Health and Fitness News

Welcome to the Stars Hollow Health and Fitness weekly diary. It will publish on Saturday afternoon and be open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.

Tomatoes  receive a lot of attention from nutritionists largely because of a phytonutrient called lycopene. Studies have long suggested that lycopene, which is contained in the red pigment, has antioxidant properties. Now growers are raising and marketing “high-lycopene” tomatoes. Indeed, a company based in Israel has developed a dried cherry tomato, which it is calling a “raisin tomato,” that contains almost 100 times the amount of lycopene in a regular cherry tomato.

I love this suggestion on preparing tomatoes for cooking from the author, Martha Rose Shulman

In many of this week’s recipes I’m using a technique that may be new to some of you. Rather than peeling, seeding and dicing the tomatoes, I grate them on the large holes of a box grater. This is a technique I learned in Greece; it’s used throughout the Mediterranean. Cut the tomatoes in half, squeeze out the seeds if instructed to do so, and rub the cut side against the grater. Don’t worry: the skin is tough and you won’t scrape your hands. When you feel the holes of the grater against the inside of the tomato skin, you’re done. It goes quickly, and it’s a nifty time-saver.

Gaining on death, cooling therapy catches on slowly

(Reuters Health) – It was a cold, drizzly March morning this year when Ed Sproull’s heart stopped beating.

At 58, he had arrived at work feeling fit and healthy. As he stepped into the elevator at De Lage Landen Financial Services in Wayne, Pennsylvania, he had no reason to suspect he would end up in a limbo between life and death.

He collapsed without a sound. He didn’t grab his chest, he didn’t indicate any pain or discomfort, he just closed his eyes and slumped down, coffee in hand. Unbeknownst to the colleague with him in the elevator, Sproull’s heart had entered a state of electric anarchy, no longer pumping out blood.

Responding to the 911 call from De Lage Landen, EMS Captain Chris Griesser of Berwyn Fire Company arrived less than 15 minutes later. He had to cut through a crowd to get to Sproull.

“We shocked him with the AED and we think we have a pulse,” one woman kneeling next to the body told Griesser. Sproull’s shirt had been ripped open, and electrodes from a so-called automated external defibrillator (AED) were glued to his chest. Within a few minutes of the cardiac arrest, a company employee trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) had jolted Sproull’s heart back to its normal rhythm.

Still, it was far from clear that Sproull would survive. He was in a deep coma and barely breathing. If he made it to the hospital alive, chances were his brain would be so profoundly damaged that he would never be able to live a normal life again.

In fact, the vast majority of the 300,000 Americans who suffer cardiac arrest every year die. Despite massive investments in research and technology, fewer than eight in 100 leave the hospital alive, a rate that has remained stagnant for almost 30 years. Even if the heart is restarted, only a minority make it. And of those who do, many end up in nursing homes with crippling brain injury.

Doctors say those statistics could change, however, if more people had access to a procedure called therapeutic hypothermia – cooling the body. As medical procedures go, it’s among the simplest: Chill the patient about six degrees Fahrenheit — using cold intravenous saline, cooling blankets or ice packs — and wait 24 hours; then re-warm the patient slowly and cross your fingers.

FACTBOX: How does cooling therapy work?

(Reuters Health) – How cooling works:

Cooling machines can be used to chill patients after cardiac arrest, and some doctors have also tested them on stroke and heart attack patients. None of these uses has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Some devices cool the body from the outside, via pads that circulate ice water; others use cold intravenous saline to chill the patient from within. To date, there is no consensus about the best cooling method.

Quitting smoking helps after serious heart attack damage

(Reuters Health) – It’s never too late for smokers to do their hearts good by kicking the habit — even after a heart attack has left them with significant damage to the organ’s main pumping chamber, a new study suggests.

Past studies have found that smokers who kick the habit after suffering a heart attack have a lower rate of repeat heart attacks and live longer than their counterparts who continue to smoke.

But little has been known about the benefits of quitting among heart attack patients left with a complication called left ventricular (LV) dysfunction — where damage to the heart’s main pumping chamber significantly reduces its blood-pumping efficiency.

So it has been unclear whether that dysfunction might “drown out” the heart benefits of smoking cessation, said Dr. Amil M. Shah, the lead researcher on the new study and a staff cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

New Drug May Treat Advanced Melanoma

No Cure, but Study Shows New Melanoma Drug Far Better Than Standard Treatment

Aug. 25, 2010 — It’s no cure, and it works only for about half of melanoma patients, but a new drug extends progression-free survival in patients dying of advanced melanoma.

The vast majority of patients with advanced, metastatic melanoma gain only a few months extra survival from standard treatment. But early tests show that an experimental drug, dubbed PLX4032 by Plexxikon and Roche Pharmaceuticals, offers far greater benefits.

The findings are particularly amazing as they come from a very early, phase I clinical trial. Study leader Keith T. Flaherty, MD, is director of developmental therapeutics at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Are allergies associated with heart disease?

(Reuters Health) – Common allergies that bring on wheezing, sneezing and watery eyes could be next to join the list of factors linked to heart disease, suggests a large new study.

However, the researchers stress that the findings do not prove that allergies actually cause heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S.

To look for ties between common allergic symptoms and heart disease, Dr. Jongoh Kim of Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and colleagues analyzed data on more than 8,600 adults aged 20 or older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 1988 and 1994.

First Biosynthetic Corneas Implanted

Nerve, Cell Regeneration Occurred in Nine of 10 Patients

Aug. 25, 2010 — Corneas made in the lab using genetically engineered human collagen could restore sight to millions of visually impaired people waiting for transplants from human donors, researchers say.

In a newly released study, investigators from Canada and Sweden reported results from the first 10 people in the world treated with the biosynthetic corneas.

Two years after having the corneas implanted, six of the 10 patients had improved vision. Nine of the 10 experienced cell and nerve regeneration, meaning that corneal cells and nerves grew into the implant.

Avandia: Less Risky in Younger, Healthier Patients?

Study Finds Avandia No Riskier Than Actos, Unlike 4 Other Studies

Aug. 24, 2010 — A study of patients enrolled in a large HMO finds no evidence that the diabetes drug Avandia is riskier than Actos, a similar medication.

The findings are in striking contrast to four other large studies with similar designs. Data from those studies suggest that Avandia increases risk of heart attack in younger patients and risk of death in older patients.

The new study isn’t entirely new. It’s an “enhanced version” of data presented to an FDA advisory committee in 2007. Like the earlier version, it finds Avandia is no riskier than Actos, says study author Debra A. Wertz, PharmD, of HealthCore Inc.

Migraines With Aura May Raise Stroke Risk

Study Shows Increased Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke for Migraines With Aura

Aug. 24, 2010 — Evidence is accumulating that migraines with aura — a transient visual or sensory disturbance, such as light flashes or zigzag patterns– may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Researchers have also found that migraine with aura seems to boost the risk of earlier death from any cause, including cardiovascular disease, compared to those who don’t have the condition, and that women with migraine with aura may be at increased risk for an additional type of stroke called hemorrhagic stroke.

The two new studies, both published in BMJ, add to the evidence of a suspected migraine-disease link. But both research teams say the findings should not alarm those who suffer migraine with aura because the risk is still low.

Poll: Patients Unhappy With Rx Drugs

Consumer Reports Survey Shows People Frustrated by Drug Costs and Worry About Safety

Aug. 24, 2010 — Nearly half of all Americans take at least one prescription drug on a regular basis, and they have concerns ranging from economics to safety to whether the doctor prescribing the drug is unduly influenced by pharmaceutical companies, according to a new poll.

Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted the poll, in which 2,022 adults aged 18 and older were surveyed by phone in May 2010.

”Consumers are not finding out about the safety issues of drugs,” says researcher John Santa, MD, MPH, director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center. The poll results also suggest people are concerned about the expense of drugs, and as a result, are sometimes not taking them as prescribed.

Since 2004, Santa tells WebMD, Consumer Reports has been following the prescription drug market from a consumer’s point of view, conducting surveys about prescribing practices and other factors.

Rectal Cancer on the Rise in Young People

Researchers Not Sure Why Rectal Cancer Incidence Is Increasing While Colon Cancer Rates Remain Steady

Aug. 23, 2010 — The incidence of rectal cancer increased 3.8% per year between 1984 and 2005 among people 40 and younger, according to a new study. The incidence of colon cancer remained unchanged.

Researchers led by Joshua Meyer, MD, a radiation oncologist at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registry to compare rectal cancer and colon cancer trends. Their findings were released online today and will appear in the Sept. 15 issue of Cancer, a journal of the American Cancer Society.

Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Autoimmune Diseases

Study Also Shows Lack of Vitamin D May Also Be Linked to Some Cancers

Aug. 23, 2010 — There is now biologic evidence to back up the belief that vitamin D may protect against autoimmune diseases and certain cancers.

A new genetic analysis lends support to the idea that the vitamin interacts with genes specific for colorectal cancer, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and other diseases, says Oxford University genetic researcher Sreeram Ramagopalan.

The study is published in Genome Research.

Antihistamine use linked to extra pounds

(Reuters Health) – People who use prescription antihistamines to relieve allergy symptoms may be more likely than non-users to carry excess pounds, a new study suggests, although the significance of the connection is not yet clear.

In a study of 867 U.S. adults, researchers at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, found that prescription antihistamine users were more likely to be overweight or obese than non-users were.

Cranberry Juice Fights Urinary Tract Infections Quickly

Study Shows Cranberry Juice Works Against Bacteria Within 8 Hours

Aug. 23, 2010 — Scientists report that within eight hours of drinking cranberry juice, the juice could help prevent bacteria from developing into an infection in the urinary tract.

Previous studies have suggested that the active compounds in cranberry juice are not destroyed by the digestive system after people drink them, but instead work to fight against bacteria, including E. coli. This latest study, presented at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston, affirms that and provides evidence of the medicinal value of cranberries.

The new research suggests that the beneficial substances in cranberry juice could reach the urinary tract and prevent bacterial adhesion within eight hours.

Egg Recall: FDA Finds Salmonella on Suspect Farms

Salmonella ID’d in Chicken Manure, Pullet Feed at Source of Recalled Eggs

Aug. 26, 2010 — The farms implicated in the nationwide egg recall are indeed contaminated with salmonella, FDA investigators find.

Fortunately, the FDA earlier this month pressured Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms — two Iowa facilities that are part of the same company — into voluntarily recalling over a half billion eggs. It’s by far the largest U.S. egg recall on record.

Now, for the first time, the FDA says its investigators have found salmonella in four samples from the suspect facilities:

   * a sample from chicken manure

   * a manure sample found on a barn walkway

   * a sample from chicken feed made at a pullet-raising facility that supplies hens to the two egg farms

   * a sample from a feed ingredient

FDA investigators are still testing hundreds of other samples. In a few days, they will file a full report on the extent of salmonella contamination at the facilities, Jeff Farrar, DVM, PhD, MPH, FDA associate commissioner for food protection, said at a news teleconference.

Recall of Deli Meat Sold at Walmart Stores

Products May Contain Bacteria That Cause Listeriosis

Aug. 24, 2010 — Zemco Industries of Buffalo, N.Y., has voluntarily recalled about 380,000 pounds of deli meat products distributed nationwide to Walmart stores because of possible contamination with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Such bacteria can cause listeriosis, a rare but potentially deadly disease.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) made the announcement today.

The meat was distributed to Walmart stores across the country, where it is used to make Marketside Grab and Go deli sandwiches.

New York most bedbug infested U.S. city: survey

(Reuters Life!) – New York has more unwanted nocturnal guests than other urban areas and has been named the most bedbug infested city in the United States.

It surpassed Philadelphia, Detroit, Cincinnati and Chicago, which rounded out the top five cities, according to extermination company Terminix, which compiled the list based on call volume to its offices around the country so far this year.

“In the past, offices might get a couple of calls a month for bedbug eradication,” said spokesman Clint Briscoe. “Now, some of them are getting several dozen a week.”

CDC backs away from decades-old flu death estimate

(Reuters) – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is backing away from its decades-old estimate of the number of people who die annually from seasonal flu, instead saying deaths vary widely from year to year.

Instead of the estimated 36,000 annual flu deaths in the United States — a figure often cited to encourage people to get flu shots — the actual number in the past 30 years has ranged from a low of about 3,300 deaths to a high of nearly 49,000, the CDC said on Thursday.

warns of nationwide cholera risk as 352 die

(Reuters) – Nigerian health authorities have warned of a nationwide cholera risk after the death toll from an outbreak concentrated largely in the north of Africa’s most populous nation rose to 352.

The health ministry said 6,437 cases had been reported across 11 of the country’s 36 states since June. It said heavy rains and flooding in rural areas where safe drinking water and sanitary facilities are scarce had fueled the outbreak.

“Although most of the outbreaks occurred in the northwest and northeast zones, epidemiological evidence indicates that the entire country is at risk,” the ministry said late on Wednesday in its latest update.

Weight loss cuts risk of pregnancy complication

(Reuters Health) – Losing the weight gained during pregnancy is a real struggle for many new mothers. But dropping just 10 pounds between pregnancies may help many women diagnosed with a dangerous complication during the first pregnancy to avoid a recurrence the second time around.

Preeclampsia, which is characterized by high blood pressure, protein in the urine and swelling, occurs in about 5 percent of American pregnancies every year.

“It can be more systemic than just high blood pressure. It can affect the liver, kidneys and the body’s blood clotting system,” Dr. Dorothea Mostello told Reuters Health. It’s one of the leading causes of maternal death in childbirth in the developed world, she added.

Mostello, based at the St. Louis School of Medicine, is lead author of a new study in the September issue of the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Herpes Drugs May Be Safe in Early Pregnancy

Certain Antivirals in the First Trimester Do Not Appear to Increase Risk of Birth Defects, Study Finds

Aug. 24, 2010 — Taking certain antiviral medications for herpes infections during the first three months of pregnancy does not increase a child’s risk of major birth defects, researchers report in this week’s issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.



The antiviral drugs acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir are often prescribed to treat herpes viral infections, such as herpes simplex virus (HSV). More than one in five pregnant women have antibodies in their blood to HSV, indicating a past or present infection.

Herpes antiviral medications are also used to treat herpes zoster infections, commonly known as shingles.

Stress May Raise Risk of Premenstrual Syndrome

Study Shows PMS Symptoms Could Be More Severe if Women Are Stressed Before Menstruation

Aug. 24, 2010 — Feeling stressed out in the weeks preceding your menstrual cycle may raise your risk for experiencing more severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, a study shows.

Women who reported high levels of stress in the two weeks before they got their period were two to three times more likely to experience depression, sadness, and crying spells as well as physical PMS symptoms such as body aches, bloating, low back pain, cramps, and headache, compared to women who did not feel stressed early on in their cycles.

The study appears in the Journal of Women’s Health.

Oesophageal cancer rates rise steeply in men

(Reuters) – Rates of oesophageal cancer in men have risen by 50 percent in Britain in a generation, an increase that is probably being driven in part by growing rates of obesity and poor diet, scientists said on Saturday.

As the “fat man of Europe,” Britain is seeing far higher rates of a type of oesophageal cancer called adenocarcinoma, which is related to obesity and eating a high saturated fat diet, researchers with the charity Cancer Research UK said.

Diabetes Has an Impact on Sex Life

Study Shows Diabetes Is Linked to Loss of Libido and Erectile Dysfunction

Aug. 27, 2010 — Middle aged and older adults are interested in sexual activity, but diabetes impairs libido and can result in erectile dysfunction, a new study shows.

Researchers in Chicago say men diagnosed with diabetes are more likely to express a lack of interest in sex, but also to experience erectile dysfunction.

Scientists at the University of Chicago Medical Center conducted a study of nearly 2,000 people between the ages of 57 and 85.

The study found that about 70% of men and 62% of women with diabetes and sexual partners were found to engage in sexual activity two or three times a month — comparable to people without diabetes.

Study: BPA Linked to Higher Testosterone Levels

Small Increase in Testosterone Levels in Men’s Blood After Exposure to Plastic Chemical

Aug. 26, 2010 — Men who are exposed to high levels of the controversial plastic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) may show a small, but significant increase in blood levels of the male sex hormone testosterone, a study shows. These testosterone levels still remained within the normal range.

The study is published in Environmental Health Perspectives.

Some preliminary research has linked elevated testosterone to an increased risk for heart disease and certain cancers, but whether BPA significantly affects testosterone and whether this has any effect on health remains unproven.

Older men’s testosterone varies by country, race

(Reuters Health) – New research shows older men’s sex hormone levels depend on both race and geographical location, casting further doubt on the criteria for “male menopause.”

More than a million testosterone prescriptions are being written in the U.S. every year, experts say, and many go to middle-aged and older men with stunted libido and depressed mood presumably caused by low levels of the male sex hormone.

Friendly bacteria help calm colicky babies

(Reuters Health) – Italian researchers offer some hopeful news for parents of colicky babies: a daily dose of “good” bacteria may help their child to cry less.

After three weeks of treatment with probiotic bacteria, babies cried for an average of about a half-hour a day, while infants who received a placebo were still crying for an hour and a half daily. At the study’s outset, babies in both groups were crying for five to six hours a day.

The cause of colic, traditionally defined as inconsolable crying for at least three hours a day, on at least three days in a week and lasting for at least three weeks, isn’t clear. It affects up to 28 percent of babies under three months of age, according to lead author Dr. Francisco Savino of Regina Margherita Children Hospital in Turin, Italy.

Sledding Accidents Land Thousands of Kids in ER

Study: More Than 20,000 Children Annually Treated in Hospital ER for Sledding Injuries

ug. 23, 2010 — Sledding is popular for only a portion of the year, yet it lands about 20,000 children in the emergency room each year, new research shows.

Researchers analyzed data for 1997-2007 from the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. They found an estimated 229,023 injuries serious enough for ER treatment in that time period among children under 19.

Kids’ concussions need follow-up after ER visit

(Reuters Health) – More than 100,000 U.S. children visit the emergency room for a concussion each year, with many discharged without instructions to get needed follow-up care, a new study suggests.

The findings, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, appear to be the first estimate of how many children are treated for concussions in U.S. ERs annually.

They also point to an important shortcoming in care: many parents may take their children home from the hospital without knowing they should follow-up with a visit to their pediatrician.

Youth Tobacco Use: Downward Trend Is Slowing

CDC Report Shows Current Cigarette Smoking by High School Students Is About 17%

Aug. 26, 2010 — Current tobacco use by middle and high school students has declined over the past decade, but this trend has slowed in recent years and more work is needed to combat the problem, the CDC says.

The CDC, reporting in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, says comprehensive anti-tobacco programs need more funding and that the federal government should enforce legislation that requires larger, graphic health warnings on cigarette packages and in advertisements.

Further, broader tobacco-free policies, tobacco tax increases, and advertisement restrictions would help further reduce both youth and adult tobacco use, the report says.

The analysis was based on data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey, a school-based study that collects information on tobacco use and related behaviors. In this study, 22,679 young people participated; they were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires each year from 2000 to 2009.

Type 2 Diabetes May Have Link to Alzheimer’s

Study Shows Insulin Resistance May Raise Risk of Brain Plaques Associated With Alzheimer’s

Aug. 25, 2010 — People with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes may be at increased risk for developing telltale brain plaques that are closely linked to Alzheimer’s disease, a study shows.

The new findings, which appear in the Aug. 25 issue of Neurology, may give more evidence of the connection between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

In insulin resistance, the hormone insulin, produced by the pancreas, becomes less effective in lowering blood sugar.  People with insulin resistance are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Berries May Slow Mental Decline From Aging

Study Shows Blueberries, Strawberries, and Acai Berries Are Good for Your Brain’s Health

Aug. 23, 2010 — Compounds found in various berries and possibly in walnuts may slow down natural aging processes in the brain, new research indicates.

What’s more, blueberries, strawberries, and acai berries may help the aging brain in a crucial but previously unrecognized way, according to a study presented at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston.

Scientists say they have found evidence that compounds in the berries and maybe walnuts activate the brain’s natural “housekeeper” mechanism that cleans up and recycles toxic proteins, which have been linked to age-related mental decline and memory loss.

“The good news is that natural compounds called polyphenols found in fruits, vegetables and nuts have an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect that may protect against age-associated decline,” Shibu Poulose, PhD, a scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Service’s Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, says in a news release.

Do Spouses Grow Alike as Time Passes?

Study Contradicts Popular Belief That Married Couples Develop Similar Traits as They Age

Aug. 27, 2010 — It just seems so, but it isn’t: Husbands and wives don’t become more alike over time.

That’s according to a study published in the August issue of the Personality and Individual Differences.

Rather than becoming more alike over time, people simply tend to pick mates based on shared personality traits, study researcher Mikhila N. Humbad of MSU tells WebMD.

Researchers at Michigan State University analyzed data from the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research on husbands and wives in 1,296 married couples. They wanted to determine whether men and women become more similar as time passes after the initial honeymoon glow grows dim.

Talk Therapy May Help Adults With ADHD

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy May Be Better Than Medicine Alone in Treating Adult ADHD, Study Says

ug. 24, 2010 — Adults who take medicine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may benefit from adding cognitive behavioral therapy, a new study says. Doing so may yield better results than using medication alone.

Cognitive behavioral therapy appears to significantly reduce symptoms associated with ADHD, such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, the researchers say.

They report that there is a need for alternative ways to treat ADHD because many adults either cannot or will not take medication or show a poor medication response.

Water May Be Secret Weapon in Weight Loss

Study Shows Drinking Water Helps People Lose Weight and Keep the Pounds Off

Aug. 23, 2010 — Drinking water before each meal has been shown to help promote weight loss, according to a new study.

Brenda Davy, PhD, an associate professor of nutrition at Virginia Tech and senior author of a new study, says that drinking just two 8-ounce glasses of water before meals helps people melt pounds away.

The study is being presented at the 2010 National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston.

“We are presenting results of the first randomized controlled intervention trial demonstrating that increased water consumption is an effective weight loss strategy,” Davy says in a news release. “We found in earlier studies that middle aged and older people who drank two cups of water right before eating a meal ate between 75 and 90 fewer calories during the meal.”

Bottled Tea: Health or Hype?

Bottled Tea, Unlike Home-Brewed, Skimps on Polyphenols, Researchers Say

Aug. 23, 2010 — Bottled tea may be all the rage among health-conscious people, but it may not have as many health benefits as you think.

Bottled tea is billed as being healthful because it contains polyphenols, antioxidants that may help ward off a range of diseases, including cancer.

But scientists say they’ve found that many of the popular bottled tea drinks contain fewer polyphenols than a single cup of home-brewed green or black tea.

And some contain such small amounts that a person would have to drink 20 bottles to get the same polyphenol benefit in a single cup of tea.

For Some, Moderate Drinking May Prolong Life

Moderate Drinking Helps Middle-Aged and Older People Live Longer, Study Finds

Aug. 24, 2010 — Middle-aged and older adults who drink a moderate amount of alcohol daily may live longer than people who abstain or drink heavily, according to a new study.

Moderate drinking is defined as one to less than three alcoholic drinks per day. Such behavior has been shown to decrease total mortality in middle-aged and older adults, but some say the health benefits have been a bit exaggerated.

Black Rice Is Cheap Way to Get Antioxidants

Study Shows Black Rice Is Good Source of Healthy Antioxidants and Vitamin E

Aug. 26, 2010 — Inexpensive black rice contains health-promoting anthocyanin antioxidants, similar to those found in blackberries and blueberries, new research from Louisiana State University indicates.

“Just a spoonful of black rice bran contains more health promoting anthocyanin antioxidants than are found in a spoonful or blueberries, but with less sugar and more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants,” Zhimin Xu, PhD, of Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, says in a news release. “If berries are used to boost health, why not black rice and black rice bran?”

Short-Term Overeating Has Lasting Impact

Study Shows Long-Term Weight Gain Can Result From Just 1 Month of Overeating

Aug. 25, 2010 — Overeating even for short periods of time appears to have long-term effects, according to a new study that lends some scientific oomph to the old saying about “a moment on the lips, forever on the hips.”

”Our study suggests that a short period of hyper-alimentation [overeating] can have later long-term effects by increasing body weight and fat mass in normal-weight individuals,” says researcher Asa Ernersson, a PhD student at Linkoping University in Sweden.

The study results aren’t surprising, according to two experts who reviewed the findings for WebMD, and lend credibility to long-standing messages about moderation.

The study is published in Nutrition & Metabolism.

Broccoli, Plantains May Stop Crohn’s Disease Relapse

Broccoli and Plantain Fibers Prevented E. Coli Movement by 45% to 82% in Study

Aug. 25, 2010 — Fibers from broccoli and plantain plants may block a key stage in the development of Crohn’s disease, a new study finds.

Crohn’s is an inflammatory bowel disorder that affects about seven of every 100,000 people in North America.

Researchers in Europe tested soluble fibers from broccoli, plantains, leeks, apples, and the food processing additives polysorbate 60 and 80. They wanted to see if the fibers could reduce the movement of  E. coli  bacteria across cells lining the bowel, perhaps protecting against Crohn’s disease.

They found that broccoli and plantain fibers prevented E. coli movement by between 45% and 82%; leek and apple fibers showed no impact. The food additive polysorbate 80, however, substantially increased E. coli movement.