Dec

22

5 strategies you can adopt today to prevent heart disease

December 22, 2006 | Comments Off

Heart disease may be the leading cause of death for both men and women, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept it as your fate. Although you lack the power to change some risk factors — such as family history, age and race — you can always control your lifestyle choices.
Take steps to avoid […]

Dec

22

Cutting back on cigarettes may not cut risks

December 22, 2006 | Comments Off

Heavy smokers who cut down on cigarettes may actually do little to reduce their exposure to toxic tobacco compounds, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that a group of heavy smokers who cut down to as few as five cigarettes per day still inhaled many more toxic substances than people who were long-term light smokers.

Dec

22

The Cholesterol Connection

December 22, 2006 | Comments Off

There’s no denying that a healthy diet is the first line of defense against rising cholesterol. “If you eat a predominantly plant-based diet—with lots of fruits and vegetables plus some fish—you are on the right track to keeping your cholesterol at a healthy level,” says Lisa Dorfman, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American […]

Dec

22

10 Ways to Help Boost Your Good Cholesterol

December 22, 2006 | Comments Off

At the risk of sounding like a certain 20-something socialite, HDL is hot! Recent advances in research have brought more attention to the blood lipid (or fat) we often call "good" cholesterol.
"Good" cholesterol doesn’t refer to the cholesterol we eat in food, but to the high density lipoprotein cholesterol circulating in our blood. It’s one […]

Dec

22

U.S. wants prominent warnings on pain relievers

December 22, 2006 | Comments Off

health officials said on Tuesday they want more visible side-effect warnings on the packages of over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
Acetaminophen carries a risk of liver damage, while aspirin and other products called NSAIDs may cause stomach bleeding. Both complications occur in only a small fraction of patients, but can be deadly.

Dec

22

Brain can repair alcohols damage

December 22, 2006 | Comments Off

Excessive drinking can damage brain cells but the brain can repair some of the harm, a team of international researchers said on Monday.
But they warned alcoholics should get sober as quickly as possible because the longer they continue to drink heavily, the less likely their brains will be able to regenerate.
"The core message from this […]

Dec

22

Liquid calories add up at mealtime

December 22, 2006 | Comments Off

People who want to cut down on calories might be wise to trade in their regular soda for a diet version, a study suggests.
In mealtime tests with 33 adults, researchers at Pennsylvania State University found that diners ate as much food when they were given a sugary soft drink as they did when they drank […]

Dec

22

The Case Against Soda

December 22, 2006 | Comments Off

For most of her life, Abbey Arndt, 33, has been a soda addict.
In the middle of the morning, she’d indulge her first craving of the day with a trip to the office refrigerator to grab one of the free sodas her company supplied. Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, cherry soda—it didn’t matter, she was an equal-opportunity […]

Dec

22

Too Much Exercise Not So Good

December 22, 2006 | Comments Off

Robert Irwin boosted his running to 80 miles a week when he was in his 20s. It felt good, until it started feeling bad.
"I really started to break down," said Irwin, now 34. "I got plantar fasciitis in both my feet, ended up getting bone spurs. I had a really bad hamstring that hampered me […]

Dec

14

Folic acid won’t cut heart, stroke risk, study says

December 14, 2006 | Comments Off

Taking a folic acid supplement does not cut the risk of heart disease or stroke in people with a history of cardiovascular ailments, according to a study published on Tuesday.
Folic acid, also called folate, is a B vitamin. The body uses it to make new cells. Some doctors have recommended the vitamin to ward off […]

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