Daily Health News Blog

Life looks a little rosier after 50, a new study finds. Older people in their mid- to late-50s are generally happier, and experience less stress and worry than young adults in their 20s, the researchers say. The results, based on a Gallup phone survey from 2008 of more than 340,000 Americans, held even after the researchers accounted for factors that could have contributed to differences in well-being with age, such as whether the participants were married, had children at home or were employed. So if having a partner and getting rid of the kids aren't responsible for the uptick in happiness and general life satisfaction with age, then what is? More studies will be needed to find out, the researchers say. "That can be based on social things, on societal things, on biological things; and for us that is the big question," study researcher Arthur Stone, a psychologist at Stony Brook University in N.Y. Two ways to look at life The findings agree with

Low-dose resveratrol may slow aging Resveratrol, a polyphenol found in red wine, may mimic the effects of calorie restriction and inhibit various aspects of the aging process, according to a new study. The study adds to a growing body of research linking resveratrol and red wine consumption to a range of beneficial health effects, including brain and mental health and cardiovascular health. Red wine and resveratrol have been lauded as the answer to the “French paradox,” the question that asks why people who live in some regions of France where diets are soaked with saturated fats and washed down with a glass of wine, have a low incidence of heart disease. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies with resveratrol suggest that the compound may help prevent the negative effects of high-calorie diets and have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer potential. Critics of resveratrol’s benefits state that in order to gain support from dietary sources, one would have to drink 350

Magnesium May Decrease Colon Cancer Risk in Men Increased intakes of magnesium may reduce a man's risk of colon cancer by 50%, according to a new observational study from Japan. Intakes of the mineral of at least 327 mg per day were found to reduce the risk of colon cancer by 52%, compared to intakes of less than 238 mg per day. No benefits were observed in women. The findings were published in the Journal of Nutrition . Being an epidemiological study, the findings do not prove causality, and additional studies, particularly randomized trials, are needed to confirm the findings, said researchers from Japan's National Cancer Center in Tokyo. Dietary sources of magnesium include green, leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains, nuts, and milk. Earlier dietary surveys show that many adults do not meet the RDA for magnesium (320 mg per day for women and 420 mg per day for men). The Japanese researchers recruited 87,117 people with an average age of 57 and follow

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