Eating heart healthy means lower risk of heart attack
Low vitamin D levels may worsen lung function in smokers
Ensuring sufficient blood levels of vitamin D may reduce the risk of reduced lung function in smokers, suggests a new study from Harvard and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Our results suggest that vitamin D might modify the damaging effects of smoking on lung function – Dr Nancy Lange
Data from 626 men indicated that vitamin D deficient smokers had a lower lung function than smokers with sufficient levels of the sunshine vitamin, according to findings published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Our most novel and important finding was the interaction between vitamin D deficiency and smoking in the effect on lung function, both in cross-sectional models examining level of lung function, and longitudinal models examining rates of lung function decline over time, wrote the researchers, led by Nancy Lange, MD, from Brigham and Womens Hospital.
These results suggest that vitamin D potentially mitigates the damaging effects of smoking on lung function. In additional exploratory analyses, we noted that we had similar findings of the protective effect of vitamin D sufficiency on FEV1 [forced expiratory volume at one second a measure of lung function,] decline when subjects with COPD were excluded, implying that smokers who have not yet developed COPD may have the potential for protection based on vitamin D status.”
Todays eggs are more nutritious then 30 years ago
Eggs produced today contain 75% more vitamin D and double the amount of selenium than eggs produced 30 years ago, according to a new study led by the Institute of Food Research’s Food Databanks National Capability. Today’s eggs also contain about 20% less fat, more than 20% less saturated fat, 13% fewer calories and more than 10% less cholesterol than previous surveys suggested.
The data, produced by the UK Foodcomp project consortium and funded by the Department of Health (DOH) as part of its rolling program of nutrient analysis surveys, provides the first update on the nutrient content of eggs since the 1980s. Changes to the egg data reflect improvements in the feed given to chickens, an increase in average egg size, and improvements to methods of analysis.
“Eggs are a valuable component of a healthy diet,” said Paul Finglas, head of the Food Databanks National Capability based on Norwich Research Park.“Our new data shows that their composition is in line with changes in egg production and these changes could have positive health benefits.”
An average medium egg now contains 66 calories (compared to the previous figure of 78 calories) and an average large egg 77 calories (previously 91 calories). The average medium egg now contains around 177 mg of cholesterol.
Calcium Intake Linked to Heart Attack
Mixed vitamin E may support blood vessel health in healthy adults
Short-term supplementation with vitamin E may support the function of cells lining blood cells from potential damage during the increase in blood sugar levels after eating, says a new study.
Five days of supplementation with a gamma-tocopherol-rich mixture of tocopherols maintained vascular endothelial function – the function of the cells lining blood vessels, according to findings published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry .
The vitamin E supplement was also associated with supporting blood flow in the arteries and a reduction in increases of malondialdehyde (MDA – a reactive carbonyl compound and a well-established marker of oxidative stress).
This study demonstrates that short-term gamma-tocopherol-rich mixture of tocopherols supplementation in healthy men maintains vascular endothelial function that is otherwise impaired by postprandial hyperglycemia likely by decreasing lipid peroxidation […] without affecting inflammatory responses,” report researchers from the University of Connecticut (USA) and Changwon National University (South Korea).
Lack of sleep reduces vaccine effectiveness, study suggests
A wide body of research suggests that those who don’t get enough sleep — fewer than six or seven hours a night — are more likely to develop a chronic disease such as diabetes or respiratory infections. Now a new study from the University of Pittsburgh suggests that those who are sleep-deprived also don’t get the full immune response from vaccinations, which could leave them susceptible to diseases that they’re vaccinated against.
The study published this week in the journal Sleep examined the immune responses in 125 adults ages 40 to 60 who received a vaccine against hepatitis B and found that those who slept fewer than six hours a night around the time they received the vaccine had a higher risk — 11.5 times higher — of remaining unprotected from the virus six months later than those who slept seven or more hours a night.
Nearly 15 percent of the study participants failed to obtain protection from the vaccine six months after they received all three injections in the series.
Superfoods loaded with probiotics deliver a variety of flavors and span seven food groups
Good nutrition includes eating fresh organic foods, and also means getting a healthy supply of “friendly” bacteria, or probiotics, to maintain balance in the intestinal tract. Although you could take a digestive supplement, a better choice is to eat selectively fermented foods that supply tons of friendly microflora to promote better gastrointestinal health. Some people turn their noses up at the thought of eating fermented foods. However, you may be surprised to learn that fermented foods come from every food group, including water; and, offer a wide rage of flavor profiles to suit everyone’s tastes.
Why probiotics?
Proper digestion and gut health nourishes the body’s systems, fostering physical integrity of the intestinal lining. When healthy flora is out of balance, unfriendly bacteria and fungi like candida grow rampantly — often becoming systemic and compromising the immune system. The result is autoimmune and inflammatory disease such as MS, Lupus, Crohn’s, allergies, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, IBD and other degenerative diseases. Poor gut health also produces symptoms of chronic diarrhea, flatulence, depression and ADHD. Eating fermented foods seals the lining of the gut, restoring its proper function.
How to Gain Huge Muscles
Exercise Makes You More Excited and Enthusiastic
Need some extra gusto to push through the end of the day? A new study found suggests people who get at least 15 minutes of physical activity during the day are more likely to act more enthusiastic or excited than those who are less active.
Nearly 200 students at Penn State University kept a daily diary for eight days, noting any physical activity of 15 minutes or more, the amount and quality of their sleep, and overall mental state. Researchers found that active people experienced positive, high-energy emotions (like enthusiasm! and excitement!) more often than their less active peers.
Because the study was solely observational and didn’t ask participants to alter their lifestyles, lead study author Amanda Hyde suggests the findings reflect a natural and ongoing phenomenon, rather than a short-lived effect. More good news: Researchers propose once people experience this feel-good effect from a workout, they may be more encouraged to keep working out for the long haul.
Getting Drunk May Unleash Creativity
It may help to crack open a beer before sitting down to write that memoir. A recent study suggestsbeing a little drunk could really help get those creative juices flowing[1].
Wish we’d signed up to volunteer: Twenty participants sipped vodka-cranberries until their blood alcohol content reached .075, which happens after an average of three drinks (or probably one Long Island Iced Tea). Then they munched on a bagel, which the study authors note is a normal procedure in alcohol studies. Another 20 people didn’t eat or drink at all. All participants viewed a film and then completed a set of word problems that analyze creativity. Researchers found people who ate and drank performed better and faster on the test.
Lead study author Andrew Jarosz believes it’s the booze, and not the bagel, that caused the extra creativity: “Even after normalizing the food participants have eaten before the study, previous research has still found differences between sober controls and intoxicated participants. Based on this research, we feel that it is safe to presume the effects we found are due to alcohol, and not the bagel.”
