New research suggests that consumption of omega-3 rich fish may help to protect young women of childbearing age from heart disease. The study was published in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association, and is the first population-based study to assess the risk of developing heart disease in women of childbearing age.
According to research over eight years, women who rarely or never ate fish had 50% more cardiovascular issues than those who ate fish regularly. When compared to women who ate fish weekly, the risk of heart disease was 90% higher for those who rarely or never ate fish.
The researchers analyzed the data from nearly 49,000 pregnant women between 15 and 49. The women were asked about dietary behaviors and then hospital records were checked for heart-related admissions. Those women that took fish oil supplements were excluded from the study so that the results could be based purely on dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids. The results showed that both inpatient and outpatient admission for heart disease was much more prevalent among women who reported eating little or no fish. It was also shown that even women who ate fish only a few times a month benefitted.
This study adds to a constantly expanding body of science supporting the cardiovascular health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Junk Food Expands Your Waistline And Shrinks Your Brain
According to a new study published in the journal Neurology, elderly people who consume a lot of junk food with high levels of trans fats are more likely to experience brain shrinkage linked with Alzheimer's disease than those who consume less trans fats. Additionally, it was found that people with high levels of vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids had reduced brain shrinkage. This study is one of the first to specifically measure blood nutrient levels, as opposed to basing conclusions on less precise data like food intake surveys.
The study assessed the blood nutrient levels of 104 healthy people, with an average age of 87, who had few known risk factors for Alzheimer's disease. The research concluded that those with high levels of trans fats in their blood performed poorly in memory and thinking tests, while the people with higher levels of vitamin B, C, D, E, and omega-3 fatty acids, performed well. The researchers then scanned the brains of the participants, and found that those with high vitamin levels had larger brains, and those with high trans fats were prone to brain shrinkage associated with Alzheimer's.
Although dairy and meats contain trace amounts of trans fats, the vast majority of trans fatty acids are formed during the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oil. The food industry relies on trans fats for their extended shelf life and flavor stability. But scientific research has proved that trans fats increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, and now increase the risk of Alzheimer's. All the negative press on trans fats has increased pressure on food manufacturers to reduce or remove trans fats from food products. So, read your labels and maybe think twice about reaching for that candy bar.
The study assessed the blood nutrient levels of 104 healthy people, with an average age of 87, who had few known risk factors for Alzheimer's disease. The research concluded that those with high levels of trans fats in their blood performed poorly in memory and thinking tests, while the people with higher levels of vitamin B, C, D, E, and omega-3 fatty acids, performed well. The researchers then scanned the brains of the participants, and found that those with high vitamin levels had larger brains, and those with high trans fats were prone to brain shrinkage associated with Alzheimer's.
Although dairy and meats contain trace amounts of trans fats, the vast majority of trans fatty acids are formed during the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oil. The food industry relies on trans fats for their extended shelf life and flavor stability. But scientific research has proved that trans fats increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, and now increase the risk of Alzheimer's. All the negative press on trans fats has increased pressure on food manufacturers to reduce or remove trans fats from food products. So, read your labels and maybe think twice about reaching for that candy bar.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New Studies About Alzheimer's Disease
It's no secret that a well-rounded diet high in omega-3 fatty acids and rich in vitamins found in fruits and vegetables is good for your overall health and longevity. But a recent study supports the longstanding notion that a healthy diet can also help prevent Alzheimer's disease.
According to this study, which was released in the journal Neurology, scientists associate these fish-rich diets and foods with high levels of vitamins B, C, D, and E nutrients with increased cognitive performance and decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, or "brain shrinkage."
The study found that people who consume diets high in trans fats, primarily found in fast foods, fried and frozen foods, were more likely to have brain shrinkage and lower scores on the thinking and memory tests than people who ate very little trans fats.
Although there have been similar studies in the past that primarily depended on participants' memory recall and questionnaires, this is the first study using nutrient biomarkers in the blood to look at the effect of diet on memory, thinking skills and brain volume.
In a different study, supported by the National Institutes of Health, new research links "silent strokes," or small spots of dead brain cells, to memory loss in the elderly. The study detected silent strokes in roughly one out of four older adults, and those who did have silent strokes scored somewhat worse on memory tests than those without silent strokes.
Researchers found this to be true whether or not the patients had a small hippocampus, which is the main memory center of the brain. Since the study showed that the volume of the hippocampus and silent strokes were associated with memory loss separately from one another, the results also support stroke prevention as a means for preventing memory loss.
Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and the only one in the top 10 without a way to prevent, cure, or even slow its progression. But hopefully, with studies like these, we are getting closer to understanding ways to prevent and, perhaps, cure this mysterious brain disease.
According to this study, which was released in the journal Neurology, scientists associate these fish-rich diets and foods with high levels of vitamins B, C, D, and E nutrients with increased cognitive performance and decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, or "brain shrinkage."
The study found that people who consume diets high in trans fats, primarily found in fast foods, fried and frozen foods, were more likely to have brain shrinkage and lower scores on the thinking and memory tests than people who ate very little trans fats.
Although there have been similar studies in the past that primarily depended on participants' memory recall and questionnaires, this is the first study using nutrient biomarkers in the blood to look at the effect of diet on memory, thinking skills and brain volume.
In a different study, supported by the National Institutes of Health, new research links "silent strokes," or small spots of dead brain cells, to memory loss in the elderly. The study detected silent strokes in roughly one out of four older adults, and those who did have silent strokes scored somewhat worse on memory tests than those without silent strokes.
Researchers found this to be true whether or not the patients had a small hippocampus, which is the main memory center of the brain. Since the study showed that the volume of the hippocampus and silent strokes were associated with memory loss separately from one another, the results also support stroke prevention as a means for preventing memory loss.
Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and the only one in the top 10 without a way to prevent, cure, or even slow its progression. But hopefully, with studies like these, we are getting closer to understanding ways to prevent and, perhaps, cure this mysterious brain disease.
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