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."