Daily Health News Blog

What Should You Believe About Salt? A high salt intake and high blood pressure (hypertension) have been linked for many years, not only by scientific research but in the minds of many health-conscious people. However, the furor about trans fat and carbs has moved salt way down on the list of our dietary villains. Only a few people (7%, according to one survey) ever bother to check labels for salt anymore. As concern has faded, people have been eating more salt. Since the early 1980s, U.S. per capita salt intake has risen by about 50%. In large part, this is because Americans have turned increasingly toward takeout and restaurant meals, fast foods, prepared foods, and snacking. Low-sodium foods don’t sell well. Most packaged foods and restaurant meals are salty—not just at McDonald’s, but also elegant meals on white tablecloths. Portion sizes have increased dramatically, along with the prevalence of obesity and high blood pressure. No connection with salt intake, says the

Scientists in Palermo, Italy claim that cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) fruit consumption decreases oxidative stress in healthy humans. In fact, they found that cactus pear fruit positively affects the body's redox balance (helping maintain a healthy oxidative balance), decreases oxidative damage to lipids and improves antioxidant status in healthy humans. In a randomized, crossover, double-treatment study, 18 healthy volunteers received either 250 g of fresh cactus fruit pulp or 75 mg of vitamin C twice daily for two weeks. Then after a six-week break, they switched. Their blood was analyzed both before and after each two-week session. Researchers found that both the cactus pear and vitamin C supplement groups had higher vitamin C and E levels. However, after eating cactus pear fruit, volunteers had more signs of antioxidant effects than the vitamin C group. Researchers weren't sure why vitamin E levels went up since neither cactus pear nor vitamin C supplements are a

For people who embark on weight-loss programs, keeping weight off is even harder than losing it. A new study found that about five hours of exercise per week makes it easier for overweight women who lose weight to keep it off. Prescription for weight loss The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, included 201 overweight and obese women from 21 to 45 years old. The women were instructed to limit calories to 1,200 to 1,500 per day, and calories from fat to 20 to30% of total intake. Participants were divided into groups that engaged in four different levels of exercise intensity. Extra support was provided through regular support group meetings and telephone check-in calls with members of the intervention team. They were followed for two years. The women lost an average of 17.8 pounds (8.1 kg) in the first six months, but only 9.2 pounds (4.2 kg) remained off after two years. Energy expenditure through exercise similarly increased early in the study, but dropped ba

Adding soluble fiber to the diet may improve symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but insoluble fiber may worsen the effects, according to a new study. Sufferers of IBS assigned to receive a soluble fiber supplement (psyllium) experienced a 90-point reduction in the severity of their symptoms, almost double the levels observed in the placebo group. Reductions of 58 points in the severity of symptoms in the group assigned bran were noted, but this group experienced a high level of early drop-out following a worsening of IBS. “In this randomized trial in primary care patients with irritable bowel syndrome, psyllium resulted in a significantly greater proportion of patients reporting adequate relief of symptoms compared with placebo supplementation,” researchers wrote in the British Medical Journal . The precise numbers of people living with IBS in the United States are not known, as many people with mild symptoms do not consult a physician, but it

"A Better You" Your 7 days program to self-improvement I seem to lost count on how many times I've read and heard of celebrity marriages failing almost left and right. Not that I care (and personally I don't), it seems strange that we often see movie and TV stars as flawless people, living the fairytale life of riches and glamour. I suppose we all have to stop sticking our heads in the clouds and face reality. There are many ways to lose your sense of self-esteem despite of how trivial it could get. But whatever happens, we should all try not to lose our own sense of self. So what does it take to be a cut above the rest? Here are some of the things you can think and improve on that should be enough for a week. 1. Know your purpose Are you wandering through life with little direction - hoping that you'll find happiness, health and prosperity? Identify your life purpose or mission statement and you will have your own unique compass that will lead you to you

BBQ Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe courtesy of Santa Cruz Organic, a proud sponsor of Go Organic! for Earth Day Preparation facts Yield: 6 servings Ingredients 1 cup Santa Cruz Organic® Peanut Butter® 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 cup Santa Cruz Organic® 100% Lemon Juice garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp red pepper flakes 2 tsp ginger, finely chopped 2 1/2 lbs chicken breast, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 1/2 inch strips Directions Prepare marinade 2 hours before ready to grill by mixing the ingredients, except the chicken, in a blender until combined. Marinate the chicken for approximately 2 hours. Lightly oil medium-hot BBQ grill. Grill marinated chicken for 6-8 minutes per side. Nutrition facts Serving Size  1 serving Calories  305 Calories from Fat  154 (50%) % Daily Value* 26% Total Fat  17g 22% Saturated Fat  4.4g Polyunsaturated Fat  3g Monounsaturated Fat  5.7g 32% Cholesterol  96mg 19% Sodium  459mg 11% Potassium  384mg 1% Total Carbohydrate  4g 2%

Health Secrets of Red Wine are Uncovered “Although excessive consumption of ethanol in alcoholic beverages causes multi-organ damage, moderate consumption, particularly of red wine, is protective against all-cause mortality,” according to a study published online in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research . New research is uncovering the disease-prevention secrets of a polyphenol called resveratrol, one of the compounds in red wine that seems to improve health. Although the benefits have been touted for years, researchers weren’t sure how polyphenols, and resveratrol in particular, worked in the body. “The breadth of benefits is remarkable—cancer prevention, protection of the heart and brain from damage, reducing age-related diseases such as inflammation, reversing diabetes and obesity and many more,” said Lindsay Brown, an associate professor of the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia and co-author of the study in Alcoho