Heart Healthy Benefits of Yogurt

Yogurt cuts the risk of a stroke for women. Women who eat at least a half a cup of yogurt each day appear to be less likely to develop a buildup of plague in the vessels that supply the blood to their brains. That in turn may lead to reduced risks for stroke, heart attack, and other health related issues such as heart disease, and diabetes. Thick plague in the carotid arteries creates less space for the blood to travel through the blood vessels of the body. In addition to lower carotid artery thickness, women who ate up to a cup of yogurt per day were found to have higher levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.

The Multiple Benefits of Antioxidants

Two new studies highlight the advantages of taking daily multivitamin/mineral supplements. An 11 year study of nearly 24,000 Germans found that those who were taking antioxidant vitamin supplements at the start of the trial were significantly less likely to die of cancer and other causes. And in France adults who received daily supplementation with vitamin C, beta carotene, vitamin E, selenium, and zinc for eight years had better memory scores several years later than those who received a placebo.

How Massage treatment Beats Meds for Back Pain

A new study conducted by the Group Health Research Institute of Seattle suggests that massage therapy may be better than conventional medicine alone when it comes to treating back pain. Researchers recruited 400 patients with chronic back pain and found that those receiving a series of either relaxation or structional massage spent fewer days in bed and were more active then those receiving there usual medical care ranging from painkillers to anti inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants to physical therapy. Lead study author Daniel Cherin, director of the institute concluded "if your having continuing problems with back pain, even after trying usual medical care, massage may be be a good thing to do. I think that the results are pretty strong"It has also been well documented that massage has many other additional benefits as well for example massage helps to improve our circulation which is very beneficial in relieving sore and tired muscles as well as any aches and pains that are associated with every day use. Funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the U.S. National Institutes of health, this study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Taking Steps Against Diabetes

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, a reminder that by taking the necessary steps, many Americans can prevent incurring the disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 79 million of us have pre - diabetes and may develop diabetes later in life. For example I am at risk for diabetes myself because of my family history. New research suggests that inactivity along with eating foods that are high in refined sugars impairs the body's ability to control your blood sugar levels and may play a major role in the development of type 2 diabetes.

We now have evidence that physical activity is an important part of the daily maintenance of glucose levels,' advices John Thyfault, Ph D, an assistant professor at the University of Missouri - Columbia, whose new study monitored the activity levels and diets of healthy and moderately active young adults. He concluded that, "Even in the short term, reducing daily activity and ceasing regular exercise causes acute changes in the body associated with diabetes, which can occur before weight gain and the development of obesity."

The CDC reports that 25 percent of Americans have inactive lifestyles, taking fewer than 5,000 steps per day, instead of the recommended 10,000 steps. Seventy - five percent do not meet the weekly exercise recommendations of 150 minutes of moderate activity combined with a muscle - strengthening activity twice a week.

While regular exercise is crucial in preventing the disease, so is diet. Research led by scientist Patrice Carter at the University of Leicester, in England has found that cutting down on high fat , high sugar foods and refined grains while eating more leafy greens vegetables can significantly reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Her study, published online in the British Medical Journal, states that an extra serving of green leafy vegetables a day can reduce the risk of diabetes by 14 percent in the average person.

THE NEW COCONUT OIL

Most of the older studies that gave coconut oil a bad rap involved partially hydrogenated oil which is loaded with trans-fatty acids. But the unrefined virgin coconut oil now available in many health food stores is not chemically treated and is trans - fat free. According to the American Diabetic Association which is a non profit organization of nutritionists, explains that the main saturated that is in virgin coconut oil is lauric acid, a medium chain fatty acid that can help increase levels of HDL (good cholesterol).

Go Loco for Cocoa

Science indicates that cocoa possesses impressive disease fighting properties. It appears to help reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, hypertension, high cholesterol and even cancer. Cocoa comsumption is also associated with reduced cognitive decline of old age. The Kune indians of Panama experience very low blood pressure, live longer than other Panamanians, and experience less heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. One outstanding feature of their diet includes a very high intake of cocoa.

Today people have many options in how they consume cocoa. They can eat high cocoa content chocolate bars, use organic cocoa powder, or take hogh flavanol cocoa supplements.

Living Abroad Boosts Creativity

Students that have lived abroad appear to be more creative than their peers that have not had such an experience, according to a study in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Enhanced Creativity was linked directly to the students" open minded approach in adapting to a new culture in another country. The results indicated that multicultural learning is a critical component of the adaptation process which acts as a catalyst for creativity.