Daily Health News Blog

This recipe makes about six half pints. 2 1/2  pounds ripe Anjou or Bartlett pears, cored and chopped. 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple. 1/2  cup vinegar. 1/2  cup packed brown sugar. 1 cup golden raisins. 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger. 1 1/2  teaspoons salt. 2 cloves garlic, crushed. 1/2  teaspoon each, cayenne pepper, ground cloves, ground cinnamon. 1/2  cup slivered almonds. Combine all ingredients except almonds. Bring to boil, cook and stir over low heat for 30 minutes, until thickened. Stir in almonds. Ladle into clean, hot half- pint canning jars, within 1/2 inch of tops. Seal according to manufacturer's directions. Place jars on rack in canner. Process 10 minutes in boiling-water bath with boiling water 2 inches above jar tops. Remove jars from canner, place on wire racks to cool. After 12 hours, test lids for proper seal.

This vitamin protects the heart. It controls the release of stress hormones that lead to  high blood pressure and inflammation. It can decrease the risk of colon cancer by half. A  study of post-menopausal women showed a 77 percent lower risk of all cancers among  those who took 1,000 mg of D plus calcium.  The role of vitamin D in bone health has been proven for some time, making the vitamin an  important factor in preventing osteoporosis. According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin D-fortified orange juice has joined  the short list of foods and beverages that contain vitamin D. This is good news for people  who don't drink much milk.  Vitamin D helps to prevent falls in older adults. While exercise is important in fall  prevention, vitamin D is more important.  Vitamin D is best known as essential for calcium uptake and the prevention of disease in  childhood. Since it was added to milk, rickets has largely disappeared.  Vitamin D could be a facto

WOMEN over 40 generally find it harder to lose weight and stay in shape. Hormonal changes, plus poor eating habits, accentuate the problems of slower metabolism, thicker waistlines and creeping weight gain. Though hormonal changes are inevitable for women over 40, there are healthy eating tips which women over 40 could follow to lose weight and stay in shape. Here are five healthy eating tips for women over 40: "Losing Weight Answers"

Want to live a longer, healthier and more successful life? An optimistic outlook can help you achieve all three. Researchers at Yale University say people who think positively live 7.5 years longer than those who don't. The effect was more important than lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. An optimistic outlook is not something you are born with. It's a character trait that can be achieved. If your outlook is generally gloomy, changing it to positive isn't easy. It takes work and repetition. When you are aware of your feelings, decide to be positive instead of negative. It might feel as if you are faking optimism, but after a while the optimism will be real. Motivational author Charles Kovess says it's important to remember that you are bound to meet negative people. Don't let them throw you off course. He recommends being grateful for all experiences because we grow stronger by getting through the negatives. Our actions are the results of our be

Store shelves are crowded with antimicrobial products. Some can help prevent disease, but often there are less-drastic cleaning methods that will be just as effective and less harsh.  Antibacterial household cleansers: When used as directed (with rubber gloves in a well-ventilated room), these are your best tools against the bacteria, viruses, and fungi that flourish on kitchen and bathroom fixtures, counters and sink drains.  Germ busters at the University of Arizona say regularly disinfecting curbs the chance that one person's cold or flu will spread to others. They also say that a bucket of water with a half cup of bleach gives you the same effect, but isn't as convenient as a spray bottle.  Hand soaps: A 20-second scrub with plain soap and water sends about 96 percent of viruses and bacteria down the drain. Antibacterial soaps are a little better because they leave a chemical residue on hands that slows bacterial growth and wipes out another one percent of harmful bu

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