Health knowledge made personal
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Jonathan M. Hodgson; Ian B. Puddey; Richard J. Woodman; Theo P. J. Mulder; Dagmar Fuchs; Kirsty Scott; Kevin D. Croft. “Effects of Black Tea on Blood Pressure: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Arch Intern Med, Jan 2012; 172: 186 - 188.
Australian team observes lower blood pressure among people who drink three or more cups of black tea daily.
Large numbers of Americans who are at-risk for breast, colon, and cervical cancers are not having screening exams.
By increasing cognitive abilities, older adults become more open to new and challenging experiences.
Among older people with glucose intolerance, daily resveratrol supplementation improved insulin sensitivity and reduced post-meal spikes in blood sugar.
For every 10 g per day increase in soluble fiber intake, a woman may reduce her risk of breast cancer by up to 26%.
Peptides from soybeans modulate neurotransmitters, thereby helping to boost circulation in the brain.
Capsaicin (found in hot peppers) and capsiates (present in sweet peppers) exert modest weight management benefits.
While over 20% of U.S. adults receive periodic health examinations each year, many do not receive recommended preventive screening tests and counseling services
Researchers from Norway suggest a mechanism by which stress may make a person fat, and being obese may create stress.
Swedish researchers report that people who are short on sleep experience greater levels of hunger.
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ANTI-AGING TIP OF THE DAY
Go Green
People who live near a park, wooded area, or other green space reap benefits for both physical and mental health. Researchers from the EMGO Institute VU University Medical Centre (Netherlands) studied the medical records of 345,143 Dutch adults, identifying for the prevalence of 24 health conditions, and classifying each study subject’s residence in relation to a nearby green space. The team discovered that for 15 of the 24 health conditions...
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Black tea is rich in flavonoids, an antioxidant compound associated with heart health. Jonathan Hodgson, from the University of Western Australia (Australia), and colleagues enrolled 95 men and women, ages 35 to 75 years, all of whom were regular tea drinkers, in a randomized double-blind trial. The study subjects had a mean body mass index of 25 kg/m2 and a mean daytime ambulatory systolic blood pressure of 121 mm Hg at baseline. During the first four-week period of the study, all of the participants consumed a low-flavonoid diet along with three cups of regular leaf tea per day. During the six-month intervention period, the participants were randomized to either drink three cups per day of 1,493-mg powdered black tea solids that contained 429 mg of polyphenols and 96 mg of caffeine, or a placebo drink matched in flavor and caffeine content. Whereas from the study start to six months, there were no changes in energy and nutrient intake, urinary sodium and potassium excretion, or body weight in either group, the researchers noted significant differences in 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure, primarily observed in daytime. Among the subjects who drank the tea, systolic blood pressure readings were 2.7 mm Hg lower at three months and 2.0 mm Hg lower at six months; diastolic readings were 2.3 and 2.1 mm Hg lower, respectively. Positing that tea consumption improves endothelial function, the study authors submit that tea flavonoids reduce levels of endothelin and thereby contribute to reduced vascular tone and lower blood pressure.