FOLATE AND ALZHEIMER’S Higher intake of the nutrient folate may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 did not yield the same benefit, found a study published January 8. The study, led by Jose Luchsinger, PhD of Columbia University Medical Center in New York, looked at 965 people aged […]

AIR FRESHENERS POSE ASTHMA RISK A recent study by the US National Institutes of Health looked at 11 chemical compounds given off by household products such as air fresheners, toilet deodorizers and mothballs and found no connection with health problems—with one notable exception: a gas known as 1,4-dichlorobenzene or 1,4-DCB that may be linked to […]

PAIR CERTAIN FOODS TO BEAT CANCER Evidence announced by the American Institute for Cancer Research on October 23, 2006 seems to suggest that phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables may work synergistically. That is, the combined effect of some pairs of produce items may be much greater than the total benefit from each separately. As one […]

VITAMIN D LINKED TO HEALTHY LUNGS A study by researchers from the University of Auckland has shown that vitamin D may play a role in keeping lungs healthy. The exact connection between the vitamin and lung health is unclear. For that reason, more study is needed to draw hard conclusions. However, over 14,000 subjects were […]

MINERAL DEFICIENCY LINKED TO ARTHRITIS Insufficient levels of selenium may raise the risk of knee osteoarthritis, according to new research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Scientists found that for every additional 1/10th ppm selenium in volunteers’ bodies, there was a 15-20% decrease in their risk of knee osteoarthritis. This work is […]

Pyramid Flips On Side After a five-year wait, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has finally updated its old food pyramid with food group bands running vertically across the pyramid instead of horizontally. The new version also has a staircase up one side representing the need for about 30 minutes of exercise daily. The new-look […]