among 'casual' smokers and even after exposure to secondhand smoke. The initial damage, while not usually severe, can be cumulative and prolonged exposure to tobacco smoke could lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and even lung cancer, the researchers reported.

and later

"The bottom line: "There is no level of cigarette smoking or exposure to cigarette smoke that does not make the cells in your lungs sick," he said. "If you are an occasional smoker you are still at risk. Don't think that smoking one or two cigarettes a week means you are home free."

The study was based on urine tests and examination of genes looking for DNA damage.

BBC News - Green leafy veg 'may cut diabetes risk'

BBC News - Green leafy veg 'may cut diabetes risk':

"A diet rich in green leafy vegetables may reduce the risk of developing diabetes, UK research says.

In an analysis of six studies into fruit and vegetable intake, only food including spinach and cabbage was found to have a significant positive effect.

Moose Offer Trail of Clues on Arthritis - NYTimes.com

Moose Offer Trail of Clues on Arthritis - NYTimes.com:

"The arthritic Bullwinkles got that way because of poor nutrition early in life, an extraordinary 50-year research project has discovered. That could mean, scientists say, that some people’s arthritis can be linked in part to nutritional deficits, in the womb and possibly throughout childhood.

The moose conclusion bolsters a small but growing body of research connecting early development to chronic conditions like osteoarthritis..."

Fascinating! And stresses importance of diet THROUGHOUT life.

BBC News - Fit heart can slow brain ageing, US researchers say

BBC News - Fit heart can slow brain ageing, US researchers say:

Need another reason to get more exercise? Here you go:

"A Boston University team found healthy people with sluggish hearts that pumped out less blood had 'older' brains on scans than others."

Note:  I got this from the BBC and as they do over in England, added an "e" to the spelling of aging.  

Related articles by Zemanta

• Brain may age faster in people whose hearts pump less blood (eurekalert.org)
• 'Beer belly' linked to Alzheimer's disease (dailycaller.com)
• Heart Health Can Help Predict Brain Health (nlm.nih.gov)

Obesity Tops 30% in Nine States, Triple 2007 Total, U.S. Says - Bloomberg

Obesity Tops 30% in Nine States, Triple 2007 Total, U.S. Says - Bloomberg:

"The U.S. is losing the battle of the bulge.

No state in the nation met this year’s targets for reducing obesity, and the number of states reporting an obesity rate of 30 percent or more has tripled, to nine, since 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report today. About 75 million Americans now are considered obese, the Atlanta-based CDC said."

Calcium supplements may boost heart attack risk - CNN.com

Calcium supplements may boost heart attack risk - CNN.com:

"people taking calcium supplements should not stop without consulting their doctor, says John Baron, M.D. a professor of medicine at Dartmouth Medical School, in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and a co-author of the study. More research is needed to confirm and clarify the results, he says......Although the increase in risk associated with calcium supplements was small, it could represent a large number of additional heart attacks in the general population because of how many people take the supplements, the authors note....The findings do not imply that people should reduce the amount of calcium in their diet, Hayes stresses."

- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Smithsonian video on the history of the potato

Hummus: great tasting, good for you, and a key to Middle East peace?

Image via Wikipedia

So might hummus be the key to world peace?   If it can get Lebanon and Israel together, who knows? 

From NPR:

"It took 300 chefs, hours of work and 10 tons of hummus, but on May 8, Lebanon broke the world record for the largest bowl of hummus.

This record more than doubles the last record of 4 tons held by Israel, which broke the former record of 2 tons held by Lebanon, which broke the modest record of 700 pounds held by Israel. This, in short, is the history of the Big War Of Hummus."

and later:

"The truth is, no one is really sure about the origins of hummus. Chickpeas were cultivated about 6,000 years ago in the Middle East and have been widely available there ever since. Archaeologists found the first evidence of hummus in the area that is now Israel from the time of the crusaders."

Phys Ed: Your Brain on Exercise - Well Blog - NYTimes.com

Get out there and exercise!

Phys Ed: Your Brain on Exercise - Well Blog - NYTimes.com:

"...mice given access to running wheels had about 50 percent less BMP-related brain activity within a week. They also showed a notable increase in Noggin, a beautifully named brain protein that acts as a BMP antagonist. The more Noggin in your brain, the less BMP activity exists and the more stem cell divisions and neurogenesis you experience. Mice at Northwestern whose brains were infused directly with large doses of Noggin became, Dr. Kessler says, “little mouse geniuses, if there is such a thing.” They aced the mazes and other tests.

Whether exercise directly reduces BMP activity or increases production of Noggin isn’t yet known and may not matter. The results speak for themselves. “If ever exercise enthusiasts wanted a rationale for what they’re doing, this should be it,” Dr. Kessler says. Exercise, he says, through a complex interplay with Noggin and BMP, helps to ensure that neuronal stem cells stay lively and new brain cells are born."

Fish oil may reduce risk of breast cancer

Fish oil may reduce risk of breast cancer:

"Regular use of fish oil supplements, which contain high levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, was linked with a 32 percent reduced risk of breast cancer. The reduction in risk appeared to be restricted to invasive ductal breast cancer, the most common type of the disease."

Related articles by Zemanta

• Fish oil linked to lower breast cancer risk (cnn.com)
• Fish oil may fight breast cancer (sciencenews.org)

Key mechanism links virgin olive oil to protection against breast cancer

Key mechanism links virgin olive oil to protection against breast cancer:

"Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in Western countries. Research carried out with animal models demonstrate that a diet rich in fats is directly related to the incidence of cancer. Some types of fats however can play a protective role against the development of these tumours. Such is the case of virgin olive oil, rich in oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fatty acid, and containing several bioactive compounds such as antioxidants. A moderate and regular intake of virgin olive oil, characteristic of the Mediterranean diet, is associated with low incidences of specific types of cancer, including breast cancer, as well as with having a protective role against coronary diseases and other health problems.

The study carried out by UAB researchers decoded the mechanisms operating within the tumour cell and induced by the intake of olive oil, in comparison to those activated by corn oil, rich in n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which increase the aggressiveness of tumours."

Related articles by Zemanta

• Olive Oil Protection Against Breast Cancer (findmeacure.com)
• Ode to Olive Oil (lifescript.com)
• Health Benefits of Olive Oil (food-facts.suite101.com)
• Olive Oil Could Guard Against Developing Ulcerative Colitis (lockergnome.com)
• Virgin olive oil and a Mediterranean diet fight heart disease by changing how our genes function (eurekalert.org)
• Fight Arthritis: 10 Foods That Help and Hurt (lifescript.com)

Coffee or tea: Enjoy both in moderation for heart benefits, Dutch study suggests

Image via Wikipedia

The article finds tea slightly better than coffee but both seemingly heart healthy!

Coffee or tea: Enjoy both in moderation for heart benefits, Dutch study suggests:

"Coffee and tea drinkers may not need to worry about indulging -- high and moderate consumption of tea and moderate coffee consumption are linked with reduced heart disease, according to a study published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association"

Related articles by Zemanta

• Tea and coffee reduce heart disease (telegraph.co.uk)
• Moderate Coffee, Tea Drinking Lowers Heart Disease Risk (nlm.nih.gov)
• 13 Year Study: Coffee and Tea May Cut Heart Disease (themoderatevoice.com)
• Tea and coffee 'protect against heart disease' (news.bbc.co.uk)

Kids Think Food Tastes Better From Cartoon-Decorated Packages, Study Finds - ABC News

Kids Think Food Tastes Better From Cartoon-Decorated Packages, Study Finds - ABC News:

"Today, researchers from Yale University announced the results of a small study which confirmed that, to children at least, food that's marketed with cartoons tastes better."

I hope this one comes as a surprise to no one.

B vitamins linked to depression risk in older adults | Reuters

B vitamins linked to depression risk in older adults | Reuters:

"Older adults with relatively low intakes of vitamins B6 and B12 may have a higher risk of developing depression than those who get more of the nutrients, a new study suggests....Vitamin B6 is found in a range of foods, including beans, potatoes, bananas, meat, chicken, peanut butter and certain fish, like salmon and tuna."

Do not change diet plans etc on the basis of this one study...there are some relatively major weaknesses.

Rich or Poor, Nonsmokers Are Happier - Economix Blog - NYTimes.com

Rich or Poor, Nonsmokers Are Happier - Economix Blog - NYTimes.com:

"...survey data has found that smokers are less happy than nonsmokers across all income levels....Of course, this well-being gap presents a chicken-and-egg problem: to what extent are people worse off because they smoke, and to what extent do they smoke because they’re worse off?"

Brown Rice May Lower Risk of Diabetes, Says a Harvard School of Public Health Study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. - WSJ.com

Brown Rice May Lower Risk of Diabetes, Says a Harvard School of Public Health Study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. - WSJ.com:

"Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health say their study is the first to look at the relationship between rice intake and diabetes in a U.S. population. The authors based their findings on diet, lifestyle and health information from three studies covering 197,228 health-care workers, 80% of them women.

They found that eating five or more servings of white rice per week was associated with a slightly higher risk of type 2 diabetes than eating less than one serving a month. Eating two or more servings a week of brown rice, however, was associated with slightly lower risk."

Secondhand Smoke Linked to Mental Distress - US News and World Report

Secondhand Smoke Linked to Mental Distress - US News and World Report:

"As exposure to cigarette fumes increases among nonsmokers, so does their risk of developing serious psychological distress and of being hospitalized for mental ailments, a new study finds.
Click here to find out more!

Cigarette smokers have been shown to have more psychological problems than nonsmokers do, and new evidence suggests that nonsmokers who inhale high levels of secondhand smoke may experience nearly as much psychological distress as smokers...."

Burger & Fries Worsen Asthma, Study Suggests | LiveScience

Burger & Fries Worsen Asthma, Study Suggests | LiveScience

"Patients with asthma who ate a high-fat meal had increased inflammation in their airways soon afterward, and did not respond as well to treatment as those who ate a low-fat meal, the researchers found.

The results provide more evidence that environmental factors, such as diet, can influence the development of asthma, which has increased dramatically in recent years in westernized countries where high-fat diets are common."

The Whole Truth and Nutting But the Truth

The Whole Truth and Nutting But the Truth:

"Two large epidemiological studies, the Nurses’ Health Study (1) and the Adventist Health Study (2) assessed the diets of over 110,000 men and women in relation to coronary heart disease. Adjusting for other coronary heart disease risk factors, they linked the intake of five or more servings (five ounces) of nuts per week to a 35 – 50 percent reduction in risk of coronary heart disease incidence and death....

The article is not exactly new, but well done and good news.

Drinking alcohol while pregnant can increase childhood leukemia – Paging Dr. Gupta - CNN.com Blogs

Drinking alcohol while pregnant can increase childhood leukemia – Paging Dr. Gupta - CNN.com Blogs:

"Drinking mothers increase their unborn babies' risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia (AML) says a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, & Prevention. Adding to the list of reasons not to drink while pregnant, the increased risk of AML in children between the ages of 0 and 4 was shown to increase in mothers that self-reported consuming one drink per week.

The study also took into account the kind of alcohol consumed. The risk remained the same regardless of the kind of alcohol. “The recommendation not to drink alcohol during pregnancy concerns all types of alcoholic beverages,” advises Dr. Paule Latino-Martel, the lead researcher for the study."

High-Carb Diet Hard on Women's Hearts | The Heart Health Blog From NutritionData.com

High-Carb Diet Hard on Women's Hearts | The Heart Health Blog From NutritionData.com

"The researchers in the study at hand found that the highest quartile of carb consumers and glycemic load had twice the rate of heart disease compared to the lowest quartile.

I've written in this column previously about the Cleave-Yudkin theory that excessive amounts of refined carbohydrates cause certain chronic systemic diseases such as heart disease. This new research supports that theory in women, but not in men. Other researchers have notice the connection in women."

We covered this back when the story broke, but thought you might like another person's view on it.

For High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Sweet Talk Gets Harder - NYTimes.com

For High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Sweet Talk Gets Harder - NYTimes.com:

"Early this year....ConAgra decided to reformulate one of its biggest brands, replacing the high-fructose corn syrup in Hunt’s ketchup with old-fashioned sugar. This month, new bottles featuring a banner proclaiming “No high fructose corn syrup” arrive in stores.

Hunt’s ketchup is among the latest in a string of major-brand products that have replaced the vilified sweetener. Gatorade, several Kraft salad dressings, Wheat Thins, Ocean Spray cranberry juice, Pepsi Throwback, Mountain Dew Throwback and the baked goods at Starbucks, to name a few, are all now made with regular sugar.

- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Healthy Nutrition Through Behavior Modification | World of Psychology

Healthy Nutrition Through Behavior Modification | World of Psychology:

"Many people I talk to about nutrition tell me that they barely eat, or they skip breakfast. I express my shock and tell them, this is one of your major problems! Everyone needs to eat at minimum three meals a day and occasionally include a healthy snack. If someone does not eat breakfast or skips meals, they are slowing down their metabolism and telling their body to keep the fat on...."

Inspiring 87-year-old gives valuable advice for longevity

Inspiring 87-year-old gives valuable advice for longevity

"Our golden years can be filled with energy and vitality, according to Deborah Szekely, co-founder of Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. At 87 years of age, Deborah trains three days a week with a Navy Seal and three days with a Pilates instructor. She can do 10 push-ups in less than a minute without breaking a sweat. Deborah Szekely exudes inspiration."

Pretty impressive. Read her list.

Teen girls' drinking may lead to breast problems later - USATODAY.com

Teen girls' drinking may lead to breast problems later - USATODAY.com

"Research published online April 12 in the journal Pediatrics found that girls who drank the most alcohol during their teen years ...were five times more likely to develop benign breast disease as young adults than were their peers who never drank or drank less than once a week....Study co-author Catherine Berkey, a biostatistician at Harvard Medical School in Boston, said that benign breast disease is known to boost the risk for breast cancer."

Eating high glycemic index foods may put women at higher risk for heart disease | Booster Shots | Los Angeles Times

Eating high glycemic index foods may put women at higher risk for heart disease | Booster Shots | Los Angeles Times

"The Italian researchers discovered that the 25% of the women who ate the most amount of carbs had about twice the risk of heart disease as the 25% who ate the least amount of carbs. In terms of quality versus quantity carbs, quality won out: eating more high-glycemic index foods was more strongly linked with a greater risk of coronary heart disease than eating low-glycemic index foods. In the study, the authors wrote, "a high consumption of carbohydrates from high-glycemic index foods, rather than the overall quantity of carbohydrates consumed, appears to influence the risk of developing coronary heart disease."

The same corollaries between eating carbs, glycemic index and glycemic load were not found for men. "

mmm...let's stay tuned for the male study before putting too much weight on the last statement.

Is saturated fat back on the hook? | NutritionData.com Blog by Monica Reinagel, L.D.N., C.N.S.

Trying to peacefully solve the conflicts between whether saturated fat does or does not cause heart problems NutritionData's Monica Reinagel offers the following:

Is saturated fat back on the hook? | NutritionData.com Blog by Monica Reinagel, L.D.N., C.N.S.:

"Where does this leave the non-ideologue who is just trying to figure out what to eat today? Let me try to save you some neck pain. These ground rules are unlikely to change:

1. I think everyone can agree that too many refined carbohydrates is a big problem. Limit them.

2. Trans fats (from hydrogenated oils) are bad news. Avoid them.

3. In the context of a typical Western diet, shifting some of your fat intake from saturated fats (from animals) to polyunsaturated fats (from vegetable oils) appears to have some advantages in terms of heart health. But I would argue that monounsaturated fats (olive oil) and omega-3 fat (fish and flax) are even better replacement

s."

Fatty foods may cause cocaine-like addiction - CNN.com

Fatty foods may cause cocaine-like addiction - CNN.com:

"A new study in rats suggests that high-fat, high-calorie foods affect the brain in much the same way as cocaine and heroin. When rats consume these foods in great enough quantities, it leads to compulsive eating habits that resemble drug addiction, the study found.

Doing drugs such as cocaine and eating too much junk food both gradually overload the so-called pleasure centers in the brain, according to Paul J. Kenny, Ph.D., an associate professor of molecular therapeutics at the Scripps Research Institute, in Jupiter, Florida."

BBC News - 'Good fat' cuts heart risk by a fifth, study shows

BBC News - 'Good fat' cuts heart risk by a fifth, study shows:

"The Harvard Medical School reports adds weight to the growing evidence about polyunsaturated fats, found in some fish and vegetable oils.

The team analysed the findings from eight previous studies, covering more than 13,000 people, in their research.

Experts said cutting down on saturated fats, found in butter and meat, was just one part of a healthy diet.

It is recommended that adults get no more than 11% of their energy from saturated fats."

Low Levels Of Vitamin D Linked To Muscle Fat, Decreased Strength In Young People

Low Levels Of Vitamin D Linked To Muscle Fat, Decreased Strength In Young People:

"A ground-breaking study published in the March 2010 Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found an astonishing 59 per cent of study subjects had too little Vitamin D in their blood. Nearly a quarter of the group had serious deficiencies (less than 20 ng/ml) of this important vitamin. Since Vitamin D insufficiency is linked to increased body fat, decreased muscle strength and a range of disorders....."

Vitamin D is relatively hard to get from food. Here are some sources.

Vitamins stored in bathrooms, kitchens may become less effective

Vitamins stored in bathrooms, kitchens may become less effective:

"High humidity present in bathrooms and kitchens could be degrading the vitamins and health supplements stored in those rooms, even if the lids are on tight, a Purdue University study shows."

Observations: Another reason vitamin D is important: It gets T cells going

Given that most are Vit D deficient, this one has big implications:

Observations: Another reason vitamin D is important: It gets T cells going:

"Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a rapidly expanding inventory of ailments—including heart disease, cancer and the common cold. A new discovery demonstrates how the vitamin plays a major role in keeping the body healthy in the first place, by allowing the immune system's T cells to start doing their jobs."

Letterman to Challenge 2010 NGA Best Bagger Champion on ‘Late Night’

Letterman to Challenge 2010 NGA Best Bagger Champion on ‘Late Night’:

"The Best Bagger National Championship, sponsored by Omaha, Neb.-based ConAgra Foods, Inc., is a yearlong, nationwide program in which the best-of-the-best grocery baggers in the country compete for prizes and the title of “America’s Best Bagger.” Contestants are judged on speed, bag-building technique, weight distribution between bags, and style, attitude and appearance. As the winner, Perry took home “bagging rights” as well as the $10,000 grand prize, the “Golden Grocery Bag' trophy, and additionally won the Pan-Oston “Best Bagger Golden Lane” for his organization.

This year’s competition also made a change in the type of bags used within competition: for the first time, reusable bags were used instead of paper and plastic. This change was in response to the increase in consumer popularity of reusable bags around the country."

Medical News: Happy People May Have Better Heart Health - in Cardiovascular, Atherosclerosis from MedPage Today

Medical News: Happy People May Have Better Heart Health - in Cardiovascular, Atherosclerosis from MedPage Today:

"Individuals who find joy, excitement, and contentment in their daily lives may be protected from cardiovascular disease, researchers found.

Higher levels of positive affect, a measure of happiness, were associated with a significantly lower risk of having a cardiovascular event over a 10-year period (P=0.02), according to Karina Davidson, PhD, of Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, and colleagues."

Area counties get low rankings in health study : Home: The Buffalo News

Area counties get low rankings in health study : Home: The Buffalo News:

"The results placed Niagara, Cattaraugus, Erie and Allegany counties among the bottom 11 counties. Ontario ranked fifth. Putnam County was first, and the Bronx was last.

The report also combined a set of 23 factors that affect health. These included smoking, diet, exercise, alcohol use, access to health care, employment, income, air quality and number of liquor stores."

Aspirin boosts breast cancer survival rate

From Physorg: Aspirin boosts breast cancer survival rate:

"An observational study of 4,164 women diagnosed with breast cancer showed those taking aspirin in the period after diagnosis had a much lower rate of recurrence, and a much higher survival rate than those who did not."

Gee, what won't aspirin do?

Soft Drinks Could Boost Pancreatic Cancer Risk - US News and World Report

Soft Drinks Could Boost Pancreatic Cancer Risk - US News and World Report:

"'Soft drinks are linked with a higher risk of pancreatic cancer,' said Noel Mueller, lead author of a study appearing in the February issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. 'We can't speculate too much on the mechanism because this is an observational study, but the increased risk may be working through effects of the hormone insulin.'

Still, the report should not cause undue alarm, some say.

'The study was well designed but smaller than some previous studies that did not find a link between sugar-sweetened soft drinks and pancreatic cancer,' noted Eric Jacobs, strategic director of pharmacoepidemiology at the American Cancer Society. 'Direct evidence linking sugar-sweetened soft drinks to pancreatic cancer remains limited.'"

Soup Therapy: Detoxify, Lose Weight, and Boost Immunity on Yahoo! Health

Soup Therapy: Detoxify, Lose Weight, and Boost Immunity on Yahoo! Health:

"A healing soup can be your first step in maintaining your health and preventing illness. The therapeutic value of soup comes from the ease with which your body can assimilate the nutrients from the ingredients, which have been broken down by simmering."

Study: Cutting Salt Intake Would Boost Nation’s Health - Health News - Health.com

Study: Cutting Salt Intake Would Boost Nation’s Health - Health News - Health.com:

"The number of heart attacks in the U.S. could decline by up to 13% if adults could just slash their daily salt intake by 3 grams, or about 1,200 milligrams of sodium, according to the study, which was published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. New cases of heart disease and the number of strokes could also be expected to decline, by up to 11% and 8%, respectively.

To achieve a similar reduction in heart attacks and other heart-related problems, the researchers estimate, nationwide tobacco use would need to be halved. Alternatively, obese adults would need to reduce their body mass index by 5%,"

Friendly bacteria love the humble apple

Friendly bacteria love the humble apple:

"'In our study we found that rats eating a diet high in pectin, a component of dietary fiber in apples, had increased amounts of certain bacteria that may improve intestinal health,' said co-researcher Andrea Wilcks. 'It seems that when apples are eaten regularly and over a prolonged period of time, these bacteria help produce short-chain fatty acids that provide ideal pH conditions for ensuring a beneficial balance of microorganisms. They also produce a chemical called butyrate, which is an important fuel for the cells of the intestinal wall.'"