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      Many benefits have been associated with the use of green tea. The study reviewed here examined the effect of a green tea extract on cardiovascular risk factors (Nantz MP, et al. 2009). A standardized green tea extract was used to eliminate the variables of both the quality...

Most people believe that high fat meals are not healthy. What is not that well known are the immediate effects of a high fat meal on the function of blood vessels. The study reviewed is very interesting because it investigated the acute impairments of a high fat meal on endothelial...

A lot of people know that a low glycemic index diet and exercise is important when it comes to reducing the risk for type 2 diabetes. The research reviewed here documented two other factors also affecting the risk of diabetes that most people are probably not aware of. One of...

Numerous studies have documented the benefits of glucosamine sulfate when it comes to supporting the cartilage and decreasing pain from osteoarthritis. Researchers at the University of Washington recently evaluated if glucosamine and chondroitin as well as a number of other supplements were associated with total mortality (Pocobelli G, et al....

The research reviewed here included several studies with specific inclusion criteria and a total of 1,218,380 individuals (Micha R, et al. 2010). This was a very large study and not only did it include processed meat, but also the relationship of red unprocessed meat and total meat consumption with the...

More and more evidence is accumulating, documenting the importance of sufficient vitamin D. The research reviewed here evaluated vitamin D levels in men and women aged 65 years and older as it related to depression (Milaneschi Y, et al. 2010). Depressive symptoms were assessed at the start of the study...

  Resveratrol is known to have antioxidant properties and promote vasodilation (opening of blood vessels) thereby improving circulation. The study referred to here was designed to evaluate blood flow to the brain since that is an important aspect of brain function (Kennedy DO, et al. 2010). The study participants were...

A lot of research is now documenting a variety of health benefits from drinking green tea or taking a capsule of green tea extract. The research reviewed here investigated the effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major active ingredient in green tea, on fat oxidation in obese men (Thielecke F, et...

It may look strange to you that eating more fat may decrease cardiovascular disease, but decreasing saturated fat and increasing polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) can provide health benefits. Polyunsaturated fats are found in vegetables, nuts, seeds and avocados, which are mostly omega 6 fats. PUFA from flax seeds and cold water...

Vitamin D is important for many reasons and deficiencies are also very common. The study reviewed here is interesting, since it examined the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and fat infiltration in muscle (Gilsanz V, et al. 2000). 25OHD is the most common way of testing to determining vitamin...

  Magnesium is important for many reasons because it maintains genomic stability and is an essential cofactor for DNA synthesis and repair. It has now been documented that higher dietary intake of magnesium may decrease the risk of colorectal cancer in men (Ma E, et al. 2010). The study included...

A lot of research has documented the anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular protective benefits of omega 3 fatty acids. The study reviewed here is interesting because it measured an almost immediate benefit after eating an omega 3 rich meal (Chong MF, et al. 2010). 12 men and 13 women participated in the...

Many benefits have been associated with green tea consumption. The polyphenols in green tea may also be preventive against various cancers. Regular consumption of green tea and breast cancer risk was evaluated recently (Shrubsole MJ, et al. 2009). Compared with nondrinkers, regular drinking of green tea was associated with a...

    Being happy certainly makes life more enjoyable both for ourselves and other people we come in contact with. It may also help protect us from serious diseases. In a large study which included 14,916 person-years of observation, the researchers investigated that being happy could help prevent coronary heart...

Cognitive decline and Alzheimer disease are getting more common as more people are living longer. This is not a good trend and it is something to think about especially since research has now shown that there is something you can do to help prevent it. Both physical activity and what...

  Many people spend several hours daily watching television and in addition to that sit the major part of the day at work. The effects of both sitting time and TV viewing were investigated in 2,761 women and 2,103 men by measuring waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), resting blood...

    The study referred to here investigated the association of vitamin B-6 status with markers of inflammation and oxidative stress (Shen J, et al., 2010). The results showed a strong dose-response relation of vitamin B-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory marker. Increased levels of vitamin B-6 were significantly...

Green tea has been reported to provide many beneficial effects. The study referred to here was related to depression and included 1,058 Japanese individuals aged 70 years or more (Niu K., et al. 2009). In this study group, 34.1% was found to have mild and severe depressive symptoms and 20.2%...

          Flax seed consumption provides several health benefits. Ground flax seeds have also shown to help regulate estrogen metabolism by increasing the favorable estrogen metabolite 2-hydroxyestrone, but not the more active and potentially harmful 16alpha-hydroxyestrone (Brooks JD, et al. 2004). This results in a healthier ratio...

You can get a good start in the new year by implementing some healthy behaviors. One thing that will give you a good start in the morning and make it easier to lose weight or stay at a healthy weight is a high nutrient very low glycemic index breakfast. Don’t...